Beaches, Cities & Wildlife

If there is a lighthouse in the area you are visiting, you should definitely consider paying a visit. Wondering why? It is because, more often than not, lighthouses are built in some of the most picturesque locations - On a bluff overlooking the ocean/sea surrounded by beautiful trees and flowers. The Point Reyes Lighthouse near San Francisco and Point Loma Lighthouse near San Diego are great examples. Another such example is the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero which is in between San Francisco and Santa Cruz. Take a look at these pictures and I am certain you will agree.




From the deck area behind the Lighthouse, you can see the harbor seals sunbathing on the rocks. It is a sight that inspires you to sit down, relax, enjoy the sun and count your blessings. 



From this beautiful deck, you can also watch pacific grey whale migration from December to May. Especially, from March through May, female gray whales bring their calves into the bay south of the lighthouse on their journey from…

Are you planning a trip to the Universal Studios Hollywood? If so, here's everything you need to know. If not, I highly recommend you plan one soon for a fun-filled day with your family. For someone who is not a big fan of Disney World I must say I loved our trip to the Universal Studios Hollywood. I especially liked the fact that there are about 12 really cool and interesting things to do (8 attractions, 3 shows and 1 studio tour ), which makes it pretty manageable to cover in a day instead of the overwhelming number of not-worthy-of-standing-in-line-for hours attractions that I experienced in our trip to Disney World in Orlando. On the other hand, if you have small kids, you may not be able to experience most of the attractions at Universal Studios due to height requirements and may find more things to do at Disney World. 


Universal Studios Hollywood has 2 levels (Upper Level and Lower Level). You enter the Park through the Upper Level which is where the 'Wizarding World of H…

Growing up as a kid in India, Niagara Falls was the most popular tourist destination in the USA for me. I vividly recollect pictures of magnificent Niagara Falls featured in Indian magazines, white as snow during the day and brightly illuminated at night. It seemed to me that everyone who went to visit USA from India came back with their pictures with the Niagara Falls. Naturally, it was on my bucket list for a long time and when my mom visited us from India this summer, it was a destination that was definitely on the itinerary.





Niagara Falls is the collective name for 3 waterfalls - Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Horseshoe Falls are the largest of the 3 and are on the border of US and Canada whereas American and Bridal Veil Falls are on the US side. When planning for this trip, I read quite a bit about the pros/cons of visiting the Falls from the US side vs Canadian side. There is only a bridge separating both the sides, so if you have the required visas, by al…