Page 49 - 2014 Travel Guide to California

up-paddleboarding, with many rental
shops bordering lakes and the ocean.
Catalina Island and the kelp forests of
Monterey Bay are popular diving spots,
but be sure to wear a wetsuit in the chilly
Pacific waters. Surf breaks range from 50-
foot monster waves in Half Moon Bay to
more gentle rollers around Manhattan
Beach. Marinas dot the coast from north
to south, where experienced sailors can
rent power yachts for deep-sea fishing or
sailboats to ride the winds.
Moving inland, gentle streams and
scattered lakes provide fertile sport-
fishing grounds, while melting mountain
snow can create raging rapids for kayaking
and rafting enthusiasts, but those looking
for a gentle river float on an inner tube
with a beer cooler can still find their spots.
Boating is popular with waterskiers and
wakeboarders across the Sacramento
Delta and at a huge number of marinas on
lakes and reservoirs throughout the state.
The Great Outdoors
California boasts eight national parks, 279
state parks and a plethora of wilderness
areas, nature preserves and other outdoor
playgrounds. With landscapes ranging from
HIKER IN A DESERT CANYON, left;
sailboats off the coast of Long Beach, below.
mountain lions, rattlesnakes and coyotes
put the “wild” in California wildlife, but
careful visitors should have no problem
with them. Abundant migratory and native
birdlife makes California a prime birding
destination, while at sea, whale watching
is a perennial tourist favorite. Even
without an organized tour, visitors can
walk to view sea lions on San Francisco
and Santa Cruz piers, and observe sea
otters playing in the surf at Monterey.
the sheer cliffs of Yosemite to the searing
deserts of Death Valley and the scenic
shorelines of the Channel Islands,
California offers a lifetime of outdoor
opportunities for the visitor. Exploration
options range from multi-day backpacking
trips for the hardy in remote areas such as
Lake Tahoe’s Desolation Wilderness to
relaxed hour-long walking tours through
the gentle winding paths of Muir Woods,
easily accessible from nearby San Francisco.
A trip to the bubbling volcanic pools at
Lassen Volcanic National Park or to the Dr.
Seuss-like trees of Joshua Tree can make
visitors feel they’re on another planet,
while sunset in the Yosemite Valley with
views of towering waterfalls can make you
feel like you’re in heaven.
California’s many mountains mean
climbing is a popular activity, be it a hike
up 14,505 foot (4,421 m) Mount Whitney
(the highest point in the continental U.S.)
or technical rock climbing routes from the
easy to the extreme in legendary areas
such as Yosemite, Joshua Tree and
Pinnacles national parks.
California’s state flag features a bear,
and you may see some among the wildlife
during your outdoor journeys. Black bears,
» FIND
YOUR FUN
Biking
bikecal.com
labikepaths.com
sfbike.org
Boating
dbw.ca.gov
Climbing
rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America
/United_States/California
rockclimbing.org
Frisbee Golf
pdga.com
Horseback Riding
horseandtravel.com /states/california
Surfing
surfline.com/travel
surfingcalifornia.com
2014 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A 47