Forestville, California’s Farmhouse Inn Has World-Class Restaurant

Even though Halloween is months away, this is the time of year when theme parks release information on their fall spooky season offerings — and even put tickets on sale. It may seem early, but we can assure you it is not. Popular dates sell out quickly, so you need to plan ahead if you don't want to miss out.

Los Angeles, California — The United States has “serious problems” when it comes to international inbound travel that must be resolved if the country is to regain its competitive edge.That’s the assessment of the U.S. Travel Association and its leader Geoff Freeman, the organization’s president and CEO.Freeman delivered his sober take on the problems plaguing inbound travel to the United States during a press conference today in Los Angeles, California where a travel industry convention is taking place.“The United States remains the world’s most desired nation to visit, but at the end of 2019 we had 79 million visitors internationally and in 2023 we had 67 million international visitors," Freeman told the media gathered for the IPW 2024 convention. “That’s only 84 percent of pre-pandemic levels.”“When you look at travel as an export - before the pandemic we had a 12 billion [person] travel trade surplus. At end of last year we had about a 50 billion [person] travel trade deficit,” Freeman added.There's a handful of challenges that the United States currently faces when it comes to attracting international visitors and significantly ramping up inbound numbers, said Freeman. And some of those challenges are within the country’s ability to fix, while others are not.There’s not much that can be done, for instance, about the strength of the U.S. dollar, which makes this country very expensive to visit from many other parts of the world. Similarly, there’s not much U.S. officials can do about the current prohibitions surrounding flights over Russian airspace, which pose a major obstacle for airlines coming to this country from China.However, visa wait times continue to be a significant roadblock for international visitors — and that’s an issue U.S. officials can — and should — be able to fix, Freeman said.“On the visa side, I checked this morning — if you're a Columbian and want to come to the U.S. the wait times are over 600 days to get an interview at a U.S. consulate,” said Freeman. “If you’re in Mexico, the wait times are over 800 days.”By contrast, for visitors from India the wait timeline for visa interviews has recently been reduced to a somewhat more reasonable 150 to 200 days. Similarly, wait times for those visiting from Brazil have been reduced drastically — from what was once 500 days down to just 21 days, according to the U.S. Travel Association.“It shows us that it can be done. When the State Department uses their ingenuity and gets creative and puts resources in the right places, this problem can be solved,” explained Freeman. “But it’s been going on for far too long. It needs to be solved now.”

Governor Gavin Newsom and Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta just broke the news that California still retains the largest market share of tourism in the entire United States. According to new data released today, travel spending in the Golden State reached a record high of $150.4 billion in 2023, outstripping the previous record amount of $144.9 billion seen in 2019.

Returning to the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California on Saturday, May 4th, The Quail Motorcycle Gathering celebrates its 14th year in a row. Designed for motorcycle enthusiasts, this family-friendly event is always much-anticipated in the automotive world and promises a packed schedule of showcases, activities, vendors and more.

Amid velvety green valleys and oak-covered hills, more than 425 wineries flourish on 63,000 acres of vineyards, producing some of the nation’s best pinot noir, zinfandel and chardonnay — 99% of which are sustainable. Welcome to laid-back Sonoma, located an hour north of San Francisco (depending on traffic), yet a world away. 

Anyone who appreciates fine wine is spoiled for choice in California.

Growing up in Tucson, Arizona , I was used to the desert.

Carnival Cruise Line has officially christened its newest ship, Carnival Firenze, at Long Beach in California.

A new bill in California is attempting to ban the biometric security company Clear in the state over protests it creates an unfair advantage for travelers who can afford the service.

Could a crackdown on Clear be brewing in the nation's most populous state?

Savannah spent nine weeks and thousands of dollars planning her family's trip to Walt Disney World.

An excellent reason to visit the Bay Area of California is to visit Muir Woods National Monument. What makes Muir Woods so special and different is its acres of giant, ancient redwood trees.