World Best Tourist Attractions

The most absurdly beautiful coastal stretch in all of LA is not in Malibu or Santa Monica but on the little-known Palos Verdes Peninsula (PV in local jargon), a terraced promontory that captivates the equal drama and grace. Cruise along Palos Verdes Dr, especially at sunset, for awesome eyefuls of the shoreline. Steep cliffs tumble down to rocky shores and secluded coves as the roadway ribbons past rambling multi-million-dollar mansions where horses graze lazily. Catalina Island moons hazily across the sparkling Pacific.

This is great kayaking, snorkeling, diving and surfing territory, but coastal access is a bit cumbersome and locals can be terrtorial. In fact, the only easily accessible beach is Malaga Cove. This is also the famous Haggerty’s surf spot mentioned in the Beach Boys’ hit Surfin’ USA.

There’s some tide-pooling here but the best place to hunt for starfish, anemones and other shoreline critter is at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park ( 9am-4pm ), a rock-strewn eco-preserved one mile further on. The walk down to the beach gets pretty steep in some sections, so watch your footing. Parking fee cost $6. There are a lot more attractions in the Palos Verdes Peninsula which you can visit while you’re at it, do some homework guys :p.

Life in Venice moves to a different rhythm and nowhere more so than on the famous Venice Boardwalk ( between Venice Pier to Rose Ave; admission free; 24hr ), officially known as Ocean Front Walk. It’s a freak show, a human zoo and a wacky carnival, but as far as LA experiences go, it’s a must. This is where to get your hair braided, your karma corrected or your back massaged qi gong-style. Encounters with budding Schwarzeneggers, hoopdreamings, a Speedo-clad snake charmer and a roller-skating Sikh ministrel are pretty much guaranteed, especially on hot summer days. The Sunday-afternoon drum circle draws hundreds of revelers for tribal playing and spontaneous dancing. If the noise doesn’t show you the way there, just follow your nose towards whiff and ‘wacky tabaccy.’ Alas, the boardwalk vibe get a bit sketchy after dark.

Fred Segal ( 10am - 7pm Mon - Sat, 11am - 5pm Sun ) ( Santa Monica ( 310-458-8100; 500 Broadway )) ; ( West Hollywood ( 323-655-3734; Melrose Ave )).

Celebs and beautiful people circle for the latest from Jet, Jill Stewart and McQ at this warren of high-end boutiques under one impossibly chic buy slightly  snooty roof. It’s even mentioned in Pink’s 2006 hit Stupid Girl. The only time you’ll see bargains (sort of) is during the 2-week blowout sale in September. And also remember to check out Robertson Blvd, the main strip of paparazzi-lined where Kitson, Curve and Lisa Kline hold court. Enjoy your shopping spree as West Hollywood is the Holy Grail for fashionistas wanting to dress like young Hollywood royalty.

• Leo Carrillo - Families love this summer-camp-style beach with enough stimulating tide pools, cliff caves, nature trails and great swimming and surfing to tire out even the most hyperactive kids.

• El Matador - This small, remote hideaway is a popular filming location thanks to super-scenic battered rock cliffs and giant boulders, but the surf is wild and clothing is optional ( X-rated action has been observed ).

• Zuma - Two miles of pearly sand with plenty of Halle Berry and Daniel Craig lookalikes emerging from the crystal-clear waves. Mellow swells make for perfect body surfing. Come early on weekends to snag parking.

• Paradise Cove - Brad and Angelina have been photographed strolling along the scenic sands of TV’s Rockford Files fame. The water looks lovely but can be quite polluted. Eating at the beach cafe cuts the $25 parking fee down to $3. Walk-ins are $5.

• Will Rogers - Baywatch stars Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff used to bounce along this sandy patch which is now a cruisey gay beach.

• Santa Monica - Wide slab of sand where beach-umbrella-toting families descend like butterfly swarms on weekends to escape the inland heat. Water quality is poor right by the pier but OK a few hundred yards away.

• Venice Beach  - Get your freak on at LA’s most hipsterific beach paralleled by the Venice Broadwalk. During Sundays drum circle, the bongos reach crecendo and dances turn to silhouettes as the sun dips into the ocean.

• Manhattan Beach - Brassy SoCal beach with a high flirt factor and hardcore surfers hanging by the pier for, like, totally epic waves. Families can check out marine life in the Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab & Aquarium.

• Hermosa Beach - Possibly LA’s most libidinous beach party with hormone-crazed tight-bods getting their game on over beach volleyball and in the raucous pubs along Pier Ave.

• Malaga Cove - This crescent-shaped, cliff-backed shoreline is the only sandy Palos Verdes beach easily accessible by the hoi polloi. Blends into rocky tide pools and has excellent rolling waves for surfers, but no lifeguards.

• Attraction of The Month December !

• San Francisco Tourist Attractions : Golden Gate Bridge And Park
• San Francisco Tourist Attractions : Ferry Building Marketplace, Fisherman’s Wharf & Lombard Street.
• San Francisco Tourist Attractions : Alcatraz Island, Coit Tower, Cable Cars & Farmers Market

• Florida Tourist Attractions : Hillsborough River State Park, Tampa Bay Area
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Roll Along South Beach Promenade, Miami
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Frolicking Manatees at Crystal River, South of Tampa
• Florida Tourist Attractions : John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Canoe Camping On 10,000 Islands, The Everglades
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Parrot Jungle Island, Miami
• Florida Tourist Attractions : South Walton County Beaches, The Gulf Coast
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Big Cypress National Preserve, The Everglades
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Everglades National Park, The Everglades
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Clearwater Beach, Tampa Bay Area
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Palm Beach, The Gold Coast
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Fort Lauderdale, The Gold Coast
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Castillo De San Marcos, Atlantic Coast
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Ultimate Road Trip, Florida Keys & Key West
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Busch Garden, Tempa Bay
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Seaworld, Orlando
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Islands of Adventure, Orlando
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Sanibel & Captiva Island, South of Tampa
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Kennedy Space Centre, The Space Coast
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Mallory Square, Key West
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Venetian Pool, Miami
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Art Deco Historic District, South Beach, Miami
• Florida Tourist Attractions : Where to go & When to Go

If you feel like getting back to nature and are too sunburned to spend more time at the beach, this great 3400-acre state park (813-987-6771; 15402 N US 301; 8am-Sunset) offers inexpensive camping and canoeing. Camping at the 112 sites costs $23 including use of the pool; each site has a fire ring, picnic table and a water source; there are also hot showers. You’ll find picnic facilities, 8 miles of trails and half-acre swimming pool.

Within the park, visit the reconstructed Fort Foster, which was originally built as a bridge defense during the Second Seminole War, as the are was on a supply trail running from Fort Brooke in Tampa to Fort King in present-day Ocala. There were skirmishes here, but no major battles, and over the years the original fort deteriorated and was vandalized. The fort, the east side of US 301, is only open for guided tours at 2pm and 11am Sunday.

The river’s current isn’t challenging and you can rent canoes at the park for an easy paddle. The best time for abundant wildlife sightings is early morning  or around dusk. Keep eyes peeled for bobcats, white-tailed deer, opossums, raccoons, gray foxes, red-tailed hawks, ospreys, armadillos, water birds and alligators.

Canoe Escapes! (813-986-2067; 9335 Fowler Ave; 9am-5pm Mon-Sun), near the Hillsborough River in Thonotosassa, half-mile east of 1-75, is the area’s largest outfitter. Canoes come in two sizes, which can accommodate a family of four for 2- and 4- hour jaunts. These easy, self-guided adventures downstream include stops along the way for picnicking (bring a cooler). You’ll get river maps and, if necessary, paddling instructions. Rentals cost $39 for 2 hours and $47 for 4 hours, including transport to and from the river. From downtown Tampa, take Fowler Ave east to US 301, and head north for 9 miles.

This beach Promenade, a wavy concrete ribbon sandwiched between the beach and Ocean Dr, extends from 5th to 15th Sts. A popular location for photo shoots, especially on crowd-free early mornings, it’s also the breezy, palm tree-lined conduit for in-line skaters, bicyclist, roller skaters, skateboarders, volleyball players (there’s a net at 11th St), dog walkers, yahoos, locals and tourist. The beach that it edges, called Lummus Park, is a sandy expanse sporting six floridly colored lifeguard stands.

Just south of the Promenade is South Pointe Park, a recently renovated green space at the southern tip of Miami Beach. This small park has a nice little play ground, a fishing pier from which kids dive into Government Cut, a short broadwalk and an excellent stretch of beach that’s less crowded during the week than those to the near north.

No matter what time of the year, Crystal River offers one of the surest bets for seeing endangered manatees. About 70 of them call this place home year-round, but in the winter there are ten times that many frolicking in the warmth of the springs at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge (352-563-2088; 1502 SE Kings Bay Dr Way; Sunrise-Sunset). You can swim and scuba dive in the spring, but the refuge is only accessible by boat; contact the Crystal Lodge Dive Center (352-795-6798; Best Western, 614 NW US 19, Crystal River; 8am-6pm, which offers boat tours ($15), a manatee snorkeling tour ($15) and a Rainbow river snorkeling and diving tour ($10).