California

California, the Golden State, is for many around the world a shining beacon of US prosperity and natural beauty. California is the nation's most populous state and home to five national parks: Yosemite, Redwoods, Sequoia, Lassen, and Kings Canyon as well as hundreds of state parks, national forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, and local parks. California's coastal and mountain scenery is legendary.

California's major cities include Los Angeles and San Diego in the South and San Francisco and Sacramento closer to the center of the State. Contrary to what most people think most of California is sparsely populated, with most of the people living in the major urban areas and larger cities like Redding, Bakersfield, Fresno, and several others of moderate size.

Where Southern Californial is known for sandy beaches and splendid sunny weather, the Northern coast of the state is usually cool even in summer, with heavy rainfall and some fog and mist. These conditions make for an ideal Coastal Redwoods environment and a chain of parks lines the coast all the way to the Oregon border.

Interstate 5 is the state's major highway, taking a fairly straight path from Oregon down to Mexico via the middle of the state. Coastal Highway 101 is much more scenic but also slower, and travelers are often surprised how long it can take to drive the entire California Coast. Note that Highway 101 does not "hug" the coastline, rather it offers some scenery but mostly acts as a connector road between coastal cities.

Whether you are going to Hollywood, Hiking a National Park, or retiring in style, you'll find that California welcomes you.