The West Coast has been making the news recently for its wildfires and Hollywood scandals, but Visit California is reaching out to families to alert them of all the fantastic new openings coming to the state in 2018. From the openings of beachfront resorts and a seaside roller coaster, to anniversaries celebrating sparkling cider, wine, baseball, art and more, the new year brings new reasons to travel to the Golden State.
Here’s what travelers can find next year:
- DreamWorks Theatre and Hello Kitty Debut at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2018. Universal Studios Hollywood introduces an all-new attraction in 2018, DreamWorks Theatre. The newly designed venue will play host to a variety of action-packed DreamWorks Animation themed attractions beginning with the multi-sensory adventure inspired by the global blockbuster franchise Kung Fu Panda. Hello Kitty, the beloved global pop icon created by the Japanese company Sanrio, also joins Universal Studios Hollywood in 2018.
- New Adventures at SeaWorld. Slithering in just in time for summer 2018, Electric Eel, the tallest and fastest roller coaster in SeaWorld San Diego’s history, will accelerate to more than 60 mph in seconds and rocket skyward 150 feet, with an upside-down view of Mission Bay! Also new for 2018, SeaWorld will be the only place in California where guests can see a new neighborhood street party parade featuring everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends in May and June.
- First Autograph Collection Hotel Arrives in Los Angeles. Debuting as the first Autograph Collection hotel in Los Angeles in January 2018, the 26-acre westdrift Manhattan Beachwill offer 392 luxury guest rooms, 112 of which will feature private balconies with views of the golf course. The property includes a nine-hole executive golf course, a signature indoor/outdoor restaurant featuring a 360-degree bar, a CrossFit-inspired fitness center, and more than 35,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meetings and event space.
- Lido House Opening in Newport Beach. Just steps away from Lido Marina Village, Lido House will debut as an Autograph Collection hotel in Newport Beach in early 2018. The hotel will feature five custom three-story cottages, each designed by a local designer. The property will feature The Mayor’s Table, along with Topside, the only rooftop bar in Newport Beach. Other highlights include a saltwater pool with private cabanas, a luxury fitness center and Boost Spa.
- Pasadena to Enhance Guest Experiences in 2018 with Multi-Million Dollar Hotel Renovations. Pasadena, home to the famous Rose Bowl Parade, rings in 2018 with multi-million dollar renovations, more guest rooms, larger meeting spaces and new hotels. Among the changes in store are a $20 million renovation of guest rooms, lobby and meeting spaces at Sheraton Pasadena; a $25 million renovation of guest rooms, lobby, bar and meeting spaces at Hilton Pasadena; and a recently completed $11 million guest room beautification at Westin Pasadena; construction of a rooftop pool, meeting space, fitness center and 30 new rooms at DusitD2 Hotel Constance Pasadena; and a new 186-room upscale Hyatt Place hotel in Pasadena’s most popular retail and entertainment center, The Paseo, scheduled for completion by the end of 2018.
- Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito will Open in Summer 2018. Santa Barbara’s highly anticipated beachfront resort, Rosewood Miramar Beach Montecito, will open in summer 2018. Spread over nearly 16 acres, the resort will offer 124 guestrooms and 37 suites, many of which will be located in single-story cottages and bungalows. Amenities will include an oceanfront bar and restaurant, two swimming pools, a Sense spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in Santa Barbara.