Roaring Camp Railroad   http://www.roaringcamp.com/  See California 's towering redwood forests from two historic railroads on your next visit to the San Francisco or Monterey Bay Areas. Travel by steam train up a narrow-gauge track through the Big Trees to Bear Mountain or by beach train down the scenic San Lorenzo River to the sunny beaches of Santa Cruz . It all happens on the Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton. Beach Trains travel through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, down the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge, and through an 1875 tunnel before arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Reverse roundtrips to Roaring Camp and back can also be purchased from the conductor in Santa Cruz. Each roundtrip is approximately three hours long. Roaring Camp Railroads, PO Box G-1, Felton, CA 95018 (831) 335-4484

Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk  http://www.beachboardwalk.com/  Located the beach, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is your hot spot for beach vibes and classic rides! The Boardwalk is a half-mile long historic amusement park next to Santa Cruz’s mile long main beach. It includes more than 34 rides and attractions (featuring two national historic landmarks: the 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster and the 1911 Looff Carousel plus plenty of modern ride thrills), dozens of restaurants, shops, games, indoor arcades, and miniature golf. Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk (831) 460-3376, ext. 2332

Santa Cruz Mystery Spot  http://www.mysteryspot.com/  The Mystery Spot is an area about 150 feet in diameter located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California. Within the Mystery Spot you will be baffled as the laws of physics and gravity cease to exist. Discovered in 1939 and opened to the public in 1940, the Mystery Spot has amazed and perplexed hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. Many return again to experience the puzzling variations in gravity, perspective and more. Santa Cruz Mystery Spot, 465 Mystery Spot Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95065 (831) 423-8897

Winchester Mystery House  http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/  Tour through 110 of the 160 rooms and look for the bizarre phenomena that gave the mansion its name; a window built into the floor, staircases leading to nowhere, a chimney that rises four floors, doors that open onto blank walls, and upside down posts! No one has been able to explain the mysteries that exist within the Winchester Mansion , or why Sarah Winchester kept the carpenters' hammers pounding 24 hours a day for 38 years. Winchester Mystery House, 525 Winchester Boulevard , San Jose , CA 95128 (408) 247-2101

San Jose Tech Museum  www.thetech.org  The San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation is simply bursting at the seams with fun "science" activities and events each month. Located in downtown San Jose, "The Tech" offers a fabulous IMAX theater as well as two stories of the latest in hands-on, user-friendly technology. San Jose Tech Museum, 201 South Market Street, San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 279-7150

Hiking/Camping in Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur  The park has 1006 acres of redwoods, conifers, oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods, maples, alders and willows plus open meadows. Wildlife includes black-tail deer, gray squirrels, raccoons, skunks, and birds, such as water ouzels and belted kingfishers. Hikers can enjoy the many scenic trails, including a self-guided nature trail. If you enjoy camping you can stay on a campsite are along the Big Sur River. The famous Big Sur Lodge is also located in the park. The lodge has 61 guest rooms, a conference center, cafe, and a grocery store. Some of the rooms are available with fireplaces and kitchens. Big Sur Lodge, 47225 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920 (800) 424-4787