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Welcome to California
California has many of the most popular destinations for travelers in the United States. The links on this page should be explored to discover these and many of the lesser-known places that are well worth adding to many itineraries.
TravelData21 has compiled a list of California's airports that you will find to be useful for travel planning if you are flying to or from this state. The airports page also has information about time zones and links for road conditions and weather in California.
TravelData21 has compiled a series of highway logs and lists of airports in California and other states to make your travel planning more efficient and your journey more rewarding.
The California Division of Tourism's web site is an excellent initial source for travel and tourism information in the state.
The California State Parks Department has made several parks and beaches available for public enjoyment and discovery throughout the state.
The California Historical Society and the California State Library web sites are excellent sources for visitors with an interest in the history of this state. The Society's offices are located in San Francisco.
The California Missions that form a chain from San Diego to Sonoma are a significant part of California's history and are among the more popular non-commercial attractions in the state.
The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles focuses on the dynamics of racism and prejudice in the United States and the Holocaust. The Magnes Museum is a cultural partnership uniting the Judah L. Magnes Museum in Berkeley with the Jewish Museum of San Francisco.
The National Park Service has properties in California that are among the state's most popular attractions. You can use the web site's search option with the state's name as your criterion to discover many of the interesting places of interest the state has to offer. Or add another word to be more specific. For example, "California missions" or "California lighthouses." Some of the better-known parks are along the coastal regions while others are located inland. Links are provided to web pages for these parks and historic sites at appropriate points on the highway logs. The Redwood National and State Parks along the northern coast are noted for their magnificent stands of old redwood trees.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a large number of locations throughout the United States that will appeal to travelers with an interest in nature, wildlife, archeology and history.
The National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management maintain forests and public lands in California that offer many recreational opportunities.
The New Perspectives Series on the West on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) web site offers an excellent introduction to the people, places and events that have been prominent parts of the history of the western United States.
There are four National Marine Sanctuaries in California: The Channel Islands in Southern California and Monterey Bay, Cordell Bank and the Gulf of the Farallones in Northern California.
The Cooper-Molera Adobe in Monterey and the Filoli Center near Woodside, south of San Francisco, are among many historic homes that are being preserved in the state.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is located in Simi Valley, west of Los Angeles, and is an excellent place for acquiring some knowledge of his life, career and presidency.
The Public Lands Information Center has a web site that is another excellent source of information for visitors to California.
Recommended Reading: There is a wealth of reading material available to make a visit to California more enjoyable and rewarding. The following books are suggested:
Roadside History of Central and Northern California: This is another in a series published for travelers with an interest in the history of places they visit.
Roadside Geology of Northern California: This book is one of another interesting series written for travelers who are interested in learning more about the scenes they view and the land they traverse.
Guide Books: Baedeker - California | San Francisco; Eyewitness Travel Guide to California | San Francisco and Northern California; Let's Go - California | Los Angeles Map Guide | San Francisco | San Francisco Map Guide; Lonely Planet - California and Nevada | San Francisco; Moon Handbooks - California | Coastal California | Los Angeles | Northern California | San Francisco | Southern California | Silicon Valley | Tahoe; Rough Guides - California | Los Angeles | San Francisco