Classic California Coast

Cable cars, the Golden Gate rising from the fog - welcome to San Francisco, arguably the most romantic and cosmopolitan city in the United States. San Francisco has it all: a colorful history, superb restaurants, sophisticated museums, world-class shopping, and that elusive air of romance and abandon that's part of the tang of the city.

Santa Catalina Island has drawn Southern Californians for since the mid-1820s. That's when the Pimungan tribe settled there, attracted by the island's rich marine life. But Catalina's true popularity dates from 1919, the year Chicago chewing gum tycoon William Wrigley purchased the island development. Overnight Catalina secured its reputation as a playground for wealthy magnates and movie stars. Since 1975, the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy has held most of Catalina in trust. Buffalo, imported for a 1924 movie, roam the island's sere uplands. Offshore kelp beds shelter brightly colored Garibaldi fish, sea lions and seals. Gray whales pass on their annual migration, and dolphins are a frequent sight. It's no wonder the island - home to America's oldest fishing club - continues to woo weekend yachtsmen, deep-sea fishermen and divers as well as casual visitors content to explore Avalon's quaint lanes.

The City of Angels always hovers between dream and reality. Once a near-forgotten colonial outpost, the pueblo metamorphosed into an agrarian paradise before reinventing itself as a movie colony. Perhaps no other city owes so much to the technological innovations of the 20th century, from the automobile to the airplane. Little wonder that LA is oft described as the "dream machine." In LA, reinvention is a way of life. Yet this talent for change has created a city with a rich ethnic diversity and a sizzling culture. LA is the source for trends that migrate across the country and then the world. Where else can you enjoy a Thai taco or munch on a kosher burrito? Or travel from downtown's high rises to the beaches of Malibu, shopping in Beverly Hills along the way? Los Angeles is a port of embarkation and disembarkation for some cruises.

Known as a place of infinite beauty, affectionate locals and endless sunshine, San Diego has become one of America's favorite cities. Located in the southwest corner of California, close to the border of Mexico, San Diego has a distinct cross-cultural feel, part sun-drenched Mediterranean atmosphere, part south-of-the-border zest and part quintessential California beach town. The history of San Diego is rooted in its Spanish and Mexican past. San Diego was declared the capital of upper and lower Baja only four years after Mexico gained its independence in 1821. Less than thirty years later, the United States declared war on Mexico and within two years the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo was signed creating the current borders between Mexico and the United States. The city continues to prosper with a population exceeding one million. World-renowned attractions such as the San Diego Zoo, the Salk Institute, Sea World, La Jolla and the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge have created a strong tou…

Ensenada is located 70 miles south of the international border and only a 90-minute drive from San Diego. Visitors are drawn to Ensenada's warm Mediterranean climate, friendly atmosphere and easy access by land, air, and sea. Ensenada has become Mexico's second most visited port of call for major cruise lines and pleasure boats.

Cable cars, the Golden Gate rising from the fog - welcome to San Francisco, arguably the most romantic and cosmopolitan city in the United States. San Francisco has it all: a colorful history, superb restaurants, sophisticated museums, world-class shopping, and that elusive air of romance and abandon that's part of the tang of the city.