California is located on the west coast of United States and is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. California has several national parks, quiet northern forests, excellent skiing opportunities, beaches, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, vineyards, Disneyland, Hollywood, castles, the Sierras, Giant redwoods, aquariums and beautiful sunsets/sunrise over the Pacific Ocean.
1. Los Angeles and Anaheim:
Disneyland Resort and theme park is located in Anaheim and is the first home of Mickey Mouse. You can enjoy thrilling rides, live shows for the kids and parades of famous cartoon & Hollywood characters. Additional things to see include the California Adventure Park and Magic Kingdom. Los Angeles is famous for Hollywood district located northwest of Downtown. Other things to see include the Legoland, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and La Brea Tar Pits.
2. San Francisco:
Loaded with tons of tourist attractions, the most famous ones are the Alcatraz Island which was was once a maximum security prison, Golden Gate suspension bridge which is iconic symbol of the city, Golden gate park, China town, Downtown San Francisco, the vibrant Fisherman’s Wharf (and Pier 39) with excellent seafood restaurants and several tourist activities, USS Midway which is an aircraft carrier and served the Navy in the past but now a museum ship, open to the public. Not to miss is the Cable Car System which is the only manually operated cable car system in the world.
3. Napa Valley:
Visited by millions of tourists every year, it is the famous wine growing region of California. Additional things to enjoy include the Wine Train, Culinary institute of America , Old faithful geyser, Safari West wildlife tours, petrified forest, Opera house and hot air balloon ride over the valley.
It is one of the first wilderness parks in the United States, popular attractions in the park include El Capitan, Eagle Peak, Glacier Point, Half Dome, Mariposa Grove, Ribbon Fall, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Valley, Bridal Veil Fall and Sentinel Dome.
5. Lake and Mount Shasta:
Located north of Redding, lake Shasta is a great recreational area surrounded by beautiful mountains, it is also famous for Lake Shasta caverns. Mount Shasta is located further north and a great place for camping, trekking and climbing the majestic mountain.
6. Sequoia National Park:
This park and the adjacent Kings Canyon Parks are home to the giant Sequoia and Redwood trees. Most famous sites are General Grant Tree, General Sherman Tree, Giant Forest, Grant Grove, Muir Grove, Kings Canyon and the Redwood Mountain Grove.
7. San Simeon – Hearst Castle:
Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, this estate is a pastiche of historic architectural styles. Accessible only by a scheduled tour bus, the castle itself is five miles inland on a hill.
8. Monterey Bay Aquarium:
It is located 110 miles south of San Francisco and displays a large variety of marine life including sharks, octopuses, fishes, wolf-eel, jelly fish and much more. It is located near the Cannery row area of Monterey.
9 Sea World & the Zoo Of San Diego:
San Diego Sea World covers 150 acres of Mission Bay, the famous San Diego Zoo is a part of Balboa Park.
10. Sonoma Valley & Bodega bay:
Sonoma Valley is home to some of the earliest wineries in the state and offers year round festivals and events, including the prestigious Sonoma Valley Film Festival. Other attractions include Quarryhill Botanic Garden, Russian river, Jack London State Historic Park, Train Town, The Sonoma Plaza and the famous Bodega bay coastline next to the Pacific ocean.
By Swati A
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Golden Gate Endeavour Makes History – Chris Martin, Mick Dawson on “Bojangles”
