Appliance Repair in Piedra, CA

Tired of paying to park for a hike at Malibu Creek or to watch the sunset at El Matador? Your library card perks just might get you in for free.

Thanks to a new partnership between California State Parks and the California State Library, you’ll be able to secure a temporary free parking pass for over 200 state parks across California if you have a library card. In L.A. County specifically, you’ll be able to use it at a dozen spots, from Malibu beaches to a grassy park in Chinatown.

Here’s how it works: All 1,184 public libraries in the state will receive at least three California State Library Parks Pass hangtags that’ll nab you free vehicle day use entry at most California State Parks. You’ll use your library card to check out the hangtag and then, after a specified number of days, return it when you’re done.

It’ll be up to each library branch to sort out how to distribute the passes, so you’ll want to contact your local library to figure how their process will work—though maybe wait a little bit, as the three-year pilot program is just starting to circulate passes on a rolling basis this April and May.

The pass won’t get you into state parks (like museums) that require per-person admission, but it is valid for one passenger vehicle (with up to nine people) or motorcycle at sites that would otherwise charge around $3 per hour or $8 to $12 for the day to park. And it also won’t work at every location; of L.A. County’s 25 state parks, the pass is valid at about half of them. Most notably, it isn’t accepted at Dockweiler, Point Dume, Santa Monica and Will Rogers State Beaches, as well as Castaic Lake State Recreation Area and Will Rogers State Historic Park.

Here’s a full list of all of the L.A. County locations that will accept the California State Library Parks Pass:

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural ReserveKenneth Hahn State Recreation AreaLeo Carrillo State ParkLos Angeles State Historic ParkMalibu Creek State ParkMalibu Lagoon State BeachRio de Los Angeles State Park State Recreation AreaRobert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach (El Pescador, La Piedra and El Matador)Saddleback Butte State ParkTopanga State ParkVerdugo Mountains Park Property

With over 840 miles of coastline, California is perfect for beach lovers. Here are the best beaches on offer, from golden stretches of sand to surfing hotspots

California is synonymous with a beach lifestyle. Visions of golden sands, crashing waves, laid-back surfers and beachside yoga are a major part of the state’s long-lasting appeal.

But it’s only once you fly into one of California’s big cities, then explore the coast, that you realise just how many incredible beaches there are. And, more surprisingly, the wide-ranging variety of beach scenes they present.

Here, from south to north, are 15 of the best.

If you’re planning to enjoy some big-city energy before exploring the rest of California, you won’t have to miss out on some indulgent beach time when flying directly into San Diego with British Airways.

Here, Coronado Beach is backed by beautiful mansions and landmark hotels – you might recognise it from the film classic Some Like It Hot. Warm water and gentle waves make it a great spot for beginner surfers, and the Coronado Surfing Academy offers lessons and board rentals.

Backed by bluffs and 2,400 acres of backcountry wilderness ribboned with scenic walking trails, the 3.2-mile beach at Crystal Cove State Park, located in The OC’s Newport Beach, shows off southern California’s natural beauty.

It’s famous for its sandy coves and tide pools, as well as the 1,000-acre Underwater Park for divers, encompassing a kelp forest, the wreck of a World War Two Corsair fighter, historic anchors and a smorgasbord of marine life.

The glorious 8.5 miles of Huntington Beach can convincingly lay claim to being the birthplace of surfing culture – Huntington Beach has been known as Surf City USA since the 1920s, and even gets a namecheck in the Beach Boys’ song Surfin’ Safari.

You can rent boards and wetsuits at the beach, and fishing gear on the enormous 1,850ft pier. You’ll find the Surfing Walk of Fame just behind the pier. Don’t miss out on roasting s’mores around the firepits.

Just a 15-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport, this classic 3.5-mile all-rounder, located at the end of Route 66, comes with playgrounds, gym equipment and an International Chess Park. The original Muscle Beach first flexed its biceps here in the 1930s.

Once you’ve started your California holiday with bouts of swimming and sandcastle construction, you can lose yourself in the diverse amusements, shops and restaurants of Santa Monica Pier overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Backed by the bird-filled wetlands of Malibu Lagoon, Surfrider Beach starred in scores of 1950s and 1960s surf movies. It was also the first place on earth to be declared a World Surfing Reserve.

The ideal Southern California surfing experience starts here. Be prepared for big breaks.

Beautiful, long, sandy and deep – an array of wholesome California signatures line up happily at Santa Barbara’s East Beach, located just off State Street.

Cyclists pedal along the path behind the palm trees and golden sands, the tanned and toned stretch for victory on the beach volleyball courts, and artists set up stands to paint the scene of mountains and ocean that stretches out before them.

Part of a massive dune system stretching miles back inland, Oceano Dunes is one of the few California beaches that you can drive on. ATV, quad bike and Hummer tours provide the thrills, revving the engines and riding the dunes.

No-one could call the beaches at Piedras Blancas quiet. Near the unmissable Hearst Castle, Piedras Blancas is the favoured hang-out for hundreds of elephant seals. Forget rolling out a towel and instead enjoy watching the giant, grumpy seals scuffle with each other and bask in the warm sun.

Waves crashing against the camera-friendly rock formations at Pfeiffer Beach capture Big Sur’s sense of wildness. At the end of the day, the setting sun shines through an arch in the rock on to sand that twinkles with striking purple colour, caused by manganese garnet that’s washed down the creek from the hills to the beach.

The graceful restaurants and buzzy shops of Carmel-by-the-Sea on the Monterey Peninsula can distract from the town’s beach resort origins. Carmel Beach does the classic combo of white sand and blue water spectacularly. For an unforgettable experience, make your way to the fire pits at dusk to watch the sunset over the ocean around a blazing fire.

Santa Cruz’s Main Beach is a family favourite, where swimmers and surfers get their own designated areas and beach volleyball games are a constant fixture.

The photogenic wooden pier juts into Monterey Bay, but it’s the Boardwalk behind the beach that provides the atmospheric charm. This is the quintessential seaside amusement park, complete with vintage wooden roller coasters.

Craggy rocks and pine trees are part of the frame for Baker Beach at the western end of San Francisco’s Presidio Park. But it’s the outrageously impressive views of the Golden Gate Bridge that really grab the attention.

The more easily-shocked might wish to keep their eyes firmly on the bridge – the northern end of Baker Beach is a favourite hang-out for the clothing-free crowd.

Part of the Point Reyes National Seashore north of San Francisco, four mile-long Limantour Beach occupies a narrow spit of land and feels gloriously undeveloped. The lagoon behind the beach is a prime spot for birdlife, while seals and whales are often sighted, too.

The Lost Coast, around 230 miles north of San Francisco, is better known for its hiking than beaches. But emerge from the surrounding old-growth forest, home to redwoods and roaming elk as well as bear, deer and coyote, and you hit the stunning Pacific shoreline.

The volcanic sands give Black Sands Beach a highly distinctive look, and the mountain ranges behind it a thoroughly remarkable setting.

Moonstone Beach proves that Northern California can hold its own on the beach scene. Sea stacks stretch up out of the ocean – judiciously avoided by the hardy surfers. You can often spot migrating whales in winter, while locals ride their horses along the white sands.

Be enchanted by the Golden State

Exhilarating cities, stunning national parks, fabulous food and golden beaches: California really does have it all.

As the USA welcomes back travellers, we explore why the Golden State should be first on the list, whether it's taking a long-anticipated road trip, drinking award-winning wine in Napa, spotting celebs in Los Angeles or walking San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Plan your California trip with Trailfinders

San Luis Obispo Coast was awarded on 9 March, 2022 by the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

The new AVA establishes a 97 kilometer-long strip along California that locals call SLO (slow) Coast, describing the Pacific Ocean’s influence on the area’s culture and lifestyle, terrain, and wines.

SLO Coast is located midway between two major California cities, San Francisco and Los Angeles, with Burgundy varieties making up a majority of San Luis Obispo Coast’s high-end wine production.

The area is anchored by San Luis Obispo, a major university town, and Pismo Beach where the Oceano Dunes Preserve showcases one of the most expansive coastal dunes left in California.

Stephen Dooley, president of SLO Coast Wine Collective, who started making wine in the area in 1987, said: ‘The SLO Coast is ‘really cool! No pun intended, but we are one of the coldest spots to grow grapes because we are so close to the Pacific Ocean.’

The group of 32 wineries that make up the SLO Coast Wine Collective applied for the AVA in 2017. Collectively, they made a case for the designation based on its unique geography, geology, and topography — particularly its proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

‘Ninety-seven percent of our vineyards are planted six or fewer miles from the Pacific,’ said Aaron Jackson, winemaker at Aequorea Wines and author of the AVA application.

‘Based on annual Growing Degree Day data retrieved from over 30 weather stations in the area, the SLO Coast AVA is the coolest temperature AVA in California. Diurnal temperature shift, wind, and fog are reflected by this measurement, as are the character and quality of the grapes grown here.’

The new AVA comprises 165,348ha along the coastal benchlands, hillsides, and valleys between the Pacific and the western slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains. It is at most only 24 kilometers wide. The soils range from marine to volcanic, and the prevailing climate is among the most pronounced of any wine region in California.

Such cool temps have provided ideal growing conditions primarily focused on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Oceano Wines is one of the many acclaimed wineries within the new AVA. They specialize in single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Spanish Springs vineyard, producing fresh, focused, mineral-driven wines that capture the essence of the area.

With 78 vineyards and 1,595ha planted to vines, the San Luis Obispo Coast AVA is increasingly popular for aromatic varieties such as Albariño, Riesling, and Grüner Veltliner as well as ideal for cool-climate reds, such as Grenache Syrah, and Lagrein.

The AVA program has created benchmarks that benefit consumers by defining the country’s grape-growing regions. The designations are granted based on distinguishable geographic or climactic features and their effect on the area’s viticulture.

Wineries that also fall within the smaller Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley AVAs are permitted to use the appellation they feel best represents their wines.

The new AVA also allows producers to use either “San Luis Obispo Coast” or “SLO Coast” on their labels.

Members of the SLO Coast Wine Collective include Absolution Cellars, Aequorea, Autry Cellars, Baileyana, Tangent and True Myth wineries, Biddle Ranch Vineyard, Cal Poly Winery, Center of Effort, Chamisal Vineyards, Claiborne & Churchill Winery, Croma Vera Wines, Cutruzzola Vineyards, Dunites Wine Company, Edna Valley Vineyard, El Lugar Wines, Filipponi Ranch, Kynsi Winery, Laetitia Vineyard & Winery, Maidenstoen Wine, Niner Wine Estates, Oceano Wines, Peloton Cellars, Piedra Creek Winery, Ragtag Wine Co, Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Sinor-LaVallee, Stephen Ross Wine Cellars, Stolo Vineyards, Talley Vineyards, Timbre Winery, Tolosa, Verdad & Lindquist Family Wines, and Wolff Vineyards.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO -- More than a million customers in Puerto Rico remained without electricity on Thursday after a fire at a main power plant caused the biggest blackout so far this year across the U.S. territory, forcing it to cancel classes and shutter government offices.

The blackout also left some 160,000 customers without water and snarled traffic across the island of 3.2 million people, where the roar of generators and smell of diesel filled the air. Those who could not afford generators and have medical conditions such as diabetes, which depends on refrigerated insulin, worried about how much longer they'd be without power.

Long lines formed at some gas stations as people sought fuel for generators. Others tried to charge their cellphones at businesses in scenes reminiscent of the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which struck as a Category 4 storm in 2017.

Officials in at least one city distributed food to hundreds of elderly people as well as ice to those whose medication must be kept cool.

"This is horrible," said Luisa Rosado, a mother of two who lives in the San Juan neighborhood of Rio Piedras.

She said she and her husband had sacrificed their savings to install a solar electricity system at their home after Hurricane Maria, which left them with at least partial power following the blackout.

She said her neighbors had been outraged by recent increases in power bills, which were already higher than in most U.S. states.

"To increase bills when you don't provide a perfect service ... the level of impunity is absurd," Rosado said.

Luma, the company that took over transmission and distribution from Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority last year, said the blackout could have been caused by a circuit-breaker failure at the Costa Sur generation plant -- one of four main plants on the island.

"The system is being restored little by little," said Kevin Acevedo, a vice president of Luma, adding that the company is trying to complete the work within 24 hours. "The people of Puerto Rico have to understand that it's a system with a lot of years. Bringing back Puerto Rico's system is a delicate and complicated process."

Luma said the exact cause of the interruption is unknown.

"It's going to require an exhaustive investigation," Acevedo said, adding that that the equipment whose failure sparked the fire had been properly maintained.

Officials said at least three generation units were back online by Thursday, with crews working to restore more.

The outage occurred two months before the Atlantic hurricane season starts, worrying many about the condition of Puerto Rico's electrical grid.

"Yes, the system is fragile, no one is denying that, but we're prepared," Acevedo said.

Police officers were stationed at main intersections to help direct traffic on Thursday while health officials checked in at hospitals to ensure generators were still running.

The outage further enraged Puerto Ricans already frustrated with an electricity system razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Emergency repairs were made at the time, but reconstruction efforts have not yet started, and power company officials blame aging, ill-maintained infrastructure for the ongoing outages.

A series of strong earthquakes that struck southern Puerto Rico where the Costa Sur plant is located also had damaged it.

The Electric Power Authority also is trying to restructure $9 billion worth of public debt to emerge from a lengthy bankruptcy. The company has struggled for decades with corruption, mismanagement and a lack of maintenance.

In June last year, a large fire at a substation in the capital of San Juan left hundreds of thousands without power. Another fire at a power plant in September 2016 sparked an island-wide blackout.

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"Playa" is Spanish for beach and the city of Mazatlan, on Mexico's Pacific coast, is packed with fantastic sandy beaches to enjoy. The beaches range from peaceful, shallow water for families to excellent spots for surfing. This article takes a look at each of the area's beaches so that travelers can pick the ones that will make their vacation paradisiac.

More to know About Mazatlan

Mazatlan is in the province of Sinaloa. It is just across the Gulf of California from Cabo San Lucas, on the tip of Baja California. Getting to Mazatlan is easy--it's just a two-and-a-half-hour flight from LAX. In addition to some gorgeous beaches, the city also boasts the "malecón," one of the world's longest waterfront walkways (11 miles), a fantastic aquarium (where you can swim with sharks!!!), and a beautiful historic center. As if that weren't enough, Mazatlan has won the World Travel Award for "Leading City Destination" in Mexico and Central America in 2021, 2020, and 2019. Best of all, this Mexican beach destination is not expensive; according to Booking.com, a suite with a kitchenette for a family of four can cost as little as $300US for a week.

Best Family Beaches In Mazatlan

Little ones know how to enjoy the beach--it must be programmed into them at birth. Kids love playing in the sand, making sandcastles, chasing waves, and looking for seashells at any beach. They let out squeals of joy when they see the strange creatures that live in tidepools like the ones at Playa Los Pinos. It's not always easy to find a good beach for kids to play in the water, though. Waves and undertows are dangerous. Mazatlan's Playa Isla De La Piedra (Stone Island) is a fantastic beach with shallow water for the whole family.

Los Pinos is a fun beach to visit with kids at low tide. The pools and puddles left by the ocean are thriving with life. Little ones will be thrilled to see crabs going about their business, prickly sea urchins, and starfish.

"The sea in that part is full of underwater rocks, where there are sea urchins, sea snakes, and other species," wrote Jorge Plaza in his Google review of Los Pinos.

Los Pinos has something for everyone. Beginning and intermediate surfers will find waves fitting their levels. Fishermen can easily cast off of the rocky outcroppings. Anyone there early in the morning can buy recently fished seafood. If they're not in the mood to cook it themselves, vendors also offer fish-on-a-stick which is one of Mazatlan's favorite street foods.

Joaquin Rangel V. wrote this about Playa Isla De La Piedra in his Google review: "Quiet beach ideal for the whole family, you can eat in a variety of restaurants under the palapas facing the sea, there are street food vendors, a banana ride, good fresh fish and live band music. To get there you have to take the boat at the pier that is at the entrance of the lighthouse hill...Do not forget to try the zarandeado fish, very good."

What Rangel didn't mention were the gently sloping, sandy beaches that provide up to four meters of shallow water for kids to safely splash around in. This beach is widely considered Mazatlan's best since a tongue of land protects it from harsh waves and the open ocean. Often, Stone Island Beach is less crowded since beachgoers have to take a boat to get there.

Best Beaches For Surfing in mazatlan

Mazatlan is well known among surfers for its waves. Several agencies offer surfing lessons and rent surfboards to visitors. The most famous beaches for this aquatic sport are Playa Olas Altas and Playa Bruja.

The name of this beach translates to "high waves" and surfers love it. Even people who don't know how to surf love visiting this sandy stretch to sit down under one of the palapas to enjoy some seafood and watch surfers ride the waves.

People say that the name of this beach, "bruja" or "witch" comes from rituals that female witchdoctors used to perform there. The truth of this legend is unknown, but surfers and bodyboarders flock here when the waves are high.

These beaches also have soft beautiful sand for laying down to get a suntan and it's not hard to find seashells there, but the water is too choppy to go swimming in.

Best Beaches For Seashells in Mazatlan

Mazatlan has some beautiful seashells that naturally wash up on its beaches. People can see the creatures that make these shells at the aquarium or visit "Museo de Conchas." This shell museum displays and sells an incredible range of treasures fished from the sea. Beachcombers looking for their own shells should head to the beach nearest the shell shop, called Playa Gaviotas, and its neighbor Playa Camarones. Both of these beaches are in the "Golden Zone" where most of the resorts and hotels are located.

Visitors who aren't sure which beach they want to visit should stroll along the Malecon or beachfront walkway. This will lead them past several beaches and they'll find top-notch restaurants lining the way. It's best to walk the Malecon early in the morning or in the evening when it's cooler. Imagine a warm evening stroll, the sound of waves gentling lapping in the background. Then, a stop at a colorful waterfront restaurant. Time slips by for the patrons seated outside, sipping their "cervezas" and eating shrimp. The sun begins to set and the sky turns scarlet and orange. This is a moment of unforgettable delight.

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