Page 12 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

DISCOVER
BY DON GEORGE
California Dreaming
The Golden State is a special place with a world’s worth of experiences to be savored
PACIFIC OCEAN
The world’s largest ocean, the fabled
Pacific, embraces California’s entire
western boundary. It’s a place to dream,
to ponder life’s possibilities and endless
mysteries, and a place to play. Surfers
ride the sea’s prodigious waves; sailors
ply her waters; boogie boarders and
body surfers splash in her surf;
kayakers explore her coves and shore
breaks; children of all ages wade in her
froth and comb her beaches. Life
happens on the edge of the Pacific,
where the sun shines, and sets in
ethereal colors.
THE SEDUCTIVE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
is large in every sense of the word. It’s the
most populous state in the U.S. and the third
largest in terms of geographical size. Its
economy ranks eighth in the entire world.
When it comes to visitor attractions, Cali-
fornia presents travelers with as wide a range
of riches as many countries. Whether you’re
passionate about natural activities, cultural
pursuits or dining and wining, the Golden
State has diverse delights to entice you.
Outdoor Adventurer
If you’re a nature lover and active adven-
turer, you’ll be dazzled by the state’s
spectacular spectrum. On the western edge
there’s the Pacific Ocean, the largest body
of water in the world, perfect for surfing,
sailing and swimming. In the east there are
the magnificent mountains of the Sierra
Nevada, a haven for skiers and snow-
boarders in winter and hikers and
bicyclists in summer. This region is home
to Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in
the “Lower 48” and a mecca for climbers,
topping off at 14,505 feet. Among Cali-
fornia’s most moving experiences are
walking through the natural cathedral of
Muir Woods and camping in the granite
grandeur of Yosemite National Park.
For boaters, birders and fishermen,
there’s Lake Shasta, home to an abundance
of fish and fowl. For whitewater fans, more
than a dozen rivers, including the mighty
American and Sacramento, provide
thrilling rides. Kayakers and canoers find
paradise in Point Reyes National Seashore
in the north and watery wonders at Morro
Bay on the central coast.
In the southern part of the state, visitors
savor the sere splendors of the Mojave
Desert and Death Valley, the lowest point
in North America, 282 feet below sea level.
If tidepooling tempts you, Shaw’s Cove
Tidepools in the Laguna Beach State
Marine Reserve and the Terranea Tide-
pools in the Point Vicente State Marine
Conservation Area in Rancho Palos Verdes
showcase sea anemones, crabs, urchins,
sea slugs, sea stars and more. The five
islands of Channel Islands National Park,
accessible only by boat or plane from Ven-
tura and Oxnard, provide a peaceful,
pristine home for more than 2,000 plant
and animal species, including 145 found
nowhere else on the planet.
Cultural Connoisseur
If you love culture, you’ll find a treasure
trove of activities in the Golden State, from
10 2015 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
IRINA MOS/SHUTTERSTOCK