California is one of the most diverse states in the US, mixing glitz and glamour with remote wilderness.
Run by movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger, California has one of the world’s 10 biggest economies and is America’s third-largest state and most populous state. Its ethnically diverse population is concentrated in the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco.
But California’s legendary cities are also gateways to its natural wonders. Deserts, lakes, glaciers, snow-covered mountains and beautiful sun-baked beaches: it’s all here along 1,264 miles of coastline.
Famous areas include Yosemite Valley in the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, and Death Valley, part of the desert landscape that covers 25% of the state. California’s northwest forests hold more trees than any state other than Alaska.
There is plenty here for travellers to discover – here’s what to recommend and arrange for your clients.
Best sights
Some of California’s best sights can be found in its big cities, and there are few more spectacular than San Francisco, with its famous cable cars runing up from the waterfront into the hilly streets.
The 1.7-mile long Golden Gate Bridge offers panoramic views of the bay, and Alcatraz Island, home to the legendary maximum security prison, is open to visitors.
As well as established hotspots such as Hollywood and Santa Monica, Venice and Malibu beaches, Los Angeles has a resurgent Downtown district. Football fans may like to visit LA Galaxy’s Home Depot stadium, now home to David Beckham. Impressive views of LA can be had at the Getty Center in the Santa Monica Mountains.
San Diego is great for animal attractions. San Diego Zoo, one of the world’s finest, has 4,000 animals and 6,500 plants, and at SeaWorld San Diego visitors can meet the famous killer whale Shamu.
Out in the desert, the spring bloom in Red Rock Canyon State Park is memorable, while Palm Springs offers an aerial tram and distinctive ‘desert modernism’ architecture from the 50s and 60s. Pioneertown, built in 1946 as a film set for westerns, gives visitors a taste of the Old West.
Further north, giant sequoia trees, the largest living organisms on Earth, abound in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, where the forests of the northwest contain more trees than any other state except Alaska.
- Related training:SeaWorld San Diego course on TW Academy
Best attractions and activities
Away from the cities, California offers various outdoor treats, wine tasting being among the gentlest, which is most popular in Napa Valley.
There are also plenty of golf courses throughout the state. Those who are more adventurous can try skiing in winter at Yosemite, Tahoe or Mammoth while hiking, climbing, kayaking and mountain biking are popular activities in summer.
Yosemite is home to the seven-mile-long Yosemite Valley, with trails around the famed glacially charged domes and towering cliffs of El Capitan, Cathedral Rock
and Sentinel Rock as well as Bridalveil Falls.
Lake Tahoe offers the opportunity to kayak in the deep azure waters for fantastic views or take a tour of the quiet western shore. Mammoth mountain has great downhill mountain biking opportunities in summer, using the ski gondolas to climb before freewheeling back down.
Death Valley is unmissable, the largest national park in continental US at 5,000 square miles, while the Lost Coast Trail offers 80 miles of wild hiking on unspoilt shorelines.
In Orange County, made famous by The OC TV show, Laguna Beach tops the list of spectacular seaside spots while Newport Harbor and Balboa Island are great places for a paddle around the harbour followed by a local favourite snack of chocolate-covered frozen bananas, sold in shops in the island’s narrow streets.
Back in San Francisco, a stroll through Golden Gate Park takes in acres of gardens and lakes while Fisherman’s Wharf offers views of the bay and a historic marketplace with trendy restaurants, shops, and street performers. For something a bit different, The Exploratorium, is a quirky museum of science, art and human perception with 650 ‘touch’ exhibits.
Los Angeles offers the chance to catch a wave at the Aquarium of the Pacific or you can hit the Movie Studio Tours with Paramount, Warner Brothers, CBS or NBC, then tour the lavish celebrity mansions of Beverly Hills before a visit to Melrose Avenue for fashion trends and hotels. And don’t forget Disneyland Resort, only 40 minutes away in Anaheim, which has Mickey Mouse and all his friends as well as rides and attractions.
Hotels
In San Diego, the new 249-room Grand Del Mar Resort has an 18-hole golf course and architecture from the early 1900s, while Paradise Point, a drive from town, is an impressive resort. In the Gaslamp quarter, the 12-story Hard Rock San Diego has 420 suites. The Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa, with its panoramic ocean views, will open near Legoland next month.
In San Francisco, the Sheraton Fisherman’s Wharf is a 529-room hotel that has just had a $33 million renovation, while the InterContinental San Francisco has 550 recently renovated rooms and a bar wrapping around the corner of Fifth and Howard streets. The City by the Bay offers luxurious accommodations, while visitors can expect outstanding service at the Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton.
For something a little different, the Ahwahnee in Yosemite Valley is a historic hotel with 99 guest rooms and 24 cottages that have welcomed royalty from around the world. Tenaya Lodge is less than two minutes from the park entrance, while Best Western Timber Cove is on the shores of Lake Tahoe shores. In the Sequoia National Park, the Sequoia High Sierra Camp overlooks Kings Canyon and offers 36 spacious deluxe canvas bungalows.
The five-star Casa Del Mar Hotel in Santa Monica offers amazing views of the Pacific coastline and has 129 elegant guest rooms. The Sheraton Delfina is also a good option and there are plenty of hotels dotted along the California coast, with Best Westerns often a good option.
In LA, the Loews Santa Monica is an extremely luxurious hotel, while the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, with its tropically landscaped pool terrace, is great for spotting celebrities. The Holiday Inn Hollywood is a good value alternative in a great location while the Hollywood Roosevelt is right opposite the Walk of Fame.
California fact file
Gateways: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose.
Airlines: Main airlines are Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, British Airways, US Airways, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines. Most direct flights cost about £550-£600 for direct flights in June.
Flying time: Direct to Los Angeles or San Francisco takes between 10 and 11 hours from London, heading out to San Diego or San Jose will add another two to four hours.
Weather: Much of the state has a Mediterranean climate, with cool and rainy winters and dry, warm summers. Inland areas get cold winters and hot summers. Offshore currents mean the coast is often bathed in fog during the summer.
Time difference: GMT -8 hours
State nickname: The Golden State
