California is a true tourist Mecca offering a wealth of entertainment and shopping destinations. With its rich Spanish heritage, lingering echos of the Gold Rush, and its incredible natural beauty, California is a sight-seeing wonder. So, if you are planning to travel in the Golden State take a few minutes to browse these exciting sites and make sure a visit to them is part of your travel itinerary.


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 BALBOA PARK

The official Balboa Park site. A complete guide to the Park. Museums, cultural attractions, dining, the zoo, theaters, events calendar, map, history. Sponsored by the Balboa Park House of Hospitality Visitor Center.

CALIFORNIA BEACH GUIDE

The most complete travel guide source for California beaches.This incredible site is perfect for planning a vacation along the California coast, or even taking a virtual vacation at California's fabulous beaches. Organized by county, it provides info on every beach in California. EVERYTHING you need to know from what to do, where to stay, what to see, where to eat. how to get there, It is unbelievably thorough.

Although San Diego boasts many attractions, perhaps the most exciting - and certainly the most colorful is OLD TOWN.

Dating back to the time of the early Spaniards in California, OLD TOWN reflects the rich and colorful history of early California. Daily shows, monthly festivals, dining, artisans, and a wealth of beautiful shops give OLD TOWN it's festive air. It's the one place you won't want to miss!

Architecturally, Solvang reflects an all Danish style. Visitors from Denmark frequently comment on Solvang’s architectural authenticity reflected in half-timbered walls, simulated thatch and copper roofs, dormers and decorative use of tile, stained glass in the buildings and cobblestone walkways. Gas street lamps originally used in Copenhagen still light some portions of Solvang. Four country-style windmills are scattered around town, and a half-scale replica of the Little Mermaid, Denmark’s national symbol sits on one corner of the major intersection of town. The Hønen, a replica of a 1915 streetcar powered by two huge Belgian horses, takes visitors on a tour of the city. The town grew up a short walk from the Santa Inés Mission, founded in 1804 one of the twenty-one missions established by the Spanish Padres in the 18th and 19th centuries. The town itself was built on land that was formally part of Rancho Jonata, a Spanish Land Grant. Spanish and Mexican influence is evident in many parts of the valley and descendants of the Chumash Indians still live on a reservation in nearby Santa Ynez and have recently opened a casino there. Consequently, the area has an interesting blend of Spanish-American and Danish-American cultures.

Link to the Official California State Travel and Tourism Online Guide. This is an EXCELLENT non-commercial site for anyone planning to visit the Golden State.

The San Diego Zoo

 The San Diego Wild Animal Park

Wild Rivers Water Park

Alcatraz Island San Francisco