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| | Yosemite, on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is one of the nation's most famous national parks. It is, after all, the land that captured the imaginations of naturalist John Muir and photographer Ansel Adams. The most popular destination in Yosemite is Yosemite Valley, a wooded grassy valley that sits below towering granite cliffs. From here you have great views of Bridalveil... |  |
| The atmosphere in this U.S./Mexico border city is very relaxed, the people are friendly, the nature and surroundings gorgeous and the things to do countless. Tijuana, Mexico is only about twenty minutes away and makes for a great day excursion or social tourism venture. If you enjoy outdoor activities and culture this is the place for you. There are many beautiful outdoor parks (Balboa Park is... |  |
| Mammoth Lakes is a little city nestled into the eastern side of the southern end of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's famous for all the outdoor activities available, and can seem like a Mountain Dew commercial what with all the rock climbing, skiing, snowboarding and mountain biking going on. Mammoth Lakes was traditionally much more relaxed than upscale resort towns like Vail. These days... |  |
| Bishop is a tiny town but very popular with outdoors enthusiasts. The rock climbing--boudering and rope climbing both--are especially good here. Many climbers make pilgimages to Bishop from cities in the central valley and the Bay Area. |
| South Lake Tahoe is the lake's biggest tourist city. It runs for about five miles on the south side of the lake. The Heavenly ski resort (Tahoe's largest) is basically in the city and there are casinos in Stateline, right across the border in Nevada. |  |
| Santa Cruz is a mellow college town on the Northern side of the Monterey Bay along the Central Coast. It is 40 miles north of Monterey, and 75 miles south of San Fransico. It has great beaches (often filled with surfers), and beautiful redwood forests to the north. The locals show a surprisingly diversity... you will find college kids, hippies, techies, vacationers, and ordinary families, though... |  |
| Big Sur's verdant bluffs and curving, golden beaches draw eager visitors from across the globe. This region, one of California's most beloved natural wonders, is made sacred by the Santa Lucia Mountains that rise abruptly and dramatically from the shore, offering stunning views from both the cliffs above and the sand below. Blanketed in yellow flowers, iceplant, ancient oaks, swirling mist and... |  |
| Sequoia National Park is famous for having some of the largest (and oldest) trees in the world. The epic scale of these giants can be truly awe-inspiring.The park is pretty big but the most impressive groves are easily accessible from the road, and have very well-maintained, short paths winding through them. You don't have to be in shape to see the trees and you can make this a 15 minute stop if... |  |
| Joshua Trees are pretty funky plants, and those spiky stalks with winding fingers dotting a bald, hot landscape of desert and boulders is a stunning beauty not to be missed. Rock climbers flock from all over the world to scale some of these rocks' more fearsome walls, but even newbies can take to bouldering on their hands and knees, and end up gazing on the rainbowy sunset shades of the Park from... |  |
| San Franciscans are proud of their home and for good reason--the City by the Bay has a unique charisma. It is truly an international city: within its mere 47 square miles are world-class museums, shopping, and live music and theater offerings. But the city also feels intimate. Unlike California’s other metropolis to the south, San Francisco has many friendly, walkable neighborhoods. Some of the... |  |
| Healdsburg is at the nexus of three wine-producing regions in Sonoma County: the Dry Creek Valley, the Alexander Valley, and the increasingly famous Russian River Valley. It's a small agricultural city in a sparsely developed area but all of this wine activity lends it a bit of a sophistico/gourmet feel. It's not nearly as bad as Napa in this respect though and the golden hills and winding creeks... |  |
| Mount Shasta is a tiny town of under 4,000 people. It sits under the famous peak of the same name, and caters to the outdoors enthusiasts who drop by to climb, snowshoe and mountain bike. Like many of the small towns near the California-Oregon border, Mount Shasta has a laid-back, alternative vibe. There are lots of outdoor cafes, astrology-and-crystal bookstores, and sports equipment suppliers.... |  |
| Pacifica is a tight-knit seaside community perched on the bluffs of the California coast, just south of San Francisco. Though it was only recently named and incorporated into San Mateo County (until 1957 it was comprised of half a dozen smaller towns), it holds its own now as a beloved tourist destination -- seemingly remote, but within commuting distance of the city. Known for its rugged... |
| Welcome to the Danish Capital of America! |  |
| If LA is California's tanned and buffed body, Berkeley is California's slightly schizophrenic brain. The city is most famous for the flagship University of California campus. It was at the affiliated Lawrence Livermore Labs that much of WWII's nuclear research was conducted. During the 1960s and 70s, however, Berkeley's anti-war protests earned it a reputation as a center of radical... |  |
| Capitola is right next to Santa Cruz, on the Pacific Ocean, further along Highway 1 south. There's volleyball nets set up along the beach, and tons of cute shops along the streets. When you get hungry you can stop by Pizza My Heart or Margaritaville for a bite to eat. Beware the weather in the summer, as often the fog will roll in and make the beach a bit too cold. |  |
| Napa is in the heart of (yep) the Napa Valley, California's wine country. This area became famous a little over 30 years ago when Napa wines beat out French wines in a blind taste test, held in Paris with French judges. No one expected that to happen (least of all the judges, probably) but it catapulted Napa onto the global gourmet scene. The Napa Valley is an area built for tourism, especially... |
| Point Reyes Station is a tiny town at the southern end of Tamales Bay. It gets its name from nearby Point Reyes National Seashore, a peninsula about 30 miles northwest of San Francisco, shooting off on the western side of Tamales Bay. The preserve is really popular with Bay Area residents but almost never feels crowded. |  |
| San Luis Obispo is tucked away in some hills near the Los Padres National Forest, just inland from Morro Bay and Pismo Beach. It's nickname, "Slo" (or, more informally, "Slo-town") accurately describes the vibe. With the Cal Poly campus here, it's the quintessential college town with a pedestrian downtown and more nightlife than you'd expect for it's size. |
| Mariposa, perched in the Sierra Nevadas, is the closest city to Yosemite National Park. Mariposa creek runs through the town. During the Gold Rush lots of mining activity went on here; Mariposa is at the southern end of the Mother Lode. |
| Castroville is a tiny agricultural town just east of Monterey. You might pass it if you're going from Santa Cruz to Salinas but it's not on the major north-south routes through the state. The town calls itself "The Artichoke Center of the World" and it's become the town's theme. If you're a fan, check out the Artichoke Festival. |  |
| At first glance California's capitol can seem a little underwhelming, especially when compared to Los Angeles or San Francisco. But while Sacramento isn't a major tourist destination, it does have plenty to offer. The city has one of the most ethnically eclectic populations in the nation and the cuisine and culture that come along with it. Sacramento's roots in the gold rush also make for a city... |
| Redding is the biggest city in far northern California. And that's about it. It's not all that remarkable, unfortunately, and doesn't have the small-town charm of nearby Mt. Shasta, Yreka or Weed. |
| La Jolla (which is similar to, and allegedly stems from, the Spanish word for "jewel") is a resort community, balmy and full of harbor seals, located within the city of San Diego. It is also home to the University of California, San Diego, which doesn't do all that much to reduce its luxurious, affluent, vacation-home feel, but it does mean that La Jolla is also home to the Scripps Institution of... |  |
| A little square-mile town surrounded by Berkeley. Growing up there one
gets the best of both worlds - the small town community and the big
city living. |
| Davis is the epitome of the college town. Of its population of 65,000, nearly half are students at the University of California at Davis. All these students lend the town an energetic vibe. At the same time, Davis prides itself on its sense of community, which can be felt from its friendly, walkable downtown to the fields of its many parks and its popular Farmers' Market. Davis citizens also tend... |  |
| Santa Barbara is perhaps what out-of-staters expect when they think of California; it embodies all of the Golden State's most alluring stereotypes at once. There are 300 days of sun a year, palm trees, beach cruisers and surfing. There are movie stars and upscale stores, beach parties and wineries. And all this within a town of less than 100,000. Santa Barbara County is, after all, where Michael... |  |
| Unlike Santa Cruz, its slightly younger and student-oriented neighber on the beach, subdued Los Gatos sits up in the hills. It has an older population with newer money. Los Gatos is one of the fastest growing real estate markets around; large houses in the rollling hills are going for record prices as city folk look for a place to put their money and a homier home. The main drag is pleasant with... |
| Death Valley is like another world. The park sits in a basin, surrounded by mountains, and feels totally isolated. It's flat, barren, and filled with geological curiosities. And it lives up to its name. In the summer the temperatures regularly top 120º Fahrenheit. It's worth a visit if you have a broad view of what constitutes natural beauty. The strange salt deposits at the Devil's Golf are... |  |
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