ajor amusement park,
Disneyland
Park Resort
The world-renowned cities of the West Coast are strung along miles of magnificent
coastline with cliffs, soaring redwood forests and beaches. The high snow-capped
Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and the magnificent glacier-carved valley of Yosemite
National Park contrast with the shimmering heat of spectacular desert landscapes
and the neat rows of leafy vineyards in the Napa Valley, one of the world's
best-known wine growing regions.
The Golden Gate Bridge, steep roller-coaster hills and the formidable island
of Alcatraz are instantly recognizable images of San Francisco, while the welcoming
beach lifestyle and family-fun attractions make San Diego a popular vacation
destination.
California Resorts & Cheap Lodging
Lake Tahoe. Beautiful, bright blue, mile-high Lake Tahoe,
straddling the border of California and Nevada in the United States, is the
second largest alpine lake in the world. The lake, perched atop the Sierra
Nevada, is surrounded on all sides by world-class ski resorts, magnificent
golf courses, first class hotels and casinos, which cater for millions of holidaymakers
every year. Although the area's scenery and facilities draw visitors year round,
it is as a skiing and snowboarding destination that Lake Tahoe really thrives.
Recently most of the popular resorts, with appealing names like Alpine Meadows,
Heavenly and Squaw Valley, have undergone extensions and face-lifts. The comfortable
resorts, bolstered by the fact that Lake Tahoe guarantees 300 days of sunshine
a year, 33ft (10m) of annual snowfall, unrivalled scenery and more than 17,500
acres of terrain to explore, make it well nigh irresistible for anyone contemplating
a winter sports holiday. Visitors can fly in to the nearby Reno/Tahoe Airport,
or drive on all-weather highways from Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco and Los
Angeles in just a few hours for a dose of fun in the pure mountain air.
Mammoth Mountain. Just five hours drive from Los Angeles,
or three hours from Reno, lies some of the finest Alpine skiing in the world
at Mammoth Mountain, on the eastern edge of California's Sierra Nevada range.
Every year an average of 400 inches (10m) of snow falls on the summit, providing
about 3,500 acres of skiable terrain, which can be revelled in by all, beginner
to expert, during the November to June season. Despite all the snow, 70 percent
of Mammoth's winter days are sunny, providing plenty of time to enjoy the slopes
and numerous other facilities at this well-equipped resort, which offers hotel
and condominium accommodation.
Heavenly. Heavenly is the largest ski resort in California,
with some 4,800 acres of terrain stretching into the state of Nevada. At over
10,000 feet (3,048m) it is also the highest resort in Tahoe, where it is situated
overlooking the beautiful lake. Heavenly was recently bought by Vail Resorts
(which includes Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek and Arapahoe Basin);
and select passes can include access to these other resorts (unfortunately
they are all in Colorado). Vail Resorts has recently just approved a $40-million
upgrade for the resort. Many skiers recommend trying Heavenly at least once,
for its sheer size, and the breathtaking views it has to offer. Due to its
proximity to the South Shore and Bay Area, Heavenly also receives many Californian
day visitors who appreciate the convenience.
Squaw Valley. The second largest resort in Lake Tahoe receives
over 600,000 visitors annually and is regarded as one of the best resorts in
the world. Squaw Valley was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics (the first-ever
televised Winter Olympics) and has attracted millions to its varied terrain.
Nowadays the resort is packed with several accommodation options, restaurants,
bars, entertainment venues and shops. The resort attracts a mixed crowd or
all abilities from across the world.
Destinations 
