California is the sunny west coast state of the United States. There is an aura of creativity, rich carefree life and eternal summer around it. You don’t need to tell much about California, because it has been shown millions of times in movies, described in books and mentioned in songs. At least once in your life you need to visit it to understand why so many people are ready to leave their usual life for a phantom chance to become rich and famous.

California is located in the western United States and is the third largest state after Alaska and Texas. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east and northeast, Arizona to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Mexico to the south.

The landscape of the state is quite varied. In the center is the California Valley, surrounded by mountain ranges. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers are the largest waterways in the region, providing drinking water for the population. The largest lake in California is Lake Tahoe. The state’s highest point is Mount Whitney (4,421 meters) in the Sierra Nevada system. California is also home to glaciers, and 45% of the territory is covered with forests with rare and oldest trees in the world. There is even a desert – the Mojave Desert and the hottest place in the world – Death Valley.

California cities

Los Angeles. The largest city in California, the center of the world media business. People come here to bask in the rays of Hollywood glory, get a bronze ocean tan and become a star of a famous label. In Los Angeles it is worth visiting the Griffith Observatory, where such movies as “Rebel Without a Cause” and “La La Land” were filmed. Also, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy the sunset on the observation deck “Cathy’s Corner” in the park at the observatory. A separate day should be allocated to visit the theme park “Universal Studios Hollywood”, where you can immerse yourself in the world of “Harry Potter”, “Jurassic Park”, “The Simpsons”, etc.

San Francisco. The city of hills and streetcars, the birthplace of hippies. The first picture that comes to mind when talking about San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge in the sunlight. All lovers of delicious food and Navy SEALs are drawn to the most famous pier in the world, Pier 39. From this neighborhood you can get by ferry to the impregnable Alcatraz prison. San Francisco is a must-see for vintage cable cars, an amazing mix of cable car and streetcar that runs on three lines.

Sacramento. The capital of California, where the governor of the state sits. The spirit of gold prospectors and colonizers still lingers here. In the Railway Museum of the state you can look at ancient exhibits and learn the history of the appearance of rail transport in America. This is the gastronomic center of the United States, where everyone cooks with organic local products, brews original drinks and shops at farmers’ markets.

San Diego. A major resort town and military base 20 minutes from the Mexican border. Here you can spend a week visiting only museums – art, aviation and space, automobile and even the Museum of Man. Also worthy of attention is the city’s Balboa Park, which is larger than Central Park in New York City. But the most important attraction of San Diego is the zoo. It is here, in their opinion, that the heroes of the cartoon “Madagascar” got here.

San Jose. The center of Silicon Valley and the third largest city in the state. Here are the main offices of such companies as Google Inc, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Ebay, IBM and others. The Museum of Science and Technology traces the progress of mankind and the impact of the latest developments. The mysterious Rosenkreutzer Egyptian Museum was created by members of the mystical order. Here a copy of a real tomb is built, where you can go down, mummies, elements of everyday life and models of ancient Egyptian dwellings are presented.