Ever feel like dancing for hours on end while pressing up against thousands of fellow sweaty, smiling revelers?  Perhaps you picture flashing green and purple lasers overhead, or fog machines blotting out the stars above?  Is the music playing a combination of sidechains and 808s, evolving pads and LFO wobbles?  If your ears just perked up, then look into Electric Daisy Carnival, an electronic music festival series with dates across America.

What?:

Electric Daisy Carnival is a family of annual electronic music festivals that take place in multiple locations across the United States and Puerto Rico.  The most prominent of the 2011 fests takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a venue with a capacity over 140,000.  Since 1997, Insomniac Events, a Los Angeles based promoter, has held an EDC at a variety of southern California venues, including the Shrine Auditorium and the Los Angeles Coliseum, and 2011 is the first year that Vegas will play host.  The festival features DJs and live bands playing cutting edge electronic music of all genres, and always attracts the top international talent.

Who?

Past headliners include trance luminaries Above & Beyond, Ferry Corsten and Armin van Buuren and prominent acts from other genres, such as Pendulum (Drum and Bass), Benny Benassi (House), David Guetta (House) and Infected Mushroom (Psytrance).  This year, the festival will be headlined by the king of trance, DJ Tiesto, along with Euro-house super group Swedish House Mafia, minimal mastermind Plastikman, dance-hall party boys Major Lazer and electro-indie rockers Empire of the Sun.  They are joined by a host of additional acts performing on six stages over three days.  For those not well versed in the whose-who of electronic music, I must remark that this list is truly impressive.  Van Buuren and Tiesto have held the title of #1 DJ in the world (bestowed by DJ Magazine, the accepted authority on the matter) a combined eight times and are major draws individually.  Plastikman is an alter-ego of famed minimal pioneer Ritchie Hawtin, and all of his rare performances include a cutting edge visual display.  I could go into detail about all of the groups and individuals performing this year, but instead I suggest heading to your favorite music source to check them out for yourself.  My fav? Pendulum, who combine heavy D&B beats with soaring vocals and metal guitar riffs.

Why?:

Electric Daisy Carnival began as a fairly niche event, catering to a small selection of American electronic music fans.  However, as electronic music’s popularity has exploded in the US, EDC and other large-scale rave events have become major destinations for enthusiasts the world over.  Fans pack shoulder to shoulder (and often closer) to dance the night away and take in fantastic light and laser shows accompanying the throbbing basses and ripping snares.  Contrary to popular media images, ravers come from all backgrounds and are a very diverse group, sharing love of music and the principle of PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect).  While it is true that many attendees use illegal substances to augment their experiences, the vast majority come to enjoy the show safely and responsibly.

How?:

The 2011 festival takes place from June 24^th-26^th at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with music running from 8pm to 6am.  Tickets for all three days can be purchased here and hotel reservations can be booked here.  The event is expected to sell out, so it is advisable to purchase tickets ASAP!

Make a full weekend out of it and camp out at one of the nearby campgrounds.  There are several available but be sure to arrive early as they are on a first come first serve basis and can fill up quickly, especially during the summer months.  Check out www.recreation.gov to find nearby campgrounds and details.  One popular site is Indian Cove, located right next to Joshua Tree National Park,  provides sweeping views and some of the most spectacular and surreal night skies you could imagine.  Also nearby is the Joshua Tree Lake that has a campground of its own and boasts some solid fishing  for Catsfish, Bluegill and Bass.

These hot new vacations are not just in America, they are also being offered at Romania’s Bran Castle – a.k.a. Dracula’s Castle. This destination is reserved for the true vampire fan since guests will explore, and learn all about this castle in Transylvania that was home to Vlad the Impaler, the true inspiration for Dracula. Most tours include historical sites like Sighisoara (birthplace of Dracula), and Dracula’s Tomb, supposedly on Snagov Island and only accessible by boat. This tour also hosts a vampire-themed costume party at the Count Dracula Club in Bucharest. One of the best times, and also the most crowded, is around Halloween since the holiday inspires people to see the origins of Dracula for themselves.

A city hosting vampire vacations that is less-known is San Francisco. Kitty Burns, Vampire Tour of San Francisco creator, leads a tour around Knob Hill and beyond. Burns says, “The tour is not dark and gothic, it is even funny, but the places we visit are seriously haunted.” Burns also believes vampires have remained popular throughout the years because “they are not only scary, but also romantic and classic.”

New Orleans Vampire Club Open Midnight - 6A.M.

New Orleans is home to Vampire Tours catering to the Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles.” Sidney Smith created the Haunted History Tours that takes people to real, and fictional, vampire sites through the Big Easy. One of the most popular places on this tour is a house in the French Quarter where two brothers were murdered and drained of their blood in the 1930′s. (Does Anne Rice’s Interview With A Vampire ring any bells?) It has been documented that the ghosts of the boys have been spotted more than 30 times.

Last, but not least, is every Twihard’s fantasy. Forks, Washington is giving tours including stops at Charlie and Bella Swan’s house. Even though the house in the movie is a prop, residents of Forks have offered up their private residence since it shares almost identical features to the house in the book series. The tour is also said to stop at the hospital (with a parking spot reserved for Dr. Cullen), Jacob’s home of Quileute, and La Push (not just where Bella cliff dives, but well worth the drive for the breathtaking views). And if this tour is not enough to feed your craving, you can go aboard the TwiCruise. You can embark on a week long cruise to Alaska along with cast members that will have autograph sessions, movie viewings, trivia contests, vendors and a costume ball! Book your Vampire Tour now!

- Ron Burgundy

America’s favorite anchorman got it right (aside from San Diego being discovered by the Germans in 1904) – San Diego is a beautiful city full of lush beaches, a vibrant city scape and world-class attractions.  A city that offers such a veritable cornucopia of destination driven excitement, adventure, class and so forth begs quite the quandary: “Where do I stay?” In order to best answer this philosophical inquiry of wanderlust the traveler must first look inward and ask themselves a tough question – “What do I want to do?”  San Diego offers such a wide spectrum of possibilities that it helps to have a solid grasp on the type of travel it is that you’ll be doing.

If your traveling with the little ones you may want to consider a hotel or resort closer to some of the more popular attractions like the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park, Sea World or LEGO Land.  To get the most bang for your buck find a beach resort nearby.  That way you get instant access to those relaxing beach days while being just a hop, skip and a jump from other major attractions.

If you are looking for more of the city vibe and being near the nightlife hot spots then you will want to stay in the Gaslamp Quarter.  Here is where you will find some of the top restaurants, bars and nightclubs to satisfy your classy, or possibly more debaucherous side.  There are many great hotels in this area but one you must check out is the new Marriott in Gaslamp Quarter.  With 2 lounges, the Soleil @K restaurant, rated one of the top 3 restaurants in San Diego, has gorgeous views of the harbor and unbeatable access to downtown San Diego. This hotel is a hip change of pace for a Marriott.

Terranea Resort is one of the most expensive projects undertaken in hospitality in the So Cal region in many years and is well worth the visit. The views are spectacular, especially at sunset. The bar and restaurant at the cliff side has a fantastic location with the local lighthouse in the foreground as the sun sets – and as it can get windy and the evening chill starts to replace the rays of sun, the outside fireplaces become crowded with friendly guests drinking an rare ale from the largest tankard not normally available in the present-day western world.

The location, the wonderful Spa with its own pool, again on the cliff side as well as the large expanse including a 9 hole golf course was a pleasant surprise for even this native resident of the Peninsula.

If you are looking for a rare gem near Los Angeles, whether it is for a family re-union, a wedding, a quiet honeymoon or a weekend getaway, this is definitely a terrific choice.

When arriving in Los Angeles be sure to pick up an L.A. Weekly.  This newspaper highlights many L.A. events: music venues, art expos, movies, photo galleries, you name it.  To find events closest to you, search the “West L.A.” section of the paper.  L.A. is a great place to visit, not so much to live, which makes it the perfect staycation.

Once you’ve found a place to stay, ask around or get a map and you’ll be able to find the Santa Monica Airport.  There are some traveling tips that I brush over because you’ve got the benefit of the doubt, I mean, you ARE a travel guru if you are reading this.  There are plenty of places to eat around the area, but go to The Hump on the top floor of the main airport building.  It is an amazing sushi joint and you’ll most likely see a celebrity while you dine there.  After your meal, head across the street (Airport Avenue) and look for some hangers.  These hangers will look small and old, because they have been turned into art galleries.  On every night of the week there is usually an exhibition or opening, and they are usually free.  Star Gazing, art gallery, and good sushi, do I ever let you down?

This may become repetitive after a night or two, so here are some more local favorites in West L.A. that my tickle your fancy.  Venice beach is a local attraction with great street food, street performers and lots of African culture.  There are over 50 market stands spanning from jewelry, art and all sorts of apparel.  The drum circle is on Sunday nights, so if you like ethnic music and empanadas be sure not to miss it.  If you are looking for some higher end shopping with the Venice vibe head over to The 3^rd street promenade in Santa Monica.  Located three blocks from the beach, the outdoor mall is filled with street performers; I especially encourage you to check out the flamenco guitarists that performs nightly.  Around the corner on 2^nd street are many of the hottest clubs in Santa Monica, and one block further is a beautiful cliff park overlooking the sunset.  Anyone who says you can’t stay on the beach during your entire visit in L.A. is wrong.  Hope it goes well. Safe travels until next week’s celebrity rundown. Ciao’

Usually during the winter, this specific show has been pushed back for families visiting to enjoy during the Thanksgiving week.  With the sun, beaches and mountains, Southern California has a diverse terrain that draws all the automotive companies to this show.  Whether it’s the excitement of seeing the newest green cars, or the marvel of exotic Italian sports cars like Maserati and Ferrari, the auto show has always been a good time for me to get inside and see my dream cars that we’ll all someday have.  When you arrive in the convention center the South Hall will be upstairs directly in front of you, this is where most of the main manufactures will be.  Swing a right towards concourse hall to see exotic cars like your Lotus’ Rolls Royce and the new Spyker LM85; being released exclusively at the L.A. Auto Show.  Other stand outs include the Honda Fuel Cell car that emits no emissions, and the sleek Tesla sports car that runs on electricity.

Open from Friday November 21st to Sunday November 30th, 2008, the convention center and surrounding attractions in downtown L.A. will be bustling with entertainment.  Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and all children 12 and under are free.  For show hours and information on a free $2 off coupon click here.  Remember to get there early because the doors close one hour before the show closes for the night.

Also downtown adjacent to the Convention Center is the Staples Center.  This pristine modern arena is home to the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers professional basketball teams.  The Lakers have the best record in the NBA and are arguably the most exiting team to watch this season.  The Staples Center is also home to the Los Angeles Kings professional hockey team if you prefer the ice.  These games are a great place to take dates, family or friends before you go hit the bars or restuarants of downtown L.A.  For more information on home games and tickets during the thanksgiving week see the Staples Center.

Since the driving in Los Angeles is notorious, I poked around the downtown area and found a good place with a very short walk to the Convention/Staples Center and the great surrounding culinary joints:

• Comfort Inn Los Angeles CIty Center
• 1710 W 7th St.
• Los Angeles, CA 90017

This Spanish Villa style hotel was renovated five years ago and is a great secured place to stay if you want to wake up downtown every morning.  The Inn is a half mile from the Convention Center and for those who want to get in their cars, two miles from the famous shops of Rodeo Drive.  They gave me a great complimentary continental breakfast and fitness center.  With wireless internet, (inside and outside) I could catch up on the morning without having to get up and walk right away.  From LAX Airport to downtown is one freeway change and one exit, that’s it!  They gave me a single for $68 a night with cable, newspaper and all the works.  Have fun and check back to see where you can eat great American food as we approach Thanksgiving.

For all of you music lovers the JVC Jazz Festival Tour is coming to a close and their grand finale is going to be hosted at the Legendary Hollywood Bowl on August 17th. If you don’t know much about jazz or you’re just looking for an easy going concert you should definitely check this out. Full of unique sets and and enigmatic performances you wont regret this musical experience.

As we all now Hollywood is a very popular destination and the crowds can get a little rough if your not a fan of seas of people; so I have a short list of popular Hollywood attractions as well as some a little more off the beaten path.

If you want to stick around the Hollywood area definitely check out Hollywood blvd just so you can say you’ve done it and if you’re looking for touristy shopping you will find plenty plus the Kodak Theater, home of the Academy Awards. There is also plenty of photo ops along the walk of fame and costumed Hollywood characters perusing the Boulevard.

If you have some cash burning a hole in your pocket skip Melrose and head over to Beverly Hills and Rodeo drive. The boutiques are great and you can stop at several cafes/restaurants along the way and enjoy a good meal or a coffee concoction with entirely too many adjectives attached.

Venice beach and the boardwalk is also a quick drive from Hollywood but if you are looking for something a little less grass roots head over to Santa Monica and the 3rd street promenade. Its a pleasant walk with ocean air and you can walk out onto the pier and enjoy a date worthy “Carnival and Ferris Wheel” atmosphere (there really is a Ferris wheel)

For a more cultured visit hop over to LACMA Museum of arts or the Getty. I would also highly recommend the Griffith Park Observatory and Planetarium. Griffith Park is home to gorgeous views and nestled back in the trees is the Greek theater which is a pretty amazing outdoor venue.

And now for where to stay and theres a lot, but Im just going to push one because this is getting a little long.

In the heart of Hollywood off of the Sunset strip you have the Standard which gives you the luxury socialite feel and slick atmosphere with comparatively moderate pricing. The Standard’s location is tough to beat too placing you in cab and walking distance to clubs and restaurants plus the Standard turns into a club at night all on its own. Really a cool place for the hipster party crowd that wants to indulge in the Hollywood “scene.”