USA TRAVEL GUIDE, “THE WEST” CALIFORNIA

CALIFORNIA, EUREKA... I HAVE FOUND IT!

BY CLAY LARROY

It doesn't matter if you take a trip across the state line or the border, being far from home can be exciting and also a bit stressful. When considering traveling, it is important to think of the best mode of travel. Traveling by car can offer many more sights and opportunities for side trips. Traveling by train can offer a chance to relax and get some work done if they wanted. Planes can cover ground fast but don't allow much movement and one cannot get off the plane in flight. Each mode of travel has its own advantages and disadvantages to be considered. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

California history, language & culture

The history of California can be traced back to the Native American period before Christ. What's interesting about this time was how native people lived in an area surrounded by mountains, deserts, and forests that isolated them from the rest of the world. These extreme living conditions led California's original natives to develop unique cultures, which can still be seen today, as the state has the greatest native population of any in the US. 

In the 1700s, after Spanish explorers found no gold or cities to exploit, they left California to the missionaries, until Mexico acquired the area in 1821. The Mexicans built small ranches and used the indigenous native Indian population for labor. At the end of the Mexican-American War, the territory was handed over to the US government right in time for the California Gold Rush which increased the area's population to over 100,000 by 1850. The increased population and promise of wealth helped make California an official state in 1850. From there, California began to boom and hasn't stopped since. 

The opening of the Panama Canal and the transcontinental railroad made California a shipping center for the rest of the world, while advances in agriculture and farming opened the state up to successful cattle ranches and fruit plantations. Businesses used cheap labor from China and Americans from across the country flocked to California to start new, prosperous lives. With the first decades of the 20th century began the rise of the movie studio. MGM, Universal, and Warner Brothers bought cheap land in Hollywood to build sets and hire fresh faces from the Midwest as leading ladies. After WWII, land developers began to build subdivisions for returning soldiers who wanted to buy homes and start families. The war in Vietnam launched a hippie movement that made way for free love, drug counterculture, and popular music.

By the 1980s, suburbs and the economy had led to urban sprawl, air pollution, and gang violence in some areas. The state responded by passing clean air legislation and expanding carpool lanes. Today, California is a beacon for high technology companies in Silicon Valley including Google and Facebook. The state has been hit hard by the most recent recession, along with an energy crisis and water shortage. Still, the population is growing as more and more people move to California for the weather, job opportunities, and laid back lifestyle.

Region Attractions in California

Yosemite National Park

Designated a national park in 1890, Yosemite National Park stretches along California's eastern flank and covers almost 3108 sq kilometres (1200 sq miles) of alpine meadows, rivers, lakes, cliffs and waterfalls in the central Sierra Nevada mountain range. The park is well known for its giant sequoia trees, particularly in Mariposa Grove where some of the trees are over 3000 years old and reach 80m (219ft) in height. Until 1969, when the tree fell during a heavy storm, it was possible to drive through the 3.4-metre (11.2-foot) tunnel carved through the trunk of the famous Wawona Tunnel Tree.

Other scenic highlights include Yosemite Falls, which cascade 739m (2425ft) into the valley below and Glacier Point, which offers spectacular views of the park. The area is also home to abundant wildlife and provides a natural habitat for approximately 250 species of bird, 80 species of mammal – including black bears, squirrels and chipmunks – and 24 species of amphibian and reptile. Visitors can stay at lodges and campsites situated around the park and enjoy activities such as hiking, fishing, climbing, horse-riding and cross-country skiing.

Opening Times

Open 24 hours a day, year around.
Admission Fees

$20 per car.
Telephone 209/372 0200
Website http://www.nps.gov/yose

 Shopping & nightlife in California

Some visitors come to California just for the shopping. Whether they are after the latest fashions or quaint handicrafts, the state's vast range of shops and malls will satisfy any consumer.

The boutiques and department stores of Los Angeles are famous worldwide. Rodeo Drive is as much an iconic tourist destination as it is an uber-luxurious street dedicated to some of the most expensive and outrageous fashions in the world. Be warned, Rodeo is not pronounced like the event for cowboys, correct pronunciation is ‘roh-DAY-oh'. For some of the best luxury and bargain retail stores in a beautiful outdoor mall, drive over to The Grove: a movie theatre, multiple restaurants, and a farmer's market round out the activities.

Orange County and Santa Barbara are also known for the quality and variety of their shopping. Good souvenirs include bottles of wine from northern California, surf gear and equipment in San Diego, and high fashion from Los Angeles. Street artists sell a variety of art, photographs, and handicrafts up and down the beach through most of the state. Look for organic and all-natural bath and beauty products made in California and sold in most drug stores or gift shops.

Opening Hours

Mon-Sat 1000-2000 or later. Malls close earlier on Sundays

Nightlife in California

There are few places in the world that can rival California's nightlife. Los Angeles is home to an array of illustrious clubs with rich and famous patrons. You can rent a table at an exclusive nightclub, like Le Deux, for VIP bottle service or wait in long lines with the masses. Dress smart and you can get in before midnight. Alternatively, there are more mellow bars near the beach where the clientele drinks draft beer while listening to an acoustic band. For some of Los Angeles' famous sex, drugs, and rock and roll history, check out The Viper Room on the infamous Sunset Strip, where bands from around the world vie for stage time. The bar crowd runs more grungy than glamorous. For laughs, head to The Laugh Factory, where legions of famous comedians get their start and continue to entertain after making hit TV shows and movies.

San Francisco, with its young, lively population, is known around the world as a great party town, especially for the LGBT population, with all night dance clubs and an underground rave scene leftover from the 90s. Club lines aren't as long as in Los Angeles, and the dress code isn't as strict. San Diego is the best city to check out independent and local bands who give free (or at least cheap) before they head to Los Angeles, sign a record deal, and make it big.

For those travelers looking for a more sophisticated nightlife experience, Northern California wineries often host evening tastings to the mellow soundtrack of a string quartet or jazz band.

One trend that's happening throughout California is the faux-dive bar: a well-stocked and professionally staffed bar that's been decorated to look like something left over from the 1970s or earlier. Think deer heads on the wall, vintage video game machines, and graffiti in the bathrooms. The only thing modern is the high price for a drink.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“For me, California is all about rest, relaxation, space.”

Karen O
  

Travel to experience life!