Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
August
Warm weather and water temperatures keep beaches busy. School summer
vacations come to an end, but everywhere (except for the hot, hot deserts)
stays packed. Travel slows only slightly before the Labor Day holiday week-
end.
Old Spanish Days Fiesta
Santa Barbara shows off its early Spanish, Mexican and American
rancho
culture with
parades, rodeo events, arts-and-crafts exhibits and live music and dance shows in early
August.
Perseids
Peaking in mid-August, these annual meteor showers are the best time to catch shooting
stars with your naked eye or a digital camera. Head away from urban light pollution to
places like Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks in the deserts.
September
Summer's last hurrah is the Labor Day holiday weekend, which is extremely
busy almost everywhere (except in the deserts). After kids go back to
school, the beaches and cities start seeing fewer visitors.
Tall Ships Festival
In early September, the West Coast's biggest
gathering
of historical tall ships happens at
Dana Point in Orange County, with knot-tying and scrimshaw-carving demonstrations and
other kid-friendly maritime activities.
