California Animal, Bird, Castles & Palaces, Downtown + Winter Pictures

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The beaches of Santa Monica, boutiques along Beverly Hills’ tree-lined boulevards, and Universal Studios’ movie sets set the scene for a perfect West Coast break.

Surrounded by lush conifer forest, this surreal, lunar terrain boils and bubbles with mud pots and steaming geysers. 

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Surrounded by lush conifer forest, this surreal, lunar terrain boils and bubbles with mud pots and steaming geysers. 

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Look out into the wide expanse of Tenaya Canyon from this viewpoint and see the stony sentinel of Half Dome presiding over the tree-studded valley.

See an American desert in this expansive, sweltering U.S. national park. Find birds, wildflowers and snow-capped mountains here as well.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Explore the meadows of Yosemite National Park’s high country and see its velvety green plains studded with stunning granite domes, Sierra willows and wildflowers.

Be humbled by nature at its most impressive in these two breathtaking national parks, home to some of the largest living things on this planet.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

This wildlife sanctuary, a magnet for nature lovers and artists, is a jewel of the California State Park system. 

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Look out into the wide expanse of Tenaya Canyon from this viewpoint and see the stony sentinel of Half Dome presiding over the tree-studded valley.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Nestled within the stark landscapes of Death Valley is this series of caves, grottoes and waterfalls accessible via an informal trail. 

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Up-close encounters with red pandas and giraffes, as well as a host of activities for children, have made the Sacramento Zoo a family favorite for over 85 years.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.

Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find a spectacular window into life both above and below the waves.