- Redwood National and State Parks: Acres of inconceivably massive redwood trees, up to 350 feet tall, tower over thick, lush, oversized ferns, mosses, and wild orchids in the old-growth forests along the Northern California coast. Walking through these groves is an unforgettably humbling, serene experience.
- Point Reyes National Seashore: This extraordinarily scenic stretch of coast and wetlands is one of the state's best bird-watching spots for waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds, osprey, and red-shouldered hawks. You might even catch a glimpse of a whale from the Point Reyes Lighthouse.
- Lake Tahoe: One of the world's most magnificent bodies of fresh water, sparkling Lake Tahoe contains close to 40 trillion gallons -- enough to cover the entire state of California to a depth of 15 inches.
- Mount Shasta: The mighty volcano Mount Shasta, a solitary tower of rock and snow, rises thousands of feet above the valley floor. If you're fit, it makes for an exhilarating climb as well.
- Yosemite National Park: You're in for the ultimate treat at Yosemite. Nothing in the state -- maybe even the world -- compares to this vast wilderness and its miles of rivers, lakes, peaks, and valleys. With 3 of the 10 tallest waterfalls on earth, the largest granite monolith anywhere, and some of the world's largest trees, Yosemite is one of the most superlative natural places on the planet.
- Big Sur: Sloping redwood forests and towering cliffs pounded by the Pacific create one of the world's most dramatic coastal panoramas.
- Channel Islands National Park: This is California in its most virginal state. Paddle a kayak into sea caves; camp among indigenous island fox and seabirds; and swim, snorkel, or scuba dive tide pools and kelp forests teeming with wildlife. The channel waters are prime for whale-watching, and winter brings elephant-seal mating season, when you'll see them and their sea-lion cousins sunbathing on cove beaches.
- Joshua Tree National Park: You'll find awesome rock formations; groves of flowering cacti and gnarly, eerily beautiful Joshua trees; ancient Native American petroglyphs; and shifting sand dunes in this desert wonderland. If you choose to camp here, you'll sleep under a brilliant night sky.
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: California's largest state park attracts most of its visitors during the spring wildflower season, when a kaleidoscopic carpet blankets the desert floor. Others come year-round to hike more than 100 miles of trails.
- Torrey Pines State Reserve: This pristine park is named for the rare, dramatic little species of pine that grows only here and on a tiny island off the coast. Eight miles of trails immerse hikers into a delicate and beautiful coastal environment featuring mesas, canyons, and marshes. One of San Diego's best beaches awaits at the foot of the sandstone cliffs.
