Every year, Star Wars fans from around the globe gather for the Star Wars Celebration, which is held in various locations around the world. What began in the spring of 1999 has become the largest event of its kind and every year, the number of attendees continues to grow. This year, the Star Wars Celebration will be held in Anaheim, California.
Those who are seeking to attend this amazing event can get their tickets easily through the end of January, so if you’ve made hotel reservations and have those tickets in hand, you just might want to book an extended stay beyond the weekend of the event. There is much for Star Wars fans to see and do in and around Los Angeles that it’s worth taking that extra bit of holiday. Let’s look at what you can do to make the most of this year’s Star Wars Celebration that runs from 26 – 29 May.
Book Your Hotel Early
One of the things which fans often lament is not booking a reservation at the hotel of their choice early enough and they are often left finding an alternative at the last minute. By booking your room early, you can choose a hotel close to the event in Anaheim so that you will have easy travel to and from the Celebration without going very far in notoriously congested Southern California traffic.
Also, you’ll be able to ensure that you will be staying in a hotel that has high-speed internet. Not only will you be able to research restaurants and stores you’d like to visit but you can also do a bit of gaming on your laptop from your room on your off time. Even the most diehard fans enjoy a bit of gaming in between times at the event. With high-speed internet and your gaming laptop, you can easily access OnlineCasinos.co.uk, which lists casinos where you can place bets to be added to your phone bill. Each one is reviewed on OnlineCasinos.co.uk, so you know what to expect. That’s a handy way to have more cash on hand while on holiday in the US.
Plan for a Trip to Death Valley While You’re At It
Yes, it’s about a 3-hour drive from Anaheim to Death Valley but with that rented car, it’s easy to do on a weekend and one of the main reasons to plan an extended stay. Any Star Wars fan knows that some of the most memorable scenes were shot in Death Valley in the early days, such as when R2D2 and C3PO were filmed crash landing on Tatooine.
You may also recognize the scenery where droids and the Jawas were featured. This tiny species of sentient humanoids that are only a meter tall have been among the most memorable species encountered in Star Wars worlds. However, one cautionary bit of advice is required here. They don’t call it Death Valley for nothing, so make sure to bring plenty of water and take it easy while walking the locations where filming took place.
Take a Side Trip up the Coast to Petaluma
Many people would ask why you would want to travel at least 6 hours from Anaheim to Petaluma, California. If you are a true Star Wars fan, you won’t be asking that question. This is the home of world-renowned Rancho Obi-Wan, which has the world’s largest collection of anything and everything Star Wars-related. This is a fact that was even certified by the team at Guinness World Records back in 2014.
It’s a publicly supported Star Wars Museum that continues to grow as new characters and interstellar locations are added to the Star Wars universe. In fact, you might even want to plan for an entire weekend here as there is so much to do and see. Imagine a visit to the world’s largest collection of Star Wars memorabilia and it’s almost worth a trip across the pond for the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim.
Star Wars Star on the Walk of Fame
While you can’t exactly say that Star Wars is a Hollywood series of films, fans are excited to know that the Walk of Fame has finally added the space odyssey’s very own star. For the past couple of decades fans have wondered why George Lucas or anything Star Wars didn’t have their own star representative of such a box office success as Star Wars.
Now they can no longer believe they are being left out in the cold because as of last year, Mark Hamill’s (Luke Skywalker) star was added, and a stellar celebration followed. His character has been in every film since 2015. Yes, there was a gap between 2015 and the early films, but Mark Hamill finally received his place in the stars. That’s rather fitting, isn’t it?
Enjoy Southern California Beaches
Wrapping it up on a Star Wars holiday in Southern California, oddly, this is one location where you will not need to get wrapped up! While many parts of the world are still quite chilly, even in late May, this is not the case in SoCal. After a long, cold winter and a chilly spring, why not plan for a few days at one of many beaches in the area? You’ve probably travelled thousands of miles to attend the event, so plan for a few days taking in some famous Southern California sun before returning home.
Every year, the Star Wars Celebration is held in a different location, and all may not be as warm and inviting as Anaheim. With so many beaches up and down the coast, you can surely find one that is not overcrowded and where you and your travelling companions can have a bit of rest and relaxation. Just remember that this will probably be the one time you can shed some clothes because if you are like other fans, you will probably be making the rounds of the event in character. How could any self-respecting Star Wars fan not attend in cosplay attire? With that said, drop the garb and head for the beach. What a way to end a star-studded holiday in the Star Wars realm!