california

Editors Note: We don’t get to the West Coast as much as we’d like, so when guest blogger Sara S. offered to write this little piece we jumped at it! Let us know what she missed and what we should add to the list! This post includes sponsored links.

Thinking of heading to the west coast for a little getaway? Of all the places to see in the US, California is by far one of the best destinations to check out. When most think of California, they think of surfers, beaches, the rich and the famous. However, as one of the most populous and diverse states in the country, you might be in for a surprise.

Something for Everyone

Why is California such a popular destination to visit? Perhaps because it is one of the few places in the US where you can find something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you enjoy the hot sandy beaches, outdoorsy wooded areas, breathtaking vineyards, or tall mountain tops, you’ll find all that in California. Great food, tons of amusement parks, famed tourist attractions, lots of history and culture, and its agricultural environment makes California a great state to visit. Check out the top cities and things to do listed below:

Los Angeles, California

The second largest city in the country, Los Angeles is one city in California everyone wants to visit. Known as the mecca of America’s entertainment industry, a trip to this beautiful town could result in a celebrity siting. Whether you visit West Hollywood and take a stroll down the Walk of Fame, go on a tour of celebrity neighborhoods, or you want to go shopping on the famous Sunset Boulevard, there is a lot of fun to be had in the city of Los Angeles.

The epitome of life in Sunny California, from the sunny beaches and designer boutiques to its wide, palm tree filled streets and timeless history, Los Angeles is a great city to visit. Some must-see tourist sites include Venice Beach, Santa Monica Beach, the LA Philharmonic Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Huntington Botanical Gardens and La Brea Tar Pits. With Disneyland located just 30 miles away, families are sure to have a great time vacationing in Los Angeles.

San Diego, California

Beautiful weather year-round and several attractions and beaches for you to explore make San Diego a great city to visit while you’re in California. While great for couple getaways and girl’s trips, San Diego is also a great destination in California to visit when traveling with family. The city is packed with expansive green pastures and parks, breathtaking gardens, and astonishing museums. From Balboa Park and Sea World to the San Diego Zoo and La Jolla Beach, which is lined with some of the best restaurants and museums in town, your kids are sure to have a blast exploring the city of San Diego. Here are some more cool things to do in San Diego:

La Jolla Cove
Tour the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier
Coronado Island
Take a harbor cruise
Lego Land

Santa Barbara, California

If you’re after a romantic getaway, there is no better destination in California than Santa Barbara. This ever-popular resort destination is packed with some of the state’s most beautiful beaches. With great weather all year long to attractive beaches along the coastline, couples can experience the perfect getaway. The historic town is also filled with old-world charm. Its Spanish style architecture and culture are warm, inviting, and breathtakingly gorgeous to explore. Here’s some more ways to enjoy Santa Barbara, California

Visit state street
Visit Summerland’s Outlook Park
Check out the Gardens of Ganna Walska Lotusland
Go Kayaking in the Channel Islands
Santa Barbara Zoo
Visit the Shoreline Park
Go on a tasting tour

Whether you like to go hiking and explore nature, parks, mountaintops, and gardens or you prefer to get a tan and catch some waves at the beach or sit poolside in your lavish hotel, you can find something enjoyable to do and see in the above-mentioned Californian cities. Be sure to check for great deals online so that you can explore the west coast without breaking the bank.

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When we think of Los Angeles we think of fast cars, beautiful beaches and Hollywood. Some of us think of earthquakes and others still start to think of all the fabulous natural attractions of California such as the San Andreas Fault, Death Valley, Yosemite Valley and the La Brea Tar Pits.

The La Brea Tar Pits are something of a surprise for most visitors to Los Angeles. The pits were formed tens of thousands of years ago (but after the dinosaurs). Tar is somewhat of a misnomer, as the pits are giant deposits of heavy crude oil that seep to the surface. As this happens the oil becomes asphalt. Normally the pits are covered in shallow water – a huge attraction for animals. As the oil seeps to the surface and thickens into asphalt, it traps the animals, creating a fossil record of the plants and animals that roamed Los Angeles for tens of thousands of years. The pits themselves are now one of the most accessible, popular and well known paleontological sites in the world.

Every year new, perfectly preserved animals are uncovered and are well presented across the park and the nearby Page Museum. When construction began for an underground parking garage in 2006 for the art museum, animals such as a saber-toothed cat, bison, mastodon and even an American Lion were discovered…all this and the tar pits had already been studied for nearly 100 years.

IF YOU GO: There are plenty of cheap flights to Los Angeles so go and visit these pits. Bring a lunch and enjoy the day walking around the specimens on display and maybe take that picnic while watching an active excavation at Pit 91. When you’ve had your fill of the outside attractions take some time to explore the museum as well!

To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Flickr user Phil Scoville via a creative commons license.

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La Brea Tar Pits

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