California

California // USA

We live here, so take the enthusiasm with a pinch of salt. California is 800 miles top to bottom and the mistake visitors make is trying to do all of it in a week. You can stand on a beach in the morning and be in snow in the Sierra Nevada by afternoon, and people do it in the same day for fun. It’s also home to some well-known cities, including the sun-soaked metropolis and entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles, the culture and tech heavy San Francisco, and the laid-back SoCal beach city of San Diego.

Venture inland, and you’ll discover vast deserts, fertile valleys, and ancient forests, not to mention some of the most incredible state and national parks. Yosemite National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcases Mother Nature’s brilliance with its towering waterfalls and pristine wilderness. Not too far south, Sequoia National Park contains the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet above sea level as well as some of the world’s largest trees.

And then there are the jaw-dropping preserved state beaches and towns that stretch from Eureka to the rugged shores of Mendocino all the way south to Santa Barbara. These towns are more than sand and surf. Behind each one is a cliff road, and the cliff road is usually the reason to go. Among our favorite coastal beaches and parks, are Point Lobos in Monterey county and Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur.

California isn’t just a state; it’s a state of mind. It’s an open invitation to explore, indulge, and experience the kaleidoscope of experiences this planet has to offer. Hollywood, the redwoods, Yosemite and the beaches are four separate holidays. Trying to do all four in a week is how people end up spending it in the car.