Southern California is one of the few places on the planet where a few hours’ drive can transport you from gorgeous sun-drenched beaches to majestic snow-capped mountains and from fertile green farmland to parched desert landscapes.
The diversity of the geography is mirrored by the varied cities and attractions packed into the region. Modern Los Angeles, a sprawling, thriving, and often smoggy metropolis, is home to the cinema mecca of Hollywood and the thousands of stars and fame-seekers it attracts, as well as the blockbuster attractions of Disneyland and Universal Studios, and constantly evolving restaurant, nightlife, and cultural scenes. The state’s second-largest city, sunny San Diego, boasts surfer-packed coastlines, easy access to Mexico, and one of the best zoos in the world. And the smaller cities have their own claims to fame, too: Palm Springs is globally renowned for its hot-spring-fed spas, Anza-Borrego for its spring flood of wildflowers, Pismo Beach for its massive sand dunes, and Ojai Valley for its exceptional wine.
Riding dune buggies at Pismo Beach.
David Dunai/Apa Publications
Classic VW bus parked in the Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego.
David Dunai/Apa Publications
Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles.
David Dunai/Apa Publications
After all this, the desolate and scorching hot Mojave Desert and Death Valley seem like another planet. But elsewhere in the Southern California region, balmy weather is the norm; it seldom rains between April and November. The sunny climate not only feeds a thriving agricultural sector that has made California the country’s agricultural powerhouse, but it has also helped create the healthy, upbeat attitude that Southern California is known for.
Services warning sign on Kelbaker road.
Martyn Goddard/Apa Publications