California

Every traveler has an image of California: pulsing cities, breathtaking mountains, vast empty deserts, celebrities on every corner, endless beaches covered in beautiful people, and streets filled with luxury convertibles. While those classic movie images exist in many places, they also give an incomplete picture of this complex and highly influential state. It's historic sites include Native Americans, Spanish settlement, and the legendary 1849 gold rush. California features some of the oldest forests on earth, the largest wine region in the United States, dramatic coasts covered in wildlife, eight national parks, and hidden gems along every highway. In short, California embodies the myth, history, and reality of the American dream.