Destination attractions things to do in california

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

California, located on the western coast of the United States, is a state with beautiful scenery, exciting cities, and a mild climate. There are many attractions to visit, and many activities to keep you busy in California. Here are some places you might want to visit.

San Diego, located in the southwestern part of California, is a coastal city with many attractions. The San Diego Zoo, located near downtown in Balboa Park, is a very large, world-class zoo divided into natural environments for the animals. You can walk around the zoo, which will maybe take more than a day to see everything, or take a bus tour, which takes less time but is more expensive. The 100-acre zoo has a research center and many endangered animals; the zoo operates educational programs and also a Wild Animal Park that offers several different kinds of caravans that get you very close to the animals.

SeaWorld San Diego is also a popular attraction, and it has many shows with dolphins, whales, sea lions, etc. that are very entertaining. If you visit in the summer and are hot, sit in the Splash Zone at the front of the shows, and you will be sure to get very wet. You can see many different kinds of fish and sea creatures, cute penguins and otters, and even pet a bat ray. The Skytower and gondolas will give you a good view of the whole park and surrounding areas, and there are other rides that are water-related. If you want to visit the zoo, wild animal park, and SeaWorld, you can purchase a combination ticket for all three attractions; the Southern California City Pass adds admission to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm to the other three attractions.

La Jolla, an upscale community north of San Diego, has beautiful beaches along the Pacific Ocean; theres a colony of sea lions that hangs out on the rocks, and at The Cove, you can snorkel, explore caves, swim, or just relax and look at the gorgeous water. There are museums, shops and restaurants at The Village, and for a great view, hike to the top of Torrey Pines State Park and look down at the ocean. Dont forget your camera!

Los Angeles is the largest city in California, and offers attractions too numerous to count. One of the most popular sites is Universal Studios, where you can take the Backlot Tram Tour and see special effects from some of your favorite movies; this is a fun place where you can learn more about the business of making movies. The Getty Center, a museum that houses J. Paul Gettys vast collection of art, has amazing architecture, beautiful gardens and a fantastic view of the city from its elevated location in Brentwood. Hollywood is an area that most visitors to LA want to see; stop by Manns (formerly Graumans) Chinese Theater and put your hand in the concrete handprint of a star. Disneyland in Anaheim, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, and Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park are all theme parks that are good for lots of family fun while youre in the LA area. Venice Beach is a nice place to do some serious people watching, shopping, or sunning; you will see every type of person there from extremely weird to ordinary tourists, and theres always something interesting going on at this popular site.

An excellent way to see the beautiful beaches of California is to follow Highway 1 along the coastline. You can pick up Hwy 1 just north of San Clemente and travel along the coast, seeing breathtaking scenes of white sand beaches, rocky cliffs, and the beautiful Pacific Ocean. If you drive north youll pass by well-known beach communities such as San Juan Capistrano, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Long Beach, Malibu Beach, Ventura Beach, Pismo Beach, Big Sur, Pebble Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey, and Point Reyes National Seashore, all between the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. Highway 1 will run into Highway 101 at some points, and then resume, so check your map as you travel.

One of the attractions you may want to visit along Highway 1 is the Hearst Castle at San Simeon. This is a spectacular home built for the William Randolph Hearst family; theres the 115 room castle, guesthouses, and an amazing pool and gardens. There are five different tours you can take, and there are also special Christmas tours when the home is decorated in the style of the 1920s-30s for the holidays. Theres a film that is included in the Experience Tour, which is the best tour for first-time visitors, and all of the tours take about 2 hours. If you like beautiful architecture and imagining what it must have been like to live in the past, you should visit Hearst Castle.

Monterey, Pebble Beach, and Carmel-by-the-Sea are also along Highway 1, and are lovely beach communities. Stop and eat at Clint Eastwoods Mission Ranch Restaurant in Carmel, play some golf at Pebble Beach, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium or do some whale watching or kayaking. The aquarium has amazing exhibits on various kinds of sea life in their habitats, and you can watch feedings of otters, penguins, and fish, observe sharks, or watch sea lions outside on the rocks. Enjoy the beautiful ocean views as you shop or dine along Cannery Row, named for the former sardine canning industry in Monterey, or have a picnic while viewing the beautiful waterfalls near Point Lobos State Reserve and Pfeiffer Beach.

San Francisco is a Californian city with many attractions. One of the most popular places to visit is Alcatraz, a former prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay; you can take a tour, with advance reservations usually necessary in the summer months, or cruise around the island on a Blue and Gold Fleet ferry from Pier 41. Other interesting attractions are the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, with its Japanese garden, lakes and museums, Chinatown, touristy but fun, and Fishermans Wharf and Pier 39, where you can eat some crab cakes or an InnOut burger or watch the sea lions sunning around the pier. Ride the trolley car from Ghiradelli Square to Union Square, and see the crookedest street in the world as you pass by beautiful Lombard Street. While at Union Square you can do some serious shopping in the upscale shops there, or visit nearby SF Museum of Modern Art or the Sony Metreon, if you want to be entertained in a mall setting.

If you go over the Golden Gate Bridge on Highway 101 and turn onto Highway 1, youll come to Muir Woods, a stunning display of a peaceful, cool forest of ancient redwood trees. You can walk on a path through the forest down to the beach, or just gaze up at the huge trees, some of which are more than 250 feet tall and over 1,000 years old. There are several different trails of varying lengths; the Main Trail Loop starts from the Visitor Center and is a mile long, and other trails are up to several miles long. This is a beautiful place to spend the day; take a picnic lunch and your camera or eat at one of the restaurants in nearby Sausalito, a charming bay town. A visitor center, gift shop, caf and restrooms are found at the park.

For outdoor adventure in California, visit Yosemite, one of the most beautiful of the national parks. Located in the northeastern part of the state, Yosemite has spectacular scenery, including the huge rocks Half Dome and El Capitan, Bridal Veil Falls, the three Yosemite Falls, the Merced River, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and the beautiful valley. I think the best time to visit Yosemite is May or June, when the waterfalls are very full and the crowds are thin. The park is open year-round, so if you go in the winter snow or summer heat, youll have different experiences; some of the roads are closed when its snowing. Some of the activities you can pursue at Yosemite include hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, rafting, biking, camping, ice skating, and skiing. Lodging at the park includes everything from tent camping to the luxurious hotel The Ahwahnee, and there are also accommodations in nearby towns outside the park boundaries.

Lake Tahoe is another great site for outdoor adventure; this lake has amazing views and you can engage in activities such as jet skiing, swimming, biking, rollerblading, fishing, sunbathing, boating, and much more. Since the lake is surrounded by mountains, you can ski in winter at the many resorts nearby. If you like to gamble, there are many casinos around the lake, and many different types of accommodations are available.

California is a great state in which to vacation; there are attractions too numerous to mention, and the memorable scenery will make you want to return. Whether you like urban settings or outdoor adventure, California has it all.