California Holidays & Accommodation
USA, North America
Califonia is most famous for Holywood, surfing and San Francisco. But it's a huge state with varied landscapes from the spectacular western coastline, to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the east; and from the redwood forests of the Northwest to the desert of the Southeast where Death Valley looms. National Parks abound, from Yosemite in the east central part of the state, to lesser known parks like the Channel Islands Park where you can camp on islands surrounded by sea lions. There are also numerous golf courses, ski resorts, and white water rafting opportunities and the delightful Napa Valley wineries.
California Holidays Planner
Few people realize that the capital of California is Sacramento, once the site of the largest human migration in history during the California Gold Rush. Other notable cities in California include Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
San Diego, in the far south of California, is home to a third of the U.S. Naval fleet. It has a beautiful year-round climate and claims the famous San Diego Zoo and the original Sea World. The megaopolis of Los Angeles is famed for glitzy Holywood, wacky Venice Beach, fashionable Santa Monica Boulevard and the original Disneyland. The drive between Los Angeles to San Francisco takes around 10 hours along the serene Pacific Coast Highway, one of the world's Great Drives, passing through the Big Sur State Park and close to famous Pebble Beach Golf Course before reaching San Franciso, the hipster capital of cool with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Prison.
Northern California is an agricultural heartland. You can take a tour of the Napa Valley wineries near the San Francisco Bay area with a tour company for a leisurely tour of different companies that produce wine in this premiere wine growing region. Th state's skiing region borders Nevada, with Mammoth Lake, Big Bear Mountain and Lake Tahoe major centres; and these too offer great hiking trails in summer.
There are numerous and varied parks in California that make the state a great place to adventure in. The famous Yosemite National Park in east central California is the site of beautiful waterfalls, granite cliffs, and canyons. There are numerous places to camp in Yosemite overnight that are off the beaten track, but some high demand areas may require you to book your space months in advance. Winters are mild, but summer might be a preferable time to overnight. There is a famous climbing rock there called El Capitan that draws climbers to the park every year. The Sierra Nevada regions also includes Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon, both offering spectacular mountain scenery as well but with less crowds.
Death Valley National Park in south eastern California is the hottest, lowest part of North America. It is part of the Mojave Desert and you've probably seen the area featured in a movie or commercial at some point in your life. There are salt pans on the floor of Death Valley from a long-dried prehistoric sea that used to be located there. It makes for a beautiful and eerie picture on a bright day.
California Accommodation Guide
Whether your interests run towards mountain biking, paragliding, skiing, or a round of golf, there are plenty of ways to indulge yourself in California. The climate and geography varies widely throughout the state, and there is a lot to see and explore in the parks and cities of this state.