Californië bezienswaardigheden

17-Mile Drive is often said to be one of the most scenic drives in the world and is an essential experience on any visit to California. Driving along the road offers some of the best views of Monterey Bay and many scenic lookouts with designated stopping points.

The drive runs along a winding road, through upscale neighborhoods from Pacific Grove to Pebble Beach and goes past forested areas, along the oceanfront and past several golf courses. Some of the best places to stop are at Cypress Point Lookout, where you can see harbor seals basking on sand and rocks; Spanish Bay where you can follow a paved coastal trail to Asilomar State Beach, and the iconic Lone Cypress, which has stood on its wave-lashed, wind-beaten rocky perch for more than 250 years.

Yes, it's a big rock, but what makes El Capitan a must-witness sight in Yosemite is the fact that it's the largest exposed-granite monolith in the world. Oh, and people climb it. Rising 3,593 feet (1095 meters)—more than 350 stories—above the Valley, El Capitan was once considered impossible to climb. However, since Warren Harding first conquered the "nose" in 1958, El Capitan has become the standard for big-wall climbing.

Take binoculars to spot the little bits of color that pinpoint adventurous climbers tackling the smooth and nearly vertical cliff.

There is a reason that Monterey Bay is considered the top aquarium in the country and draws around two million visitors a year. The nearly 200 exhibits and galleries feature 623 different species of plants and creatures: from adorable sea otters to otherworldly jellyfish, swirling sardines and crafty sharks that glide through the water. Visitors can get up-close with bat rays at the petting pool, and watch divers hand-feed sharks and fish at the kelp forest and blackfooted penguins in the Splash Zone.

What makes Monterey Bay Aquarium so special is its commitment to environmental conservation and education. The aquarium continuously pumps Monterey Bay ocean water through the tanks. During the day the water is filtered for clarity and at night the unfiltered water brings in food in the form of plankton. Waste ocean water from the aquarium is returned to the bay – making the aquarium essentially a part of the ocean.

An overlook with an incomparable view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite's high country (stay for stargazing if you have the time), Glacier Point is accessible by car during the summer and by cross-country ski during the winter. Perhaps it's getting to Glacier Point that is half the fun!

During the winter, skiers are rewarded only after a 10.5 cross-country tour; during the summer, hikers can choose from the misleadingly named Four Mile Trail (it's actually closer to five miles long), the nearly nine mile Panorama Trail or, for the truly ambitious, a combination of the two trails, to reach the promontory.

However, if you lack the time, desire or stamina to climb the nearly 3,200 feet (975 meters) above the valley floor, consider the four-hour Glacier Point Tour, which departs daily from Yosemite Lodge.

Met musea van wereldklasse, prachtige parken en de beroemde San Diego Zoo, is Balboa Park een van de grootste bezienswaardigheden in het centrum van San Diego. Met een oppervlakte van 485 hectare is dit het grootste stadspark van Amerika. Naast de vele attracties heeft Balboa Park ook lange wandelpaden, bijzondere landschappen, Spaanse gebouwen uit de Gouden Eeuw en het grootste orgel ter wereld.

Balboa Park bestaat uit drie delen. Het centrale deel van het park bevat de meeste attracties. De hoofdbezienswaardigheid hier is de San Diego Zoo, waar meer dan 3.000 dieren leven, vaak in woongebieden die lijken op hun echte leefgebied. In het Museum of Man, onderdeel van de California Quadrangle met de opvallende boog, zijn objecten van oorspronkelijk Amerika te zien. Verderop in het San Diego Museum, hangen werken van Europese meesters van renaissance tot modernistisch.

Few waterways carry the prestige and iconographic status of the beautiful San Francisco Bay. From the first years of its European discovery the Golden Gate became known as a pivotal access point to the American West.

Trade and military strategy aside, The Bay is California’s most important ecological treasure. A natural nursery for crab, halibut, waterfowl, seals and sea lions, as well as endangered species, the San Francisco Bay provides a great ecological treasure to residents and visitors alike. Whale watching, ferrying out to Alcatraz and Marin, or simple sunset tours with the glistening Golden Gate Bridge are favorite pastimes, while residents simply feel assured looking out of their windows and knowing that its calm waters are there.

Het Gaslamp Quarter is aan het einde van de 19de eeuw gebouwd. Het is nu een historische wijk van 16½ blok, met straatjes met bomen en betegelde stoepen, waaraan nog smeedijzeren straatlantaarns staan. Naast de vele historische gebouwen heeft Gaslamp ook de hoogste concentratie van bars, nachtclubs en restaurants. Veel bars zijn tevens restaurants, waardoor de wijk de belangrijkste plek voor uitgaan in San Diego is.

Het Gaslamp Quarter is ook gastheer van vele evenementen en festivals, waaronder Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp, het Street Scene Music Festival, de San Diego Comic-Con, Taste of Gaslamp en ShamROCK, een evenement op St. Patrick's Day. PETCO Park, de thuisbasis van de San Diego Padres, ligt een blok verderop in het centrum van San Diego's East Village. Croce's Restaurant & Jazz Bar, genoemd naar de bekende zanger Jim Croce, ligt ook in de wijk. Wilt u even uit de drukke straten van het Gaslamp Quarter weg, ga dan naar Third Avenue. Dit is het historische hart van de Chinese gemeenschap in San Diego.

Some of the best hiking near Palm Springs—and in the deserts of California—can be found at Indian Canyons, which is located at the western edge of Palm Springs. The land is owned and protected by the Agua Caliente Cahuilla Indians, who settled in the Palm Springs area centuries ago. Today, these people diligently care for the trails and invite visitors from near and far to experience the stunning desert scenery.

There are three primary hikes in the Indian Canyons: Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon and Murray Canyon. All three are thought to be easy to moderate trips, but more advanced hikers can combine different hikes and take small paths with greater elevation gains up the mountains. Some of the features of the hikes include waterfalls, panoramic views and of course, the sprawling desert landscapes. All of the trails are clearly marked.

Perhaps one of the most famous hikes in Yosemite National Park, Half Dome was, like El Capitan, once considered impossible to climb. Now, thousands of park visitors reach the summit, but it still remains a challenge that requires knowledge and preparation. Half Dome rises 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) above the valley floor and 8,800 feet (2,682 meters) above sea level.

The hike, which takes between 10 and 12 hours round-trip, is strenuous, but the vistas are more than worth it. Hikers are treated to views of Vernal and Nevada Falls, Liberty Cap and panoramic expanses of Yosemite Valley and the High Sierra. In order to get those views, though, you’ll have to ascend the cables. These two metal cables will allow you to climb the last 400 feet to the summit without rock climbing equipment; if the views don’t take your breath away, the cable ascent just might.

One of the first waterfalls that you'll see as you enter Yosemite, Bridalveil Fall is 620 feet (188 meters) in height and flows year-round, with peak water flow occurring in May. On windy days, it looks almost like the waterfall is falling sideways.

Bridalveil Fall became one of the most photographed waterfalls in the park after Ansel Adams published his Gates of the Valley photograph, featuring Bridalveil Fall welcoming visitors to the magnificence of nature that can be found in the park. Take the short (about 20 minutes round trip), but steep, hike up to the base to see the falls close-up, but be sure to dress appropriately: you’ll encounter spray in the spring and possibly icy conditions in the winter.

One of the must-see sights on a visit to Lake Tahoe is Emerald Bay State Park. Carved out by glaciers millions of years ago, the lake displays a stunning array of colors, especially just before the sun slips below the mountains, when the bay’s colors really peak. In the center of the bay sits Fannette Island, which gives the bay a jewel-like shape, best seen from Emerald Bay lookout – a view not to be missed. Emerald Bay is also one of the first underwater parks, protecting the various boats, barges, and other items on the bay's bottom.

Emerald Bay State Park is also home to Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion that is one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States. The roof of the mansion is made of sod and sprouts wildflowers in the spring. The mansion is just a short hike downhill from the lookout. Another highlight of the park is Eagle Falls, which is a short hike from the Eagle Falls picnic area.

The centerpiece of South Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Mountain Resorts, the Gondola at Heavenly provides riders with an impressive view of the cobalt-blue waters of Lake Tahoe. No matter if you’re a skier or not, you won’t fail to be awed by the vistas afforded on your way up and down.

The Gondola at Heavenly travels from the middle of the Heavenly Village 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) up the mountain in 15 minutes. When you reach the summit, you can take one of the three hikes that circle the mountaintop. After your hike and a reinvigorating lunch at Adventure Peak Grill, you can ride back down to the Village and spend some time in the pedestrian mall. Here, you can browse souvenir shops and boutiques; if you’re with kids, take them to the arcade or for a skate at the Heavenly Village Outdoor Ice Rink.

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States with a depth of 1,645 ft (501 m). It calls two states home. Two thirds of the lake is in California, the remaining third in Nevada.

Much of the world discovered Lake Tahoe and the neighborhoods that surround it when it hosted the 1960 winter Olympics. (That’s the same year hockey fans and non-hockey fans alike watched the United States Olympic hockey team defeat the Russians to win the Gold medal.) Snow and any activities you can do on it or with it is popular in Lake Tahoe. At the lake level, annual snowfall averages 125 inches, but at alpine skiing elevations, the snowfall averages 600 inches. Winter turns the area into a much loved snow covered playground with numerous ski resorts that cater to visitors’ every need. Spring, summer and fall is when the lake itself, really gets to shine.

Redwoods langs de kust, met de bekende mammoetbomen, zijn de grootste natuurgebieden ter wereld en een wandeling langs deze giganten is een ware belevenis, die alleen kan worden ervaren in het noorden van Californië en een klein deel van zuidelijk Oregon. De mooiste plekken zijn de Muir Woods oerbossen, die slechts op 19 kilometer ten noorden van San Fransisco en de Golden Gate Bridge gelegen zijn. Zelfs op drukke momenten brengt een kleine wandeling je weg van de menigte en midden tussen de mammoetbomen.

De Main Trail Loop is een makkelijke route van 1,5 kilometer, die loopt langs de Redwood Creek richting 1.000 jaar oude bomen bij Cathedral Grove. Vervolgens gaat het richting Bohemian Grove, waar de hoogste boom van het park te vinden is (77 meter). Meer ervaren wandelaars nemen de 3,2 kilometer lange tocht naar de top van de Cardiac Hill, een route die door dichtbebost gebied uitkomt op een heuvel met vrij uitzicht op Mount Tamalpais, de Stille Oceaan en San Francisco.