A lot of people have asked for some places to go eat/visit etc.  I have
put a MS Word document out at http://www.nyx.net/~mhatz/1999NCAA.DOC.
 
Here is the ascii version of the contents.
 
Your mileage may vary.  Contents flammable.  For external use only.  Don't
try this at home. etc. etc. etc.  ;-)
 
Mike
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/* start ascii page here */
 
13 March 1999
Mike Hatz
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Go Colorado College!!!  ;-)
 
Due to an overwhelming request for information in regards to the tourism
help I offered on the HOCKEY-L list, I decided to make this available in
an electronic version at http://www.nyx.net/~mhatz/1999NCAA.DOC.
 
This is a very tongue-in-cheek guide to Southern California tourism.  I
moved here from Colorado Springs, CO in 1994.  I live in Huntington Beach.
I realize that to most people from "back east", California looks like this
on a map (from north to south):
 
San Francisco
Los Angeles (the state capital)  (Sacramento is the capital, by the way)
Mexico
 
 
The Anaheim Pond is located in Orange County.  Los Angeles (Hollywood,
UCLA, Westwood, Universal Studios, and Santa Monica) is in Los Angeles
County.  "I live in Gouda County Wisconsin, how can it be that different
from Cheddar County Wisconsin"?  Trust me, it is.  It is like the
difference between Cook and DuPage counties in Illinois.  What can I say?
I am an Orange County aficionado (or snob).
 
Movie stars tend to hang out up in LA.  Places like Santa Monica, Westwood
and Malibu.  The only celebrity I can think of these days in Orange County
is Dennis Rodman.
 
 
If I had to fly in for the games, I would choose John Wayne Airport (SNA)
rather than Los Angeles (LAX).  The bad news is that LAX may be a good
deal cheaper.  If you have to fly into LAX, here are 2 times to avoid AT
ALL COSTS:
Arrivals between 3:00PM and 6:30PM in the afternoon on weekdays.  Forget
about driving south at that time.
Departures between 07:00AM and 09:30AM on weekdays.  Driving north is
brutal at these times.
 
If you do find yourself "stuck" at LAX, The Encounter Restaurant has a
good selection of meals.  A bit pricey.  It is in that funky looking tower
that you'll see as you come in on approach.
 
 
For lodging, I would stay away from Disneyland.  The roads are all tore up
around it and the traffic flow through there SUCKS!
If you have to stay near Disneyland, stay east of I-5 / I-57 junction.
Good places for lodging would include:
Anaheim (away from Disneyland)
Orange
Placentia
Fullerton
Yorba Linda
 
Places to goof off:
If you have to go, go visit Disneyland.  There are always a million people
there and the lines can be quite long.  Most Orange County residents roll
their eyes about going to Disneyland.  Probably because we have had to go
there 22 times.  ;-)
 
I prefer going to Universal Studios.  Don't leave for the park before
09:00AM.  Traffic will make you sad.
 
Knott's Berry Farm is a good way to kill part of a day.
 
Pick most any beach to visit:
Huntington Beach
Newport Beach
 
Beaches are windy all year round and can get chilly at night so bring a
sweatshirt or jacket with you.
 
 Places to eat (refer to http://www.letseatoc.com for specifics like phone
numbers, etc):
Summit House in Fullerton - over the top dining experience for an over the
top price.
Ruby's - They are at the ends of most piers
Huntington Beach Beer Company - excellent view of the water, good
atmosphere
Duke's - in Huntington Beach.  Call NOW for reservations.
Chimayo's - Located under Duke's on the pier
Louise's Tratoria - in Huntington Beach corner of Main & PCH (Pacific
Coast Highway)
The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach - Fine crustacean dining
Orange Hill in Orange - Nice view
California Beach Sushi - Hermosa Beach (in Los Angeles).  Kicks ass!
Harbor Grill - Dana Point - pretty far away but a good excuse to see the
south end of Orange County
 
Helpful WWW links:
http://www.ocnow.com - General Orange County Info
http://www.trafficassist.com - CalTrans Traffic Reports
http://www.disneyland.com - The Tragic Kingdom
http://www.universalstudios.com - Follow the theme park link for Hollywood
http://www.letseatoc.com - A great dining guide for restaurants all over
Orange County
 
 
Have fun at the tournament and welcome to Orange County!
 
Mike
 
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