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Just like some of Hollywood’s greatest productions, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes in the Golden Gate State. The bright showbiz lights of Los Angeles and the high-tech startups in the San Francisco area tend to steal a lot of the spotlight, but California has a lot more to offer than just those two flashy towns.
It’s easy to forget that this is one of the most geologically diverse states in the country. Misty coastal rainforests teeming with towering ancient redwoods thrive in the north, and blistering inland deserts, home to the hottest and driest spot on the continent, scorch in the south. Add the vineyards and wineries of Napa Valley, the beaches of Malibu and La Jolla, and the waterfalls of Yosemite to the list.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a profusion of family-friendly attractions like the Disneyland Resort, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld. And that’s just in SoCal. In San Francisco, you’ll want to save time for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Lombard Street and Pier 39.
The feather in the cap of the entire national parks system is, without a doubt, Yosemite. Tucked into a stunning valley in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in central California, the park is considered so precious that it’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Some 4 million visitors descend on Yosemite annually, eager to explore the valley’s rich collection of jaw-dropping waterfalls, sheer-face granite walls and gigantic, sky-kissing sequoias.
For natural wonder of an entirely different sort, head to Death Valley National Park, which sprawls just east of the Sierra Nevada range. This is the hottest and driest place in North America, where the highest and lowest points in the continental United States (Mount Whitney and Badwater Basin) can be found within just 100 miles of each other.
If you find yourself short of an invite to the Academy Awards in Hollywood, rest assured: the state of California has no shortage of other festivals and events to keep you busy all year round. In the Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena, the Tournament of Roses Parade and Rose Bowl Game get each year off to a big start, either falling on January 1st or 2nd (it’s never held on a Sunday). In spring, a pair of festivals herald the new blossoms. In San Francisco, the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival kicks into gear, while in Oxnard the California Strawberry Festival opens its gates.
Summer brings the Los Angeles Film Festival, Comic-Con (in San Diego) and the California State Fair (in Sacramento). The Film Festival annually showcases more than 200 films in theaters throughout the city. Comic-Con, meanwhile, is where the worlds of comics, movies, TV shows and more are celebrated.