Friday June 30th and Saturday July 1st - getting there

• Fly Melbourne to Los Angeles (12 hours in the air!)
• Pick up vehicles, learn to drive on the right as we head south to San Pedro
• Accommodation - Los Angeles AYH hostel

Sunday 2nd- settling in

Morning - quiet time or Page Museum, La Brea Tar Pits (Harry has always wanted to visit) Afternoon - Cabrillo Marine Aquarium or Aquarium of the Pacific Accommodation - Los Angeles AYH hostel

At Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

Monday 3rd - zip down to San Diego and Stephen Birch Aquarium (120 miles)

Downtown San Diego

Morning - early start, drive south to San Diego down Calif.1 and I-5 Afternoon - Stephen Birch Aquarium Accommodation - San Diego, AYH hostel

Stephen Birch Aquarium

Tuesday 4th - San Diego, Sea World and sky rockets

• Morning - free time, or Chula Vista Nature Centre
• Afternoon - visit to Sea World San Diego
• Evening - we have been invited to view fourth of July fireworks from Sea World San Diego
• Accommodation - San Diego, AYH hostel

Wednesday 5th - head north, trough Los Angeles to scenic Santa Barbara
(120 + 100 miles)

• Morning - very early start, drive north to Long Beach along I-5 and Calif.1 quick visit to Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific to met Bill and Beth, NMEA conference chairs
• Afternoon - drive from Long Beach to Santa Barbara along coast Calif.1 Pass through Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu and visit Point Vincent Interpretive Centre and SEA Laboratory Redondo Beach
• Accommodation - Santa Barbara, motel

Thursday 6th - Santa Barbara Sea Life Centre, chill-out

Morning - Santa Barbara Sea Life Centre on Stearns Wharf www.sbnature.org/tour2.htm Afternoon - Natural History Museum or free-time Accommodation - Santa Barbara, motel

Santa Barbara

Friday 7th - big day, big sur, big drive north! (100 + 130 very windy miles)

Big Sur

Morning - very early start, drive north, along US154/101 through San Luis Obispo, stop at Cal Poly if time then take Calif.1 on to Morro Bay for lunch Afternoon - still driving north along Calif.1 via Big Sur to Monterey Bay Accommodation - Monterey Bay, motel

Saturday 8th - Monterey Bay Aquarium and Pacific Grove

Morning - hopefully an early start to a visit to Monterey Bay Aquarium Afternoon - Monterey Bay Aquarium or explore Pacific Grove or downtown Monterey Accommodation - Monterey Bay, motel	Time for a nap at Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay Aquarium	Sunday 9th - two marine labs in one day (45 miles) Morning - drive north along Calif.1 to Moss Landing Marine Labs Afternoon - Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute then on to Santa Cruz Accommodation - Santa Cruz, AYH hostel

Monday 10th - Elkhorn Slough then another marine lab (45 miles)

• Morning - early start, drive south along Calif.1 to Moss Landing for Elkhorn Slough Safari
• Afternoon - drive to Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab and Seymour Marine Discovery Centre
• Accommodation - Santa Cruz, AYH hostel

Tuesday 11th - quiet day, elephant seals, lighthouses and hot sunsets
(45 miles)

Pigeon Point

Morning - drive north along Calif.1 to Ano Nuevo State Reserve Afternoon - explore Ano Nuevo Reserve and view elephant seals, drive north to Pescandero Accommodation - Pigeon Point Lighthouse, AYH hostel (hot tub and Pacific Ocean sunset)

Wednesday 12th - big day, San Francisco, MSI and Steinhart Aquarium
(60 miles)

• Morning - early start, drive to Marine Science Institute on San Francisco Bay
• Afternoon - California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium
• Accommodation - San Francisco, motel

Thursday 13th - chill-out or go wild in San Francisco Free day to explore San Francisco UC Berkeley Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 Alcatraz Marine World Accommodation - San Francisco, motel

Harry and Jane in another century

Friday 14th - marine mammals and national seashores (60 windy miles)

• Morning - across Golden Gate Bridge to Marine Mammal Rescue Centre
• Afternoon - on to Point Reyes National Seashore and Point Reyes Lighthouse
• Accommodation - Point Reyes National Seashore, AYH hostel

Saturday 15th - another marine lab then head south (180 miles)

• Morning - north to Bodega Bay, Bodega Marine Lab and Marine Reserve
• Afternoon - chuck a U-turn, back down US101 and Calif.1 to Montara
• Accommodation - Montara Lighthouse, AYH hostel (second hot tub and Pacific sunset)

Sunday 16th - the big trip south (400 miles)

• Early start - back to US101 and south through Los Angeles to Long Beach
• Evening - drop vehicles in Long Beach
• Accommodation - NMEE conference venue, Long Beach

Monday 17th to Friday 21st - NMEA Conference

NMEA Conference, Long Beach, California, make time to visit Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Aquarium of the Pacific Santa Catalina Island Accommodation - NMEA conference venue, Long Beach

Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd - fly home

• Fly from Los Angeles to Melbourn