California is located on the Western Coast of the United States, and is home to hundreds of different attractions for tourists who want to experience a diverse period of leisure. There are twelve main regions of California, but California is mainly divided by North and South. In Northern California, tourists can find winter and nature oriented activities, while in Southern California, are summer activities, shopping, and entertainment based things to do. The twelve main regions of California, from north to south, are the North Coast, Shasta Cascade, the Bay Area, the Central Valley, Gold Country, High Sierra, the Central Coast, the desert region, Orange County, the Los Angeles region, Inland Empire, and San Diego.

When most people think of vacationing in California, their minds usually take them to the busy streets of the L.A. and San Diego region, Hollywood, and Disneyland. Strolling around the busy streets of Los Angeles, shopping and perhaps catching the rare glimpse of a celebrity, or riding the world famous rides in one of the nation’s top theme parks at Disneyland. However, California has much more to offer. There’s the wide expanse of beautiful desert in eastern California, stretching out for miles of flat, beautiful terrain, famous for the sunsets that take up the entire sky. For those who loves the beach, but prefer not to wade through heavily populated stretches of sand that are usually notorious in L.A. and San Diego, year round, there’s also the central coast, and the beaches of Santa Cruz, and Santa Monica. The Central Valley region boasts wide expanses of plains, and bountiful stretches of green hills; a perfect destination for those who would prefer a quiet, sunny vacation getaway in a country atmosphere.

In Northern California, the possibilities are even more variable for activities. In the Shasta Cascade region, there are majestic mountains, for skiing and snowboarding, or mountain biking. As well as wildlife preserves, and enormous natural parks, where tourists and vacations can see the beauty of nature preserved, and flourishing before their eyes. On the North Coast of California, vacationers can travel through wine country, and sample some of the finest wines made right there on the coast, from the freshest source available; acres of vineyards, and wineries. As well as touring wine countries, travelers can also view one of the most famous attractions of that region; the Giant Redwoods found in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, or Del Norte State Park, hiking among some of the largest trees on the face of the Earth, as well as the oldest. Just standing beneath the Giant Redwoods, you can feel their ancient testimony of life, bygones past.

Cuisine in California is the probably the most diverse you’ll find in many places. In the urban areas you can find a melting pot of different foods and traditional dishes, such as a variety of Asian foods, sold from street vendors, as well as South American, Mexican, and Western foods. Because of California’s abundance of fresh fruits, and the perfect climate fruits and vegetables from around the world can grow here, whereas, in any other part of America, they wouldn’t be able to survive the climate. Not to mention other cultural foods such as Greek, Italian, German, and much more, available from all over the cities, as well as being prepared by the finest and most culturally diverse chefs. Eating out in California is a world tour for your mouth.

As far as getting around in California goes, traveling by car is the best way to go, either renting a car when you fly in, or driving there from wherever on the North American content you happen to be coming from. In the urban areas, such as San Francisco, San Diego, or Los Angeles, however, there is heavy traffic, and public transportation is cheaper and more reliable than waiting in traffic for hours. Taxis are also popular in urban areas, as well as renting scooters or motorcycles. Another popular choice for those visiting in California, more for the natural activities, and camping, are the RV rentals. Like a moving hotel, tourists can roam freely in Northern California, experiencing the best of both worlds; the hotel and the campfire.

Accommodations in California are numerous and very diverse as well; it all depends on what kind of visit tourists are planning to have. When it comes time to book and reserve a hotel, the choices are endless. Tourists can reserve campsites near the enchanting state parks, so that they’re close to their favourite activities. Those who prefer quiet vacations can book a reservation in a quiet lodge, or in a privately owned bed and breakfast in the Central Valley. For those vacationing in the city, or planning to spend their time in California’s various theme and amusement parks, there are luxury hotels, teeming with different options to pamper themselves, and have a relaxing spa experience. Also, are resort hotels, provided by the amusement or theme parks, that can be purchased as part of a vacation package, which takes some of the stress off of finding perfect accommodations.

Hawaii is probably one of the top most popular destinations for vacationers all over the world. There is something most find hard to express, and utterly alluring about the islands that bring visitors back again and again. It truly is one of the most beautiful place on Earth, being home to beautiful beaches, friendly locals, weather that is neither too hot or humid, peaceful ocean breezes, not to mention other fascinating facts and sights, such as being the location of the world’s most active volcano, the world’s tallest sea mountain, as well as being one of the youngest geological formations in the world, and the youngest of the United States. There are six islands that make up Hawaii; Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and “The Big Island” which is actually named Hawaii, but called The Big Island so people don’t get confused with the state, and the name.

One of the favourite activities to take part in is the submarine tours of the reefs that surround the island of Oahu, and the tours can be found in Honolulu, along with several other aquatic activities, such as diving, swimming in the beautiful waters of Hawaii’s hundreds of beaches, as well as taking private or public charter boats out into the ocean for fishing trips with family and friends. Other popular activities are summer festivals on the beaches with the Hawaiian locals, whom are always very welcoming to visitors of the island. Luxury resorts and waterfront spa treatments are also popular indoor activities in Hawaii, as well as more family oriented activities such as “Sky Adventures”, which are helicopter tours of the volcano and breath taking mountains. Another popular attraction to Hawaii is the nightlife; dance clubs, and live beach-front entertainment, including Hawaii’s famous scantily clad Hula dancers.

One of the most multicultural of all Hawaii’s many attractive properties, is the cuisine visitors will find there; some of the most prominent influences in Hawaiian food is Polynesian, Asian, and American. The most popular vegetables and fruits used in Hawaiian foods are coconuts, yams, macadamia nuts, guava, tamarind, melons, seaweed, kukui, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, pineapples, and bananas. The popular spices used in Hawaiian cooking are Five Spice, Char siu, soy sauce, jicama, fish sauces, Bagoong, Patis, and Wasabi. One of the most interesting choices of meat in Hawaii, while pork is very popular, is actually Spam. Believe it or not, Spam is used in almost everything in Hawaii; it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hawaii is the planet’s second largest consumer of Spam, –the first is actually Guam. Tuna is another staple food of Hawaii, and used in many traditional dishes. Some of the delicious dishes you’ll definitely have to taste in Hawaii is Loco Moco; two fried, seasoned hamburger patties, topped with cooked eggs, and gravy, as well as, Kalua Pig, a favourite of natives and visitors, which is pulled pork, with marinated and steamed cabbage.

In Hawaii, when looking for hotels, your options are various to say the least. Choosing a hotel further inland can be cheaper, though further from the beaches. The hotels on the beach are picturesque but much more expensive; there are resort hotels, spa hotels, luxury five star getaways, and economically sound hotels as well, for those who prefer to spend their time outside their hotel rooms. Getting around in Hawaii is usually done by car, or scooter in city areas, or by bicycle. When traveling by car, visitors have more independence to travel the island freely. Travel back and forth to the islands is done either by ferry, or air.