California General Information Nickname: Golden State State bird: California Valley Quail State flower: California or Golden Poppy Capital: Sacramento Date of admission to the Union: 9th Sep 1850 Population: 33,871,648 (2000) Population density: 79.9/sq km 2000 total overseas arrivals/US ranking: 6,364,000/1 Time: Pacific (GMT - 8). Daylight Saving Time is observed. The State: ‘The Golden State’ of California has it all: snow-capped mountains, vast deserts, lush forests and long stretches of golden beach. The most populous State in the USA, California can be divided into 12 tourist regions: the Central Coast, Los Angeles County, Orange County, the North Coast, San Diego County, the San Francisco Bay Area, Shasta Cascade, Gold Country, the Central Valley, the High Sierra, the Deserts and the Inland Empire. Known as ‘the Middle Kingdom’, the Central Coast extends from the Bay Area to Los Angeles County, along the Pacific coast and to the vineyards of the valleys around Santa Barbara. The Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur are tranquil areas of great natural beauty with some of the most scenic drives in the country. No trip to California is complete without a visit to the second-biggest city in the USA: Los Angeles, the ‘City of Angels’. It lives up to its reputation as ‘the entertainment capital of the world’, offering the best in theatre, symphony and ballet as well as the chance to spot stars in Hollywood. Alongside museums, sporting events and some of the country’s finest restaurants, Los Angeles County has miles of sunny coastline and an abundance of State Parks and natural recreation areas. Orange County is home to one of the world’s most famous attractions, Disneyland. As well as the theme parks, resorts and shopping, the county offers 67km (42 miles) of beaches and the charming rural communities of the Santa Ana Mountains. The North Coast is a land of rugged shoreline, redwood forests and vineyards. Stretching from San Francisco to the Oregon border, the region includes Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties, which boast world-class wineries, and is an attractive mix of rough wilderness and cultivated farmland. The balmy climate and beautiful beaches of San Diego County make it a popular destination. The city’s Spanish heritage is reflected in numerous buildings and museums. Attractions include the famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the world’s most popular destinations. San Francisco is a cosmopolitan city, whose cable cars and Golden Gate Bridge are instantly recognisable. The Bay Area offers world-class museums, restaurants, wineries, shopping and historic sites. Outdoor enthusiasts will love the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the coastal resort area of Santa Cruz. In the northeastern corner of the State lies one of the country’s most beautiful and unspoiled regions – the Shasta Cascade. The region’s waterfalls, whitewater rivers, forests, icy lakes and towering mountains – including the California Cascade range – provide stunning vistas. Gold Country is where the California Gold Rush, which forever changed the State – and the country – began in 1849. On the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Gold Country is full of historic mining towns and museums, while California’s capital city, Sacramento still shows clear signs of its pioneer beginnings. Running between the Sierra Nevada and the coastal foothills is the Central Valley, California’s agricultural heartland. This enormous valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, is laced with thousands of miles of waterways and dotted with green pastures, orchards and vineyards. Fresno and Bakersfield are interesting regional centres. The beautiful wilderness of the High Sierra, immortalised in the photography of Ansel Adams, is an outdoor enthusiast’s delight. Home to the famous Yosemite National Park and the resorts of Lake Tahoe and the Mammoth Lakes, the region offers a wide range of recreational activities as well as some spectacular landscapes. The Deserts region, in the southeast, features expansive landscapes, brilliant skies, traces of pioneer history and glittering resort cities. Natural phenomena include the isolated Death Valley National Monument and the vast Joshua Tree National Monument, while in spring, the desert explodes with displays of wild flowers. Most visitors to the region explore one of the rustic ghost towns or drive along historic Route 66. The Inland Empire, centred around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, is the fastest-growing metropolitan region in the USA. Only an hour from Los Angeles, its varied landscape – from snow-capped mountains to sand dunes and farmlands – makes it an ideal film location, and the region is known as ‘Hollywood’s largest back lot’. Travel - International Air: International airports: Los Angeles International (LAX) (website: www.lawa.org/lax/welcome.htm) serves more than 80 passenger airlines. Located on Santa Monica Bay, 24km (15 miles) from the city centre, it is the world’s fourth-busiest airport, receiving an influx of 64 million passengers a year. For information on airline locations, parking and ground transport, contact the airport (tel: (310) 646 5252). A train service is available and coaches provide reasonably priced services to all major locations in the city centre, as well as many surrounding areas such as Hollywood. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (website: www.ci.sf.ca.us/sfo) is 25km (15 miles) southeast of the city; travel time – 30 minutes. Airporter buses leave every 20 minutes from 0500-2300. Limousine, taxi and public bus services are also available. Oakland International Airport (OAK) (website: www.flyoakland.com) is located across the Bay 32km (20 miles) from central San Francisco and receives international charter flights and US domestic flights. Airporter buses link the airport with central Oakland and San Francisco Airport. Air-BART buses connect with the BART rapid transit (underground) system, which gives access to central San Francisco. Domestic airports: Burbank (BUR) (website: www.bur.com) airport is about 20km (13 miles) from central Los Angeles, and receives US domestic services only. Burbank is the nearest airport for access to Hollywood. Ontario (ONT) (website: www.lawa.org/ont/welcome.htm) is located approximately 60km (38 miles) east of central Los Angeles and mainly serves the Orange County area. Sacramento International Airport (SMF) (website: www.sacairports.org) is located 19km (12 miles) from the city, and receives US domestic services only. San Diego International (SAN) (website: www.portofsandiego.org/sandiego_airport/index.html), 5km (3 miles) west of San Diego city centre, is primarily a gateway to southern California for domestic traffic. Approximate flight times: From Los Angeles to Anchorage is 6 hours 40 minutes, to Chicago is 4 hours 15 minutes, to Guatemala City is 4 hours 35 minutes, to Honolulu is 5 hours 30 minutes, to London is 10 hours 15 minutes, to Mexico City is 4 hours 55 minutes, to Miami is 4 hours 55 minutes, to New York is 5 hours 20 minutes, to Orange County is 30 minutes, to Papeete (Tahiti) is 8 hours 10 minutes, to San Diego is 45 minutes, to San Francisco is 1 hour 20 minutes, to Singapore is 20 hours 25 minutes, to Sydney is 19 hours 30 minutes and to Washington, DC is 4 hours 30 minutes. From San Francisco to Anchorage is 5 hours 35 minutes, to Chicago is 4 hours 15 minutes, to Honolulu is 5 hours 40 minutes, to London is 12 hours 10 minutes, to Los Angeles is 1 hour 20 minutes, to Mexico City is 5 hours 10 minutes, to Miami is 6 hours 20 minutes, to New York is 5 hours 40 minutes, to Papeete (Tahiti) is 10 hours 40 minutes, to Seattle is 1 hour 50 minutes, to Singapore is 21 hours 25 minutes, to Sydney is 16 hours 40 minutes, to Vancouver is 2 hours 35 minutes and to Washington, DC is 6 hours. SEA: A ferry service links San Francisco with the Bay communities of Sausalito, Larkspur (in Marin County), Tiburon, Vallejo, Oakland and Alameda. San Francisco departure is from Pier 1, adjoining the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street, or from Fisherman’s Wharf. In the Los Angeles area, there is a daily, low-fare cruise service from Long Beach to Catalina Island. RAIL: The Amtrak terminal in Los Angeles is Union Station at 800 North Alameda Street on the edge of the business district. It is at the western end of several major routes across the southern Rockies and is also the southern terminus of the West Coast line to Seattle (although there are frequent shuttle services heading further south to San Diego). In San Francisco, the Transbay Terminal at 425 Mission Street is used only for limited suburban services; the Amtrak Terminal at Oakland, across the Bay, is far larger, being the central node on the West Coast line and also the western terminus of a line running across the high Rockies to Salt Lake City and beyond. Amtrak provides coach shuttles between their Oakland and San Francisco terminals. For information on train schedules and reservations, contact Amtrak (tel: (800) 872 7245; toll free). Approximate rail travel times: From Los Angeles on the Texas Eagle to Phoenix is 8 hours, to El Paso is 18 hours, to San Antonio is 29 hours, to Austin is 32 hours, to Fort Worth is 37 hours, to Dallas is 39 hours, to St Louis is 54 hours and to Chicago is 61 hours; on the Southwest Chief to Flagstaff is 9 hours, to Albuquerque is 16 hours, to Kansas City is 32 hours and to Chicago is 38 hours; on the Sunset Limited to Houston is 34 hours and to New Orleans is 43 hours; on the Coast Starflight to San José is 9 hours, to Oakland is 11 hours, to Sacramento is 13 hours, to Portland (Oregon) is 29 hours and to Seattle is 33 hours. From Oakland on the California Zephyr to Reno is 6 hours, to Salt Lake City is 16 hours, to Denver is 31 hours and to Chicago is 50 hours. ROAD: Approximate driving times: From Los Angeles to San Diego is 2 hours, to Las Vegas is 6 hours, to San Francisco is 8 hours, to Phoenix is 8 hours, to Reno is 10 hours, to Albuquerque is 16 hours, to Seattle is 24 hours, to Dallas is 29 hours, to Chicago is 44 hours, to Miami is 58 hours and to New York is 58 hours. From San Francisco to Reno is 4 hours, to Portland (Oregon) is 13 hours, to Albuquerque is 12 hours, to Seattle is 16 hours, to Dallas is 36 hours, to Chicago is 45 hours, to New York is 61 hours and to Miami is 65 hours. All times are based on non-stop driving at or below the applicable speed limits. Approximate bus travel times: From Los Angeles to San Diego is 2 hours 30 minutes, to Las Vegas is 5 hours 30 minutes, to San Francisco is 7 hours 30 minutes, to Phoenix is 8 hours 30 minutes, to Yosemite is 10 hours 15 minutes, to Sacramento is 12 hours 30 minutes, to Albuquerque is 17 hours 30 minutes and to Portland (Oregon) is 22 hours. From San Francisco to Sacramento is 2 hours, to Lake Tahoe is 5 hours, to Reno is 5 hours 30 minutes, to Los Angeles is 7 hours 30 minutes, to Yosemite is 7 hours 30 minutes and to Portland (Oregon) is 16 hours. Urban Los Angeles: The distances between the city’s various attractions can be intimidating at first but it is a relatively easy city to get around quickly, provided the visitor has a car. The freeways are well marked, though congested during rush hours. Leading car hire and motor camper rental agencies have offices at the airport and the city centre. Local radio stations broadcast frequent traffic reports from 0600-1000 and 1500-1900. Many southern Californian freeways have designated car-pool lanes, known as HOVs. Do not merge into an HOV lane if your car is not carrying the specified number of passengers as fines are levied. Travel beyond Los Angeles: Within Los Angeles County, the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD) provides a good bus service. For trips beyond Los Angeles, the Orange County Transit District accepts transfers from RTD for services throughout suburban Orange County. Buses are reasonably priced but travellers may have to wait some time to catch one. Though taxis are readily available, the large size of Los Angeles makes them expensive and impractical. San Diego: Buses give good service at moderate prices. Taxis are expensive. Car hire is readily available, with Avis, Budget, Dollar-A-Day, Hertz and National all providing services. San Francisco: Public transport is excellent. The network of buses, streetcars and cable cars is the most economical way to get to destinations beyond walking distance. The basic fare includes transfers between the different forms of transport, except for cable cars, which have a separate fare structure. Passengers must have exact change when they board as drivers carry no change. Taxis are readily available in most of the central area and other major streets. Because San Francisco occupies a comparatively small area, taxi fares tend to be lower than in most other major cities. All major national car hire agencies are represented in San Francisco; motor campers may also be hired. For information on local companies, look in the San Francisco Classified Telephone Directory. Buses and streetcars also provide services from the centre to more distant points in the city, including Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, Seal Rocks, Mission Dolores, the Presidio and Golden Gate Bridge. The clean and efficient Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) subway and surface-rail system links San Francisco with communities on the east side of sprawling San Francisco Bay, including Oakland, Alameda, Fremont, Richmond and Berkeley, site of the prestigious University of California campus. North Coast The North Coast of California is a land of rugged coastline, rivers, ancient redwood forests and vineyards. Stretching nearly 645km (400 miles) north of San Francisco to the Oregon border, the region reaches 80km (50 miles) inland to encompass the world-renowned vineyards of Napa County. NAPA COUNTY: Located less than 80km (50 miles) northeast of San Francisco, Napa County is the USA’s best-known wine region. There are 200 wineries, many offering tours and wine tasting. The valley town of Calistoga is famous for its natural springs and attracts mud and mineral bath devotees year-round. It is also home to one of the world’s three ‘Old Faithful’ geysers. There is a petrified forest nearby, with a museum and walking tour. At St Helena, the Silverado Museum displays memorabilia connected with the author Robert Louis Stevenson. For a bird’s eye view of the valley, adventurers can take to the sky in a hot-air balloon or a glider. SONOMA COUNTY: The hub of Sonoma County is Santa Rosa, with many visitor attractions and a variety of accommodation. To the north is the wine country surrounding the charming town of Healdsburg, while to the south is the historic village of Sonoma, where a historic plaza is flanked by an 1823 Spanish mission, the last to be founded in California. Nearby, the river city of Petaluma features stately Victorian-era homes and steamboat excursions, as well as over two dozen antique shops. On the outskirts is the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, once part of a sprawling ranchero. To the north is the coastal resort of Bodega Bay and historic Fort Ross, a 19th-century Russian outpost. MENDOCINO COUNTY: This is a gateway to the more romantic regions of the North Coast. Ukiah is the county seat and the centre for yet another flourishing wine region. The Grace Hudson Museum and Sun House feature artefacts and paintings of the Pomo Native Americans. Nearby is Little River, with golfing, tennis, whale watching and fine dining. On the coast is the seaport of Fort Bragg, now the headquarters for 1885 ‘Skunk Train’ excursions through redwood forests to Willits. At Willits, the Mendocino County Museum displays local historic exhibits. Nearby is the charming village of Mendocino, founded in the 1850s as a logging town and now a thriving artists’ colony. Sights here include Ford House, the 1854 home of Mendocino’s founder, where Pomo Native American artefacts are on display. LAKE COUNTY: Inland from Mendocino, Lake County is the home of premium wines and an abundance of lakes. Clear Lake, with more than 160km (100 miles) of shoreline, is the largest natural freshwater lake in California, known as the ‘bass capital of the world’. There are opportunities in Lake County for attending one of the many festivals as well as water-skiing, fishing, swimming, boating, bicycling, birdwatching and rock hounding. The Anderson Marsh State Historic Park near Clear Lake, once home to the Pomo tribe, is rich in archaeological history. DEL NORTE COUNTY: Visitors to this northern county will be welcomed by the towering statues of legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe, near Klamath. The Klamath River and Smith River recreational areas attract anglers from around the world. Crescent City, the northern gateway to Redwood National Park, boasts scenic excursions and the Battery Point Lighthouse, the oldest working lighthouse on the Pacific Coast, built in 1856. The revered Redwood National Park covers 110,000 acres of land and includes three State Parks, the world’s tallest tree, stunning shorelines and the world’s largest free-roaming herd of Roosevelt elk. It also features two of the most scenic panoramas on the West Coast: the Crescent City Overlook and the Klamath River Overlook. HUMBOLDT COUNTY: Much of the Redwood National Park is located in the county, as is the Avenue of the Giants, a 53km (33-mile) scenic route with hiking and picnicking. Along the coast is the 19th-century seaport of Eureka, where General Ulysses S Grant was commander of Fort Humboldt (now a State Historic Park) in 1854. The Victorian village of Ferndale, the ‘Lost Coast’ and the King Range Wilderness are other attractions. To the east is high mountain country, ideal for fishing and river rafting. At Arcata Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, guided nature walks and a visitors’ centre cater for nature-lovers. Trinidad offers a variety of bed & breakfast accommodation set along the coast. SPECIAL EVENTS: Visitors will find a variety of events held in the region throughout the year, including wine tastings, vineyard tours, wine appreciation classes, picnics and markets. A selection of events scheduled for 2003 includes: Feb-Mar 2003 Tenth Annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival (celebration of Wine Country food, wine, art and history), Napa Valley. Mar 25th Annual Napa Valley Marathon. Apr April Flower Show, Napa. Jun Napa Valley Wine Auction. Jul 16th Annual Wine Country Film Festival. Sep Providian Relay Race (199 mile relay race from Calistoga to Santa Cruz). TRAVEL: Redwood Highway 101 connects the region with San Francisco. Scenic and Heritage routes include Avenue of the Giants (Route 254), North Central Coast Heritage Corridor (Highway 1), Route 116, Smith River Scenic Byway (State Route 199), Tahoe-Pacific Heritage Corridor (Route 20, 101, 80 and 89), Trinity River Scenic Byway (Route 299), Valley of the Moon Highway (Route 12). Visitors to Napa County can fly to Oakland International Airport (OAK) (website: www.flyoakland.com), which has quick access to the wine country. CLIMATE: Summers are very warm, with cool evenings, while the spring and autumn months are mild, with cool evenings. The winter ‘rainy season’ is gentle and occurs between January and March. Shasta Cascade The Shasta Cascade Region, roughly the size of Belgium, contains some of California’s most breathtaking natural wonders. The ‘Three Shastas’ include the huge Shasta Dam, the beautiful Shasta Lake and the dramatic, snow-capped Mount Shasta, one of the nation’s tallest mountains at 4248m (14,162ft). The region contains seven national forests, several national and state parks, six wild and scenic rivers, the State’s largest lakes, the Trinity Alps and the California Cascade Range. It is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, offering an endless range of activities in summer or winter. REDDING & SHASTA COUNTY: The lively community of Redding, on the Sacramento River, is the centre of the Shasta Cascade Region, and with over 2500 hotel rooms, provides the widest variety of lodging choices within the region. Turtle Bay Exploration Park, one of Redding’s major attractions, is a collection of museums and exhibits that focus on the Sacramento River watershed and the history of far northern California. In addition to a summer butterfly house and walking trails, Turtle Bay has the largest museum complex north of Sacramento, plus the Arboretum by the River and Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp. Additional attractions include the region’s best shopping and the Sacramento River Trail, suitable for both walkers and cyclists. The ghost town of old Shasta in Shasta State Historic Park is 9km (6 miles) from Redding. Known as ‘Queen City’ in the height of the gold rush, Shasta’s jail and general store have been restored. The county courthouse, also restored, houses historical exhibits, including an outstanding collection of historic Californian artwork. Nearby is Whiskeytown Lake, a scenic spot for canoeing, fishing, sailing and other watersports. The vivid blue waters of Shasta Lake are ideal for houseboating, and, with the biggest combined rental fleet of houseboats in the world, holidaymakers are well catered for. The largest lake in the state, it was formed when four powerful rivers were dammed by the Shasta Dam, itself a popular attraction, with the highest overflow spillway in the world – three times higher than Niagara Falls. To the northwest lies the McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park with its 39m (129ft) waterfall; the rivers and streams in the area offer some of the best fly-fishing in the State. To the west of Redding, Trinity Alps Wilderness Area is the second-largest wilderness area in California, with over 55 lakes, and several mountain ridges and deep canyons that offer breathtaking views. The historic gold mining town of Weaverville and picturesque Trinity Lake are also located here. MOUNT SHASTA: The second-highest volcano in the lower 48 states, the majestic Mount Shasta dominates the landscape. The mountain provides great hiking in summer and downhill and cross-country skiing in winter; and the alpine village of Mount Shasta makes a good base from which to explore the mountain and surrounding area. Fishing and rafting are popular on the Sacramento, Klamath, McCloud, Salmon, Scott and Shasta rivers. Relics of the area’s gold mining heritage are on display at Siskiyou County Courthouse in nearby Yreka, which has a collection of huge gold nuggets, and the Siskiyou County Museum, which includes a miner’s cabin and logging and trapping memorabilia. The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge at Tulelake is renowned for its abundant wildlife, including the country’s largest winter population of bald eagles. Also at Tulelake is the Lava Beds National Monument, a distinctive and rugged landscape formed when volcanoes erupted in the Klamath Basin. Near the picturesque mountain town of Dunsmuir is Castle Crags State Park, where the ancient granite outcrops resemble the turrets of a castle. LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK & LASSEN COUNTY: This area is home to the 3137m (10,457ft) volcano of Lassen Peak, which last erupted in 1921 and is part of the California Cascade Range. Volcanic activity is still evident at sites like Bumpass Hell, with its bubbling geothermal mud pools, Little Hot Springs Valley, Boiling Springs Lake, Devils Kitchen Sulphur Works and Terminal Geyser. Eagle Lake, the second-largest natural lake in California, offers some of the best fishing in the region; anglers flock here hoping to hook the famous Eagle Lake trout. RED BLUFF: Situated on the Sacramento River, this town hosts the annual Red Bluff Rodeo, one of the largest three-day rodeos in the western USA. The Kelly Griggs Museum, a Victorian house with guided tours, and the William B Ide Adobe State Historic Park, a memorial to the only President of the Republic of California, are interesting reminders of the area’s rich history. The town of Chico, at the southern end of the Shasta Cascade, contains Bidwell Park, where The Adventures of Robin Hood was filmed with Errol Flynn in 1937. The park was also the setting for scenes of Gone With The Wind. The Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park has preserved the mansion and grounds of the town’s founding father, John Bidwell, a wealthy gold miner. SPECIAL EVENTS: Apr 2003 Red Bluff Round-Up (America’s largest three-day rodeo), Red Bluff; Kool April Nites (Northern California’s largest classic car show), Redding; Wildflower Century Bike Ride, Chico. May Redding Rodeo Week, Redding; Silver Dollar Fair, Chico. Jul 4 Freedom Festival (one of the five largest fireworks displays in the West), Redding. Aug Siskiyou Golden Fair, Yreka; Plumas-Sierra County Fair, Quincy. Sep Siskiyou Century Bike Ride, Yreka. High Sierra The spectacular High Sierra region is home to the Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the year-round resort of Lake Tahoe and some of the country’s best ski resorts. The Mammoth Lakes area, including the ski fields of Mammoth Mountain, is a major destination for outdoor enthusiasts and boasts some spectacular natural attractions. LAKE TAHOE: The Washoe Native Americans called it ‘The Lake in the Sky’, and, situated over 1800m (6000ft) above sea level in a stunning alpine setting, it is not hard to see why. Tahoe has clear blue skies, snow-capped mountains and an array of cultural and historical riches. The 115km (72-mile) drive around the lake affords impressive views of the basin. Lake cruises are also available – the Tahoe Queen and MS Dixie II cruise from South Shore to Emerald Bay and feature glass bottoms, with views straight into the clear waters. Tahoe’s spectacular scenery can also be enjoyed from the Aerial Tram at Heavenly Ski Resort, which transports passengers to 600m (2000ft) over the Gunbarrel Ski Run. Emerald Bay State Park, at the southwest corner of the lake, features Tahoe’s only island, Fannette Island. Sights here include Vikingsholm, a 38-room Scandinavian-style castle, open for guided tours. On Route US50, the Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum displays the area’s most comprehensive collection of early photos. Watersports enthusiasts are amply catered for, as the lake is blessed with excellent beaches at Emerald Bay, Baldwin, Regan and Timber Cove, where boating, jet-skiing, para-sailing, scuba diving and windsurfing are popular activities. The site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, Lake Tahoe has a number of outstanding ski resorts. On the California/Nevada border, the Heavenly Ski Resort has the highest elevation in the Tahoe basin. Other resorts include Kirkwood and Sierra-at-Tahoe. Gambling has been popular ever since wealthy holidaymakers started flocking to Tahoe at the turn of the century. Some of the biggest names in the casino industry, offering a variety of headline entertainment and 24-hour gaming, are to be found just over the border on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. NORTH LAKE TAHOE: This world-famous skiing destination has a great selection of high-quality resorts, including Squaw Valley USA, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Alpine Meadows, Sugar Bowl, Diamond Peak and Homewood Mountain Resort. There are plenty of activities for non-skiers, ranging from ice skating, swimming, hot tubbing and snow-tubing at Squaw Valley to sleigh rides and snowmobiling at Northstar-at-Tahoe. EASTERN SIERRA: The Mammoth Lakes area is a major resort with spectacular scenery, year-round activities and plenty of sightseeing. In winter, Mammoth Mountain has more than 9km (6 miles) of downhill ski runs and great cross-country skiing, while in summer, the same slopes attract thousands of mountain bikers. Natural features include the lakes which were scooped out by glaciers and the remarkable Devils Postpile Natural Monument, formed when glaciers flowed over the lava that had erupted and filled a river valley. Other sights include Bishop, where the Bishop Creek Recreation Area offers camping, trout fishing, horseriding and boating, The Inyo National Forest is home to the oldest living things on earth: bristlecone pines more than 4700 years old. Bodie is one of the most authentic ghost towns of the West, preserved in a state of ‘arrested decay’. Mono Lake, an inland sea with bizarre tufa towers, was formed about 700,000 years ago and is one of the world’s oldest lakes. Hot Creek Canyon, where volcanic activity heats pools and streams of water, also makes for an interesting visit. Near Independence is the infamous internment camp of Manzanar, where more than 10,000 Japanese were held during World War II. The Eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada offer outstanding views of the Sierra Crest. WESTERN SIERRA: On the western slopes of the Sierra are the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, famed for their forests of giant sequoia trees, the largest trees on earth. The 2500-year-old General Sherman Tree in Giant Forest is the largest tree in the world (by volume) with a circumference of 31.1 m (102.6 feet). Kings Canyon is the deepest canyon in the USA. Yosemite National Park contains the world’s best-known glacier-carved valley, spectacular waterfalls and granite monoliths, and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Glacier Point offers some of the best views of the area. Attractions in Yosemite Village include the Yosemite Museum with a Native American cultural exhibit, the Museum Gallery with historical works of art, and the Ansel Adams Gallery, which has a large selection of limited-edition and signed photographs, prints and posters. SPECIAL EVENTS: Feb-Mar 2003 Spring Snowfest (largest winter carnival in the West), Tahoe City. Mar FL Celebrity Sports Race, Heavenly Ski Resort. Apr Jazzaffair Three Rivers, Sequoia National Park. Jun Valhalla Renaissance Festival, South Lake Tahoe. Aug Sierra Summer Festival, Mammoth Lakes. Sep Labor Day Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe; Labor Day Arts and Crafts Festival, Mammoth Lakes; Oktoberfest, North Lake Tahoe. Oct Annual Autumn Food And Wine Festival, North Lake Tahoe. Dec Night of Lights, throughout the Mountains area. Gold Country The western ridges of the Sierra Nevada are home to Gold Country, also known as the ‘Mother Lode’. The discovery of gold here in 1848 attracted 300,000 fortune seekers from all over the world. Not everyone struck it rich, but the gold rush changed California forever and left a rich legacy of historic mining towns, railways and museums. The State capital, Sacramento, is a sophisticated city with strong ties to its pioneer past. Visitors can follow in the footsteps of the famous ‘49ers’ at the Columbia, Empire Mine and Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Parks, explore caverns and the wineries of El Dorado, Amador and Calaveras counties, or go white-water rafting on the American River. SACRAMENTO: The Californian capital since 1854, Sacramento is home to more than 32 theatres, galleries and museums, and is full of visible reminders of its past. The state historic park of Old Sacramento, on the Sacramento River, features 53 historic buildings and recreates the Sacramento of the gold rush. It includes the California State Railroad Museum, which highlights how railways shaped the lives, economy and culture of California and the West. Historic steam train rides run on weekends from April to September. Also in the neighbourhood is the Crocker Art Museum. Opened in 1873, it is the oldest art museum in the west and exhibits early Californian paintings, drawings by the Old Masters and contemporary art. In the centre of the city is the Renaissance Revival-style State Capitol and California State Capitol Museum. Modelled on the capitol in Washington DC, the building has housed the California Legislature since 1869. Tours are also available of the grand Victorian Governor’s Mansion, home to 13 of California’s governors and filled with historic furnishings. Artefacts from more than 100 Native American tribes are on show at the California State Indian Museum, where an exhibit traces the life of Ishi, California’s last Yahi Indian. The new Golden State Museum tells the ongoing story of California and celebrates what is distinctive about the State. Over 130 species, 32 of them threatened or endangered, are housed at Sacramento Zoo, including polar bears, snow leopards and Sumatran tigers. Sacramento is home to professional ballet, opera and theatre companies and has a vibrant nightlife, with dozens of clubs, comedy venues and restaurants offering everything from Vietnamese to Moroccan cuisine. Excursions: Folsom, 32km (20 miles) east of Sacramento, was one of the largest cities in the state during the gold rush. Today it is home to 60 antique dealers and over 40 artisans’ studios, art galleries and working artists, as well as the historic buildings of the Old Town. Lake Nacoma and Folsom Lake offer sailing, water-skiing and windsurfing and a range of other activities for outdoor enthusiasts. EL DORADO COUNTY: This is the heart of Gold Country, where James Marshall discovered the first Californian gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma. Visitors can see where the gold rush began and pan for gold at the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, which has a museum and both original and restored buildings. The South Fork of the American River at Coloma is especially popular with whitewater rafters, offering some of the best rafting in the country. Known as ‘Hangtown’ in its early days, today Placerville is full of historic buildings and operates the Gold Bug Mine, the only gold mine in the state open to visitors. Wineries have flourished in the spectacular foothills of the Sierra Nevada since the gold rush, and tours and tastings are available year round. CALAVERAS COUNTY: Southeast of Sacramento, Calaveras County is home to forests of giant sequoias at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, award-winning wineries and gold rush towns like Mokelumne Hill, Avery and Arnold. Mark Twain became a household name after writing The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County at Angels Camp, where the Jumping Frog Jubilee is held annually in May. At the gold rush town of Murphys, visitors can explore the Mercer Caverns, ten caverns with rare crystal formations. At Cave City, the Moaning Cavern, with a main chamber large enough to hold the Statue of Liberty, is open all year round, and the California Cavern is open for tours from spring to autumn. TUOLUMNE COUNTY: Visitors can prospect for gold at Jamestown, which has served as a backdrop for films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and High Noon. The nearby Columbia State Historic Park is California’s best-preserved gold-mining town, with gold panning, stagecoach rides and tours of an active gold mine. AMADOR COUNTY: Dotted with gold rush towns like Amador City and Sutter Creek, this region is renowned for its wineries – there are around two dozen of them in Shenandoah Valley. An outstanding collection of Sierra Nevada Indian artefacts, as well as a reconstructed Miwok village, can be found at the Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum in the Indian Grinding State Historic Park near Jackson. The spectacular crystal formations and deep lakes of Black Chasm Cavern can be seen on guided tours. Mariposa, in the south of Gold Country, is home to California’s oldest courthouse, built in 1854. The Mariposa County Museum features a miner’s cabin and a reconstructed Native American village, while the California State Mining and Mineral Museum boasts one of the largest gem and mineral collections in the world. SPECIAL EVENTS: Jan 2003 Gold Discovery Day, El Dorado. Mar Calaveras Celtic Fair, Angels Camp. Mar 17 Irish Days, Murphys. May Sacramento Jazz Jubilee; Valley Springs Pow Wow, Valley Springs; Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee, Frogtown, Angels Camp. Jun Annual Fairplay Wine Festival, El Dorado County. Aug-Sep California State Fair, Sacramento. Oct Gold Rush Street Fair and Grape Stomp, Murphys; Lumberjack Days, West Point. Central Valley Sprawling from Bakersfield in the south to the Mendocino National Forest in the north, the Central Valley is one of the most productive farming areas in the world. Covered in orchards, fields and vineyards and fed by a network of rivers and lakes – including the 1610-km (1000-mile) Delta waterway system – it offers plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities. There is also an abundance of historic sites to explore, and wildlife refuges where visitors can observe native animals in their natural habitat. BAKERSFIELD: The dicovery of gold and oil brought settlers of every nationality to Bakersfield and today it is a proudly multi-cultural city. The history of the region is on show at the Kern County Museum, which features 58 historic buildings and the Lori Brock Children’s Discovery Center with hands-on exhibits and activities. The California Living Museum is a zoo, botanical garden and natural history museum featuring exhibits native to California. In the Bakersfield area are the Tule Elk State Reserve, a protected area for native elk, and the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park at Earlimart, a town built by and for African-Americans with restored 19th-century buildings. The Kern National Wildlife Refuge at Delano is a winter home to wildfowl; the best time for birdwatching is from October to March. The Upper and Lower Kern rivers are popular with whitewater rafters. FRESNO: The city of Fresno is at the heart of Fresno County, the fifth-largest county in California and the USA’s leading agricultural region. The Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite national parks are all close to the city. The Fresno Metropolitan Museum has a permanent exhibition on the life of William Saroyan, the Pulitzer Prize- and Oscar-winning author who grew up in Fresno, as well as a large collection of landscape paintings by Ansel Adams and Maynard Dixon, and Native American baskets. The charming Chaffee Zoo features rainforest, orang utan and tiger exhibits and the world’s first computerised reptile house, where temperature, humidity and light cycles are controlled to resemble a natural habitat, as well as regular camel rides and hippo feeding. Children also love Storyland, with its buildings inspired by fairy tales. The Meux Home (1899) and the Kearney Mansion (1906) are museums recreating turn-of-the-century lifestyles, while the Forestiere Underground Gardens, a 60-room underground maze over four hectares (10 acres), is one of the city’s more unusual attractions. MERCED: Known as the ‘Gateway to Yosemite’, Merced is just a short drive from the Yosemite National Park and its spectacular valleys, waterfalls, granite monoliths and giant sequoias. The Yosemite Wildlife Museum is a great place to learn about the animals that live in the area. Visitors to Merced can also sample the award-winning wines and beers at the Red Rock Winery and Brewery or see cheese being made at the Hilmar Cheese Company. The Castle Air Museum at Atwater displays 43 vintage military aircraft from World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam. THE DELTA: Many visitors see the sights of the Delta by houseboat, but Stockton also makes a good base from which to explore the region. Formed by the Sacramento, San Joaquin and Mokelumne rivers, the Delta is the ideal place for boating, fishing, water-skiing and windsurfing. Attractions in nearby Lodi include the The San Joaquin County Historical Society Museum, which traces the history of the area from the earliest native inhabitants up to the present, the Micke Grove Park and Zoo and the Great Valley Serpentarium, a living reptile museum. Those with a sweet tooth should take a detour to the Hershey Visitors’ Center at Oakdale, where visitors can watch chocolate being made, or the Herman Goelitz Candy Company in Fairfield. The inventors of the jelly bean give daily tours of the factory where the famous Jelly Belly beans are produced. Modesto, south of Stockton, is home to the world’s largest winery, E & J Gallo. The vintners have preserved the 1883 McHenry Mansion, furnished with period antiques, for visitors. SPECIAL EVENTS: Feb-Mar 2003 Fresno County Blossom Trail. Apr High Desert Spring Festival, Ridgecrest; Annual Kern River Raft Race, Kernville; Asparagus Festival, Stockton. May Merced County Spring Fair, Merced; Swedish Festival, Kingsburg. Jun 144th San Joaquin County Fair, Stockton. Jul Merced County Fair, Merced. Aug Annual Mountain Festival and Rodeo, Tehachapi. Sep Kern County Fair, Bakersfield; Dixon Scottish Games & Gathering, Dixon. Oct Big Fresno Fair, Fresno. San Francisco Bay Area The compact region of the San Francisco Bay Area combines the cosmopolitan atmosphere of the big city with the wide open spaces of the country. Here, visitors can hike and explore redwood parks or ocean beaches, and take in opera, ballet and exotic dining experiences. San Francisco San Francisco is situated on a 120 sq km (46.6 sq mile) peninsula bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, on the north by the Golden Gate Strait and from north to east by San Francisco Bay. This provides one of the world’s finest landlocked harbours. The Bay is spanned by two landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. It is also graced by four islands – Alcatraz, Angel, Yerba Buena and Treasure. The city’s history is a mixture of Spanish colonialism and rowdy US romanticism. The first European settlement on the site of the present city was established in 1776. It kept the name Yerba Buena until 1847, when it was officially christened San Francisco. The city is built on a series of hills – more than 40 of them – so that almost every other street points the way to a panoramic view of the Bay. The principal hills, which earned it the Roman sobriquet of the ‘City of the Seven Hills’, are Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, Twin Peaks, Mount Davidson, Rincon and Lone Mountain. One of San Francisco’s principal attractions is its network of 130-year-old cable cars, the USA’s only mobile National Historic Landmark. In the San Francisco Cable Car Museum, visitors can view the actual cable-winding machinery as it reels 17km (11 miles) of steel at a steady pace of 15km (9.5 miles) per hour. Visitors might be surprised that the Golden Gate Bridge is not actually gold at all. It is painted orange, is resistant to harsh weather conditions and is at its most visible through fog. The 1017 acres of Golden Gate Park encompass meadows, lakes, rose gardens, an arboretum, a rhododendron dell, an open-air music concourse, a children’s playground, a buffalo paddock and the tallest artificial waterfall in the West. The park is also home to the California Academy of Sciences, which includes the Natural History Museum, the Morrison Planetarium and the Steinhart Aquarium. The Cartoon Art Museum, the only one of its kind on the West Coast, displays rotating exhibitions of art from comic books. Most of the city’s museums are free at least one day each month. Other sights include Fisherman’s Wharf, with its bay-view restaurants and Pier 39’s resident sea lions; Alcatraz, once the site of the USA’s toughest maximum security prison, and now a National Park; Chinatown, the most concentrated Asian enclave outside Asia; the pagoda-crowned Japan Center; Ocean Beach; and North Beach. The cultural scene includes the US$44-million Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, which is devoted to showcasing the work of artists from the multi-cultural community and features diverse programmes of dance, theatre, music, film, installations and festivals. The new Rooftop at Yerba Buena Gardens includes a restored 1906 carousel and Zeum, a high-tech, hands-on arts centre for children. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, opened in 1995 to great acclaim. The city offers its own ballet and opera companies, as well as a symphony orchestra and dozens of live theatre groups, including the perennially popular American Conservatory Theater. For visitors seeking peace and quiet, San Francisco’s Russian Hill, with its historic brown-shingle houses, sweeping views and botanical treasures offers an ideal getaway. Telegraph Hill, crowned by Coit Tower, is laced with stairways. FOOD & DRINK: There is a limitless variety of ethnic, US, health food and international cuisine in San Francisco. For a treat, sample fresh crab and shrimp at the seafood houses that line the famous Fisherman’s Wharf. There are also numerous ‘fast food’ restaurants. THEATRES & CONCERTS: The Orpheum Theater offers light opera. Geary Theater is the home of the American Conservatory Theater, which also stages special performances at Marines Memorial Theater. Curran and Golden Gate Theaters show major Broadway productions. The San Francisco Symphony performs in the magnificent new Louise M Davies Symphony Hall, while popular music concerts are given in the Civic Auditorium in July. The San Francisco Ballet also performs in the Opera House during the December holiday season. The San Francisco opera season, one of the most outstanding in the country, runs from mid-September to November. NIGHTLIFE: This is a great city for nightlife, boasting everything from strip joints to chic piano bars, elegant supper clubs and live music venues. The city also has a lively gay scene. SHOPPING: The city is noted for its art, jewellery and handcrafted items. The principal shopping district surrounds Union Square in the city centre. Others include Ghirardelli Square and the Cannery (trendy clothes, foods, art, kitchen imports); Union Street (boutiques, antiques, arts and handicrafts in restored Victorian settings); Pier 39, a shopping/restaurant complex on a long pier; Chinatown and Japantown. SPORT: The city offers major-league baseball (April to September) and professional football US-style (September to December). There is thoroughbred, quarter horse and harness-racing at Bay Meadows Race Track and San Mateo (September to June) and thoroughbred racing at Golden Fields, Albany (winter and spring). SPECIAL EVENTS: Feb-Mar TulipMania, Pier 39. Apr Cherry Blossom Festival, Japantown. Apr-Sep San Francisco Giants’ Baseball Season. Jun San Francisco Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Pride Celebration. May Wells Fargo Spring Cup 2003 Regatta; San Francisco Examiner Bay to Breakers Footrace; Carnival (one of the largest annual events), Mission District. May 5 Cinco de Mayo Parade & Festival, Mission District. Jul Jewish Film Festival. Jul 4 Fourth of July Waterfront Festival. Sep Sausalito Art Festival; 12th Annual San Francisco Fringe Festival; San Francisco Blues Festival, Fort Mason. Oct San Francisco Jazz Festival; Columbus Day Celebration; Wells Fargo Fall Cup Regatta; Halloween. TRAVEL: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (website: www.flysfo.com or www.virtualsfo.com) is located 15 minutes from the city centre. Car hire is available. The clean and efficient BART (Bay Area Rapid Transport System) operates four lines, joining San Francisco with Oakland, Berkeley, Concord and Fremont. San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) operates buses, cable cars and a subway/streetcar system. For more detailed information, see Travel in the general California section. CLIMATE: San Francisco’s ‘automatic air conditioning’ (created by a unique combination of waters, winds and topography) makes it one of the coolest spots in California. The weather is spring-like all the year round. The summer fog usually clears by noon. Knitwear and light woollens suffice all year round. The Bay Area In the northern Bay Area is Vallejo, California’s first capital, and a magnet for history buffs, sportspeople and nature lovers. The Naval Historical Museum is well worth a visit here, and the annual Whaleboat Regatta is a colourful calendar highlight. Nearby is Six Flags Marine World, a wildlife theme park featuring shows with whales, dolphins and tigers, as well as thrilling rides. East of the Bay is Berkeley, home of the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, and cultural attractions such as the U C Berkeley Art Museum, Pacific Film Archive and Zellerbach Hall. A range of independent bookstores, cafes and nightlife caters for students and tourists alike. Moving south, Oakland is the centre of many activities in the Bay Area. Miles of waterfront, boating and breathtaking scenery from acres of hilltop parkland make up this charming city. Points of interest include the Oakland Museum of California, which retraces local history and colourful Jack London Square and Village, with their waterfront dining and shopping facilities. Further south still, San Jose is noted for its year-round golden climate and offers unique visitor attractions, including the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and the bizarre Winchester Mystery House and The Tech, a new museum of innovation. Just 50 minutes south of San Francisco, in the heart of Silicon Valley, is Santa Clara, known as ‘The Mission City’. Attractions here include Paramount’s Great America, an enormous theme park featuring rides and live entertainment. At the southern tip of the Bay Area is Santa Cruz, where points of interest include Felton Covered Bridge (the tallest covered bridge of its kind, built in 1892), Roaring Camp and the Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad, which offers steam-train excursions. Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park houses a replica of the original 1791 mission. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk features the West Coast’s only beach amusement park, with one of the world’s top-ten roller-coasters. Central Coast California’s Central Coast is a beautiful region, extending from the dramatic coastline visible from Route 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, to the inland valleys with their vineyards and wineries. A variety of recreation options are available: surfing at Santa Cruz or Santa Barbara, diving in Monterey Bay, horseback riding or driving at Pismo Beach or walking on Pacific Grove’s oceanfront recreation area. Boating is available on Lake Casitas in Ventura County, Lake Nacimiento near Paso Robles, Lake Cachuma in the Santa Ynez Valley, and the San Justo Reservoir in Hollister. Other major attractions include Hearst Castle, built by the tycoon William Randolph Hearst, the model for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane; the Monterey Bay Aquarium; Goleta Beach, with its year-round Mediterranean climate; Montecito, the luxury residential area east of Santa Barbara; the Danish-influenced town of Solvang; the Carpinteria State Beach Park, with 1200m (4000ft) of ocean frontage; and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. North of Santa Barbara, the flower fields of Lompoc Valley and the ancient Chumash cave and pictographs afford added interest. Nipomo Dunes Preserve, the second-largest expanse of dunes in California, stretches from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County to Pismo Beach. California’s historic missions dating from the Spanish Colonial era can also be toured. SPECIAL EVENTS: Feb Annual Masters of Food and Wine, Carmel; Steinbeck Cannery Row Birthday Celebration, Monterey and Salinas. Mar Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Apr 42nd Annual Wildflower Show, Pacific Grove; Vintners Festival, Santa Barbara counties. May Castroville Artichoke Festival, Castroville. Aug Old Days Spanish Festival, Santa Barbara; Annual Mariachi Festival, Santa Barbara; 10th Annual Monterey County Winemakers Celebration; 53rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (classic car show). Sep International Jazz Festival & World Music Beach Party, East Beach; Monterey Jazz Festival. Oct Butterfly Parade, Pacific Grove. Nov Great Wine Escape Weekend, Monterey. CLIMATE: Mild and sunny 12 months a year – there is no ‘off season’. Most people wear comfortable sports clothing all year round. The Monterey Peninsula The Monterey Peninsula has been called the ‘jewel of the Central Coast’. For more than 300 years, it has impressed all who have landed on its shores, from the early Spanish explorers and missionaries to present-day visitors. The beauty and charm of the Peninsula captured the hearts and imagination of artists and writers such as John Steinbeck, Henry Miller, Robinson Jeffers, Robert Louis Stevenson and Ansel Adams. Each in his own way sought to preserve the magic on canvas, paper or film. The Monterey Peninsula’s dramatic coastline and sunny valleys are the backdrop for the rich cultural and maritime heritage, which is preserved today in the Mexican adobes, the Maritime Museum, Cannery Row and Fisherman’s Wharf in historic Monterey. Much of the area’s charm stems from the many cultural influences – Native American, Mexican, Spanish, Italian and Asian – which shaped the region’s early development. Attractions include the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium, which in 1996 revealed its spectacular new Outer Bay Wing. The Aquarium is the perfect spot from which to survey the depths of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a village in a forest, offers over 90 art galleries and the annual Bach Festival – testaments to its 100-year reputation as a centre for the visual and performing arts. Pacific Grove is home to the colourful annual migration of Monarch butterflies, which can be seen in autumn. It also features Victorian architecture, much of which houses bed and breakfast inns and restaurants. Carmel Valley, a mere 3.2km (2 miles) inland from the coast, is a sunny upland area, which boasts golf courses, horseback riding, a tennis resort and the Ventana Wilderness Area, which visitors can explore on foot. Pebble Beach, the home of the AT&T National Pro-Am Golf Tournament, is a world-class resort with two full service resort hotels, four golf courses and, of course, the famed 17-Mile Drive on which sits the oft-photographed Lone Cypress Tree. Big Sur offers dramatic coastal scenery, with its Bixby Bridge and Julia Pfeiffer State Park. Two world-class resorts in the area contribute to the range of lodging options. TRAVEL: To reach the Monterey Peninsula from Los Angeles or San Francisco, drivers may take State Highway 101 or Scenic Highway 1. San Francisco and Los Angeles airports offer flights to Monterey Peninsula Airport (MRY). The Monterey/Salinas Airbus offers scheduled services between San José and San Francisco Airports and the Monterey/Salinas area. Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, on the American Riviera, lies 534km (332 miles) south of San Francisco and 150km (92 miles) north of Los Angeles. Highway 101 runs directly through it. The Santa Barbara scenic tour is an excellent way to see the area. Attractions to look out for along the Scenic Loop include the much-admired Santa Barbara County Courthouse. The elegant interior includes hand-painted ceilings, wrought-iron chandeliers, giant murals, carved doors and imported tiles. The 24m-high (80ft) clock tower affords panoramic views of the city. The Mission Santa Barbara, the ‘Queen of the Missions’, was established in December 1786 and boasts unique twin bell towers and a lovely façade. Many of the city’s historic adobe houses from the Spanish and Mexican eras are featured in the central area. In the Hill-Carrillo Adobe, for example, can be found the city’s first wooden floor. The Santiago de la Guerra Adobe, now remodelled, is one of the city’s oldest structures. The Fernald Mansion and Trussell-Winchester Adobe is a well-furnished 14-room Victorian mansion with a handsome staircase and carved decorations. It is one of the finest remaining examples of Victorian architecture in the area. Other attractions include the Museum of Natural History, a nationally renowned museum specialising in Californian and North American West Coast history. At the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, highlights include an Indian Hall with a diorama of historic Chumash life and the giant skeleton of a blue whale. The Santa Barbara Historical Museum houses one of the finest collections of regional history in California. Fine art, western saddles, exquisite costumes and picturesque antique toys are highlights of the collection. The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is one of the nation’s outstanding regional museums and offers work by O’Keefe, Eakins, Sargent and Hopper. The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is devoted to the study of California’s native flora, cacti, redwoods and wildflowers, while the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge features a peaceful lagoon, gardens and a variety of freshwater birds. At the El Presidio de Santa Barbara, founded in 1782, visitors can view buildings belonging to the last Spanish military outpost in California. The Presidio Chapel contains restored 18th-century decorations, while the padre’s and commandant’s quarters feature authentically reproduced furniture and architecture. The Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens offers a botanical area and more than 700 species of animals from around the world, including big cats, elephants and giraffes. Stearns Wharf, once part-owned by the film star James Cagney and his brothers, is the oldest active working pier in California. It offers gifts and souvenirs, wine-tasting and a seafood market. Views of the mountains and the ocean are spectacular from here. Moreton Bay Fig Tree, the largest of its kind in the nation, is an Australian import planted in Santa Barbara in 1874. It has a span of 48m (160ft) and provides 6400 sq m (21,000 sq ft) of shade. The Yacht Harbour and Breakwater is the departure point for shoreline tours and fishing excursions. Its paved walkway offers a half-mile walking tour with harbour, city and mountain views. The Carriage Museum houses a unique collection of horse-drawn carts and carriages used by the pioneer families of Santa Barbara. The collection includes stagecoaches, buggies, army wagons and a black hearse. The climate makes this area conducive for all types of sports and recreational activities. Santa Barbara County is also noted for its parkland, ranging from small gardens with quiet groves to vast meadows, hills and mountains, each with a unique setting. The Wine Country in the Santa Barbara region, with over 43 wineries and nearly 10,000 acres of vineyards, is the fastest growing region of its kind in the world. Easily accessible from Highways 101, 154 or 246, the area extends from the vineyards of Santa Maria and Santa Ynez Valleys to the wineries and tasting rooms in downtown Santa Barbara. A variety of micro-climates makes it possible to grow and produce excellent Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and many other wine grapes. THEATRES & CONCERTS: Santa Barbara also offers a wide array of cultural and artistic activities. Some of the performing companies and venues include: The Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra; the Civic Light Opera; the Ensemble Theatre, Center Stage Theatre; Lobero Theatre; Granada Theatre; Santa Barbara County Bowl and the Arlington Theatre built by Fox West Coast Theatres with a distinctive Moorish spire and a curved trompe d’oeil ceiling. It now acts as Santa Barbara’s performing arts centre. The University of California at Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara City College also offer dramatic performances. The Contemporary Arts Forum, founded in 1976, is the focal point for contemporary art in Santa Barbara. The facility also includes three exhibition spaces. SHOPPING: Santa Barbara offers abundant shopping opportunities: Big Dog, Territory Ahead, Firenze, Isabel Bloom and the Santa Barbara Ceramic Design are based here. Further shopping opportunities are available on State Street and at El Paseo; La Arcada Court; Paseo Nuevo; Victoria Court; La Cumbre Plaza; Coast Village Road and Montecito Village. Brinkerhoff Avenue is a charming one-block street of Victorian houses selling antiques, fascinating memorabilia and other specialities, while El Paseo is a unique Old Spanish-style shopping arcade, recently renovated as the site of speciality shops and art galleries. The Farmers’ Market is a colourful outdoor area where local growers sell fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and other produce at reasonable prices. TRAVEL: Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) (website: www.flysba.com) is located 12km (8 miles) north of central Santa Barbara. Major airlines servicing Santa Barbara include: United Airlines & United Express; American Eagle; SkyWest and America West Express. Amtrak offers daily stops north and southbound. Bus services are provided by Greyhound. Santa Barbara Airbus offers a shuttle service to Los Angeles (LAX) airport. Los Angeles Encircled by four mountain ranges, the city of Los Angeles is oddly isolated, prompting early chroniclers to describe it as ‘an island on the land’. To appreciate the city it should be thought of as five distinct regions: Downtown, Hollywood, The Valleys, Westside and The Beaches. The city of Santa Monica, with its beautiful beaches and small town atmosphere, has long been a hideaway for Hollywood stars. The city of Los Angeles was originally christened by wandering Spanish missionaries in 1781 as ‘El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula’ (‘The Town of Our Lady Queen of the Angels by the Porciuncula’), and shortened a few years later to Los Angeles. Most residents simply refer to it by its initials, LA. It has also been called, at varying times, ‘The City of Angels’, ‘The New Eden’, ‘The New Jerusalem’, ‘The New Babylon’, and ‘Lotus Land’, as over the decades it grew from a cowtown to a boomtown, then an oiltown to Tinseltown. It was not accidental that the automobile culture and the film and aerospace industries took root in the area, or that almost every conceivable – and a few inconceivable – fads, fashions and styles have at some time or other sprouted in the city’s consenting climate and spirit. Basking in a sunny, semitropical climate, and blessed with a diversity of cultures, Los Angeles mixes and matches different settings and scenes with a singular style. The city offers a dizzying array of attractions, from world-famous amusements to a wealth of museums, pop and high culture, Hollywood stars, ethnic enclaves and every cuisine imaginable. The latest hot fashions can be found in bargain centres and boutiques catering for every whim and budget. And one can always simply go native and bike, blade or veg out. LA is full of renowned museums including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, with its comprehensive collection of Western, as well as Asian and Near Eastern art, and its striking Japanese Pavilion; the Museum of Contemporary Art, in California Plaza; and the Wells Fargo Museum, featuring 130 years of Western history. Music and dance, classic, contemporary, native, hot and cool, rock, rap, blues and jazz can all be heard in a variety of venues across the city. Jazz fans in particular should head for 5th Street Dick’s in the up-and-coming Crenshaw District. As one might expect, LA has a wealth of cinemas showing every conceivable production – foreign, revivals, experimental and classic, as well as the most current films. Comedy clubs, magic shows, blues bars, juice bars, coffee house recitals and poetry readings are among the many diversions on offer when darkness falls in LA. The club scene is very fickle; a must-go night filled with this season’s stars can go bust within weeks. The result is a fluid nightlife, so visitors should check out the local listings magazines for an up-to-date guide. DOWNTOWN: LA’s dynamic urban core has undergone a major facelift recently and the construction of new buildings and facilities has reinforced the area’s claim to be the Pacific’s premier business centre. Downtown attractions include the restored Angel’s Flight, originally a funicular railway dating from 1901, and the Museum of Neon Art (MONA), which displays an art collection in electric media and neon signs. Modern art buffs will want to visit the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA which recently reopened after a three-year closure. One of the world’s largest newspapers, the Los Angeles Times, is across the street and offers behind-the-scenes tours of the media empire. For the more academically inclined, the Los Angeles Central Library, one of the nation’s most respected research and resource centres, is also its third-largest public library, following a period of significant expansion. The El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Historic Park preserves a number of historically important buildings from the Spanish and Mexican eras. Downtown LA is a cornucopia of cultures; Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and the Latino-influenced Olvera Street and Broadway are examples of local communities. Befitting its climate and context, and individualistic spirit, the area has a particularly rich and varied architecture and design heritage. It is where the American Arts and Crafts movement flourished; the Spanish Colonial, Mexican and Mission Revival styles were rediscovered; where the Art Deco style, followed by the Moderne and the machine-like Modern styles took root; and where Frank Lloyd Wright experimented with new materials, forms and theories. There are whimsical, way-out designs, most of which can be seen from the street, along with a variety of public art. Among other things, LA has also been called ‘The Mural Capital of the World’; the many examples of this art form are thanks to the city’s temperate climate, and ethnic and neighbourhood pride. Just south of Downtown is Exposition Park, site of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Sports Arena. At the park, visitors can see the Natural History Museum, the California African American Museum, the California Science Center and stroll through the campus of the University of Southern California. HOLLYWOOD: Los Angeles is the unabashed film and entertainment capital of the western world; more films are made here, more television shows taped here and more stars and would-be stars live here than anywhere else in the USA. The famous Hollywood sign, nestling in the hills above the city, stands as a constant reminder of the presence of the film industry. The streets and beaches are often used as locations, though most of it happens behind the well-guarded gates of the various studios scattered across the city. Still, in the opulent enclaves that cater to so-called ‘industry types’ – Beverly Hills and Santa Monica (see below) – an occasional celebrity can be glimpsed on the streets or in the shops. For an insider’s view of the industry, NBC, Warner Bros and Universal Studios Hollywood all offer tours. The Universal tour is the most popular artificial attraction in America after the Disney theme parks. Visitors can speed through time on Back to the Future, feel the heat in Backdraft or come face to face with dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. The Hollywood Bowl Museum features changing exhibits on performing arts in Los Angeles, while The Hollywood Entertainment Museum honours the film industry. In the Griffith Park area, one of the largest urban parks in the country, one can visit the outstanding Los Angeles Zoo, Griffith Park Observatory, Travel Town and the Autry Museum of Western Heritage. Other area attractions include Hollywood Boulevard, with its ‘walk of fame’ etched in the pavement. WEST HOLLYWOOD: West Hollywood hosts more post-Oscar parties than any other city, and over 70 per cent of all filming in West Hollywood is on the Sunset Strip. Major films shot in the area include Get Shorty, Casper, Heat and Leaving Las Vegas. West Hollywood is best known for its sophisticated shopping and exciting and varied nightlife. The city is home to illustrious clubs, mostly found along the Sunset Strip, which are frequented by the rich and famous. ‘The Creative City’ features over 30 art galleries. Both the Le Montrose Suite Hotel and the Wyndham Bel Age Hotel house original international art collections that are worth millions. WEST SIDE: LA’s West Side is famed for its arty, trend-setting style. This is where the stars live and play. The Westside includes some of the city’s most prestigious addresses, including Beverly Hills, Century City, Westwood, Brentwood and Bel Air. Maps of the homes of celebrities are available on street corners for individual exploration, and scheduled tours are also offered. Beverly Hills is home to the most famous shopping district in the world and recently became home to the LA branch of the Museum of Television and Radio, which allows visitors to gain access to 75 years of programming history. Another museum attraction is the Skirball Cultural Center, located near the Getty Center and featuring original fragments of Ellis Island benches as well as a reconstruction of an archaeological dig. Car fans will flock to the Petersen Automotive Museum, which celebrates the history of the motor car with the largest car collection in the country. Theatre also thrives in this area: top Broadway musicals such as Sunset Boulevard draw crowds to the Schubert Theatre in Century City. The Groundling Theatre on Melrose Avenue premieres comedy revues. The UCLA Center for the Performing Arts shows big-name talent. And for film previews and special screenings, the theatres in Westwood, which are frequented by students from the nearby University of California campus, are a popular testing ground for the industry. Blues fans will want to pay a visit to the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard to catch daily live performances of established, as well as up-and-coming blues artists. Another attraction is the Museum of Tolerance, featuring high-tech interactive exhibits that tell the history of racism and prejudice as well as the story of the Holocaust. SANTA MONICA: The first of the fabled Southern Californian beach towns, Santa Monica entices visitors with its coastline, palm-lined cliffs and small town atmosphere. Just 13km (8 miles) from Los Angeles International Airport, Santa Monica offers a respite from the big city bustle. It has for decades been a favourite hideaway for Hollywood as well, with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Sr, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford calling it home. Today, Meryl Streep, Michelle Pfeiffer and Ted Danson are just a few of the celebrities who live in Santa Monica. The thriving arts scene and cutting-edge cuisine add an air of European sophistication to this seaside community. A pedestrian-orientated city, Santa Monica’s many attractions, hotels, restaurants and shops are within easy walking distance of one another and the beach. Primary beaches include Santa Monica State Beach and Will Rogers State Beach. The Santa Monica Museum of Art is a design marvel by famed architect Frank O Gehry. The museum displays the work of contemporary and modern artists. In nearby Malibu, the famed J Paul Getty Museum, an exact replica of a Roman country villa, houses one of the world’s largest and most valued art collections. Shopping is another popular pastime. The city has four different shopping areas, each with its own distinct character. Montana Avenue, Main Street, Santa Monica Place and Third Street Promenade feature speciality shops, restaurants and exclusive boutiques. In the evening, Third Street Promenade is transformed into a lively entertainment centre. Street performers fill the pavements and restaurants push dining tables aside to create dance floors. Home to a lively British population, Santa Monica also sports a dash of Old-World camaraderie with some of the best pubs and tea rooms outside Great Britain. Santa Monica’s most famous landmark is the pier. Having undergone a phased US$45 million restoration, the West Coast’s oldest pleasure pier, built in 1908 during the height of the city’s popularity as a seaside resort, is now home to Pacific Park. The park features a 55-ft roller coaster and a giant Ferris wheel as well as 11 other rides. The old pier’s carousel, with hand-crafted gilt and painted horses, offers rides each day. Additional features here include the newly renovated Boat House, pubs, restaurants, shops and a fresh fish market. The 61,000-hectare Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, on the city’s northern border, offers camping, hiking, backpacking, horseriding, picnicking and birdwatching. Will Rogers State Historic Park, the 75-hectare ranch of the late humorist, features stables, polo matches at the weekends and tours of the cowboy/philosopher’s ranch house. THE BEACHES: The Beaches area of Los Angeles is a great place to hang out. One can bask in the sun in a quiet cove in Malibu, or bike or rollerblade along a path from Santa Monica, past the street performers of Venice Beach, the day sailors of Marina del Rey, the volleyball players on Manhattan Beach, and the surfers and fishermen off Hermosa and Redondo. This 35km (22-mile) oceanfront stretch celebrates the Southern Californian lifestyle, with a diversity of accessible, sandy beaches and picturesque views. Among the more popular spots to catch a wave and check out the local sun-tanning scene are Will Rogers Beach State Park, the Santa Monica and Venice piers and Newport Beach. For a classic Los Angeles experience, a visit to Venice Beach, where bodies beautiful skate by and street performers attract crowds every day, is a must. Also a part of Venice is Muscle Beach, where local hunks flex their pecs for bystanders. The beach areas offer other diversions besides the fleshly variety. In the canyons of Malibu, for example, is Barbara Streisand’s estate which houses her Center for Conservancy Studies. Visitors can enjoy the houses and landscaped meadows and orchards to be found here. At Bergamot Station, there is a 5.5 acre complex with a dozen galleries offering art-lovers a one-stop shopping experience. THE VALLEYS: Once known as the notorious hang-out of the Valley Girls, The Valleys comprise three distinct areas, with plentiful shopping and several major annual events. Mulholland Drive, situated in the hills above the San Fernando Valley, offers panoramic views of the area below. Ventura Boulevard is a major shopping thoroughfare that attracts celebrities to its speciality shops and restaurants. Just north, in Santa Clarita Valley, is Six Flags Magic Mountain, a huge amusement park featuring thrilling rides and six roller-coasters. Adjacent to this is the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, a themed waterpark featuring tube slides, speed slides and a wave pool. Burbank is the home of NBC Studios, where visitors can see the taping of famous TV shows. Just east of the San Fernando Valley is the San Gabriel Valley, where Pasadena is the site of the world’s most famous New Year’s Day event, the Tournament of Roses Parade. Cultural attractions in the city include the Norton Simon Museum of Art, the Huntington Library and Gardens and Los Angeles Arboretum. Nearby Santa Anita is home to one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world and, high above in the Angeles National Forest, is Mount Wilson, with a small observatory and museum. FOOD & DRINK: Many cities in the world may claim to cater for all needs or tastes, but LA goes one step further. Food ranges from mainstream, such as Mexican or Italian, to the more quirky, such as Nigerian and Uzbek. Residents and visitors alike believe that LA is much improved by the new Asian influences, which are reflected not only in the wide choice of cuisine on offer, but also in the city’s ethnic diversity. Variety is not only available in content, but also in price. LA can boast some of the most expensive restaurants in the world, including Valentino in Santa Monica, Rex II Ristorante in downtown LA and Matsuhisa and Spago in West Hollywood. However, even on a more modest budget, many choices are on offer, such as at La Serenata de Garibaldi in Boyle Heights. It is even possible for a couple to eat out for less than US$20. Rosalind’s Ethiopian Restaurant, La Parilla and the Bombay Café are reputed to be amongst the best. Santa Monica also has some top-class places to dine out, and with nearly 400 restaurants, cafes and pubs, the city boasts one restaurant for every 217 residents. THEATRES & CONCERTS: Broadway hits can be seen at theatres in the US$34.5 million Music Center complex, 135 N. Grand Avenue. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is home to the film industry’s annual Academy Awards and to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Civic Light Opera. The world-famous Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Avenue, stages summer concerts. The Universal Amphitheater in the grounds of Universal Studios presents major pop and rock concerts. Other top venues include the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theater, the Schubert Theater and the outdoor Greek Theater in Griffith Park. NIGHTLIFE: It is no surprise that LA is known for its nightlife, with appearances by top-rate acts and a chance to rub shoulders with the stars. The most exciting and varied nightlife can be found in West Hollywood, where the clubs feature rock, jazz, comedy, pop and R&B. Since the 1920s, the Sunset Strip has been a centre for nightlife, home to some of the world’s most illustrious clubs such as The Roxy, Whisky A Go-Go, The Viper Room and The Comedy Store. Gay and lesbian nightlife thrives in Santa Monica Boulevard with clubs such as Axis, Revolver, Rage and Mickys. The San Fernando Valley is also lively after dark, and many hotels present star entertainment. SHOPPING: Smart shops, boutiques and department stores are found in downtown Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. In West Hollywood, Sunset Plaza is lined with speciality shops, while Melrose showcases the hottest new designer trends. Good value gifts, jewellery and handicrafts are sold in Little Tokyo and Olvera Street. Serious shoppers can explore the Fashion District and the Jewellery District downtown, where quality merchandise is sold at discount prices. SPORT: Horse racing is held at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia (October and December to April); and thoroughbred racing (mid-April to late July) and night harness racing (August to early December) at Hollywood Park, Inglewood. The area also has professional baseball (August to December), professional basketball and ice hockey. SPECIAL EVENTS: Jan 2003 Golden Globe Awards. Feb Chinese New Year Parade and Carnival; Black History Month. Mar Annual Santa Barbara Film Festival; Annual Academy Awards (invitation only). Apr San Fernando Valley Street Fiesta. May 4-6 Cinco de Mayo Celebration (Mexican Festival). Jun Juneteenth Festival (commemorating the end of slavery). Jul 4 Independence Day Celebrations; 31st Annual Malibu Art Festival. Sep Los Angeles County Fair; Annual Route 66 Rendezvous. Oct Redondo Lobster Festival. Nov Hollywood Christmas Parade. Dec 48th Annual Whittier Christmas Parade. TRAVEL: Getting around in the ‘land of the car’ may be easier than most visitors think. Transport in Southern California is made simple from any of the four major airports: Los Angeles International Airport, John Wayne/Orange County Airport, Ontario Airport and Long Beach Airport. For more detailed information, see Travel in the main California section, or visit the website of Los Angeles World Airports (website: www.lawa.org). CLIMATE: Los Angeles’ climate is generally sunny and warm with gentle ocean breezes in the summer. The humidity is low and there is very little rain. Orange County Orange County used to be a quiet farming community. But ever since Walt Disney decided to build his first amusement park in Anaheim in 1955, millions of visitors have been descending on the region. The area is now famous for its luxury beach resorts and some of the best family entertainment in the world. Orange County encompasses an area of 2067 sq km (798 sq miles), with 68km (42 miles) of coastline and beaches. There are 31 incorporated cities within its boundaries, including Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point and Costa Mesa. Anaheim and Buena Park host a high concentration of family-oriented attractions. The region offers a variety of accommodation, from family hotels for the budget-conscious to full-service luxury hotels. The region also offers a feast of international and continental cuisine, from five-star restaurants to quaint boardwalk cafes. ANAHEIM CITY: Anaheim City is 45km (28 miles) south of central Los Angeles and 50km (31 miles) southeast of the Los Angeles International Airport, 145km (90 miles) north of San Diego and 645km (400 miles) south of San Francisco. Nearly half of the 18,600 hotel rooms in Anaheim surround the Anaheim Convention Center and are within walking distance of Disneyland. Easily the most renowned attraction in Orange County, Disneyland continues to be hugely popular. The Magic Kingdom launched into the 21st century in 1998 when it reopened Tomorrowland. This future world brings a new generation 3-D experience, with a high-speed journey throughout the land upon rocket cars of the future, an interactive pavilion of technology and a new landmark orbiter attraction. Star Tours and Space Mountain remain, but both attractions have been redesigned. Other attractions include Honey, I Shrunk the Audience and Innoventions; and the thrill rides – Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and the Matterhorn. Disneyland is open every day of the year. Also in Anaheim is Tinseltown Studios, which allows visitors to attend a two-hour awards show and dinner. As part of the experience, some guests will be presented with a Tinseltown statuette for their on-screen performance in a well-known film. BUENA PARK: Southeast of LA and a stone’s throw from Disneyland is Buena Park. Boasting a variety of dining and shopping opportunities, this one-mile stretch of land is aptly known as the ‘Entertainment Corridor’. One of the nation’s oldest and most popular theme parks, Knott’s Berry Farm was founded by Walter and Cordelia Knott and is now in its 79th year. Originally established as a diversion for visitors to the Knotts’ rhubarb farm and kitchen cafe, it now has six themed areas, including Ghost Town, complete with cowboys and gunfights, and Camp Snoopy, the six-acre home of Snoopy and the Peanuts gang. The park is always offering something new and the latest is Supreme Scream on the Boardwalk. One of the world’s tallest thrill rides, the 254-foot vertical ascent is followed by three seconds of weightlessness and a downward plunge at 80kph (50mph). The nearby Movieland Wax Museum is home to more than 300 movie and TV stars, all in realistic sets with props and costumes from the shows that made them famous. Guests can walk through replica movie sets with their favourite stars, including John Wayne, Robin Williams, Marilyn Monroe and Julia Roberts. Also nearby is Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum which features treasures collected by the journalist, such as a flea circus with fleas in costume, shrunken heads, mummies and more. Also in Buena Park is Adventure City, a two-acre children’s theme park offering 11 rides and attractions, live entertainment and programmes designed to educate children about topics ranging from transport to crime prevention. COSTA MESA: Known as the ‘City of the Arts’, Costa Mesa is the cultural hub of Orange County. It features the striking Orange County Performing Arts Center, which hosts a wide variety of cultural arts, including theatre, ballet, opera and classical music, while the South Coast Repertory stages cutting-edge productions and Tony-Award-winning plays. The Orange County Museum of Art’s South Coast Plaza Gallery has exhibits by artists working in different media. Nearby is the California Scenario, an outdoor sculpture garden designed by Isamu Noguchi. The city’s fairgrounds host the annual Orange County Fair in July. THE BEACHES: Orange County’s 68km (42 miles) of beaches offer pristine stretches of sand and tidal pools, along with some of the finest sunbathing, surfing and sailing anywhere in the USA. Huntington Beach is known as ‘Surf City’ and offers surfing aficionados unsurpassed opportunities. The world’s largest surfing contest, the Bluetorch Pro of Surfing Championships, hits the beach each summer. The Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum chronicles the history of the sport through antique surfboards, photographs and memorabilia of both pioneering and modern-day surfing legends. Newport Beach used to be an idyllic weekend hideaway for the rich and famous. Today, it is a coastal community of diverse character and unique lifestyles, where a vibrant business culture combines with the intimate atmosphere of charming and distinct enclaves. Newport Beach is surrounded by one of the largest small-boat harbours in the world and bordered by more than 10km (6 miles) of scenic Pacific Ocean coastline, making it a popular vacation spot. The nearby Balboa Pier, a 276m-long (919ft) structure, provides a perfect place for fishing and sightseeing. The Orange County Museum of Art has an extensive collection of Californian art. Laguna Beach, the ‘Riviera of the West Coast’, is considered by many to be the jewel of Southern Californian beach cities. Part of Laguna’s charm is its seaside village atmosphere; the strand flows seamlessly into the town, which is filled with bistros, shops and art galleries. Heisler Park, on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, is a great place for a picnic or barbecue and has stairs leading directly down to the beach. Laguna Beach is also home to more than 70 art galleries, including the famous Laguna Art Museum. Dana Point is known for the Dana Point Marina and its range of water activities. Whale watching is available from late December through March, when boat excursions take visitors to view hundreds of Californian Gray Whales on their annual migration along the coast. Boats depart from Balboa Pavilion as well as Dana Point. ELSEWHERE: The Mission San Juan Capistrano in San Juan Capistrano, built in 1776 and recently restored, is the oldest historical attraction in Southern California. It was made famous by the annual return of the swallows on St Joseph’s Day (19 March). The Los Rios District features some of California’s oldest adobe buildings, some still inhabited. Yorba Linda is home to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, at the farmhouse where America’s 37th President was born and raised. The graves of the President and Mrs Nixon are set among White-House-styled gardens. An Orange County landmark, the Crystal Cathedral is a spectacular US$16 million glass cathedral designed by architect Philip Johnson. The only one of its kind in the world, it is open daily to visitors and free guided tours are available. The Glory of Christmas and The Glory of Easter theatrical productions, using special effects, live animals and casts of over 200, are presented annually. Little Saigon is the largest Vietnamese business district in the USA. The area features a wide variety of French, Vietnamese and Asian shops and restaurants as well as an Asian Garden. Raging Waters, in San Dimas, is the largest water theme park west of the Mississippi and features a variety of slides, rides, chutes and lagoons for adults and children and a 12m (40ft) volcano. Wild Rivers Waterpark offers over 40 rides and attractions, two huge wave-action pools and special features for both kids and adults. The park’s attractions include The Edge, The Ledge, The Abyss and Tugboat Bay. Sea World’s killer whale show, Shamu World Focus, features underwater views of the park’s majestic killer whales. Cruises are available to beautiful Catalina Island, 40km (26 miles) off the Californian coast. Sightseeing tours include a glass-bottomed boat trip, scenic Terrace Drive and a coastal boat cruise. Several companies operate speedy luxury passenger vessels to the island. The Catalina Flyer, a 500-passenger catamaran, whisks passengers to Catalina Island in less than 75 minutes. Daily trips are offered from March to November, with limited weekend runs during the winter months. Other vessels, operated by Catalina Channel Express sail all year round from San Pedro and Long Beach. Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa, only 30 minutes from Anaheim, offers mineral pools, wading pools and saunas, and visitors can treat themselves to a massage, facial or even a eucalyptus wrap. This picturesque day resort has been a popular spot for over 100 years and is famous for its natural hot springs and red clay mud bath. THEATRES & CONCERTS: Orange County is home to many theatres, including the 3000-seat Orange County Performing Arts Center, South Coast Repertory Theater, Fullerton Civic Light Opera Company, Goodtime Theater and Irvine Meadows Amphitheater. Dinner theatres in the area include Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, Wild Bill’s Wild West Dinner Extravaganza, Comedy Mystery Dinner Theater and Wizardz. Nightclubs range from quiet piano bars to folk and pop. SHOPPING: Located 15 minutes south of Anaheim is South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. Its national and international shops offer the greatest variety of world-class shopping and dining in Southern California. Restaurants here offer gourmet food as well as informal Californian dishes. South Coast Plaza is also notable for its range of confectioners. Adjacent to South Coast Plaza is Crystal Court, which features some 40 speciality shops. Orange County’s largest indoor swapmeet, Anaheim Indoor Marketplace, has more than 12,356 sq metres (133,000 sq ft) with over 200 variety shops. Many brand-name items can be found here at 50-70 per cent below retail price. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean is Fashion Island Shopping Center. Orange County’s only open-air regional shopping centre, it features 200 shops and services, more than 40 places to eat and a variety of entertainment options. MainPlace offers 190 shops and the MainPlace/MarketPlace, which showcases international food shops and restaurants, gourmet coffees, and desserts. In addition to a variety of shops, Triangle Square offers the sounds of world-renowned and locally acclaimed entertainers and a number of award-winning restaurants. The Mall of Orange features major department stores and over 100 fine speciality shops and restaurants. Another shopping expedition is a visit to Ontario Mills where visitors will find a 1.7 million sq ft megamall. The Lab, Anti-Mall has a variety of unique and alternative shops for those seeking a different shopping experience. SPORT: The Edison International Field of Anaheim is the home of Major League Baseball’s Anaheim Angels, whilst the National Hockey League’s Mighty Ducks of Anaheim face off at the 17,250-seat Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. SPECIAL EVENTS: Mar 2003 Return of the Swallows Celebration, San Juan Capistrano; Newport Beach International Film Festival, Newport Beach. Jul Orange County Fair, Costa Mesa. Jul 4 Independence Day Celebrations, Huntington Beach. Sep-Oct Oktoberfest, Huntington Beach. Oct Harvest Festival, Irvine; Laguna Beach Film Festival, Laguna Beach. Dec Cruise of Lights, Huntington Beach. TRAVEL: Amtrak has five train stations located throughout Orange County in the cities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, Fullerton, San Juan Capistrano and Irvine. A Greyhound bus station is located in Anaheim at 100 West Winston Street. Greyhound offers regular departures to anywhere in the USA. Scheduled daily shuttles provide transport from the major airports to properties in Orange County. There are several companies that service the area including Airport Bus and SuperShuttle. Airport Bus offers a complete scheduled coach service to Anaheim from Los Angeles International and John Wayne/Orange County airports at economical fares with no reservations required. SuperShuttle is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day and services all hotels. Vans are available at Los Angeles airport on demand, but reservations are required at John Wayne. Several major sightseeing companies offer a variety of tours and excursions; contact the tourist board for further details (see Contact Addresses section). Car hire is an option that allows visitors to explore Orange County at their own pace and according to their own tastes. Several companies are available in the area. Yellow Cab and other taxi companies provide transport to all Southern California areas, including the airports. CLIMATE: The average temperature is 21ºC (70°F). Summers are moderate to hot with cool evenings. Winters are mild with a little rain. Rainfall averages 13 inches annually. Inland Empire Larger than Rhode Island, Connecticut and Delaware combined, the Inland Empire ranges from the farmlands and orchards of the Santa Ana River Valley to the mountains and ski resorts of the north. The region’s varied landscape makes it popular with film makers, giving rise to its nickname, ‘Hollywood’s largest back lot’. Only an hour east of Los Angeles, the Inland Empire flourished after World War II and is now the fastest growing metropolitan area in the USA. Highlights of the region include California’s oldest vineyards in Rancho Cucamonga and the country’s newest vineyards in Temecula, as well as a variety of museums and the mountain resort of Big Bear Lake. SAN BERNARDINO: Known as the ‘friendly city’, San Bernardino combines big-city facilities with a small-town atmosphere. The California Theater of Performing Arts showcases classical music and light opera, while large-scale productions are held at the Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion. Seating 65,000, it is the country’s largest outdoor amphitheatre and attracts world-class entertainment. Held on weekends from May to June, the Renaissance Pleasure Faire recreates the festival atmosphere of Elizabethan times, with costume parades, contests and entertainment. The Route 66 Rendezvous, held annually in September, attracts 400,000 car buffs and classic vehicles which cruise through town. Excursions: South of San Bernardino at Redlands are the Marmalade Mansions, 300 restored Victorian homes built by residents who made their fortunes in the citrus industry, and the San Bernardino County Museum. The historic 1830 Asistencia Mision de San Gabriel, originally a mission outpost, was later used as a ranch. Northeast of Barstow is the Calico Ghost Town. Once one of the richest areas in California with more than 500 mines and 22 saloons, the town was deserted when the price of silver plummeted in 1907. RIVERSIDE: The famous Mission Inn in Riverside has long been a favourite with the rich and famous. Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart were guests, Richard and Pat Nixon were married here, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan began their honeymoon in the hotel’s Presidential Suite. This National Historic Landmark contains a museum with paintings, sculpture and furnishings from the Mission Inn collection and traces the development of Riverside since the 1870s. The Riverside Art Museum, designed by Julia Morgan, showcases works by Southern Californian artists. At the University of California, Riverside, visitors can stroll through the Botanic Gardens, 16 hectares (39 acres) of herb, rose and desert gardens, or the UCR/California Museum of Photography. The State Citrus Historic Park highlights how the citrus industry changed the history of Southern California. ONTARIO: Home to a new airport serviced by ten airlines and carrying 6.4 million passengers annually, Ontario is only 64km (40 miles) from Los Angeles. California’s largest entertainment and outlet mall, Ontario Mills, is found here. Other attractions include the indoor American Wilderness Zoo and Aquarium and Graber Olive House, an 1894 cannery and museum. BIG BEAR LAKE: This year-round recreation resort sits 7000 feet above sea level. Boating, fishing, hiking, mountain biking and jet-skiing in the summer, and skiing, snowboarding and other snow sports in the winter, make it a popular destination with outdoor enthusiasts. Attractions include the Alpine Slide at Big Bear’s Magic Mountain Recreation Area, a quarter-mile dry track, one of only three in the USA, and Moonridge Animal Park, which cares for injured, lost and endangered animals, including grizzly bears. For spectacular views, catch the scenic chair lift to the Snow Summit Mountain Resort. ELSEWHERE: Lake Arrowhead, west of Big Bear Lake, is also great for outdoor activities and water sports. Take a boat trip on the Arrowhead Queen to view the landscape and alpine-style homes that surround the lake, or visit the Ice Castle skating rink and Olympic training facility in Blue Jay. Northwest of Big Bear Lake at Victorville is the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum, a frontier fortress full of mementoes from the Western stars’ films and television shows, and the Route 66 Museum, displaying a collection of artefacts and photographs related to the famous highway. SPECIAL EVENTS: Apr 2003 Orange Blossom Festival, Riverside; Apple Blossom Festival, Oak Glen. Apr-May Temecula Valley Balloon and Wine Festival, Temecula; Ramona Pageant (An early Californian romance play performed on a mountainside), Hemet. May National Orange Show, San Bernardino. May-Jun Renaissance Pleasure Faire (weekends), San Bernardino. Jun Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival, Redlands. Jul 4 Fireworks and Barbecue, Big Bear Lake. Sep Route 66 Rendezvous, San Bernardino. Sep-Oct Oktoberfest, Big Bear Lake. Oct Calico Days (Old West celebration), Calico Ghost Town; Chilifest, Wrightwood; Farmers Fair, Perris; Grape Harvest Festival, Rancho Cucamonga. Nov Calico Heritage Festival, Calico Ghost Town. San Diego County At the southern extreme of southern California is San Diego County, home to 2.8 million people. Its beautiful beaches stretch for 113km (70 miles) along the coast. The city of San Diego boasts 10,878 sq km (4200 sq miles) of country, which encompasses the metropolitan sophistication of the city itself, the caves of La Jolla, the flowers and wineries of North County, the mountain peaks of East County, the Mexican flavours of South Bay and the Golden Triangle, noted for its upmarket shopping and dining. Other temptations include the dazzling array of restaurants in Coronado, the sense of heritage and history exemplified by the Mission Valley, the vast aquatic playground of Mission Bay Park and the duty-free border zone of Tijuana, Mexico. San Diego City America’s sixth-largest city is where California’s history began. The local climate approaches perfection, but there is more to the city than sun and sand. It is a place of character, rich in art and culture. Central San Diego is a vibrant collection of neighbourhoods, restaurants, shops and attractions stretching from the Bay to the Uptown district, including the residential areas of Hillcrest and Golden Hill. The original centre of commerce here was Old Town (the birthplace of California), but by the turn of the century, New Town, founded by the New Englander, Alonzo Horton, had taken its place. The Gaslamp Quarter is the city’s historic district, a 16-block area of shops, galleries, coffee houses, theatre spaces and dozens of restaurants. It can be explored by horse-drawn carriage, a Ford Model T or on foot with an audio walking tour from the Gaslamp Quarter Foundation. The San Diego Maritime Museum, anchored along Harbour Drive, is a good place to begin an exploration of the waterfront. Here, visitors can look at the Star of India (a century-old windjammer), the steam ferry Berkeley, and the luxury yacht Medea. The cruise ship terminal is a popular waterfront destination and excursion boats leaving from Pier B can take visitors on a tour of the bay. The city’s maritime past is further commemorated in Seaport Village, a 14-acre waterfront shopping and dining complex which puts the visitor in mind of the days when cargo ships would embark on the perilous journey from New England, rounding Cape Horn before reaching California. Balboa Park is another reminder of the founders’ civic vision. It covers 1200 acres and contains some fantastic architecture, including 14 museums, art galleries, the Reuben H Fleet Space Theater and Science Center, the Simon Edison Center for the Performing Arts, the San Diego Junior Theater, Starlight Bowl, sports facilities and the California Tower with its working 100-bell carillon. The Spreckels Organ Pavilion features concerts on Sunday afternoons (and Monday evenings in summer). The Park also houses the world-famous San Diego Zoo, which houses 800 different species. The entire zoo is designed as a 100-acre tropical garden which can be visited on foot or on a guided bus tour. CORONADO: This quaint village is set on a peninsula, connected to the mainland on the south by way of a narrow sandbar known as the Silver Strand. The fascinating Hotel del Coronado, known as ‘The Del’, boasts turrets, tall cupolas and hand-carved wooden pillars. The central area features dozens of boutiques, shops and restaurants and a large central park with a bandstand where concerts are performed each Sunday throughout the summer. Silver Strand State Beach is particularly popular with families and offers camping and RV (Recreational Vehicle) facilities. This place offers a great variety of fine restaurants and seafood is a celebrated attraction. POINT LOMA: From here, the onlooker is afforded a magnificent panoramic view of San Diego Bay, Shelter Island, Harbour Island, Coronado, the Embarcadero and central San Diego from the Cabrillo National Monument. It is also a great place to watch the annual migration of California grey whales. More than 15,000 make the journey from Alaska to Baja each year. MISSION VALLEY: If San Diego is the birthplace of California, then the Mission Basilica San Diego De Alcala is the birthplace of San Diego. It was founded in December 1769 by Father Junipero Serra and the Mission, the Presidio and the town that sprung up at the foot of it were the first outposts of the Spanish government in Alta California. Today, Mission Valley has major shopping centres, restaurants and sporting facilities. A very popular attraction is the Old Town, which served as the heart of San Diego until the 1800s. Many original 19th-century structures in the Old Town State Historic Park have been reconstructed or restored and reflect and illustrate the changes since Serra’s day. Heritage Park is a haven for the restoration and preservation of Victorian dwellings and serves as a transition area between the Mexican and early-American preserve. MISSION BAY PARK: This is the largest facility of its kind in the world – a monument to the outdoor lifestyle. Swimming, power-boating, fishing and sailing all occupy separate areas. At Sea World, orea whales, sea lions, otters and dolphins are featured. Belmont Park offers two vintage landmarks: The Plunge, the largest indoor swimming pool in Southern California and the Giant Dipper roller-coaster, which boasts 792m (2600ft) of stomach-churning track. NORTH COUNTY: The Escondido area is home to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, as well as a number of wineries offering tours and wine tasting. The gentle climate has earned the coastal areas of Encinitas and Leucadia the distinction of ‘Poinsetta Capital of the World’. In Encinitas are the Quail Botanical Gardens, containing one of the world’s most diverse and important plant collections. The seaside village of Carlsbad offers beaches, resorts, fine dining and sporting facilities. In the springtime, the surrounding hills are covered in a lush carpet of ranunculus and other multi-coloured flowers. Spring 1999 saw the opening of Legoland California, an amusement park based on the world-famous plastic bricks and featuring Miniland, with replicas of famous sights and real-life city scenes. Further up the coast, Oceanside features one of the longest municipal wooden piers on the West Coast. Oceanside is also the site of the Mission San Luis Rey, the largest of California’s 21 missions. Nearby is the Mount Palomar Observatory, which houses the 200-inch Hale Telescope, one of the country’s largest. SOUTH BAY: This area encompasses National City, an important commercial area, Chula Vista, San Ysidro and Imperial Beach. In addition to its marinas, parks and restaurants, Chula Vista is home to the Arco Olympic Training Center and the Nature Interpretative Center at the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, one of the few remaining Pacific salt marsh habitats. SPECIAL EVENTS: Jan-May 2003 San Diego Opera 2003 Season. Feb San Diego International Car Show. Mar Ocean Beach Kite Festival, Ocean Beach; San Diego Latino Festival 2003. May 5 Fiesta Cinco De Mayo, Old Town State Park; Imperial Beach Chili And Jazz Festival, Imperial Beach. Jun Del Mar Fair; La Jolla Festival of the Arts and Food Fair. Oct Oktoberfest, El Cajon. Nov-Dec San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival; WhaleFest, San Diego. TRAVEL: San Diego is about two and a half hours from cental Los Angeles via Interstate 5. Interstate 8 serves drivers from Yuma, Arizona and destinations further eastward. San Diego International Airport (SAN) (website: www.portofsandiego.org/sandiego_airport/index.html) is is currently served by: Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, America West and British Airways among others. Amtrak provides a train service to and from Los Angeles. Greyhound provides bus services. San Diego Transit Corporation operates buses which serve the metro area and the San Diego Trolley provides services in the city centre and out as far as the Mexican border, as well as to East County. CLIMATE: The mild climate makes the county an ideal and perennial destination. The average daytime temperature is 21ºC (70ºF) and winter temperatures seldom fall below 4ºC (40ºF). Humidity is generally low. The Deserts Expansive landscapes, brilliant skies, traces of pioneer history and glittering resort cities make the California desert region a year-round retreat. Natural phenomena ab