Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park preserves a 135‑acre Sierra foothills site where a marbleized limestone outcrop called Chaw’se contains the largest known collection of bedrock mortars in North America—about 1,185 mortar holes used by the Miwok to grind acorns and seeds for thousands of years.
Delta Meadows State Park (often called Delta Meadows or Delta Meadows River Park) is an undeveloped riparian and slough landscape in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta near Locke that preserves a rare remnant of pre‑settlement delta habitat with willow, cottonwood, walnut and valley‑oak stands interlaced by tidal sloughs and wet meadows.
Brannan Island State Recreation Area spans 329 acres on Brannan Island in Sacramento County, California, within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta's maze of waterways between Rio Vista and Isleton, surrounded by the Sacramento River, Three Mile Slough, and Seven Mile Slough.
Pomponio State Beach is a sheltered, scenic two‑mile stretch of coastline about 12 miles south of Half Moon Bay where Pomponio Creek meets the Pacific, framed by high sandstone bluffs and a small lagoon that creates a wide sandy beach at low tide.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is a large, beloved park in the Santa Cruz Mountains that protects a famous 40‑acre old‑growth coast redwood grove plus surrounding mixed forests, sandhill remnants, riparian corridors, and over 4,600 acres of varied habitat.
Reynolds Wayside Park (formerly Reynolds Wayside Campground) preserves about 38 acres of old‑growth coast redwoods and Douglas firs in Mendocino County along the South Fork of the Eel River, offering a short steep trail through the grove, limited parking and river access for day visitors.
The Venice Boardwalk in California is a lively, two-mile seaside promenade along Venice Beach in Los Angeles, known for its eclectic and vibrant atmosphere.
McGrath State Beach is a two‑mile coastal park at the mouth of the Santa Clara River between Oxnard and Ventura that protects sandy beaches, coastal dunes, the Santa Clara Estuary Natural Preserve and McGrath Lake, making it a top spot for birdwatching, beachcombing, surfing and shoreline fishing.
Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California, opened in 1888 and is one of the largest wooden Victorian beach resorts in North America, recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Tolowa Dunes State Park spans about 5,000 acres along California's far northern coast in Del Norte County near Crescent City, featuring ancient sand dunes that have evolved into diverse ecosystems including ocean beaches, rivers, vegetated ridges, wetlands, Lake Earl, and coastal lagoons.
Montara State Beach is a scenic, roughly one‑mile sandy stretch on Highway 1 just north of Half Moon Bay, framed by sculpted sandstone bluffs and rolling coastal hills that create dramatic ocean views and frequent wildflower displays in spring.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in California is the largest rotating aerial tramway in the world, offering a 10-minute ride from the desert floor of the Coachella Valley at 2,643 feet elevation up to the Mountain Station near San Jacinto Peak at 8,516 feet.
Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park, located in the Tehachapi Mountains of Kern County near Tehachapi, California, preserves an ancient Kawaiisu Native American village site known as the winter home for its mild climate and abundant resources like oak acorns and game.
Joshua Tree National Park in southern California is a vast desert wilderness where the high Mojave Desert and the low Colorado Desert meet, creating a unique ecosystem rich with diverse plant and animal life.
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park in California preserves the town’s 19th-century plaza and a cluster of original and restored buildings that tell the story of Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and early American life in the region.
Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lake County, California, spans over 1,000 acres along the southeast shore of Clear Lake, the state's largest natural freshwater lake, encompassing tule marshes, oak woodlands, native grasslands, and riparian habitats that support diverse wildlife like over 150 bird species, including a major Great Blue Heron rookery.
Samuel P. Taylor State Park is a 2,700–2,900 acre Marin County park of redwood groves, open grasslands and streamside habitat centered on Lagunitas Creek and former mill-era lands owned by 19th-century entrepreneur Samuel P. Taylor.
