Travel Designers USA California depending on your interests, can offer you travel to bustling cities, watch the waves roll in at a deserted beach or explore the natural beauty.
The most populous state in the USA California can be divided into 12 tourist regions: the Central Coast, Los Angeles County, Orange County, the North Coast, San Diego County, the San Francisco Bay Area, Shasta Cascade, Gold Country, the Central Valley, the High Sierra, the Deserts and the Inland Empire. From the coast to the Sierra, from its lush northern forests to its sun-drenched south, California offers a rich array of vacation possibilities.
You can spend all your time in densely populated cities, or travel to places where the population is less than the elevation. From south to north, as you travel to California, it becomes greener and wilder, from west to east it becomes higher and drier. Known as ‘the Middle Kingdom’, the Central Coast extends from the Bay Area to Los Angeles County, along the Pacific coast and to the vineyards of the valleys around Santa Barbara.
A trip to California is not complete without a visit to the second-biggest city in the USA: Los Angeles, the ‘City of Angels’. Orange County is home to one of the world’s most famous attractions, Disneyland. As well as the theme parks, resorts and shopping, the county offers 67 km (42 miles) of beaches and charming rural communities of the Santa Ana Mountains.
Visit the cosmopolitan city of San Francisco, whose cable cars and Golden Gate Bridge are instantly recognizable or travel. Or visit the Deserts region, in the southeast, with its expansive landscapes, brilliant skies, traces of pioneer history and glittering resort cities. Most visitors to the region explore one of the rustic ghost towns or drive along historic Route 66.
The Inland Empire, centered around the cities of San Bernardino and Riverside, is the fastest-growing metropolitan region in the USA. Only an hour from Los Angeles, its varied landscape – from snow-capped mountains to sand dunes and farmlands – makes it an ideal film location, and the region is known as ‘Hollywood’s largest backlot’.
California has always socially diverse, and this is reflected in its modern, cosmopolitan cuisine with an endless variety of ethnic influences. Specialties include steak and seafood and some of the country’s top restaurants can be found in centers like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
Weather in USA California
The climate in southern California consists of endless days of sunshine, and warm dry nights – though LA’s notorious smog is at its worst when the temperatures are highest, from July through September. All along the coast mornings can be hazily overcast, especially in May and June; in exposed San Francisco it can be chilly all year, and fog rolls in to ruin many a sunny day
Visa Requirements
UK passport holders are subject to the e-visa waiver esta programme. Passport holders with convictions must contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a full visa.
Customs – You must complete customs and immigration formalities at the first point of arrival in the U.S, whether or not it’s your final destination.
Driving in the USA California
Required Documents: You must carry a valid driver’s license from your home state or country. The minimum age for drivers is 16 with training, 18 without, but car rental companies will normally be a minimum of 21 or 23 in some states, with a maximum of 75 to 80. Car rental is available from major airports and cities, check out our great California Car Hire prices online.
Calling Home from USA California
Public telephones in cities at any rate can be found everywhere – on street corners, in train and bus stations, hotel lobbies, bars and restaurants. They take 25¢, 10¢ and 5¢ coins. The cost of a local call from a public phone is usually 25¢. Directory assistance – For local numbers, dial 411; long-distance, 1 plus area code plus 555-1212; toll-free, (800) 555-1212
Emergency assistance
You can call 911 toll free from any public telephone to obtain police, fire, or medical assistance.