California is a place to freak out—to redefine boundaries, identities, and attitudes. It is a land that effaces the past to experiment with the novel and unexplored, anticipating the constant changes in mass culture and channeling them into the trends of the future. Gold miners frenzied here in the 1840s, flower-children went wild in the 1960s, and hungry young actors and ambitious dot-com moguls leap for the good life today. Whether it’s gold, free love, IPOs, or stardom, folks still dig deep for riches, imprinting California hype, commerce, industry, art, and insanity on the brain of the collective world. Is California a beach-bumming surf safari or a battleground for well-armed gangs of urban youths? Is it a sprawling therapeutic nature preserve or a smog-filled, concrete nightmare? Is it the ultra-chic home of lunch-doing glamorites or a land of leather bars and pleather sandals? Is it a dream-fulfillment zone or simply a rock climbing, ten-hanging, adrenaline-pumping citrus-soda commercial? It’s all of these, baby, and more—it is an image-making machine and a place to let it all hang loose. California is the Golden State, the drawing board for the American Dream.

California has it all. From Disneyland to Tahoe, the state is filled with lots of Activities & Interests and weather that is usually quite agreeable to do it. Take a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway. Ride a dinner train through wine country. Walk beneath the huge forest canopy of the Sequoia National Park. See the world at the San Diego Zoo. Take a cruise to Catalina or Alcatraz. California is brimming with exciting experiences which beckon the visitor to come and stay.

California has the largest population among U.S. states, and is the third-largest in the nation by area, bigger than the entire country of Italy. It stretches over 800 mi. from its northern border with Oregon to its southern border with Mexico, and for about 250 mi. between the Pacific Ocean on its western edge and Nevada and Arizona on its eastern border. This expanse holds both urban and rural riches—California produces more agricultural products than any other U.S. state, although its population is over 91% urban, and only 15% of its land is cultivated. The state’s massive population has a broad ethnic mix. Los Angeles has an important Japanese-American community, San Francisco’s Chinatown is the world’s largest Chinese community outside of Asia, and one-third of Mexican-Americans in the U.S. live in California.

Capital: Sacramento

Population: 33, 773, 000 People

Area: 155, 973.2 sq. miles

Time: Pacific Time

Geography: To the west California is bordered by the Pacific Ocean. In the north is Oregon and in the east is Nevada and Arizona. To the south is Mexico. The state has about every geographic category to be found anywhere on earth. Glacier, desert, ocean, lakes - you name it. The south is very dry with most of the region a desert. The northern part of California is moist and green except for areas away from the sea at lower elevations. The Sierra Madre Mountains run along much of the eastern side of the state providing skiing through the winter season.

For centuries, settlers have come to California in search of the elusive and the unattainable. Spanish conquistadors saw in it the utopian paradise depicted in a romance novel, ’49ers plumbed its depths for the gloriously imagined Mother Lode, and the naïve and beautiful still quest for stardom on its silver screen. Adventurers flock to the mountains and deserts, and stampedes of 2.2-child families overrun the national parks, seeking peace among forests, granite cliffs, and lava beds. Dreamy-eyed, disenfranchised flower children converge on San Francisco’s Haight Street, while technology wizards inundate booming Silicon Valley. Californians grasp at grandiose dreams, comfortable that the consequences of their break from conformity will be “chill” and “all good.” Leave it to the rest of the world to uphold tradition, say Californians—we’re too busy freaking out.

CALIFORNIA FACTS & FIGURES

Capital: Sacramento. State
Population: 30,866,851.
Amount of California Coastline per Resident: 2¾ inches.
Amount of Los Angeles Roadway per L.A. resident: 114½ inches.
Length of the San Andreas Fault: 754 miles.

THE GOLDEN STATE

Golden state, golden sands. Where else would you expect the Beach Boys to make their home? California’s beaches are consistently among the best in the Western hemisphere, for their sand, sun, and surf potentials, as well as (unofficially) their beach bunnies. California’s meandering coastline has something for everyone: Watersports, from sailing to scuba diving, are not only popular among seasoned locals but among visitors of all skill levels. In the evening, wander a stretch of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and take in the sights and smells of a community that’s like summer vacation all year round. California’s beaches will beckon you to enjoy them by day and night, whatever your energy level. There's more to outdoor activites than just sunning yourself, though. California has 129 wilderness areas, more than any other state, and they encompass more acres of wilderness and protected lands than any state other than Alaska. Its extensive coastline (over 1300 miles), vast networks of waterways, and nearly 5000 lakes make its fishing, boating, and swimming options seemingly endless. California’s mountains and deserts provide countless scenic hiking, biking, and driving routes. In short, California is one of the best places to come for wilderness exploration. California is home to both Mt. Whitney (14, 494ft.), the highest point in the contiguous 48 states, and Death Valley, which contains the lowest point in the world at Badwater, a sweltering 282 feet below sea level. On a clear day, you can see forever, or at least from the top of Mt. Whitney to the bottom of Badwater—even without binoculars.

Food? Rice-A-Roni! Is that really the “San Francisco treat?” In a word, yes. But not to be outdone, every other California city and community contributes its finest fare to the unique “California Cuisine” that has become so popular with the rest of the world. From Nihonmachi to Napa Valley, Mendocino to Monterey, California is simply bursting with great meals at great prices, with ingredients and ambience unique to the produce-filled land and the ever-trendy populace. Vegetables and seafood are fresh and in constant supply, wine flows like water, and herbs are not just marijuana anymore. Regional specialties include seafood in Monterey (but not from the Aquarium), Italian in San Francisco’s North Beach and Mexican fare in the Mission, and delicacies like quail, rarebit, and spotted owl (just kidding) in the Northern Interior. The most taste-full region in all of California however, is famous not for its cuisine, but for it’s vino. Wine Country comprises many small regions north of San Francisco that produce some of the most renowned selections of red, white, and sparkling wines on the planet. Grapes abound, as does cheese, vintage snobbery, and above all: free tastings!

As the purveyor of much of the world’s mass media, California holds a special place in the aspirations of many. Thousands head to Hollywood each year to “make it” and most never do, but vacationers can revel in the glitz and glamour that is Hollywood without sacrificing job security. Even when the streets are empty, the stars still shine in the form of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a sidewalk art show of those who came before. Stars are awarded for achievement in five categories: movies, radio, television, recording, and live performance. Unveiling ceremonies are slightly more exciting than trying to fit your hands into the prints left by hundreds of stars, but both can satisfy a true fan. If you insist on knowing where to meet the stars and how to propel yourself into their world, you'd better be careful — note the presence of Imperial Troops surrounding a certain director’s private home—wannabes are promptly exterminated at the door at the Skywalker Ranch.