California

by Philip Greenspun; created 1990-1998 (mostly)

California is an unmanageable unimaginable monster of a state, 850 miles from top to bottom and 200 miles wide. It is the nation's most populous state, packed with about 30 million people who really don't have all that much in common, yet there are vast wilderness areas that would nearly swallow up puny eastern states. Mt. Whitney, the highest point (14,494') in the Lower 48, is in the Sierra Mountains; Death Valley, the lowest point (-282') is just 60 miles (?) away.

If I had to choose just one U.S. state in which to be a tourist, it would be California. It has shining complicated cities, a dramatic coast, majestic forests, limitless moutains, challenging deserts, photogenic wildlife, and diverse ethnic cultures.

Regions of California

• Northern Coast, a few hundred miles between San Francisco and Oregon that most people forget is there
• Northeast Corner, bigger than many states, contains Lassen Volcanic National Park and Mt. Shasta
• San Francisco, the best city in the U.S.
• Santa Cruz, where I finally understood California
• Central Coast, where cliffs (and motorhomes) meet the sea
• Los Angeles, "a thin veneer of civilization over a desert"
• San Diego, etc. Two zoos plus Sea World.
• Deserts, Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs
• The Central Valley, please God tell me something nice to say about this hot dry wasteland, which includes Sacramento, the state capital
• The Sierra Nevada, the highest mountain range in the Lower 48

Practical Advice

• Guidebooks, the best resources on dead trees
• Touring Hints, where to fly into, how long to stay
• Moving to California, why or why not
• California family law (with unlimited child support, one night of partying can yield more cash than a lifetime of work...)