Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
School Holidays
Schools take a one- or two-week 'spring break' around Easter, sometime in March or
April. Some hotels and resorts, especially at beaches and near SoCal's theme parks,
raise their rates during this time.
School summer vacations run from mid-June until mid-August, making July and August
the busiest travel months.
Safe Travel
Despite its seemingly apocalyptic list of dangers - guns, violent crime, riots - coastal Cali-
fornia is a reasonably safe place to visit. The greatest danger is posed by car accidents
(buckle up - it's the law). There's also the dramatic, albeit unlikely, possibility of a natural
disaster such as a tsunami or a large-magnitude earthquake.
Wildlife
Never feed or approach any wild animals, no matter how harmless they may look. Dis-
turbing or harassing specially protected species (eg many marine mammals) is a crime,
subject to enormous fines.
Mountain lion attacks on humans are rare, but can be deadly. If you encounter a moun-
tain lion, stay calm, pick up small children, face the animal and retreat slowly. Make your-
self appear larger by raising your arms or grabbing a stick. If the lion behaves men-
acingly, shout or throw rocks at it. If attacked, fight back aggressively.
Snakes and spiders are common, and not just in wilderness areas. Always look inside
your shoes before putting them back on outdoors, especially when camping. Snake bites
are rare, but usually occur when a snake is stepped on or provoked (eg picked up or
poked with a stick). Antivenom is available at most hospitals.
Telephone
Dialing Codes
US phone numbers consist of a three-digit area code followed by a seven-digit local
number.
When dialing a number within the same area code, only use the seven-digit number (if
that doesn't work, try all 10 digits).
