Fodors Travel Guides - Fodors Southern California 2016

Great dining is a staple of the California lifestyle, and a new young generation of chefs is challenging old ideas about preparing and presenting great food. The food-truck frenzy continues to fuel movable feasts up and down the state. Esteemed chefs and urban foodies follow the trucks on Twitter as they move around cities 24/7 purveying delicious, cheap, fresh meals. You can find food-laden trucks at sports and entertainment venues, near parks and attractions, and on busy roads and boulevardsand the ensuing lines of hungry patrons.

Diners are also embracing the pop-up concept, where guest chefs offer innovative menus in unconventional settings for a limited time. These pop-up engagements are hosted anywhere from inside a warehouse to outside in a field. Often there is an air of secrecy and anticipation to them, with key details being revealed at the last moment. Visitors can look for local pop-ups listed on foodie websites such as Eater ( www.eater.com ).

California chefs continue to shop locally for produce and farmer-sourced meat, and many restaurants proudly display their vendors on the menu. Chefs and foodies alike engage in discourse on the ethics and politics of food and farming. One hot-button issue in California right now is foie gras. The sale of the goose or duck liver, considered a delicacy by some but inhumane by others, was banned throughout the state in 2012. Debate and lawsuits ensued, and the ban was overturned in January 2015. The foie gras fight may be over for now, but Californians will continue to battle over food, farming, and animal-versus-consumer rights.

Californias theme parks work overtime to keep current and attract patrons of all ages. LEGOLAND California Resort keeps expanding with additional attractions such the LEGOLAND Water Park and its 250-room LEGO-theme hotel.

Disneyland also continues to grow. The relatively new Cars Land section is a must for big and little kids. Fans of Elsa, Anna, and Olaf will also take delight in the incorporation of Frozen -themed elements around the park.

Both kids and adults will be fascinated by the creatures on display in Tentacles: The Astounding Lives of Octopuses, Squid and Cuttlefishes, the newest exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

After moving to a larger space on the Embarcadero in 2013, San Franciscos Exploratorium continues to challenge and fascinate visitors of all ages. With trees as tall as they come, the Childrens Redwood Forest in Humboldt Redwoods State Park is a great place for kids to romp through some awe-inspiring landscapes.

California offers oenophiles ample opportunities for new discoveries beyond the traditional California Wine Country. Across the state, vineyards are going up in unlikely places.

In the hillsides of San Diego County, the Ramona Valley AVA is seeing an increasing number of visitors, and Escondido-based Orfila keeps snagging awards. North of Los Angeles, the boutique wineries in the hillsides of Malibu are garnering increased attention.

Venturing just beyond the traditional wine destinations of Napa and Sonoma counties will reward visitors with hidden gems. Areas such as the Petaluma Gap and the Sierra Foothills offer plenty of vineyards to explore. Visitors to Lake Tahoe can even take in some wine tasting at the Truckee River Winery, claiming to be the highest and coldest winery in the nation.

Riding the rails can be a satisfying experience, particularly in California where the distances between destinations sometimes run into the hundreds of miles. You can save money on gas and parking, avoid freeway traffic, and see some of the best the state has to offer. California just broke ground on a high-speed rail project linking San Francisco to Los Angeles. In 2030, when the $68-billion project is complete, the train will make the run between the two cities in less than three hours.

Until then, the best trip is on the luxuriously appointed Coast Starlight, a long-distance train with sleeping cars that runs between Seattle and Los Angeles, passing some of Californias most beautiful coastline as it hugs the beach. For the best surfside viewing, get a seat or a room on the left side of the train and ride south to north.

Amtrak also has frequent Pacific Surfliner service between San Diego and Los Angeles, and San Diego and Santa Barbara. These are coach cars, but many of the trains have been upgraded and are comfortable and convenient, especially if you want to get off and on the train at several destinationsAnaheim near Disneyland, Downtown Los Angeles, coastal Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.