SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (Amazing America) — Who says you can’t go home again? Not I. This California-native-turned-Ohio transplant jumped at the chance for a three-day On the Road Sea to Sky adventure in my home state.
In Fantastic Fontana style, my wonderful wife, Katie, and our kids—Sweet Chanel, 8, and our 4-year-old, the Mighty Rush—traveled around San Diego, Julian, and Big Bear Lake in Southern California to visit, explore, discover, and revisit some of our favorite people and places.
With safety always top of mind, we begin a road trip heading to the beach where the surf’s up.
Amazing America explores Southern California from San Diego to Big Bear with Cameron Fontana, his wife Katie, and their kids Chanel and Rush. (Amazing America)
This trip was a time for strengthening family ties, unraveling mysteries (like our visit to Sunny Jim’s Cave), and taking in the breathtaking beauty of places like Birch Aquarium at Scripps and a San Diego sunset
Here’s a quick recap of our Sea to Sky road trip adventure from San Diego to Big Bear Lake.
DAY ONE: SAN DIEGO, CA
1. Family Surf Session: Just about everyone knows that Hawaii is the birthplace of modern surfing, but California has its own bragging rights when it comes to mainland surfing. Pacific Beach in San Diego was just the place for us to do a little surfing. After a lesson from Elijah at San Diego Surf School, Katie, the kids, and I were ready to make some waves. Shoutout to our camera guy, Brandon, and our editors, Tim and Paul, for not showing any of my wipeouts.
Surf’s up at Pacific Beach in San Diego as Cameron and the family finish their surfing lesson. (Amazing America)
2. La Perla Cocina #3: Home to the No. 1-ranked California burrito in San Diego. The Oaxacalifornia burrito is a must-try. La Perla Cocina #3 is located at 1224 Rosecrans St., San Diego, CA 92106.
La Peria’s Oaxacalifornia burrito is a twist on the traditional California burrito,{ }by adding Oaxaca cheese to its other ingredients, including{ }carne asada, cheese, and French fries inside a flour tortilla.{ }{ }
3. Balboa Park/San Diego Model Railroad Museum: Remember when you were a kid, and the teacher asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up? Well, along with becoming the best baseball slugger in the world, a few of us dreamt of becoming a train engineer. Well, you can still live out those childhood dreams at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. I think Katie and I were as awestruck as Chanel and Rush were. “Wow” was the word I used to describe this place, which is the largest museum of its kind in North America.
The San Diego Model Train Museum is the largest in North America. (Amazing America)
It is a must-stop along with Balboa Park. You can check out more than 27,000 square feet of trains and tracks while experiencing the beauty of Balboa Park. The park covers 1,200 acres of parks, trails, and monuments. We could have spent the whole day here, but there was more to see.
No Southern California road trip is complete without a stop at Balboa Park-1200 acres of architectural wonder, museums,{ } parks, and a model train museum you have to see to believe. (Amazing America)
4. Sunny Jim’s Cave: A trip down 145 steps to “Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave” will bring out the pirate in any visitor. This historic coastal attraction in La Jolla, California, is accessible only through a tunnel, dug by hand, leading from a gift shop down to the shoreline. We felt like we were on a real treasure hunt — super cool.
Quick note: The best time to visit is at low tide, when the waters are calm. Click here to learn more.
The Fontanas begin a 145-step trek to visit Sunny Jim’s Cave. (Amazing America)
5. Birch Aquarium at Scripps: On a bluff overlooking the expanse that is the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a place where science and adventure meet in breathtaking splendor—Birch Aquarium at Scripps. It’s not the typical aquarium you may have visited; It is a public exploration center for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. More than 9,000 marine animals from more than 400 species call it home. Click here to learn more.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps is home to the smallest penguins in the world-the blue penguin. (Amazing America)
6. A San Diego Sunset: You’ve heard the adage, “stop and smell the roses.” Well, if you are in San Diego, you’ve got to stop and bask in the glow of a California sunset. It is a great way to end the day and slow things down. In the silence, you can be in the moment to see what happens when day gives way to night in a collision of colors.
After taking San Diego by storm, the Fontanas head into the sunset to watch the closing of a perfect day. (Amazing America)
DAY TWO: JULIAN, CA
Our Sea to Sky adventure in San Diego continues with some must-stop spots and a few surprises.
1. Eagle Mining Company: “Thar’s gold in them thar hills,” and the Fontanas were determined to find it. Well, we didn’t hit pay dirt, but we did make priceless memories at the Eagle Mining Co. in Julian, California. We got a chance to live like a 49er (gold prospectors in California), tour the Eagle & High Peak mines, and learn all about California’s rich mining history, and even found some traces of gold. Not bad.
{ }The Fontanas pan for gold at the Eagle Mining Co. in Julian, California. (Amazing America)
2. Julian Pie Company: Of course, all that gold prospecting left us hungry, so we made a stop to taste what many call the best apple pie in America at Julian Pie Company. The story of Julian Pie Company is as American as apple pie. Liz Smothers’ dream began in 1986 when she and a neighbor started peeling apples for a local pie shop. They hired her to bake and sell pies. She decided to start her own company, and now her pies can be bought at one of her stores in California or ordered and shipped all over the country.
The Julian Pie Company’s Apple Pie has been called the Best Apple Pie in America. (Amazing America)
3. Miner’s Diner: What’s in a name? Plenty. We knew we were in for a treat when we heard the name Miner’s Diner. It is what happens when a soda fountain from the 1920s meets up with a candy shop, and it is pure magic. The Candy Mine is filled with all sorts of childhood favorites, and you can get a soda and some grub at this one-stop, must-stop diner. Miner’s Diner is located at 2134 Main St., Julian, California.
Cameron Fontana and son Rush and daughter Chanel pan for gold at Eagle Mining Company. (Amazing America)
DAY 3: BIG BEAR LAKE, CA
We are wrapping up our Sea to Sky road trip adventure in the San Bernardino Mountains with some skiing, bobsledding, and even a surprise for someone near and dear to our hearts.
1. Snow Summit Skiing: Despite being in the middle of a Cali heat wave, there was still snow at Big Bear Lake, and we were able to hit the slopes at Snow Summit, one of Southern California’s oldest ski resorts. There are a variety of hills depending on your skill level. There is also plenty to do once the snow melts. Click here to learn more.
Channel, Cameron, and Amazing America’s Brandon Kong make their way to the summit. (Amazing America)
2. Alpine Slide/Bobsledding: Not everyone is a skier, but no worries, there are plenty of other adventures. We felt like Olympians (not really, I was a little scared) as we boarded a bobsled at Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain.
Rush and Cameron take a turn at bobsledding. (Amazing America)
3. The Big Surprise: How great is it when you get to surprise someone you love while on a work trip? Well, we got to do just that.
Laura has a look of surprise as her son Cameron and family pay a surprise visit. (Amazing America)
We hope you enjoyed our Southern California Sea to Sky road trip adventure from San Diego to Big Bear Lake as much as we did. We are just getting started, so check back to find out what we’ll be up to next as we explore every corner of America.
*This segment is sponsored by: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
If you know a place where the locals gather and connect, we’d love to hear about it. Send a DM to @amazingamericatv on Instagram!
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