Hot-Air Ballooning over Napa Valley: Sure, you have to rise at dawn, but there's no better way to view Napa Valley than drifting over the vineyards in a balloon. Flights are offered in the morning on clear days, when the air is calm and cool. Hotels throughout the valley can arrange a trip for you, or you can book one with Bonaventura Balloon Company (tel. 800/FLY-NAPA) or Adventures Aloft (tel. 800/944-4408).
Taking a Mud Bath in Calistoga: Some might consider submerging yourself in a tub thick with mud as creepy. It is indeed a unique sensation, being suspended in the volcanic-ash mud mixed with mineral water. But for spa-lovers it's a must-try. You can book a treatment at a dozen or so places, which often include whirlpool baths and steams.
Rafting Scenic Northern California Rivers: You can white-water raft through thrilling cascades of raging Class IV water or float through tranquil vistas of blue skies, deep forests, and wildlife. The fastest flows are in the spring, naturally. Depending on the river and the time of year, some trips are okay for children over age 6.
A Train Ride through the Redwoods: Where else on this planet would you get an opportunity to ride a historic steam train through a remote coastal redwood forest? The Skunk Train (tel. 800/77-SKUNK) in Fort Bragg once lugged logs and now takes tourists on an all-day outing through a redwood forest, an 80-mile journey that crosses over 31 bridges and trestles and through two deep tunnels.
Exploring a Real Gold Mine: Don your hardhat, "tag in," board the mine shuttle, and experience what it's like to be a modern gold miner. The Sutter Gold Mine tour company (tel. 866/762-2837) takes you deep into a gold mine that's loaded with gold deposits. You'll even get an opportunity to sluice for some real gold and gemstones.
Celebrity Spotting at L.A. Cemeteries: Okay, it's a rather morbid method for seeing stars, but we guarantee you'll get within 6 feet of many famous (and very former) celebrities. Los Angeles cemeteries such as Westwood Memorial Park and Hollywood Forever are the resting places for Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, Walter Matthau, Alfalfa, and Douglas Fairbanks père et fils.
Taking a Studio Tour: Studio tours are an opportunity to see the actual stage sets for shows such as ER and West Wing (sometimes during filming), and you never know who you're going to see emerging from his or her Star Wagon.
Visiting Venice's Oceanfront Walk: You haven't visited L.A. properly until you've rented some skates in Venice and embarrassed yourself in front of thousands while taking in the human carnival around you. Nosh on a Jody Maroni's haute dog; buy some cheap sunglasses, silver jewelry, or ethnic garb, all while enjoying the wide beach, blue sea, and performers along the boardwalk.
Getting Up Close to the Desert's Gigantic Windmills: Anyone who's driven through the desert near Palm Springs has marveled at these structures. Now visitors have a chance to see, touch, and learn about the efficient power generators, why they're clustered here, and just what the difference is between wind turbines and wind mills.
