5 Summer Activities

June gloom may be fast approaching, but that does not mean that you should not get prepared for summer. Many schools are finally out of session and the kids and adults alike will be ready to have some fun in the sun. Summer is one of the best times of the year in Southern California because of the easy access we have to beaches and amusement parks. Here are a list of things to do this summer:

Spend a day at the beach!

There is nothing more relaxing sitting on the beach watching the waves of the Pacific Ocean crash with your toes buried in the sand. Take your favorite bathing suit and soak up the sun at any of the local beaches (they all are beautiful). Don't forget to pack sunscreen, food, an umbrella, towels or beach chairs, footballs, or even frisbees. To enhance your experience even more you should invest in a portable speaker so you can play some tunes while relaxing with your family and friends on the shore.

In addition to being lazy in the sand, you can rent a bike and ride along the shore to enjoy the beautiful views that the California coast has to offer. Also, there is plenty of great restaurants in every major beach city, so do your research and find a new restaurant to try.

Make a trip to an amusement park!

Located in Anaheim, Disneyland is the place to be during the summer. The popular family theme park has been delivering magic memories since 1955, and they have shown no signs of slowing down. I recommend getting at least a two day pass so you can conquer both parks and get the most out of your visit, but if you cannot afford such things there are alternatives.

Luckily Southern California is a hotbed for great amusement parks. Knott's Berry Farm is a family friendly amusement parks with more thrills for adults, and it is about 15 minutes away from the Happiest Place on Earth. Knott's provides more thrills with their rollercoasters, but also has plenty of fun things for the little ones to do.

If neither of those are down your alley, you may want to consider making a little bit of a drive to Valencia for Six Flags Magic Mountain. Six Flags has a child friendly sections, but most of the attractions are designed for teenagers and adults to enjoy. Their adrenaline-inducing rollercoasters are high speed and built to the sky. Both Six Flags and Knott's are great, cheaper, alternatives to Disneyland.

Take me out to the ball game!

When you live in Southern California, you are spoiled with all of the potential activities at your disposal. One of the greatest American pastimes is baseball, which really kicks into gear during the summer. You have three choices when deciding where to attend a baseball game. You can go to the historic Chavez to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers or you can take a trip to Orange County to see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. If you're really feeling spontaneous, you can take a drive down south to watch the San Diego Padres. Any of these choices make for a great date or family activity on a beautiful summer night.

Go on a cruise!

Cruises are great for people who want to disconnect from the world for a few days and just enjoy time away from the real world. Popular cruise lines offer 3-day, 7-day, and even 14-day getaways to popular vacation spots at a reasonable price. The cheapest cruises take you to Mexico and start at just $229, all inclusive. This is a perfect way to travel during the summer without hurting your pocketbook.

Vegas baby!

Las Vegas is one of the biggest summer vacation destinations despite being located dead in the middle of the Nevada desert. It gets extremely hot during the day and does not cool down much at night, but there is nothing that compares to the Vegas atmosphere. There is so much to do in Vegas that you need several days there to get the complete experience.

Hitting a pool party is a must when you go to Vegas in the summer. They are the number one attraction, but you can also opt to go to a nightclub instead. If you're really feeling the Vegas spirit, you can try to conquer both in one day!

Aside from the partying and gambling, Vegas is a great place to watch a show. There are plenty to choose from like Jersey Boys, David Copperfield, or even a number of Cirque du Soleil shows, so choose your show wisely.

We are about a month away from the official start of summer, and it is probably the best time of the year to be in Southern California. These are just a few activities that you can partake in, but use your imagination and think of more fun things to do!

Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo has been celebrated for years, but most people do not know the roots or the actual significance of this day. Many people have learned and believed that Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican Independence Day. However, those people have been misinformed. Cinco de Mayo is not the Mexican Independence Day. September 16 is actually Mexico's Independence Day (Grito de Delores), but there are plenty of Americans who do not know that. In fact, Cinco de Mayo is not even recognized as a national holiday in Mexico. So what is the significance of Cinco de Mayo?

The significance of Cinco de Mayo dates back to the 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War. The Mexican Army was severely outnumbered by the French, but that did not stop them from trying to protect their land. On May 5, 1862 the Mexican Army defended Puebla Mexico, so Cinco de Mayo commemorates the triumph of the Mexican Army's victory. Cinco de Mayo does not mark Mexico's Independence Day, but rather commemorates Mexico's resistance to French imperialism.

At the time, the French Army was a superpower, so Mexico's victory was extremely unlikely. The French Army had not been defeated in decades and Mexico did not seem to have a chance. However, Mexico did hold off the French in Puebla and that victory is still celebrated annually to this day.

Many Mexican immigrants claim that Cinco de Mayo is more celebrated in the United States than in Mexico. The only place in Mexico that celebrates Cinco de Mayo is Puebla; however the day is still recognized throughout Mexico. So why do we celebrate this seemingly insignificant date to us in the United States?

The outcome of the Battle of Puebla could have potentially influenced the outcome of the American Civil War. The Confederates were expanding west, claiming New Mexico and Arizona and they were heading to California. So what does this have to do with the war in Mexico? Well the French sided with the Confederates in the American Civil War, so Latinos in the United States were fighting a war on two fronts. Some Latinos went back down to Mexico to help fight off the French in Puebla. So had the Battle of Puebla been won by the French, there very well may be a chance that the Confederates could have won the Civil War.

This is why Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Next time someone tells you that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day, please educate them on what really happened and why we celebrate by eating tacos and drinking margaritas.