California is full of unique places dotted across the state. Besides the iconic cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, or popular parks such as Yosemite, theres alot more to discover on the west coast. Here are our top 5 picks for spots to visit in California.
Salvation Mountain
Location: Calipatria, California
First on our list is Salvation Mountain, A place full of California Graffiti, art, and mountain heaven. All combined into one.
With a hybrid of colors and a great scenic background, Salvation Mountain can be viewed as a vacation or a spiritual journey in itself. Climb all the way to the top to see the infamous cross atop this beautiful mural.
If you love the lord and you love art then this place here is just right for you. Some people call it a holy artistic mural or The Lord’s Playground. Whatever you call it, it is definitely beautiful.
Napa Valley
Location: Napa, California
For a little bit of a twist from the ripping and running, Napa Valley is catered more towards the peaceful scene.
Giving you some Italian and overall European vibes, Napa Valley has been making a name for itself over the past two decades. Infamous for its world class wineries.
If you are a wine lover or enthusiast, make sure to head over to Napa Valley to check out some of the award-winning vineyards like Silver Oak or Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar
Balboa Park
Location: San Diego, California
Next, the heart and treasure of San Diego; Balboa Park.
In my mind Balboa Park is the most beautiful and immersive park in all of the United States. It has over 1,200 acres of park with food, activities, festivals, unique plants, gardens and Koi fish! Who doesn’t love Koi fish!
If you want to see one of the most beautiful parks you have ever seen with unlimited activities and a section that fits everyone’s vibe you have to check out Balboa Park.
Channel Islands National Park
Location: Ventura, California
Channel Islands National Park is a lesser known national park right off the coast of California.
Only accessible by plane, boat, or a 20 mile swim, this hidden gem is visited seldom by tourist (250k people per year compared to 10 million per year by Yellowstone). That being said, one of the coolest things is how natural the islands are and how many cool things you can experience visiting this national park.
If you are a big fan of marine life and scuba diving/snorkeling, this would be the perfect trip for you. You will get to see things from Great Blue Whales to Seals to complete underwater ecosystems. Check out this video to see what type of animals you’ll come across in Channels Islands National Park:
Redwood Forest
Location: Redwood, California
Finally, this one would be one of our top picks.
If you are an immense nature lover and a huge nerd like me, Redwood Forest is where you need to go.
Being home to some of the tallest trees on the entire planet, Redwood is a forest dream for adventurers. Trees can span from 350ft high to 24f in diameter. Just for a little context, the statue of liberty is 330ft tall and Big Ben Tower is 315ft. If you want to see magic and nature, you now know where to go.
Thanks for checking out our list. Make sure to pay attention to our blog for more news and become park of the ITH community!
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