Page 12 - 2018 Travel Guide to California

DISCOVER DISCOVER
BY DON GEORGE
California Dreaming
The Golden State is a special place with a world’s worth of experiences to be savored
YOSEMITE VALLEY
There may be no California landscape
more iconic than Yosemite Valley, with its
soaring granite cliffs and waterfalls
cascading more than 2000 feet to the
forests and meadows on the valley floor.
Yosemite was first protected in 1864 when
President Abraham Lincoln signed the
Yosemite Grant, and it became a national
park including the surrounding forests
in 1890 thanks to the tireless efforts of
John Muir and others. More than five
million people visit each year.
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 sixth 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 adventurer,
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 swim-
ming. In the east there are the magnificent
mountains of the Sierra Nevada, a haven for
skiers and snowboarders 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
California’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
tide pooling tempts you, Shaw’s Cove tide
pools 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 Ventura and Oxnard, pro-
vide 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
museum and art gallery exhibitions to
shops showcasing contemporary handi-
crafts and timeworn antiques, and from
performances of theater, dance and music
to displays at aquariums and hands-on
education centers.
10 2018 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
NATHAN ZULLIG/SHUTTERSTOCK