Swimming with Sharks, Sleeping with Stars Sea Adventure

If you're looking for close encounters with dangerous creatures of the deep (and we're not talking sushi here), the Pacific Ocean off Southern California is the place to have one of the best face to teeth visits with sharks that you will live to talk about it.

San Diego Shark Diving Expeditions gets you "up close and personal" with Blue & Mako sharks. These one-day trips take you 20-miles offshore to a blue-water dive site where you're escorted into a metal shark cage and dropped 15-feet into the ocean. A dive master in a stainless steel chainmail suit outside the cage baits the sharks. Up to four divers at a time remain in the cage for 40 to 60 minutes. And everybody gets two turns in the cage with video and still pictures capturing your exciting moments of face time with sharks.

A word of warning; this adventure is not for everyone. The shark dive is in such deep water that the boat cannot be anchored so it drifts with the wind and current and rocks side to side. This could be the worst day of your life if you're seasick and stuck out in the Pacific from dawn to dusk. You also must be certified and successfully complete a practice dive in order to visit the sharks in their neighborhood. One-day shark trips are $270 and can be booked at www.sdsharkdiving.com.

THE LUXURY:
When you're done diving with the sharks, come up for some surf and turf and a room with a view on nearby Coronado Island.

For over 115-years, the Hotel Del Coronado has hosted U.S Presidents, Hollywood Celebrities, international dignitaries, and regular folks at its oceanfront location in Coronado California. It's been called "One of the top 10 Resorts in the World" and a 55-million dollar restoration has brought this National Landmark back to its original Victorian splendor.

The Hotel Del is the real deal. Thomas Edison helped bring electricity to its 688 rooms and suites, the Otis Elevator #61 (The Bird Cage) still is hand-operated from the lobby today as it was in 1888, and the opulent Crown Room (with its incredible Sunday Brunch) still is illuminated by crown shaped chandeliers designed by L. Frank Baum who incidentally wrote "The Wizard of Oz" at the hotel.

History aside, today the Del continues to surround you in the lap of luxury at the beach. For foodies, the resort was recently voted "Best Hotel Dining" by the California Restaurant Association. The Prince of Wales offers 5-star fine dining with contemporary fare and an extensive wine list. And nothing takes the edge off an adventurous day like oceanfront dining at Sheerwater's near one of the outdoor fireplaces with a very dry Martini in hand and a Montecristo if you so desire. For a light snack, the Babcock & Story bar offers food and drink in a relaxed setting with live music.

The Hotel Del is the quintessential Southern California resort experience. Room rates start at $270 per night and can be reserved at www.hoteldel.com.