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Without taking the easy way out and suggesting that all travel experiences in the Golden State are the best, here are a few prime cuts to consider adding to your California itinerary.
Strolling along San Francisco's Embarcadero to Aquatic Park
This is a quintessential San Francisco activity, ideally experienced on a sunny day. Try to begin near the baseball park, although it's more convenient to take public transportation to the end of Market Street and start there. With the water on your right and city landmarks popping up on your left, a leisurely walk past the piers, through Fisherman's Wharf, leads to Aquatic Park and the Municipal Pier. Be sure to hike all the way to the end of the pier, stopping if you will to see what, if anything, the anglers have caught. You'll be rewarded with million-dollar bay vistas and a spot-on view of the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge.
Hiking in Yosemite Valley during the winter
Snow covers the ground and clings to the tree branches, the air is crisp, the sky is bright blue, and Yosemite Falls roars with snowmelt. With so few visitors in the park during this low season, you'll feel as though you have this wonderland almost to yourself. Take advantage of winter rates and stay at the grand Ahwahnee Hotel.
Biking along the Monterey coastline
The Monterey Peninsula's 18-mile Recreation Trail was a brilliant piece of civic planning, a useful and beautiful path for all to enjoy. It ends (or starts, if you like) at Seal Rock past Pebble Beach and wends its way along the coast through Monterey north to Marina. The most traveled section is from Custom House Plaza past Cannery Row, the Aquarium, and on to Lover's Point; however, you might want to carry on to Pacific Grove, stop for lunch, and dawdle on the beach on your way back. If you're more than just a recreational cyclist, you may want to keep going on through the 17-Mile Drive.
Sitting on a beach in Southern California
This activity's not so active, but there has to be a reason for all those Beach Boys songs, right? You could surf, too, and you probably should get your feet wet in the Pacific. But really, it's all about the imagery, the girls, the boys, the sand, the surf, the sun, the palm trees, and did we mention that it's January?
Cruising Sunset Boulevard
It's the way to best see all that L.A. has to offer in a short amount of time, as you drive this iconic boulevard from its origins at Olvera Street (L.A.'s oldest) through ethnic neighborhoods, bohemian enclaves, dumps and dives, the dregs of Hollywood, the spick-and-span wealth of Beverly Hills, the subdued hush of Bel Air, past scenes of crime and shame (John Belushi and River Phoenix each died within steps of the street, and the infamous O.J. murder case happened blocks away), and catch glimpses of the Hollywood sign and stars on the sidewalk, all the way to the end at the Pacific Ocean. You'll love L.A., and this drive is one of the reasons why.
Getting within 6 feet of a star
No one can promise you'll spot any celebrities while in L.A. (keep your eyes peeled), but you sure can be promised proximity to some of the biggest names of the past . . . by visiting their graves. Forest Lawn, Hollywood Forever, and Westwood Memorial Park are just some of the resting spots of Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Walt Disney, Rudolph Valentino, and more.
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