California

Find yourself here!

California � land of surf, sun and theme parks; it is truly one of the must-do family holiday destinations. There is more to the Golden State than just Los Angeles and San Francisco so be sure to head out of the big cities and hit the road for the ultimate family road trip.

Where is it and how do I get there?
California is the gateway to the United States with several airlines now offering daily flights into both Los Angeles and San Francisco. The state stretches along the west coast for over 1,300 kilometres from the Mexico border in the south to Oregon in the north. California also borders Arizona and Nevada to the east.

When to go/weather
When you consider that this state is home to both snow-capped peaks in the Sierra Nevada and the lowest elevation in North America at Death Valley it is not surprising that temperatures vary across the state.

In general California has a Mediterranean-type climate and rainfall varies from 200 cm on the North Coast to as low as 8 cm in the Desert. There are five main climatic zones throughout the state -

· Coastal climate: this area contains most of the state's population
· Desert climate: characterised by great daily and annual variations in temperature with very little rainfall
· Mountain climate: this is the sole region for heavy snow, accented with fairly cold winters and bright, sunny summers
· Valley climate: characterised by high temperatures and low humidity in the summer and low temperatures and high humidity in the winter
· Foothill climate: similar to the valley regions but with more rain and less fog

Where to stay
California has accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets from modern hotels and resorts to camping grounds. For more information on child friendly properties in California visit www.visitcalifornia.com.au

Food and drink
As one would expect from the United States, there is a great range of food options in California. What many people do find surprising is that it is not all fast food chains and hot dogs. California is America's 'fruit bowl'. The state has been the number one food and agricultural producer in the United States for more than 50 years and more than half of the nation's fruit, nuts and vegetables come from California.

If you are on the road in California it can be difficult to find quick and easy healthy lunch options as they don�t have the range of bakeries and sandwich shops you find across Australia. A better option is to pick up lunch supplies and fresh produce at a grocery store.

Shopping for families
California is a shopper's paradise, from iconic designer shopping streets like Rodeo Drive to unique San Francisco boutiques and mega factory outlets. Some clothing like shoes, jeans and children's wear can be picked up much cheaper in the United States than Australia and you will get even better bargains from the factory outlets that can be found around the state.

Airports
California is serviced by two main international airports - Los Angeles International Airport (more commonly known as LAX) and San Francisco International Airport. Qantas, Air New Zealand and United Airlines all fly into both destinations.

Driving
California is a state designed for driving � most of the scenic beauty and character lies outside areas easily accessible by public transport and getting amongst it is easy as there are a number of cheap hire car companies.

Tips for driving in California:

· A valid Australian driver's licence is sufficient to drive in California.
· www.mapquest.com is a great resource for directions, maps and estimated driving times if you fear becoming lost
· 1 mile is equal to 1.6 kilometres
· Don't forget to 'drive on the wrong side of the road'
· Seatbelts must be worn by all passengers in the car

Driving distances within California

· Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living creature - the giant Sequoia Tree. The biggest of all has been named General Sherman which measures 10 metres in diameter
· Visitors can travel all the way to California to visit the Great Barrier Reef - the newest Disneyland ride is based on the Finding Nemo movie and takes riders on a submarine voyage through the famous reef
· The Coastal Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world
· San Francisco is home to the curviest street in the world - Lombard Street
· The world's largest thermometer can be found in Badwater near Death Valley. It rises 134 feet - one foot for every degree of the hottest day in American history in 1913. That's a stinking hot 56°C
· In Northern California visitors to Mt Shasta can walk through a 400-metre long lava tube that stays a chilly 7°C year round
· California is the third largest North American state in land area.

Time
California is 18 hours behind Australia (AEST) although this can vary depending on daylight savings.

Tipping
Tipping is customary in the USA. This is because base salaries in the US are very low and hospitality workers rely heavily on their tips to make a living. Even more importantly, the government taxes hospitability workers on a predicted level of tips for the year.

Because we aren�t used to tipping in Australia it can be hard to get into the habit but if you are unsure � ask! Most Americans, particularly in touristy areas don�t mind telling you what the standard practise is.

The following guide outlines normal tipping levels:
· 15% to 20% for table service with food and drink
· A token tip for food or drink where you serve yourself
· Hotel personnel � $1 to $2 per bag taken to your room (you can opt to carry your own bags)
· Maids - a $2 tip per day is generally left in the room for your room maid
· Taxicab drivers - taxi drivers usually receive a tip of $1 to $2
· Tour guides receive $1 to $2 per person for tours with a lot of people, 10 per cent for more individualised tours

Electricity
The USA uses type A and Type B electrical sockets

Tap water
It is safe to drink the tap water in California.

Places of interest and things to see and do
If you like warm sunshine, family theme parks and friendly people, you've come to the right place! California is home to many wonderful attractions and is an unforgettable holiday experience just waiting for you and your family.

Every family holiday experience begins in the gateway city, Los Angeles. Universal Studios Hollywood is the world's largest movie studio and theme park. Come and experience the movie action up close - listen carefully and you may even hear the cameras rolling!

Take a tour of Hollywood and you will see the areas that movie stars live. Take some time to walk down Rodeo Drive and you may see someone famous.

Less than one hour's drive south of Los Angeles, you will find yourself in Buena Park, home of America's original theme park, Knottï's Berry Farm.

This park offers the latest thrill rides in a wild west atmosphere, but the fun does not stop there. Buena Park's E-zone (entertainment zone) includes the following must-see attractions: Wild Bill's Wild West Dinner Extravaganza, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament Movieland Wax Museum, Ripley's Believe it or Not and Knottï's Soak City water theme park.

Southern California's fun continues in the Anaheim Resort where you will find the happiest place on Earth - Disneyland. Be sure to allow additional days on your holiday to enjoy all the fun of the Disneyland Resort including Disney's California Adventure theme park and Downtown Disney.

Anaheim is a great base from which you can explore other Southern California theme parks in attractions. Legoland California is 1 and � hours' drive south of Anaheim, and in just under two hours you can be enjoying the animal parks of San Diego. No trip to California is complete without seeing Shamu at SeaWorld San Diego or visiting the World Famous San Diego Zoo.

Further north, discover beautiful San Francisco. Ride the historic cable cars up the steep hills, take a tour of the infamous Alcatraz Island prison, visit the Sea Lions at Pier 39 or check out Lombard Street, the world's most crooked street.

Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a hive of activity - always buzzing with action, excitement, events and attractions. Spending time experiencing the LA lifestyle is a must. Parents and kids will both love finding their favourite stars' hand prints in Hollywood Walk of Stars, riding the Ferris wheel on Santa Monica Pier, people watching on Venice Beach and having a behind-the-scenes movie experience at Universal Studios.

Anaheim
Even the most serious adults will often admit they secretly want to tick Disneyland off their 'to do' list. Families will never regret time spent at Disneyland but if the kids do need a break from Mickey Mouse spend a day seeing how the other half live further south in the real O.C. Orange County is home to well known Laguna, Newport and Huntington Beaches.

San Diego
Two hours south of Los Angeles is San Diego which residents and visitors claim has the best climate in the United States. While the city operates at a laid back, relaxed pace the lifestyle is active and people can be found taking advantage of the weather and beaches year round. Families will love visiting Shamu the killer whale and friends at SeaWorld.

Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a city of many extremes - kids will love that they can ride an Aerial Tram from the desert climate of Palm Springs to the top of snow capped Mount Jacinto where they can throw snowballs! Or spend the morning on a walking trail in nearby Joshua Tree National Park before relaxing in one of the natural thermal springs that run through the town.

Sequoia National Park
Tell the kids that giants are real then take them to Sequoia National Park! This national park is home to the world's largest living thing - the giant Sequoia tree. These trees are truly impressive and it is almost surreal to stand next to such ancestors of the earth.

Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is all about grandeur, majesty and big nature. Yosemite is perhaps one of the most well-known national parks in the United States and for good reason. It was one of the first official national parks and home to waterfalls, granite cliffs like El Capitan, giant redwoods, 3,200 lakes and its most famous residents - bears.

San Francisco
San Francisco is a playground for families; riding cable cars, tasting the famous sourdough bread, watching sea lions at Pier 39, taking the ferry to Alcatraz, posing under the Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco memories last a lifetime.

Highway One/Big Sur
Highway One is the ultimate road trip. Although the highway hugs the Californian coast nearly all the way down the state the most well-known stretch is between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Highlights of the trip include Big Sur - a truly spectacular and rugged stretch of the coast. The twin towns of Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea are distinctive and well worth a visit. Carmel is as picturesque as the name sounds, this romantic little town is situated right on the beach and made up of narrow, tree-lined streets. Monterey, although the larger of the two, still retains a real charm. At Cannery Row you can picture what it was like during the height of the Sardine Industry days when local characters inspired Steinbeck's writings. Further south, Hearst Castle will blow your mind with its extravagance and opulence.

Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is only ninety minutes north of Los Angeles but visitors feel like they've entered a different world. The city has a rich Spanish history complete with several missions.

Lake Tahoe and Northern California
It surprises many people that there are 34 ski resorts in California and they are all situated in the Lake Tahoe region. Even if you don't visit the north of the state during winter you won't struggle to fill the days. Visitors spend their days in the great outdoors taking advantage of the lake and surrounding mountains on kayaks, walking trails or scenic drives.

To order a State Map and California Drives brochure contact California Tourism on California@gate7.com.au or (02) 9361 0660.

FURTHER INFORMATION

California Tourism
Ph: 02 9361 0660
Fax: 02 9929 4543
E-mail: california@gate7.com.au
Website: www.visitcalifornia.com

Also visit:
www.disneyland.com.au
www.universalstudios.com
www.seaworld.com
www.knotts.com
www.sandiegozoo.org
www.sandiegozoo.org/wap
www.lacvb.com (LA Convention and Visitors' Bureau)
www.anaheimoc.org

Go back to the overseas holiday destinations

Go back to the Californian attractions