California Travel Guide

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California's endless wonders, from Yosemite National Park to Disneyland, are both natural and man-made. Soul-satisfying wilderness often lies close to urbane civilization. With the iconic Big Sur coast, dramatic Mojave Desert, and majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, sunny California indulges those in search of great surfing, hiking, and golfing. Other pleasures await, too: superb food in San Francisco, studio tours in Los Angeles, winery visits and spas in Napa and Sonoma. Follow a beach picnic with a city stroll and live the California dream.

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94 Photos

California Gallery

Chet Clark / Shutterstock 1/94My lonely little fishing boat setting on the Calm clear water in lake Tahoe, with Trees and Mountains in the background;

Gordon Swanson / Shutterstock 2/94Hot-air Balloons over Vineyards, Napa and Sonoma, California, USA

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 3/94Harbor, Catalina, Orange County and Catalina Island, California, USA

Jose Gil / Shutterstock 4/94AVALON, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Wide angle image of Avalon Harbor on Sept 28, 2008 in Avalon, Catalina Island, CA. Catalina Island is a popular getaway for Los Angeles residents.;

auremar / shutterstock 5/94Wine barrels; Shutterstock ID 121825609; Project/Title: In Focus Napa and Sonoma ebook

Gordon Swanson / Shutterstock 6/94Hot-air Balloons over Vineyards, Napa and Sonoma, California, USA

javarman / Shutterstock 7/94vineyards of napa valley, usa.

Billy Carmen / Shutterstock 8/94Sonoma California Vineyards Near Sebastopol. Winery and Vineyards of Sonoma Wine County.

Andrew Zarivny/shutterstock 9/94Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood at night;

Rolf_52/Shutterstock 10/94LOS ANGELES, USA - OCTOBER 4: The famous Getty Villa on October 4, 2009 in Los Angeles. The design of the Getty Villa was inspired by blueprints of the ancient Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum.;

Kinetic Imagery / Shutterstock 11/94Los Angeles during rush hour at sunset

Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock 12/94BEVERLY HILLS - FEBRUARY 8: Rodeo Drive of Beverly Hills is a shopping district famous for designer label and haute couture fashion on February 8, 2010 in Beverly Hills

bannosuke / Shutterstock 13/94HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 3: The world famous landmark Hollywood Sign on September 3, 2011 in Hollywood, California. The sign was created as an advertisement in 1923.

Bayda127 | Dreamstime.com 14/94LOS ANGELES, USA - JULY 18: View of Hollywood sign on July 18, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Sign is located in the Hollywood hills area of Mount Lee, built in 1923.

Merkuri2 | Dreamstime.com 15/94Los Angeles, USA - July 12, 2011: The Sunset Strip is a mile and a half of music clubs, restaurants,cocktail bars, and celebrity hang outs that runs through the city of West Hollywood in the Los Angeles area. The area is popular with both tourists and loca

David Freund / iStockphoto 16/94A historically styled trolley car tram carries passengers past shoppers and tourists at The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles

Brandon Bourdages / Shutterstock 17/94Grapes on the Vine; Shutterstock ID 107539832; Project/Title: In Focus Napa and Sonoma ebook

Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock 18/94Winery in Napa Valley

Andy Dean Photography / Shutterstock 19/94Farmer Inspecting His Ripe Wine Grapes Ready For Harvest.

Michael Warwick / Shutterstock 20/94Napa Valley Vineyards in Autumn

Adeliepenguin | Dreamstime.com 21/94The sun glows through a light mist over leafless grape vines planted in straight rows, in a vineyard growing wine grapes, in the winter in the Napa Valley wine country in northern California, near St. Helena.

Stephen B. Goodwin / Shutterstock 22/94CALISTOGA, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 6 2012: Trompe l'oeil mural by Carlo Marchiori on the side of a building. Historic Calistoga is a popular tourist stop at the north end of Napa Valley wine country.

Sebastien Burel / Shutterstock 23/94Castello di Amorosa, Napa valley vineyard;

Sridhar Pursai / Shutterstock 24/94Ripe Napa Valley Grapes

Bcbounders | Dreamstime.com 25/94The rolling landscape of a Sonoma Valley, California vineyard.

Kinetic Imagery / Shutterstock 26/94Los Angeles during rush hour at sunset

Digital Media Pro / Shutterstock 27/94LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA - APRIL 16, :The Convention Center in Downtown Los Angeles on April 16, 2013. The annex designed by architect James Ingo Freed makes the total space 720,000 sq ft

a katz / Shutterstock 28/94LOS ANGELES, JANUARY 13 : Grand Central Market between Broadway & Hill Streets Downtown, serving Angelenos with fresh prepared foods since 1917 on JANUARY 13, 2012; Shutterstock ID 132415979; Project/Title: Worldâ€™s Best Cities for Food

spirit of america/Shutterstock 29/94LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - CIRCA 1990'S: Japanese-American National Museum in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California; Shutterstock ID 148915628; Project/Title: 20 Ultimate Must-Dos in LA; Downloader: Melanie Marin

shalunts / Shutterstock 30/94Los Angeles, USA - January 2: Art District in Downtown of Los Angeles, CA on January 2, 2015.

Gerry Boughan | Dreamstime.com 31/94Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, California

oneinchpunch / Shutterstock 32/94VENICE,CA - DECEMBER 18, 2013: Ocean Front Walk of Venice Beach in Venice, US. This boardwalk is 2.5 kilometer long

spirit of america / Shutterstock 33/94Front entrance to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Pasadena, California.

Merkuri2 | Dreamstime.com 34/94Los Angeles, USA - June 24, 2011: The world-renown Griffith Observatory at the top of the mountain in Griffith Park in Los Angeles.

Rolf_52/Shutterstock 35/94LOS ANGELES, USA - OCTOBER 4: The famous Getty Villa on October 4, 2009 in Los Angeles. The design of the Getty Villa was inspired by blueprints of the ancient Villa of the Papyri at Herculaneum.;

Filipe Matos Frazao / Shutterstock 36/94SANTA MONICA, USA - SEP 19: Unidentified people do sports in Santa Monica, CA on September 19, 2013. Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. ;

Appalachianviews | Dreamstime.com 37/94View of Pacific Coast Highway and the Santa Monica Mountains from Palisades Park, in Santa Monica, California.

Jose Gil / Shutterstock 38/94Santa Monica Beach, Santa Monica, CA May 3, 2008: Horizontal image of the Santa Monica Pier with the prominent Ferris wheel and other thrill rides taken at dusk.; Shutterstock ID 12394999; Project/Title: Best Sunsets in America; Downloader: Melanie Marin

Celsodiniz | Dreamstime.com 39/94Ferris wheel on Santa Monica Pier lit up at dusk, Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, USA.

mervas / Shutterstock 40/94Venice Beach. Sunset. Summer concept.

Famke Backx / iStockphoto 41/94Venice Beach, sand and palmtrees, Los Angeles.

Jose Gil / Shutterstock 42/94Venice Beach, CA March 8, 2008: Painted papier mache skulls celebrating "Dia de los Muertes" (Day of the Dead) on sale at Venice Beach.; Shutterstock ID 11538886; Project/Title: Fodors; Downloader: Melanie Marin

Nstanev | Dreamstime.com 43/94Sunset over Venice Beach in California.

Karin Hildebrand Lau / Shutterstock 44/94Olympic Village at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, Lake Tahoe, California

Karin Hildebrand Lau / Shutterstock 45/94Gondolas in Lake Tahoe, California

my leap year / Shutterstock 46/94Fannette Island, Emerald Bay, South Lake Tahoe

LookAndFeelStudio / Shutterstock 47/94Morning on Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, California

Marlene DeGrood / Shutterstock 48/94Lakeside boat repair in Tahoma Lake Tahoe

Gary Saxe / Shutterstock 49/94Pier at Sugar Pine Point State Park at Lake Tahoe

Jeffrey M. Frank / Shutterstock 50/94Donner Memorial State Park lake

Jeffrey T. Kreulen / Shutterstock 51/94Mountains covered with yellow wildflowers in Death Valley National Park, California.

coronado / Shutterstock 52/94Landscape photographer taking pictures at sunrise in Death Valley national park in California.;

Bryan Brazil / Shutterstock 53/94The Racetrack at Death Valley National Park

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 54/94National Park,

Inga Locmele / Shutterstock 55/94Scenic road through Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 56/94Joshua Tree, California

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com

pmphoto / Shutterstock 58/94Cholla cactus garden Joshua Tree NP USA; Shutterstock ID 19305619; Project/Title: Fodors; Downloader: Melanie Marin

Aneta Waberska/shutterstock 59/94Sunset over Joshua Tree National Park, California, US.; Shutterstock ID 144065572; Project/Title: Photo Database Top 200; Downloader: Jesse Strauss

RonGreer.Com/shutterstock 60/94desert scene, joshua tree in background, Joshua Tree National Park; Shutterstock ID 139428053; Project/Title: Photo Database Top 200; Downloader: Jesse Strauss

Thomas J. Sebourn/shutterstock 61/94Arch Rock Joshua Tree National Park; Shutterstock ID 96719983; Project/Title: Photo Database Top 200; Downloader: Jesse Strauss

Stephen B. Goodwin/shutterstock 62/94Adobe ruins of Ryan Ranch under a clear blue sky at Joshua Tree National Park, California; Shutterstock ID 26575810; Project/Title: Photo Database Top 200; Downloader: Jesse Strauss

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 63/94Harbor, Catalina, Orange County and Catalina Island, California, USA

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com

(c) Imdan | Dreamstime.com 65/94Paramount Pictures motion picture studio entrance sign near Hollywood, California

bannosuke / Shutterstock 66/94HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 3: The world famous landmark Hollywood Sign on September 3, 2011 in Hollywood, California. The sign was created as an advertisement in 1923.

aragami12345s / Shutterstock 67/94Hollywood - June 2011: Hollywood sign on the hill in California valley, June 4, 2011, Los Angeles, California, USA

alarico / Shutterstock 68/94LOS ANGELES, USA - FEBRUARY 01, 2013: View of Hollywood Museum in Los Angeles California; Shutterstock ID 188777012; Project/Title: Top 100; Downloader: Fodor's Travel

Thomas Nord/shutterstock 69/94Abstract of Celebrity Hand and Foot Prints Outside of Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California; Shutterstock ID 320588; Project/Title: City Apps; Downloader: Melanie Marin

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock 70/94HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 8, 2013: Hollywood and Highland complex at night. Located along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it is among the most visited tourist destinations in Los Angeles.

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 71/94El Capitan Theatre is a fully restored movie palace at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. The theater and adjacent building is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company and as such, serves as the venue for many of the The Walt Disney Studios' film

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 72/94Grauman's Chinese Theater. The theater is famous for it's celebrity hand prints cast in concrete on Hollywood Blvd.

Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock 73/94HOLLYWOOD - SEPTEMBER 4: Sharon Stone's star on Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 4, 2011 in Hollywood, California. This star is located on Hollywood Blvd. and is one of 2400 celebrity stars.; Shutterstock ID 84786373; Project/Title: Fodors; Downloader:

Nickolay Stanev / Shutterstock 74/94Modern Architecture Detail in Los Angeles, California.

Hanze / Shutterstock 75/94Emerald Bay State Park - Lake Tahoe

Kit Leong / Shutterstock 76/94Emerald Bay, Photos Taken in Lake Tahoe Area

Celso Diniz / Shutterstock 77/94Trees in a forest at the lakeside, Carnelian Bay, Lake Tahoe, California, USA

Matthew Connolly/Shutterstock 78/94Morning Mountain Mist at the Lassen Volcano;

Suresh B Muppala / Shutterstock 79/94Refection of Trees in Manzanita Lake

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 80/94Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park off Ventura, California

spirit of america / Shutterstock 81/94Lighthouse at Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park off Ventura, California;

Filipe Frazao / Shutterstock 82/94BEVERLY HILLS, CA - SEP 20: Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills on September 20, 2013. Rodeo Drive is an affluent shopping district known for designer label and haute couture fashion.

Jon Bilous / Shutterstock 83/94View of Northeast Los Angeles from Griffith Observatory, in Los Angeles, California.

Byron W.Moore / Shutterstock 84/94the historic beverly hills hotel opened in 1912; Shutterstock ID 8960809; Project/Title: Fodors; Downloader: Melanie Marin

Peter Guttman/Peterguttman.com 85/94Rodeo Drive /roʊˈdeɪ.oʊ/ of Beverly Hills, California is a four block stretch of road north of Wilshire Boulevard and south of S. Santa Monica Boulevard, known for its luxury-goods stores.

Andrew Zarivny / Shutterstock 86/94BEVERLY HILLS - FEBRUARY 8: Rodeo Drive of Beverly Hills is a shopping district famous for designer label and haute couture fashion on February 8, 2010 in Beverly Hills

turtix / Shutterstock 87/94BEVERLY HILLS, CA - OCT 21: Palm trees street in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA seen on OCT 21, 2014. Beverly Hills is famous for high-end shopping venue and celebrities homes

Thomas J. Sebourn / Shutterstock 88/94Hermosa Beach Pier Sunset; Shutterstock ID 90592024; Project/Title: Fodors; Downloader: Melanie Marin

cdrin / Shutterstock 89/94California coast landscape with cliffs, blue ocean and sky; Shutterstock ID 92683498; Project/Title: Sothern Califonia ebook

Haydn5 | Dreamstime.com 90/94Rows and rows of dormant Zinfandel vines in Geyserville, California, in Sonoma County

Billy Carmen / Shutterstock 91/94Sonoma California Vineyards Near Sebastopol. Winery and Vineyards of Sonoma Wine County.

Roka / Shutterstock 92/94HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA,USA - JUNE 2, 2009: The Simpsons ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, California

cdrin/Shutterstock 93/94LOS ANGELES-AUG 4: Silver Lake district organic coffee spot in LA on Aug. 4, 2012. Silver Lake was named America's #1 Best Hipster Neighborhood in Forbes Magazine's September 2012 issue.; Shutterstock ID 125336744; Project/Title: 20 Ultimate Must-Dos in LA

Photo Works / Shutterstock 94/94LOS ANGELES - AUGUST 3: A general view of Dodger Stadium during the 2013 Guinness International Champions Cup on Aug 3, 2013 at Dodger Stadium.