Manhattan Beach Pier in California

Photo credit: PhotoDisc

California's allure is understandable. It really is warm and sunny most of the year, movie stars do abound in Los Angeles, and you can't swing a cat by its tail without hitting a rollerblading babe in Venice Beach. This part of the California mystique -- however exaggerated it may be -- does exist, and it's not hard to find.

But there's more -- a lot more -- to California that isn't scripted, sanitized, and broadcast to the world's mesmerized masses. Beyond the glitter and glamour is an incredibly diverse state that, if it ever seceded from the Union, would be a productive and powerful nation. We've got it all: redwood forests, an incredibly verdant Central Valley, the Sierra Nevada, deserts, a host of world-renowned cities, and hundreds of miles of stunning coastline.

And despite the crime, pollution, traffic, and earthquakes for which California is famous, we're still the golden child of the United States: America's spoiled rich kid everyone else either loves or loathes. (Neighboring Oregon, for example, sells lots of license-plate rims that proudly state, "I hate California.") But, truth be told, we really don't care. Californians know they live in one of the most diverse and interesting places in the world, and we're proud of the state we call home.

Granted, there's no guarantee that you'll bump into Arnold Schwarzenegger or learn how to surf, but if you have a little time, a little money, and -- most importantly -- an adventurous spirit, then Erika, David, Harry and I will help guide you through one of the most fulfilling vacations of your life. The four of us travel the world for a living, but we choose to live in California, because there's no other place on earth that has so much to offer.

Featured California Destinations:

Los Angeles

San Francisco

Disneyland®

Photo credits: (left) Disney; (middle) Corbis; (right) Travmedia

California Feature Articles from

Photo credit: Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau

Malibu and Huntington Beach: A Guide to Surfing's Hallowed Hot Spots

Weekend Adventures Outside of LA: Palos Verdes, Santa Monica, and the Pacific

Whale-Watching in Baja & the California Coast: Thar She Blows!

Honeymooners Stomp Through the Santa Barbara Vineyards: Drunk on Love

California's Adventure Hotspots: Eureka! The Golden State's Secret Stash

• Anaheim: Disneyland Resort Tickets
• Anaheim: Southern California CityPass Attractions Pass
• Los Angeles: Go Los Angeles Card
• Los Angeles: Universal Studios Hollywood
• San Diego: LEGOLAND California
• San Diego: San Diego Zoo
• San Diego:Go San Diego Card
• San Francisco: Go San Francisco Card
• San Francisco: San Francisco CityPass
• San Francisco: The Alcatraz and Double-Decker City Tour