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$235 for adults and $189 for children aged three to nine, and buy a three-day admission to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, a one-day admission each to Universal Studios and SeaWorld and another day at either the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Passes are valid for 14 days from the day of the first use and may be purchased online or at any of the attractions. The total savings are $94 for adults and $79 for children.

The Hollywood CityPass offers a similar deal but is limited to attractions with-in LA.

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FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Southern California has a wonderful and packed schedule of festivals and special events taking place throughout the year. The following list is an overview of some of the major festivities, each of which is detailed in the relevant destination chapter.

January & February

Rose Parade (Los Angeles, Click here) January 1

Chinese New Year (Los Angeles, Click here) Late January/early February

March

LA Marathon (Los Angeles, Click here) First Sunday in March

April & May

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (Los Angeles, Click here) Third weekend in April

Fiesta Broadway (Los Angeles, Click here) Last Sunday in April

Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Indio, Palm Springs, Click here) Late April/early May

Cinco de Mayo (most cities, especially Los Angeles, Click here Early May

June

LA Pride (Los Angeles, Click here) Mid-June

Summer Solstice Parade (Santa Barbara, Click here) Late June

July

Central Avenue Jazz Festival (Los Angeles, Click here) Late July

Festival of the Arts & Pageant of the Masters (Laguna Beach, Click here) July to August

US Open Sandcastle Competition (San Diego, Click here) Mid-July

San Diego LGBT Pride (San Diego, Click here) Late July

August

Nisei Week Japanese Festival (Los Angeles, Click here) Early to mid-August

Sunset Junction Street Fair (Los Angeles, Click here) Mid-August

African Marketplace & Cultural Faire (Los Angeles, Click here) Late August/early September

September

Fleet Week (San Diego, Click here) Mid- to late September

Los Angeles County Fair (Los Angeles, Click here) Mid- to late September

Abbot Kinney Festival (Los Angeles, Click here) Late September

October

West Hollywood Halloween Carnival (Los Angeles, Click here) October 31

November

Día de los Muertos (Los Angeles, Click here) November 1

Pasadena Doo Dah Parade (Los Angeles, Click here) Sunday before Thanksgiving

Hollywood Christmas Parade (Los Angeles, Click here) Sunday after Thanksgiving

December

Christmas Boat Parade (Newport Beach, Click here) Week before Christmas

Las Posadas and Luminaries (Los Angeles, Click here; San Diego, Click here) Late December

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FOOD

Restaurant listings in this guide run the gamut from plain and simple to fabulous and stunning. Budget eateries include takeouts, delis, cafés, snack bars, markets and basic restaurants where you can fill up for $12 or less. At midrange establishments, you usually get tablecloths, full menus, beer and wine lists and main courses from $12 to $25. Top-end places tend to be full gourmet affairs with fussy service, creative and freshly prepared food and matching wine lists; expect mains to start at $25. As with accommodations, we identify our top picks, but simply because a restaurant isn’t our top pick doesn’t mean it’s not good. Remember that your final tally will be swelled by the 8.25% sales tax and a tip of 15% to 20%.

Most restaurants serve lunch and dinner daily; consult individual listings for specifics.

There is no smoking inside restaurants, although some have patios or sidewalk tables where lighting up may still be tolerated. The one exception is Santa Monica where smoking in or within 20ft of any business is now verboten.

For the full run-down of cuisine, customs and table manners in Southern California, Click here.

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GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS

Southern California is a magnet for gay travelers, with the major hot spots being West Hollywood (WeHo),