Visit California Announces Second Delicious Year for California Restaurant Month January 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- California Restaurant Month is back, bigger and more delicious. Visit California presents the second year of California Restaurant Month during January 2012, with more destinations, more food options paired with delectable drinks to help ring in the New Year.

Nearly 30 destinations across California have created special restaurant week or month-long promotions, featuring incredible offerings such as gourmet prix fixe menus, wine pairings and celebrity chef dinners during California Restaurant Month, a culinary promotion spearheaded by Visit California. In 2012, six new destinations join the program, including Camarillo, Pasadena, Redding, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Maria Valley, and Simi Valley.

"California Restaurant Month is a great opportunity for foodies and aspiring foodies alike to experience the best of California's abundant and diverse wine and food product," said Caroline Beteta, Visit California president & CEO. "January is an excellent time to enjoy the cuisine at some of the best restaurants in the state, from mountain and coastal regions to urban and wine country hotspots while spending an extended culinary getaway in the Golden State."

California is a leading destination for culinary travel in the U.S., attracting wine and food-oriented consumers who tend to be educated and affluent. California Restaurant Month provides an opportunity for travelers to combine their passion for wine and food with other experiences – such as skiing, surfing, hiking or festivals – in just one trip.

Last year, visitors in California spent $21.3 billion on food and beverages, more than any other spending segment, constituting 26 percent of all visitor spending (Source: Dean Runyan Associates).

"For a true California experience, visitors might have an opportunity to visit a farmers market and rub shoulders with celebrity chefs and foodie insiders picking out the finest organic produce available anywhere," Beteta said. "California attracts some of the greatest chefs who have a passion for creating award winning meals using the freshest ingredients. We invite travelers to step into any of our sleek restaurants serving some of the most innovative, ultra-fresh cuisine available in the country and then enjoy mountain thrills at one of the state's 15+ winter resorts, catch a wave along 1,265 miles of coastline, rejuvenate with healing therapies at a destination wellness spa or savor some of the world's best wines."

All California Restaurant Month participants, dining promotion dates and offerings are available at www.visitcalifornia.com/restaurantmonth.

About Visit California: Visit California is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state's travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to Visit California, travel and tourism expenditures total $95.1 billion annually in California, $17 billion of which is international; supports jobs for 873,000 Californians; and generates $6.1 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about Visit California and for a free California vacation packet, visit www.visitcalifornia.com.      

SOURCE Visit California