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| Yosemite National Park, CA |
1. Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a national park located largely in Mariposa
and Tuolumne Counties, California, United States. The park covers an
area of 761,266 acres or 1,189 square miles (3,081 km²) and reaches
across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. Yosemite
is visited by over 3.5 million people each year, with most visitors only
seeing the seven square miles (18 km²) of Yosemite Valley. Designated a
World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for
its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant
Sequoia groves, and biological diversity. About 89% of the park is
designated wilderness. It was also the first park set aside by the U.S.
federal government. Although not the first designated national park,
Yosemite was a focal point in the development of the national park idea,
largely owing to the work of people like John Muir.
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| Disneyland Hotel and Resort, CA |
2. Disneyland
Disneyland Park is a theme park located in Anaheim, California, owned and operated by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division of The Walt Disney Company. Known as Disneyland
when it was dedicated on July 17, 1955, and still widely referred to by
that name, it is the only theme park to be designed and built under the
direct supervision of Walt Disney. In 1998, the theme park was re-branded Disneyland Park to distinguish it from the larger Disneyland Resort complex.
Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone a number of expansions and renovations, including the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear Country (now Critter Country) in 1972, and Mickey's Toontown in 1993. Disney California Adventure Park was built on the site of Disneyland's original parking lot and opened in 2001.
Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance than any other theme
park in the world, with close to 600 million guests since it opened. In
2011, the park hosted approximately 16.14 million guests, making it the
second most visited park in the world that calendar year.
T-3. Hollywood
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| Downtown Hollywood, Hollywood, CA |
Hollywood is a district in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., situated west-northwest of Downtown. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and stars, the word "Hollywood" is often used as a metonymy for the American film and television industry. Today much of the movie industry has dispersed into surrounding areas such as Burbank and the Westside, but significant ancillary industries (such as editing, effects, props, post-production, and lighting companies) remain in Hollywood.Many historic Hollywood theaters are used as venues and concert stages to premiere major theatrical releases, and host the Academy Awards. It is a popular destination for nightlife and tourism, and home to the Walk of Fame.
T-3. Golden Gate Bridge
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| Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA |
Quite possibly one of the most famous bridges in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge is by far the most recognizable icon of San Francisco, if not the entire state. Spanning over the San Francisco Bay, the 8,900 foot long bridge connects the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula to a portion of the south facing headlands of Marin County by Sausalito. When the Golden Gate bridge was completed in 1937, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. It now stands in the number 2 position, behind the Veranzo-Narrows bridge in New York City.
The Golden Gate Bridge stands as a testament to the human spirit and will. Due to the persistent fog, violent winds, and strong ocean currents below, the Golden Gate has been called the "Bridge that couldn't be built." This San Francisco icon is now considered an engineering marvel of the 20th century. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the most famous California Attraction and is a Tourist must-see.
4. Monterey Bay Aquarium
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| Monterey Bay Aquarium |
Named the #1 Aquarium in the United States by the Zagat Survey and voted “#1 Aquarium for Kids” by Parent Magazine, a visit to Monterey Bay Aquarium is a must for both young and old alike.
One of the most popular sites is the Outer Bay Waters Exhibit, a one-million-gallon tank containing giant tuna, sharks, sunfish, and sea turtles. Other award-winning exhibits include a three-story living kelp forest, a two-story sea otter exhibit.
Other highlights include exciting “Aquarium Adventures” programs, lively auditorium presentations, feeding shows in major exhibits and special weekend events, plus a self-service cafeteria, full-service restaurant and bar, and four gift stores.
5. Hearst Castle
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| Hearst Castle, San Simeon, CA |
Hearst Castle was the palatial estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. It is located near San Simeon, California, on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Donated by the Hearst Corporation to the state of California in 1957, it is now a State Historical Monument and a National Historic Landmark, open for public tours. Hearst formally named the estate 'La Cuesta Encantada' ('The Enchanted Hill'), but he usually just called it 'the ranch'.
