Twice each year, some 20,000 gray whales pass along the California coast as they swim south to breeding lagoons on the west coast of Baja California during winter months, then back to their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic's Bering Sea in spring. The round trip for these sea giants is roughly 12,000 miles and is considered one of the longest among mammals.
For the second year in a row, a Bay Area hotel has taken the top spot for best hotel in the world. On Tuesday, Conde Nast Traveler released its annual Readers' Choice Awards, recognizing the best travel destinations in the world. After receiving 757,109 votes, readers named the Lodge at Bodega Bay the best hotel in the world - beating out contenders in Morocco, Istanbul and New York.