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California is a land of accomplishments, beauty and wonder, and famed across Planet Earth for its productive agricultural lands, beaches, deserts, mountains, national parks, redwood trees, sparkling cities, trendy lifestyles; film, television and music industries; its wine country, and so much more.
Gold was what brought the world to California more than a century and a half ago. Gold of a different vein - nature's gold - draws the world to California today. National parks, lakes, rivers, deserts, redwood glens, and wind-tousled peaks; Yosemite, Death Valley, Big Sur and Mt. Lassen - the list of California's most precious commodities goes on and on. Not to mention the California State Parks system has treasures as diverse as the state wherein you will find the largest and most diverse natural and cultural heritage holdings of any in the nation. Just think of how many things you can do: experience the outdoor magic at the edge of Lake Tahoe; hoist a backpack and head for the back-country of the Los Padres National Forest near Ojai, where you can hike to a swimming hole framed by a granite gorge, or even take a boat out to one of the five islands of Southern California's Channel Islands National Park and camp where sea lions outnumber campers a thousand to one.
The Golden State boasts more than 1,100 miles of breathtaking coastline, ranging from Hollywood-perfect expanses of smooth sand to dramatically windswept ocean-side cliffs. If your idea of a perfect day involves beach volleyball, building sandcastles, hiking along picturesque seaside trails or catching a wave, you can find it all at California's many beaches.
California has a reputation as a haven for people with creative minds, and you can see this in its multifaceted cultural offerings. Arts abound here in four main formats: large-scale, world-class organizations; smaller, quirkier museums, often showcasing the Golden State's history and its abundant idiosyncratic subcultures (think surfers, Silicon Valley techno-wizards, and Peanuts aficionados); music venues galore; robust artists' communities, and cultural offerings through California State Parks. Want to learn more? Come to California!
New age spiritualism, liberal politics, non-Western healing practices, and environmentalism are prevalent here as nowhere else in America. You'll find organic produce and vegetarian dishes on the menu at restaurants and mom-and-pop cafés alike. Independent bookstores still sell the works of the Beats, plus all manner of broad-minded literature. Stroll the rainbow flagged streets of the Castro, or take a side-trip to reclusive Bolinas in Marin County, and you'll feel the alternative vibe.
Buff, bronzed and beautiful, Los Angeles is a sly seductress who tempts you with her beaches, bosoms and beemers. The question in Los Angeles is never what to do, but where to begin. The county is home to many famous attractions in a relatively concentrated space. Your choices include amusement parks, architectural landmarks, art museums and galleries, beaches, parks, hiking and shopping, to name a few. After the sun goes down, you'll find there's an abundance of nightlife options, including movies (of course!), as well as live music and comedy provided by performers both legendary and yet-to-be-discovered.
And let's not forget Malibu, which hugs 27 spectacular miles of Pacific Coast Hwy and has long been synonymous with surfing, stars and a hedonistic lifestyle, but actually looks far less posh than the glossy mags make it sound. Still, it's been celebrity central since 1930s and will continue to be for quite a while.
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Among other important tourist cities that you should not miss in California we should mention San Francisco and San Diego. If you ever wondered where the envelope goes when it is pushed, here is your answer: San Francisco. Liberation, green ventures, free speech, and culinary experimentation all became mainstream long ago in San Fran. This is no place to be shy: out here among eccentrics of every stripe, no one's going to notice a few tan lines. So long, inhibitions; hello, San Francisco. On the other hand, San Diegans shamelessly, yet endearingly, promote their hometown as 'America's Finest City.' Smug? Maybe, but it's easy to see why. The weather is practically perfect and beaches or forests are rarely more than 10 minutes drive away. San Diego is considerably more laid back than San Francisco and definitely more than LA. For visitors, San Diego bursts with world-famous attractions: the zoo, Sea World, Legoland and the museums of Balboa Park.
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