Travel and Play
By The Mercury News | Travel and recreation features from The Mercury News staff and columnists
State Dept. Q&A on overseas travel with kids turns brutal
By <b>ELI ROSENBERG</b> | The Washington Post<p>The informational Q&A on Facebook Live hosted by two State Department bureaucrats expounding on the intricacies …
Social MediaGrape stomps, barrel tastings and Paso Robles Harvest Wine Weekend
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>The aroma of ripe grapes wafts through Paso Robles’ Opolo winery and its …
Paso RoblesBacon fest, bacon camp — it’s a bacon extravaganza
It’s the B in your BLT. The streaky rashers of brunch. The raison d’être of breakfast. Now bacon has moved beyond the morning realm and sandwich …
FestivalsMeet Kianto, Happy Hollow’s new jaguar
There’s a new big cat in town, and we know what you’re thinking: Happy Hollow Park and Zoo’s newest addition — a 12-year-old male jaguar named Kianto …
DietsGilroy Garlic Festival: 40 years of fragrant fun
<b>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</b><p>Forty years ago, no one had ever heard of garlic-flavored ice …
Ice CreamIf you liked Comic-Con, here are 5 more pop culture festivals
San Diego’s Comic-Con International draws fans from across the pop culture spectrum, from graphic-novel devotees and cosplay crowds to film buffs. …
Silicon ValleyComic-Con rules the pop culture universe
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Kapow! Back in 1970, a ragtag band of hoodie-clad geeks banded together …
Comics3 cool things to do in San Diego (besides Comic-Con)
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>There’s only so much time you can spend dressed up as the Incredible Hulk …
San DiegoTop 10 coolest small towns in America (including one in California)
Great food, beautiful landscapes, cultural appeal and a population under 20,000? For more than a decade, the folks at BudgetTravel.com have been …
Top 103 fun things to do in Laguna Beach that aren’t Pageant of the Masters
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>This Orange County coastal hamlet is internationally known for its …
Laguna Beach5 great California arts festivals
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>You’ve cavorted at Pageant of the Masters and museum-hopped across the …
Film FestivalsPageant of the Masters brings art to life
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Laguna Beach is particularly proud of two things: its legacy as a haven …
ArtGlitz, glamour and Festival Napa Valley
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Strains of Brahms waft over the courtyard of the Castello di Amorosa in …
Napa Valley3 things to do while you’re in Napa this summer
Whether you’re enjoying Festival Napa Valley’s classical music in the vineyards or winery hopping at back-to-back tasting appointments, don’t forget …
Napa Valley5 California summer (non-pop) music festivals for your bucket list
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Everyone knows about Coachella and Outside Lands. But what about the …
Music FestivalsWhat happens now with IHOP’s name change campaign?
Can people wrap their brains around IHOb?<p>That’s the challenge that faces IHOP, the Glendale-based restaurant chain, after it flipped the uppercase …
Social Media3 California music festivals every music fan should attend at least once
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Already hit Outside Lands? Here are three more hot California music …
FestivalsOutside Lands: Rocking Golden Gate Park
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Tens of thousands of music lovers turn out each year for San Francisco’s …
FestivalsCalifornia’s 7 oddest fairs, races and parades
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Or at least …
Swimming PoolsThese 5 California county fairs are definitely worth a trip
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>California’s 58 counties all celebrate their history, heritage and …
Los Angeles5 oddest California State Fair attractions
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos or video on a mobile device</i><p>If you thought demolition derbies and pig races were about as …
SpeedboatA Disney pastry chef and blue-ribbon judge dishes on state fair food
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>What is it about county fairs that brings out the daft glutton in all of …
Deep FryingCalifornia’s State Fair, a century and a half of history, no butter cows
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos on a mobile device</i><p>Let the Iowa State Fair have its butter cow.<p>The annual celebration of all …
HeatstrokeWhat’s new at Disneyland and other California theme parks this summer
<i>CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing these photos on a mobile device</i><p>Looking for something fresh to do this summer? This is the high season …
Walt Disney CompanyTravel Troubleshooter: Yet another tale of WOW Air refund woes
<b>Dear Travel Troubleshooter:</b> I have been struggling to get any feedback from WOW Air about my refund request for a flight it canceled from Paris to …
FlyingCherry-pit spitters let it fly at San Jose farmers market
Amid the tech company headquarters and high-rise apartments, it’s refreshing to see San Jose slow down now and then embrace its inner farm town. And …
Silicon ValleyEmbattled Martins Beach isn’t the only paradise on California coast
Absence, especially for devoted beach-lovers, made the heart grow fonder.<p>For nearly a decade, the hearts of surfers, hikers, picnickers and your …
Silicon ValleyA matter of policy: On-demand insurance comes to Uber, Lyft rides
A new feature being offered to riders using Uber or Lyft harkens back to the days when you could purchase flight insurance at the airport just before …
Health CareRoller coaster derails, drops 2 riders 30 feet; 6 injured
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Two passengers fell 34 feet (10 meters) to the ground when a roller coaster derailed and authorities had to pull eight others …
Roller Coasters