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Places & Recreation - page 5

Parks, nearby towns, attractions, family activities and regional day trips.

The California amusement parks we’ve lost forever

in Places & Recreation

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – News that the Great America amusement park in Santa Clara will be closing in the next 11 years may bring back memories of other California theme parks that have shuttered over the years. These are a few of the most memorable parks that are gone for good.

Playland at the Beach

Playland at the Beach straddled San Francisco’s Ocean Beach on the western end of the Richmond neighborhood from 1913 till 1972, though the first ride — the Gravity Railroad roller coaster — opened in 1884.

A very popular attraction at Playland was a fun house featuring animatronic characters. Until a 1983 remodel, the fun house at the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk was identical on the inside to the Playland fun house.

There were also bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, a shoot-the-chute, a carousel and a giant camera called the Camera Obscura.

Continue Reading on KRON4

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Is California really getting a beer-themed amusement park?

in Places & Recreation/Arts & Entertainment

The New Belgium Brewing Company is promising on its website a beer-themed amusement park – complete with illustrated concept designs – is supposedly “coming soon to Napa,” KTLA sister station KRON reports.

The Voodoo Ranger IPA Action Park’s webpage heralds the imminent coming of “136 acres of beer-powered fun,” which it states will include:

  • Xtreme Brew Flume: the “world’s first beer-powered flume ride,”
  • Surf’s Up, a pool in which one can “catch a wave on 130,000 gallons of tasty Hazy IPA,”
  • Juice Force Goliath: “NorCal’s tallest coaster made from reclaimed beer barrels,”
  • and last, but certainly not least, Ranger Thunder: a concert stage with a 25,000-watt sound system.

Continue Reading on KTLA

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California’s Great America Amusement Park will close in 2033

in Places & Recreation

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KION)- California’s Great America Amusement Park will soon close its doors in Santa Clara. The seller of the property Cedar Fair L.P. states all of this is due to bring down the parks debt.

The amusement park was sold for a total of 310 million from Bay Area buyer Prologis Inc.

Cedat Fair said it first began looking into maximizing the value of its existing properties back in 2021. Thankfully people can still enjoy the park until the year 2033.

Continue Reading on KION 5/46 News Channel

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5 Central Coast attractions make Best of USA travel list

in Places & Recreation

Travel Lemming’s released their list of best places to travel in the USA this summer, and five of those places are Central California attractions.

Out 150 best things to do in the U.S. this summer, five attractions were named along the Central Coast.

• #9 – San Simeon
• #31 – Pacific Coast Highway
• #79 – Big Sur
• #111 – Flying Flags RV Resort
• #133 – Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Continue Reading on KSBY

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This Will Soon Be California’s Newest State Park, Here’s What Makes It Special

in Places & Recreation

It’s been a long time since this last happened, but it now appears California is set to open a new state park.

The 2,500-acre property, which was once home to dairy pastures and almond orchards, will be California’s 280th state park — and the first new state park to open since Fort Ord Dunes near Monterey in 2009, according to The Modesto Bee. Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, announced last week that he is allocating $5 million for the new park as part of his state budget proposal.

Continue Reading on Travel Awaits

Alaska Airlines creates special experience to boost California tourism

in Places & Recreation

Alaska Airlines at San Francisco International Airport is getting creative to encourage people to fly by giving travelers a special Star Wars experience. The airline painted an aircraft black with a massive millennium falcon on the tail fighting with tie fighters.

“It is bringing that joy and that fun to people and I think that’s what this aircraft does,” Neil Thwaites Alaska Airlines Regional Vice President of California said.

David Perry is on the Board of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, he said companies are looking to tap into the pent-up demand to travel.

Continue Reading on KCBS Radio

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California condors soar over northern coast redwoods for first time in more than a century

in Places & Recreation

REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — The endangered California condor returned to soar the skies over the state’s far northern coast redwood forests on Tuesday for the first time in more than a century.

Two captive-bred birds were released from a pen in Redwood National Park, about an hour’s drive south of the Oregon border, under a project aimed at restoring the giant vultures to their historic habitat in the Pacific Northwest.

Continue Reading on NBC News

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Head to These 8 California State Parks for the Wildflower Bloom

in Places & Recreation/Arts & Entertainment

California wildflower season might be that rare Instagram trend that’s actually worth the hype. Since the #superbloom earned its hashtag, the influx of newcomers has included — well, pretty much everyone. It can get crowded, but an hour or two frolicking in a colorful field full of beautiful flowers might be better than medicine. If it’s good enough for Tom Petty, it’s good enough for me.

While not every year yields a full-on super bloom, this renewed interest in flowers as a photo-op has put state parks back on the map as destination spots — at least for a few months every year. Whether you’re pure of heart or an influencer in the making, we don’t judge. Here’s a guide to everywhere you can see some seriously beautiful blooms in California this year, from Death Valley to Mount Diablo.

Continue Reading on MySA

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California State Library Parks Pass Allows Free Vehicle Day Use Entry at Over 200 Participating State Parks

in Places & Recreation

California State Parks and the California State Library today announced an additional opportunity to advance safe and equitable outdoor access to all Californians. Starting this week—National Library Week—California State Parks will be distributing the California State Library Parks Pass to public libraries across the state for checkout by library patrons. The new pass will allow free vehicle day use entry at more than 200 participating state park units.

“Spending time in nature is crucial to our mental health and well-being,” said First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. “We’re lucky to have the largest state park system in the nation, and I am thrilled to partner with California State Parks and the California State Library to help make those spaces more accessible to California families. With the California State Library Parks Pass, anyone with a library card will be able to unlock the benefits and beauty of our majestic state parks.”

Continue Reading on MendoFever

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