California Travel Guide by Shreyashi

California, the third-largest state of the 50 states in the US after Alaska and is a global trendsetter with its great diversity including its culture, communication, information, technology, innovation, politics, and entertainment and hence in these holidays I decided to explore this amazing state with California travel guide and the support from the USA Travel Blog – Travel The Food For The Soul.

On my trip to California, I realized that being in the US and not visiting California was something which I regretted as this state in the US is a delight where you get to view some amazing mountain peaks, beaches, waterfalls, deserts, and volcanic lava beds all at one place and to explore this place at its best without missing out on some important sights.

Driving off to Canada was the easiest option for us but since there is a lot of internal travel we opted for the flight to San Francisco and our travel route followed through San Francisco.

San Francisco – The eclectic city of beautiful views, multicuisine, edgy art, and adventure. The walkable streets, thrilling cable cars, bay views, bustling Chinatown with authentic Chinese cuisine, Little Italy, and Fisherman’s Wharf with the maximum tourist visiting here.

The most famous Golden Gate Bridge attracting 10 million visitors every year is a must-watch here with 746-foot-tall towers, main cables, artistic decorative styling, mesmerizing orange color. Tourists can even opt for a boat tour for the cruise beneath or enjoy the cable car ride. To enjoy the lifestyle of San Francisco you must not miss visiting Mission District, the Haight, and the Castro.

Yosemite National Park – Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada covering the area of 748,436 acres is the largest and least fragmented habitat block. This National Park should not be missed on your visit to California as it has some amazing views of towering waterfalls, sequoia trees, daunting cliff faces, and the most unique rocks formation can be found here.

This park is really fun and adventurous for both hikers and non-hikers.  Designated as the UNESCO world heritage site has a spectacular park, expansive meadows, waterfalls, and crystal-clear streams. The park has amazing biodiversity with more than 400 animal species including 262 species of birds.

Lake Tahoe – A large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada is surrounded by snow-capped mountains is a place of sublime beauty with turquoise waters and stunning scenery with a meditative effect. Lake Tahoe is famous for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, water sports, and sunbathing.

Tahoe is a major attraction for people in both Nevada and California and being home to winter sports, outdoor recreation, and scenery. Lakeside Casino resorts are an add-on here. Water sports lovers can make sure to visit Kings beach on the north shore of Lake Tahoe for swimming, boating, kayaking, and paddleboarding.

Napa Valley – Napa Valley is famous for hillside vineyards and has become a vacation spot due to it being near hillside, wine caverns, mesmerizing scenery, multiple options for golfing, spa, gourmet dining. People enjoying chilling winter and food lovers can opt to visit from December to February as a number of food festivals take place during this period.

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park here is famous for its untouched landscape and to see Mount Shasta 192 miles to the north, this park opens every day at sunrise and closes at sunset and is free to visit for all those who would like peace this is the best place to experience in the lap of nature.

Big Sur – An offbeat destination but one of the best road trips, the two-lane highway with one route through Big Sur is amazing overlooking the ocean. Big Sur is a 90 meter stretch of the mountainous coastline with numerous trekking lines. Tourists are astonished by the scenery of ocean buffs, redwood forests, and cliffs dropping into Pacific Ocean waves.

Hiking here is extremely adventurous to admire the beautiful landscape. Mountains, beaches, valleys, wildflowers, creeks, coves, art galleries, wellness retreats, cliffside eateries are all the bonuses to make you visit here. The calming nature and culture here is contagious to make you stay here longer.

Santa Barbara – Slated to become the epicenter for the American Moviemaking industry in the 20^th century Santa Barbara became the casual yet fashionable elegance. Santa Barbara has some amazing boutique shops and world-class resorts and is characterized by Spanish-style buildings, tiled walkways, palm-covered streets, art galleries, and open-air markets.

Old Mission at Santa Barbara also known as Queen of the missions is famous for its attractive flowering gardens and stylish architecture. The mission church Graced with some astounding paintings and American artifacts and mountains at its backdrop the mission church here is open for the public for self-guided tours and guide tours wherein the mass is held on Saturdays and Sundays at the main mission church and on the weekdays at Serra Chapel.

Los Angeles – Los Angeles or La-La Land as it is called is brimming with the glamour of chic Hollywood name brands and movies at its backdrop.  It is also the home to renowned art galleries and architectural masterpieces. LA even offers world with behind scenes of filmmaking and television.

With some eclectic cuisines and highly acclaimed restaurants, it is a treat for the food lovers whereas Venice Beach here is the place of the rollerbladers, cyclists, joggers, and street performers and Santa Monica State Beach has a ferric wheel and the beachfront for walking & cycling.

Laguna Beach – An hour from to the south of Los Angeles is this spectacular cliff-top and one of the breath-taking beaches. Snorkeling, Scuba diving, body surfing, hiking at the nearby Laguna coast is like a treat here.

Laguna Beach is the center for the various events and festivals with natural flora and fauna appreciated here. Whale watching is an admiring pastime here. Laguna is also home to plenty of wildflowers coastal parks and coastal canyons. Soak and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of this beach.

Missing out on visiting California would be the travel guilt which you would never like so if you are in the US do not skip on this wonderful state to make the memories last lifelong.