Lonely Planet Discover California

From misty Northern California redwood forests to sun-kissed Southern California beaches, the siren call of the Golden State seduces travelers with its heart-aching beauty not to mention its wildly diverse cultures, fabulous cities and mouthwatering food.

On the edge of a continent, this is a place where it seems like anything can happen and often does. California's cities pulse with the singular energy of its people, and take on a twinkling magic as the sun sets over the Pacific and lights begin to sparkle across golden hillsides. Lamps illuminate San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, the Hollywood sign glows as bright as the moon over LA, and Bay Bridge lights welcome San Francisco arrivals with a wink and a shimmy. Consider this your invitation to come out and play, and join the crowds at LA's star-studded nightclubs and movie palaces, San Francisco's historic LGBT hot spots and San Diego's brewpubs. Tomorrow there will be neighborhoods, beaches, spas and boutiques to explore but tonight is a night on the town like no other.

Far from these cities, California's natural beauty is even more magical. It's no wonder that this is the home of Hollywood; the state's natural features are pure drama themselves, shaped by tectonic upheavals that threaten to shake it right off the continent. After 19th-century mining, logging and oil-drilling threatened the states natural splendors, Californias pioneering environmentalists rescued old-growth trees, reclaimed rivers and cleaned the beaches, ultimately creating national and state parks that continue to astound visitors today.

A wonder of food, culture and beauty

As anyone who has ever clung to the side of a cable car can tell you, gives you a heck of a ride, from the Marinas chic waterfront to the edgy Mission District. And just when you think you have a grasp on the Paris of the West, you turn another corner to find a brightly painted alleyway mural, a filigreed Victorian roofline or a hidden stairway leading up to bay-view panoramas that will entirely change your outlook.