How To: Get To Know California – “Golden State” and popular travel destination

A state second to none! Here, the beautiful Highway 1 runs down the coastline. California (in English and Spanish) is by far the most populous state in the US. It is located in the Western part of the country bordering the Pacific Ocean, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, as well as the Mexican state of Baja California on the peninsula of the same name. California's official nickname is the "Golden State," responsible for this is the great California Gold Rush in the mid-nineteenth century. California became the embodiment of the "get rich quick" sentiment. The gold-seekers were also called the Forty-niners, which is where the San Francisco football team got its name (SF49er).

The first discovery of gold in Coloma drastically changed California - hundreds of thousands of people poured into the American West. The biggest gold vein runs along the western border of the Sierra Nevada, almost along the exact route of today's Highway 49, right in the center of Gold Country. Many closed-down mines can be found between Grass Valley and Oakhurst, an area that has retained a lot of its Old West charm. The small towns and villages are exceedingly proud of their 19th century houses.

The promise of the "Golden State" came true for many people even after the time of the gold rush. Due to a great economic upswing, the state became one the dominating states of US economy. With 13.5% (2006) of the United States' annual GDP, California is the most important industrial state and trading center in the US. If California were an independent country, it would be the eighth biggest economic power in the world after the US, Japan, China, Germany, Great Britain, France and Italy.

Also the warm climate, the sun, the beaches, and the easy-going lifestyle count among California's many positive attributes. Therefore, it is not surprising that California is the most popular tourist destination in the US with approximately five million visitors a year. It is also a very attractive state for immigrants. Ten percent of the population are of German descent and represent the largest group, followed by Irish (7.8%), English (7.1%), and Italian (4.3%). The state's governor since 2003 is the Austrian-born actor Arnold Schwarzenegger of the Republican Party.

BREATHTAKING SCENERIES

Many interesting sights are to be found in California. San Francisco is certainly one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the US. The "American diva" has been attracting unusual people since the times of the gold rush. This in combination with the unique location and the well-balanced mix of sights, entertainment and a certain vitality is what characterizes San Francisco.

For many people, Los Angeles stands for sunshine, swimming and Hollywood. But Los Angeles has even more to offer. Especially those who are interested in culture will enjoy there stay in that city. To name just one example, the city is home to the famous J. Paul Getty Museum. Also adjacent cities such as Anaheim or Long Beach are always worth a visit.

The Yosemite National Park is one of the greatest sights in the US. Steep granite cliffs, roaring waterfalls, mountain meadows, sequoia trees and rare wildlife species make it one of the most beautiful national parks. The snow-covered Half Dome, the 800-meters high (2,600 feet) Yosemite Falls or the rocky El Captain, the world's largest granite monolith, are just some examples of its beauty.

Most tourists only visit the Sierra Nevada to see Yosemite Valley. The High Sierra to the east, however, offers breathtaking precipices and mountain lakes with clear blue water along the shorelines. The best-known of these is Lake Tahoe.

Another highlight, apart form the great mountain panorama, is Lake Mono with its strange-looking tufa rock formations. The best and easiest way to explore the Sierra Nevada is along Road 120 between Yosemite and Mono Lake. Unfortunately, the road is usually closed from October to May.

Almost 25 percent of California's land area is desert. It is usually a rather monotonous area and during the summer months from May to September the heat becomes unbearable if you don't have a car with air conditioning. However, even the desert has more than just one face - it has those great and bizarre sceneries ranging from salt pans over sand dunes to mountain ranges, in addition to the silence, the solitude and the never-ending vastness that make it so fascinating. Examples for the beauties of the desert are the national parks of Death Valley and Joshua Tree, both of which are well accessible for tourists.

For more information about California, please refer to this website.