Page 28 - 2020 Travel Guide to California

SUMMER SPORTS
CLIMBING TWIN CRAGS in Tahoe City, with
Lake Tahoe in the distance, right; beach
volleyball at Santa Monica, below.
launching spot for every manner of water
sport, including surfing, sailing, SCUBA
and sea kayaking. Stand-up paddle
boarding rentals and lessons are offered at
» FIND
YOUR FUN
Biking
bikecal.com
baywheels.com
labikepaths.com
sfbike.org
Boating
dbw.ca.gov
Climbing
mountainproject.com/area/105708959/
california
rockclimbing.org
Golf
pga.com/golf-courses/details/CA
Disc Golf
pdga.com
Horseback Riding
horseandtravel.com/states/
california.html
SCUBA
californiadiver.com
Stand-Up Paddle Boarding
paddling.com/paddle/locations
Surfing
surfingcalifornia.com
many lake- and ocean-side shops. Catalina
Island and the kelp forests of Monterey Bay
are popular for SCUBA diving, 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 off Manhattan Beach.
Marinas dot the coast from north to south,
where experienced sailors can rent power
yachts for deep-sea-fishing expeditions or
sailboats to ride the winds.
California’s freshwater sports include
sport fishing at hundreds of the state’s rivers
and lakes, and whitewater rafting and
kayaking in rivers awash in melted moun-
tain snows. 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 32 national parks,
seashores and monuments, 280 state parks
and a vast swath of designated wilderness,
nature preserves and other outdoor play-
grounds. With landscapes ranging from the
sheer cliffs of Yosemite to the searing
deserts of Death Valley and the scenic
shorelines of the Channel Islands, Cali-
fornia offers a lifetime’s worth of outdoor
adventures. Exploration options range
26 2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
from multi-day backpacking trips for the
hardy in remote areas such as the Marble
Mountain Wilderness to relaxed, hour-
long walking tours through the gentle
winding paths of Muir Woods, easily acces-
sible from nearby San Francisco.
A trip to the bubbling volcanic pools at
Lassen Volcanic National Park or to the
Dr. Seuss-like flora of Joshua Tree can make
visitors feel they’re on another planet,
while sunset in Yosemite Valley with views
of towering waterfalls can make it seem like
you’re in heaven.
California’s many mountains offer infi-
nite paths upward, whether it’s a hike
up 14,505-foot 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,
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.
HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB; PLACER COUNTY/ERIK BERGEN