Travelling allsorts

California is long - over 1,000 miles, which is more or less double* the length of Britain (*depending which criteria you use) therefore the temperatures between the northern and southern-most areas varies greatly, enabling visitors to enjoy a pleasant climate at any time of the year, somewhere in the 'The Golden State'. There are also differences between coastal regions and inland (mountains, valleys and deserts). At the time of writing, mid-October, the current temperatures midnight-midday are: North Lake Tahoe 34F - 66F (1C - 19C) San Francisco 49F - 63F (9C - 17C) Sacramento 55F - 81F (13C - 27C) South Santa Barbara 52F - 67F (11C - 19C) Los Angeles 62F - 66F (17C - 19C) Palm Springs 69F - 91F (21C - 33C) One reason why wealthy people often have homes in Palm Springs is quite obvious; there is also the aerial tramway and many golf courses. By contrast, Lake Tahoe is close to Mammoth and June mountains...

Having visited Lincoln three times this year, I have the impression that it is always warm and sunny there, which probably contributes to how I feel about it as a city. Having said that, Lincoln is so interesting that I'm sure it can be enjoyed on dull weather days. First of all, at the top of the hill, there is a Norman Castle and a splendid Cathedral to visit. Work your way down the quaint and cobbled Steep Hill to the shopping areas, mainly pedestrianised, and to the canal. There is some interesting architecture to be admired along the canal path to the east (left, as you come down the hill) so do this first, just for 100 yards or so, then return along the path and continue under the bridges to Brayford Wharf (a couple of minutes) where you can enjoy coffee, lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants with views of the boats in Brayford Pool. There is a choice of hotels, including Doubletree and Holiday Inn, if you are staying longer than just a day. If you travel to Li...

Autumn half-term is always difficult to find short-haul guaranteed warm weather and sunshine. The end of October hails the beginning of winter in Europe (the word 'plummet' features regularly when searching for an ideal destination) and booking a break around the Mediterranean is pot luck - could be great or could be grey! Last year, we settled on Cefalu in Sicily and we had 'acceptable' weather, much better than the UK. I wouldn't call it hot but it was warm and sunny most of the week. We stayed in a lovely hotel on the beach at the edge of the town: Cefalu Sea Palace. We enjoyed walking through the narrow streets of the town and trying the restaurants. We also hired a car and toured part of the island. If you don't have to book your Sicily break for half-term, take advantage of better weather earlier in October. Cefalu is less 'touristy' than Catania/Taormina coast but it's only a couple of hours' drive so you can easily visit both. Fligh...