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magless

Where to stay in California?

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My Fiance and I are heading out to Southern California for our honeymoon in the beginning of June. We are looking for some advice on where to fly into and stay. We hope to jump at Perris and get some tunnel time in, as well as possibly visiting Elsinore and San Diego. We are hoping to stay on a beach and not be too far away from any of the DZ's in the area. One option is to fly into John Wayne airport in Orange County and stay at Newport beach, but since we don't know the area at all, we'd love any advice we can get on where to stay or which airport would be easiest to fly into. Thanks

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First, congratulations to the both of you. For honeymoon...i would suggestThe Ritz Carlton in Dana Point...it's romantic and the view is breath taking. John Wayne is a good choice for Orange County...you're not that far off of the two dropzones: Perris & Elsinore, only about 45 min. drive.

Your other option is Ontario Aiport, this one is much closer to the two dropzones: Perris & Elsinore, about 25 min. drive. However, I wouldn't suggest this area for honeymooners....not much attractions out there.
"Love is doing small things with great love."

Lacrosse: Legally beating men with sticks since 1492

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congrats as well. :)

newport is a great little town and expensive. huntington is a great lil town as well and since im from there im a lil biased. :) it really depends on what you want to do. i would not suggest san diego for skydiving as i have heard that brown is a bad place to go. Perris is an awesome place to go. :)

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First off, to Damion. . .There are two dz's in San Diego, Skydive SoCal at Brown Field, and Skydive San Diego - both of which have some really great people there and some of the best scenery for skydiving.

Now, to the Honeymooners. You could always fly into San Diego. We have some really great waterfronts here and a lot of great things to do in San Diego. You are within an hour's drive of all 4 turbine dropzones and you get the best of everything. Flying into Orange County (John Wayne) is also a great option. There is so much to do there. Disneyland, the beach, Knotts Berry farm, and of course 45 minutes from Elsinore and Perris.

Flying into Los Angeles or Long Beach is an option but I think you are right on with the beach stuff. Oh, and if you plan on doing tunnel time, you might want to book it ahead of time.

Congratulations! You may PM me if you want information on hotels and such. Just give me an idea of the type of budget you want. . .I deal with hotels and travel for my brokers all the time so am very familiar with it.
________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

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i guess i mis-spoke. :) i was told that it isnt a great place to go for instruction, i tried to make it a point on that is what i was told. :D



It's okay Damion. I have never been to Skydive So Cal. so I don't have an opinion one way or the other about it, but I do know that people like their dropzones for a reason and there are people here that like this dropzone and think very highly of it. I intend to check it out for myself one day. What draws people to one dropzone or the other is very individual so while you may have heard something negative about Brown Field from one person, another person will tell you something completely different. That is why we can support 4 dropzones here in so. cal.

Sorry for hijacking the thread, honeymooners. . .
________________________________________
Take risks not to escape life… but to prevent life from escaping. ~ A bumper sticker at the DZ
FGF #6
Darcy

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Congrats on taking the plunge! On your honeymoon Dana Point is a great idea! Hwy 74 runs from the Coast in Dana Point: Del Obisbo starts at Pacific Coast Highway at Dana Point Harbor and turns into Ortega Hwy which runs thru Elsinore all the way to Perris just blocks from Perris Valley Skydiving. Beautiful yet scary mountain drive. Great romantic lookouts!! There are many nice hotels on the coast. Ditto on the Ritz. The Holiday Inn Express is nice and much less. The Ritz is right on the cliffs above the harbor. Dana Point and Laguna beach are great walking destinations. Perris and Elsinore, outside of the dropzones, are poor and ugly. Not the best for a honeymoon. Take a day and catch the Catalina express to Catalina Island. You will remember it forever. Hope I helped. Email me for my number. When you get to the coast. I'd love to show y'all around. All three dropzone are top notch.
Bob

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Thanks to everyone for all of the information you shared with us. You have definitely helped clear up a lot of our questions and given us some great ideas. We look forward to our trip out there and hopefully we'll get to meet or jump with you guys while there. Thanks again!
Blue skies,
Maggie and Bob

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Was gonna PM, but thought this message has a pretty broad audience...

***
i guess i mis-spoke. :) i was told that it isnt a great place to go for instruction, i tried to make it a point on that is what i was told. :D



Brown Field is a bad place to go for instruction? Really? Yes, I know... you were told! You see nothing wrong with parroting an accusation that you apparently have no way of verifying? They happen to be a Brand New dropzone... did the person who enlightened you as to the inadvisability of learning at Brown take training there?

Knowing a little about Joe Masalta, the owner of Skydive So Cal, I'm pretty comfortable telling you that anyone training there is very likely to receive excellent training... and I jump at the local competition to him! I have jumped at (and onto) Brown Field... there is nothing inherently wrong with the location that makes it a bad place. IMO

I'm glad you're learning to jump, and welcome you to the skies! Trust me on this, you'll be a lot less roughed up in life if you are careful to not criticize, without direct knowledge that said criticism is deserved. I've learned that one a number of times just to make sure it was the right way to do it... and I still need an occasional refresher course to cure "foot in mouth disease". In skydiving, everyone is very protective and proud of their own dropzone... not necessarily a bad thing. Occasionally, it is appropriate to call into question the safety / procedures / skill / hazards of a particular DZ. If that becomes necessary... I'd recommend that you leave it to VERY experienced people when making recommendations in a GLOBAL forum such as this. If you have a friend who is interested in jumping, but is not local to your DZ, it is certainly reasonable for you to talk about what you have heard... but that should always be indicated to be "hearsay", and immediately followed with an admonition to check out the prospective DZ with a knowledgeable source... because often, people spouting opinions have no facts to base them on. Please do not Bad Mouth another DZ without a lot of fore thought and direct knowledge... it does not make your own DZ more appealing! Most of the regulars at your own DZ probably will not appreciate it anyways.

I can personally vouch for Skydive San Diego (Otay). I entrusted them with the safety of my son for his AFF, and my youngest daughter for a tandem. I Live in Ontario, and the fact that I drive right past Perris, and Elsinore is not because I think they are bad dropzones, quite the contrary. I started at Otay because people I trusted (USN types) recommended it as an excellent location for my son and I to learn. I continue to jump at Otay because I love the people, the location, the wind stability, the view, the experience, ...you get the picture.

Russ

Generally, it is your choice; will your life serve as an example... or a warning?

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Speer,
Quote

I can personally vouch for Skydive San Diego (Otay). I entrusted them with the safety of my son for his AFF, and my youngest daughter for a tandem. I Live in Ontario, and the fact that I drive right past Perris, and Elsinore


Dude you have seventy one jumps! A-license means you are still a student. This is a good time to listen not preach. Giving someone hell for an opinion shows your adolesence. Take some time to listen and wait until you have some knowledge before becoming an authority. Please don't make this a posting war. Blue Skies Bob

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Robert,

Hey, thanks... it's been a long, long time since someone said my adolescence was showing... oops, i get it now, you mean I'm acting like an adolescent! First time thats happened in the last 30 minutes or so. Thanks for the compliment anyway!

I'm not sure you really read the posts... so I'll flesh it out for you.

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Dude you have seventy one jumps! A-license means you are still a student.



I'm still a student at skydiving... YUP! You got that one nailed! Did I give out technical skydiving advice? NOPE! So what's your point? Wanna check the rest of my posts? Won't find me telling anyone technical info there either... I don't think I'm qualified. You will find a couple where I described what I felt / thought happened when I broke my ankle on a botched landing. I was listening before my injury, you can bet your ass I was listening even harder after. That's why I posted my embarrassing moment for all to see

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This is a good time to listen not preach. Giving someone hell for an opinion shows your adolesence.



Preach? Give someone hell? You must have lived a sheltered life...
I didn't give him "hell" for an opinion, I chided him for "Bad Mouthing" a DZ (that I have not jumped at and apparently neither has he), on a public forum. I attempted to do so in a non abusive way. If I hurt his feelings, that was not my intention. My perception is that he was trying to do a good turn, in his new found skydiving environment, and went a little overboard. What I intended was a little advice from a senior, who has made the same type MISTAKE he did, and I've done it on numerous occasions just to be sure it was wrong... you obviously think this was one of those times. Do you really think he is not going to get hammered by others in life if he spreads negative hearsay???

Quote

Take some time to listen and wait until you have some knowledge before becoming an authority. Please don't make this a posting war. Blue Skies Bob



I think I've put in enough time on this planet to offer advice, on matters I have some experience in, and in fact have a moral obligation to do so... just like you. Feel free to disagree. However, I'm still not much of an authority on anything.

Regardless, I still feel it was inappropriate to pass on unqualified negative Hearsay about a new dropzone... no matter how well intentioned. And I'm probably tough enough to survive any war shots you need to send my direction... Sorry I caused you distress.

Oh! by the way, I got in one more jump yesterday... does that get me anymore slack for giving out non technical opinions?

And with all sincerity,
Blue ones back at you.

Russ

Generally, it is your choice; will your life serve as an example... or a warning?

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