So, that vacation you’ve been looking forward to is growing near and you need some help choosing what things to take with you. Travel experts like Sharon B. Wingler, flight attendant and author of Travel Alone and Love It, suggest that you start making a written list of all the things you want and/or should take with you a few weeks before your departure date. Take the list everywhere you go. Add items as they occur to you and edit items out that you don’t think you’ll need. Below are some essential, and often overlooked, items that you should think about as you put together your final packing list.

1. Corkscrew - Almost every country has its own wine. A corkscrew is a handy tool to have along, especially for wine lovers wishing to relax in their hotel rooms with bottle of local wine, always a good pre-dinner or bed-time treat.
2. Clothespin - Its uses might not seem obvious at first, but having a good clothespin along will enable you to close those annoying drapes that don’t exactly meet in the middle.
3. Water - A large bottle of water is especially good have on long flights. If you are heading for a tropical or warm climate, a small spray bottle is a good idea. You can use it to splash some cool water on your face from time to time on hikes and other outdoor activities.
4. Earplugs - You never know when you’ll need these. There could be a crying infant on the flight or an all-night dance club right next to your hotel room. Earplugs prove quite useful when you need a good night’s sleep or want to read a book in peace.
5. Pocket calculator - A small calculator makes it easier to figure out currency exchange rates.
6. Tape measure - Taking along a small tape measure will help you figure out foreign sizing, useful when shopping for new shoes and other accessories.
7. Xerox copy of all important travel documents - There’s nothing worse than losing your passport, driver’s license or traveler’s checks while on vacation. Having a copy of them will make it much easier to cancel accounts and request new documents.
8. Washcloth - Many overseas hotels do not provide washcloths, so it’s always good idea to bring your own.
9. Box of tissues - Tissues can become scarce when traveling, especially if you’re heading into remote locations. Keeping a good supply of tissues in your backpack can be a lifesaver.
10. Snacks - A bag of trail mix or dried fruit is good to have in case you get hungry while on a tour or hike, as restaurants may not always be available.
11. Candy to share - Bring some candy along to share with others. Avoid bringing chocolate, however, especially if you’re heading to warm climates. Offering candy to the taxi driver or a fellow traveler is a great way to break the ice.
12. Power Strip - Hotel rooms will not always have enough power plugs available. If you’re bringing along a laptop, a camera, a cellphone, etc., it’s also a good idea to bring your own power strip, so you’ll always have enough plugs to charge your electronics.
13. Quart-sized plastic zip bags - Small zip bags are great for keeping your things organized and handy. You can use one to keep expense receipts, another for business cards, and another for snacks or energy bars, or whatever else you need.
14. Duct tape - You don’t need a huge roll, but enough to make a wallet-sized rectangle. You can use duct tape to brush off lint from clothing, to hang up signs, or shut curtains together.
15. Energy Bars - These work great as meal replacements when you’re on the run. If you’re plane gets delayed or you are forced to skip breakfast to catch the morning tour bus, having a bag of energy bars will prove especially useful.
16. Baby Wipes - Get the ones that are unscented and labeled “just like cloth”. They’re great for wiping up coffee spills and cleaning up after snacks.
17. A digital camera - Having a good digital camera to capture those special moments of your trip is always a good idea. You’ll be kicking yourself for years afterwards if one comes along and you find yourself camera-less.
18. Good sunscreen - This is an especially good item to bring along if you are going to a tropical or warm climate, and/or you are planning on spending much of your time outdoors. But be careful when choosing your sunscreen: not all of them are good.
19. Extra swimsuit and flip-flops - The chance to take a dive in a hotel pool or a natural body of water may arise on any given day. Be prepared with an extra swimsuit and flip-flops.
20. A cap or hat - A light colored cap or straw hat is good to bring along for hot climates. If you are heading to colder regions, consider a warm cap or fedora.
21. Bug spray - Bug bites can really ruin a vacation if you let them. Bringing along a good bug spray bottle can prevent this from happening. Take plenty of spray with you and use it liberally.

Orange County is a county in Southern California composed of 34 independent municipalities. Famous for its beaches and its Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm theme parks, Orange County attracts a wide variety of tourists from around the country. Shows like The O.C. and the reality television series The Real Housewives of Orange County have further popularized the image of Orange County as an affluent and leisurely community. In fact, Orange County, bordered by Los Angeles to the north and San Diego to the south, boasts one of the most diverse populations in the U.S. Spanish and English are the most common languages spoken, followed by Vietnamese and a variety other Asian languages that are the norm in small ethnic communities.

This Airport Parking Connection travel guide will provide you with a few useful tips for getting around in Orange County and enjoying its renowned beaches, shopping centers, restaurants and nightlife.

Arriving at SNA Airport

The John Wayne Airport is the main airport in Orange County. Find airport parking at SNA by using our parking finder tool. There are several major hotel chains nearby and all major cab and car rental companies have locations there. If you live in California, north or south of Orange County, you can also take the train. The Amtrak travels straight through Orange County and provides passengers with a beautiful view of the ocean and adjacent mountains and hills throughout the whole trip. You can also arrive by car. Interstate 5 gets to Orange County if you are coming from the South. If you are coming from the north, you can take Intestates 5, 405, and State Route 57. If you’re coming from the East, take State Route 91.

Places to Visit in Orange County

Disneyland, located in Anaheim, is by far the most visited tourist attraction in Orange County. Knott’s Berry Farm, in nearby Buena Park, comes a close second. It’s usually less crowded than Disneyland, but many of its attractions are not as family friendly.

A lesser known attraction is The Ocean Institute, a beautiful research facility that offers visitors family-friendly exhibits and museum galleries, located in Dana Point. If you want to check out a historical landmark, there is the Mission in San Juan Capistrano, just north of San Diego. Mission San Juan Capistrano offers an audio tour for kids in English and Spanish. Families can sit down for a picnic or enjoy a pleasant walk through the Mission’s gardens, koi ponds and historic buildings and museums.

Things to Do in Orange County

Of course, if you simply feel like lying out in the sun or enjoying the surf, Orange County’s many beaches are there to accommodate you, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach being among the more famous ones.

Balboa Island is very close to Huntington Beach and is well known for its lively boardwalk, which is replete with vendors, restaurants and features amusement park rides. Another popular landmark the view point “Top of the World” in Laguna Beach, so called because it is the highest point in the County, providing people with an impressive view. Top of the World is a favorite destination for couples, as both sunsets and sunrises are spectacular from this location.

And, of course, there’s shopping. There are many high-end shopping centers throughout Orange County, and to go through them all would require its own book. There’s the South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa; the Lab and the Camp, outdoor malls catering to the young and hip; and the Asian Garden Mall, the largest Vietnamese-owned-and-run shopping center in the country; to name a few.

But perhaps the most well known mall in Orange County is the Irvine Spectrum, located in Irvine. It’s a vast, outdoor complex offering a huge selection of entertainment options. Books, clothes, massage boutiques, restaurants, and almost any kind of store you can think of you can find here. The Spectrum is also home to the Edwards movie theatre, which hosts Orange County’s only IMAX screen. There’s also the Irvine Improv comedy club, a merry-go-round for kids and adults and a large Ferris wheel.

Orange County Night Life

Orange County has a lot of places to go for a drink. Aside from the high-end, hotel lounge and night clubs, the beach cities of Orange County are home to a wide variety of bars and clubs of the non-chain variety. Aside from the fact that each of these offer a unique experience and are in close proximity of the ocean, they also have the advantage of being within easy distance of each other and of nearby hotels. Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Dana Point and San Clemente are some of the cities you should look out for.

Airport Parking Connection recently opened a new location at the John Wayne Airport in Orange County. So next time you fly in or out of O.C., Airport Parking Connection will be there to provide you with the best value in SNA long term parking. Airport Parking Connection also offers discount parking rates, guaranteed reservations, safe and secure lots, and a hassle-free cancellation policy.

Surprisingly, San Jose is the third largest city in California and is ranked as one of the safest cities in the United States. While there are many things to do and sights to see in San Jose, the city is best known for its successful hockey team, the San Jose Sharks. With Airport Parking Connection’s city guide, you can learn a little more about San Jose and explore the many of the hot spots in San Jose.

Arriving at the SJC Airport

Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is an extremely busy airport, particularly since San Jose is the largest city in Northern California, the third largest city in California, and the 10th largest city in the United States. Due to the abundance of people, SJC airport parking can be difficult. However, Airport Parking Connection can make San Jose Airport parking easy and hassle-free for you.

• Taxi – You can take a taxi from your hotel or park in a lot near the airport and take a taxi directly to your terminal. If you choose to park near SJC, Airport Parking Connection offers discount airport parking prices, safe and secure lots, a hassle-free cancellation policy, and quick and easy reservations.
• Hotel Shuttle – Many of the nearby hotels offer complimentary shuttles to and from SJC. Be sure to check your hotel to see if they offer a complimentary airport shuttle.
• Car Rental – You can always rent a car at or near the airport. While this can be beneficial if you plan on driving a lot, it can also be time-consuming and frustrating. Be sure to check various car rental companies to compare rates and distances from your terminal.
• Airport Parking – Your best option is parking at San Jose airport. Parking at the airport is easy and worry-free with Airport Parking Connection. We offer discount airport parking rates, easy reservations, a hassle-free cancellation policy, and secure parking lots. We also provide complimentary shuttle services to and from your terminal.

Tourist Attractions in San Jose

San Jose is home to many entertaining attractions. Some top San Jose attractions are listed below:

• California’s Great America - Great America is a roller coaster filled amusement park near San Jose. It is “Northern California’s best choice for family fun and adventure.” The amusement park is comprised of numerous exciting thrill rides, family rides, Nickelodeon Central, KidZville, live shows, and Boomerang Bay. In Nickelodeon Central, you and your children can enjoy interacting with the stars of Nickelodeon’s top-rated TV programs. KidZville is a busy, quaint town with 18 rides and attractions for you and your children to enjoy together. Boomerang Bay is an Australian-themed water park full of water slides, wave pools, and sun-bathing.
• Rosicrucian Park - This beautiful park has been in existence since 1927 and covers nearly an entire city block. The Park offers a various beautiful architecture set among groomed lawns, rose gardens, statues, and water fountains. Year-round, hundreds of visitors come to this peaceful and harmonious environment to stroll through the trails, visit the museums and the planetarium, and gaze at the rose gardens and magnificent statues.
• Circle of Palms Plaza - The Circle of Palms is the marker for California’s first state capital. The palm trees encircle a California state seal placed between the Fairmont San Jose Hotel, the Knight-Ridder building (Silicon Valley Financial Center) and the San Jose Museum of Art. 
• Kelley Park - This amazing park consists of 156 acres of fun activities and beautiful sights. Some of the interesting areas of Kelley Park include Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, the Japanese Friendship Garden, History Park, the Portuguese Historical Museum, and the Viet Museum. Within the park, there are also numerous picnic areas, groomed lawns, groves of shade-providing trees, and plenty of pathways in between. Visitors can relax while strolling through the different areas of Kelley Park.
• Raging Waters - Raging Waters is Northern California’s largest water park. It covers 23 acres of land and consists of several thrilling high-speed water slides, a 350,000 gallon wave pool, an interactive pirate-themed water fort, and other family-friendly attractions and rides. The park accommodates all, offering a variety of water-based activities for all ages and all swim levels.
• San Jose Municipal Rose Garden - This 5 ½ acre rose garden is filled with about 189 varieties of beautiful rose blooms, trimmed trees and shrubbery, and rolling green lawns. You can enjoy a relaxing picnic, a fun barbecue, or a leisurely stroll with you dog. During your stroll through the garden, just remember that although the roses are absolutely gorgeous, there is a hefty fine for picking one. Additionally, while the rose garden is truly amazing, the surrounding neighborhood is also stunning. Plan to extend your stroll through the surrounding neighborhoods to view beautiful homes and landscapes.

San Jose Nightlife

The San Jose nightlife is always entertaining. Being a very large city filled with residents and tourists, merchants in San Jose must accommodate crowds and diverse cultures. This leads to top-notch restaurants, fun and diverse activities, popular bars and lounges, and entertaining festivals and parades. Also, public art is a popular attraction in San Diego. Often times, the sidewalks will be covered with art shows, exhibits, and demonstrations so visitors can stroll through streets during the evening and view wonderful art.

San Jose Sports

• The San Jose Sharks - The Sharks, San Jose’s only professional sports team, are San Jose’s NHL ice hockey team. They have had very successful years, often making it to the NHL playoffs. Because there are no NFL or MLB teams in San Jose, San Jose residents typically are fans of the San Francisco Giants and the San Francisco 49ers.

San Jose Weather