Los Angeles to San Francisco: The Pacific Coast

Witness the apex of outdoor urban sports culture along the beaches of Santa Monica and Venice. Santa Monica, an international hub for skateboarding, also hosts a vibrant pier scene, with buildings from a bygone beachfront era providing a whimsical backdrop. You can walk along Palisades Park for spectacular ocean views, and even take a long look through a camera obscura. Then it's on to Venice Beach, with its canals (hence the name), and carnivalesque Ocean Front Walk. Watch a vast array of street performers, visit a fortune teller, or buy some of the wares from the local artists. Or watch the always-in-session streetballers hoop it up, check out where Schwarzenneger first pumped up at Muscle Beach, or hits the sand volleyball courts to see some of the world's best players.

See one of the greatest American museum collections of classical sculpture, European paintings and twentieth century photography. Walk the 134,000 square foot Central Garden designed by renowned artist Robert Irwin, and enjoy a view that stretches to Big Bear mountain on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. And don't forget to view Van Gogh's iconic Irises--one of the ten most expensive paintings in the world.

Take a stroll down America's most famous boulevard and transport yourself into the world of celluloid splendor. See the handprints of the stars of the past and present along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Gaze at the Hollywood sign perched atop the close-by hills. Get your picture taken with some of the many local 'superheroes' of recent film fame. And stop by one of the famous eateries like Musso & Frank's or the Pig 'n' Whistle and imagine the great (and not-so-great) movie ideas hatched in their opulent booths.

With a palatial estate that includes three castles totalling over 90,000 square feet, the Hearst Castle is as large as a small city. Containing more than 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, indoor & outdoor swimming pools, a full-size movie theater, and even its own private airport, the Hearst Castle estate is truly awe-inspiring. The architecture is a blend of styles that caught William Randolph's fancy, ranging from Spanish cathedral to Roman temple. If you tire of wandering the castle, see if you can spot some of the exotic animals (zebras, giraffes & more) roaming the estates unmanicured acreage.

Containing more than 35,000 plants and animals representing 623 species, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the largest and most spectacular aquariums in the world. See jellyfish, sea otters, stingrays, crabs and many other forms of marine life. And don't miss the aquarium's main exhibit. The Ocean's Edge is a 33 foot tall tank that is home to many native California coastal marine life. See the swaying forest of Giant Kelp, and count the number of different kinds of fish you see swimming through it. Then, head to the Outer Bay Wing

The island of Alcatraz has a rich and storied history, and you'll hear about it all on this tour of one of America's most famous (and infamous) islands. Before becoming the prison of popular lore, Alcatraz previously served as a lighthouse and a military base. But you don't want to hear about that...you want to hear about the prison! Check out the previous cells of such notorious prisoners as Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (the "Birdman of Alcatraz"), and James "Whitey" Bulger. Decide for yourself whether Clarence Anglin, John Anglin, and Frank Morris really drowned in their intricate escape attempt made famous in the film Escape From Alcatraz.