One of California's main industries is tourism. This article highlights activities and some sites to see in each part of the Golden State.
California is the Land of Sunshine. Early visitors expected to find gold, eat warm weather foods, and other fresh fruit from the local trees. It was the crown jewel of the many countries that controlled it. California today has distinct regions for visitors. Each geographic region has unique sites and special times of the year when travel is best.
Extreme Northern California
The northern part of California is an excellent place for hiking and outdoor sports. The mountains are also a place for bird watching and for summer travel. The winter in northern California is a fine time for skiing and winter sports. The area has numerous bed and breakfasts and routes can be found to travel through historic gold towns from the 1840s-1860s. Travel in the January and February can be problematical in years when there is abundant snow. The best time to travel in the extreme north is during June through October.
San Francisco and Oakland are located on the most southern portion of this part of California and offer numerous tourist activities. Travel within both cities is easy if you rely on public transportation. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system takes visitors from the suburbs of San Francisco into the city. San Francisco is home to the Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, Golden Gate Park, and the Exploratorium Kid's Science Museum. Each is exciting attraction in the city. The bridges between Oakland and San Francisco and the bridges in the city allow an exciting view of the city and surrounding hillsides. Alcatraz Island and Angel Island were locations of the infamous Alcatraz Prison and Angel Island Immigration Station. Allow a day to see each site. Oakland and Berkeley have exciting museums, libraries and downtown parks. The University of California, Berkeley's Bancroft Library offers tours of rare books and manuscripts.
Far Eastern California
The far eastern portion of California has extreme temperatures. The best time to travel in this section is in October and November in the fall and during April and May in the spring. The summer months can be unforgiving for outdoor activities. The early fall months in the desert area see temperate climates that are quite comfortable. Hiking and viewing desert flowers in these months is an enjoyable activity.
Southern California
Southern California is the largest area in the state of California for tourism. Amusement parks, beaches, and outdoor sports are available throughout the region. Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, Movieland Wax Museum, California Adventure, local historical societies, all offer days of enjoyment.
Los Angeles is the center of southern California. Freeways are crowded during the morning commuting hours and from 3:00 until 7:00 in the afternoon. Plan to use this time at sites or touring, rather than traveling. The central downtown is home to the Los Angeles County Art Museum, Natural History Museum, the Peterson's Automotive Museum and the Page Museum of La Brea Discoveries at the La Brea Tar Pits. Plan to spend at least one day touring each of these locations.
Hollywood is a popular tourist destination. Hollywood Boulevard and the Sunset Strip have historic hotels, shops and restaurants from the 1930s until the 1950s. Park near Grauman's Chinese Theater, now owned by the Mann Theater chain, to see the star's sidewalk with movie star signatures, hand and foot imprints. You might just see a famous leg imprint, if you look closely! Tour the golden stars on the Walk of Fame in any direction from the front of Grauman's.
Santa Monica and Venice beach communities have nearly a countywide boardwalk where visitors can walk, skate and cycle. The nearby Santa Monica and Long Beach Art Museums are open during the week and on the weekends. Downtown Long Beach has a new arena and convention center near a new boardwalk with amusements.
Palm Springs is in southern central section of California. If you enjoy temperature over 100, then the summer is the perfect time to visit Palm Springs. Most guests prefer the winter months when the temperature is warm during the day and cool in the evening. There are numerous spas and resort hotels located in the region. Many movie stars of the 1930s-1970s had winter homes in the area since it was possible to drive from Palm Springs to the Hollywood studios. Tour buses offer tours of the stars' homes.
San Diego has distinctive sections including Old Town and the coastal section. La Jolla is on the northern coast of San Diego county. The seaside resort has golf courses and five-star resort hotels and restaurant. The Hotel Coronado in San Diego harbor offers lunch and dinner in the Victorian-era hotel that is the site of numerous movie and television show shoots.
Central Coast of California
The Central Coast region of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties see a large number of tourists, especially in the summer months. The best months for travel are before schools are out for the summer, in April and May, and after schools are in session again, in October and early November. The weather is sunny and the climate is moderate during these times. During the high summer months of August and September, the weather can be extremely hot in the Central Coastal region. The beach is usually cool, despite the hot summer climate. Boating, swimming, museum going, art gallery viewing, and cycling are perfect activities for this region.
Central Region of California
Travel in California has something for everyone in every month of the year. The trick is to time your travel with the appropriate seasons and calendar of events. This region is also quite hot during the high summer months and is best visited in the early spring and fall months. Stockton is the heart of the farming region. Acre after acre of strawberries and asparagus can be viewed off the Interstate 5 that takes you north from southern California. Sacramento is the state capital and has an Old Town section with buildings that date to the 1840s. The California State Railroad Museum, California Museum, Old Courthouse and tours of the Capital and Governor's Mansion are just a few of the exciting sites in Sacramento.
Whether you are traveling in the far north, southern, or any region of California, there are countless museums, activities, and amusements to enjoy on your trip.
