"California" a California Travel Page by traveldave

California is one of the states I have called home. I consider myself fortunate to have lived for three years in San Diego. San Diego has the best weather in the United States. It sounds hard to believe, but being from a temperate climate, it actually became monotonous to have to endure the same sunny, warm weather every day. I began to miss the change of seasons, and I never did get used to seeing Christmas lights on palm trees. However, when I have to shovel snow when it is -30 degrees Farenheit (-34 degrees Celsius) here in the Midwest, I sure do miss the warm weather of California.

California is a huge state (third in the nation after Alaska and Texas), and each region is very different from the others. California has the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states (Mount Whitney at 14,494 feet, or 4,418 meters), as well as the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (Death Valley at 282 feet, or 86 meters, below sea level). Coastal Southern California is arid with a mild Mediterranean climate. The starkly beautiful Mojave Desert covers much of Southern California. Such cities as Los Angeles and San Diego are among the fastest growing cities in the nation, and are plagued by pollution and urban sprawl. The northern coast is more temperate, with cool summers and foggy winters. The major city in this area is San Francisco, perhaps America's loveliest city. The far north is dominated by magnificent mountains covered with dense redwood forests. And much of the state is devoted to agriculture. The warm climate and irrigation make the Central Valley the richest and most productive agricultural area in the world.

Even though I spent most of my time in Southern California, I never took any pictures while I was there. However, in May 2006 I returned to San Diego for a birdwatching trip. I did not spend a lot of time in the city, but I did manage to visit some area attractions and take some pictures. This page also chronicles a short visit to San Francisco in 1995, and provides "Transportation" tips for Los Angeles and Orange County.

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