California

[[file:Antelope Valley banner.jpg|1280px|California Poppy Preserve in the Antelope Valley}} Located on the west coast of the United States, California is a huge and diverse state, with culture ranging from the easygoing surf spots on the beaches of Southern California to the glamour of Hollywood to the counterculture and thriving businesses of the Bay Area. The state's nature is varied too, including the redwood forests of the North Coast (California) | North Coast and the ski resorts of the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains and the harsh desert of Death Valley. The largest state in the US by population and one of the largest by area, California boasts world-famous attractions and sights: Disneyland and the Golden Gate Bridge and the Napa Valley country and the tallest mountain in the United States#Geography|contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, can all be found here.

An Introduction to the Region of California

California is geographically varied, ranging from warm beaches to snowy mountains to fertile farmland to extreme desert. In the middle of the state is the farmland of the Central Valley, which provides produce to the whole country. The conventional wisdom is that there is a huge difference (and also rivalry) between the Southern California area around Los Angeles (or as Californians often say, “LA”) and Northern California centered around the San Francisco Bay Area. However and the contrast between the (relatively wealthy) urban coastal areas and the (relatively poor) suburban and rural Central Valley is just as pronounced if not more so.

California's regions

Southern California Home to Los Angeles, San Diego, Disneyland and miles of famous beaches.

Desert (California) Palm trees, Joshua trees, blazing sun and quirky resorts.

Central Coast (California) An isolated stretch of land that features cool mountains and a rugged coastline.

San Joaquin Valley Breadbasket of California and home to a large percentage of America's fruit and vegetable supply.

Sacramento Valley Home of Sacramento and the state capital and the urban areas around the town.

Sierra Nevada California's alpine and skiing region, including Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.

Gold Country Historic foothills leading east to the Sierras; the 1848 discovery of Gold in this region brought many Americans to California and helped California become a state less than five years after the territory had been acquired.

Bay Area (California) Home to the city's of San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose (California)

North Coast (California) Home to the world's tallest trees and the coast redwoods as well as rugged coastlines and remote nature adventures.

Shasta Cascades Hills and mountains in the state's northeast corner that are off the beaten path for most visitors.

Cities

San Francisco with approaching fog - San Francisco, partly enshrouded in fog Here are a few of California's major city's.

• Sacramento GPS: 38.555556,-121.468889 – The laid-back state capital with historic area of the city, Old Sacramento.
• Bakersfield GPS: 35.366667,-119.016667 – The world's largest Basque population outside of Spain is found here and fine Basque restaurants abound.
• Los Angeles GPS: 34.05,-118.25 – The state's largest city and 2nd-largest in the nation. L.A. is home to Hollywood, Venice, The Getty Center and Griffith Park.
• Palm Springs GPS: 33.830278,-116.545278 – Desert recreation with golf, spas, resorts, casinos and the famous aerial tramway.
• San Diego 32.7157, -117.1547 | – Balboa Park, Old Town, SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo and nearby Tijuana, Mexico.
• San Francisco 37.7857, -122.4061 – Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, America's largest Chinatown, cable cars and Victorian houses
• San Jose (California) | San Jose GPS: 37.333333,-121.9 – South of San Francisco, home of the Winchester Mystery House and the center of Silicon Valley, which is home to many technology companies.
• Santa Cruz (California) | Santa Cruz GPS: 36.971944,-122.026389 – A central coast city. The home of the historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Mission Santa Cruz and the Mystery Spot.
• |type=city* Santa Barbara 34.421, -119.698 - – City on a south-facing coast which styles itself, with some justification, as "the American Riviera."

More Destinations

4076-joshua-tree RJ - Joshua Tree National Park

• Disneyland GPS 33.8091,-117.9190 – this world-famous amusement park opened its doors in 1955 and today draws around 16 million yearly visitors. The California Adventure theme park was added in 2001 and provides attractions inspired by the state's scenery and movie industry.
• Lake Tahoe GPS 39.091667,-120.041667 – a deep blue mountain lake, popular for water sports in the summer and skiing in the winter.
• Napa Valley GPS 38.50,-122.32 – spas, tasting, tours; the historic heart of California Wine Country.
• Big Sur GPS 36.27028,-121.80750 – the Big Sur region can be loosely defined as the stretch of coastline between Carmel and San Simeon and the steep cliffs, rocky coast, churning waves, abundant wildlife, redwoods and remoteness make it one of the most beautiful drives in the world.

National parks

• Channel Islands National Park GPS 34.0,-119.95 – five remarkable islands (Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara) and their ocean environment.
• Death Valley|Death Valley National Park GPS 36.45,-117.09 – a place of legend and a place of trial.
• Joshua Tree National Park GPS 33.86,-115.89 – the Joshua Trees found in the park can be seen in the picture to the right
• Lassen Volcanic National Park GPS 40.4919,-121.4030 – witness a brief moment in the ancient battle between the earth shaping forces of creation and destruction.
• Redwood National Park GPS 41.3,-124.0 – stand at the base of a coast redwood and even the huckleberry bushes tower over you.
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks GPS 36.56472,-118.77337 – these twin parks hold monuments to nature's size, beauty and diversity.
• Yosemite National Park GPS 37.7333,-119.5500 – one of the first wilderness parks in the United States.

California State Parks

California has many state parks, roughly half of which are near urban centers. A few are highlighted below:

• Big Basin Redwoods State Park GPS 37.1725,-122.2225 – full of the famous giant redwood trees.
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park GPS 36.25,-121.783333
• Richardson Grove State Park GPS 40.016667,-123.8
• Calaveras Big Trees GPS 38.272778,-120.290556

California Halal Travel Guide

File:Mission Santa Clara - Mission Santa Clara (California) | Santa Clara

History

See also: Indigenous cultures of North America, Old West

Human settlement in California goes back 50,000 years; California was home to thirty different tribal groups prior to the arrival of European explorers in the 1500s and now over 120 tribes are left. The first Europeans were the Spanish and Portuguese, who built a settlement in California, establishing twenty-one missions in California by the late 1700s. Many of these missions survive today, including the one in Santa Barbara. After the Mexican War for Independence in 1821, California became a part of Mexico for 25 years until 1846 where it briefly became a sovereign nation before it was annexed by the United States in 1846 and has since then had an image as the "land of opportunity" and the final destination of luck-seekers. In 1848 the discovery of Gold in the Sierra Nevada mountains kicked off the California Gold Rush and California's non-native population surged from 15,000 to over 300,000 within two years. People who moved to California during the Gold rush were often called "49ers", a term that also serves as nickname of the San Francisco American Football|football team. California became a state in 1850 and its population has increased steadily since then. Los Angeles, a city which once boasted one of the longest streetcar networks in the world, boomed through defense contractors and later converted to a "freeway" city after the streetcars were dismantled. The city hosted Olympic Games twice (1932&1984) at times when the Olympic movement was in crisis and the games were largely seen as successes for the city as well as the Olympic movement. Post-war United States|In the post-war years, California (especially the Bay Area) became a hotspot of counterculture, including popular music and the anti-war movement and the community. Today California is the most populous state in the US with over 38 million residents and still growing rapidly. Taken by itself California would rank as one of the world's top ten economies and Californian places like Silicon Valley, Hollywood and San Francisco are known globally and have shaped not only American but world culture. Politically, California is seen as a solidly "blue" state: it has a two thirds majority of Democrats in both chambers of the legislature and often provides the Democratic party with particularly left-wing ideas, especially on social issues. That said and the state actually contains a lot of political diversity, with conservative views prevalent in much of the state outside the densely populated Bay Area and Los Angeles County, particularly in the fertile but relatively sparsely populated Central Valley. Landscape=== Giant sequoias in Sequoia National Park 2013 - Sequoia National Park With over 160,000 square miles (411,000 km²) the landscape of California is vast and varied and the stereotypical beach paradise is only the tip of the iceberg. The state contains extremes in elevation, with Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet (4,421 meters) being the tallest mountain in the lower-48 states, while less than 200 miles away Death Valley, at 282 feet (82 meters) below sea level, is North America's lowest point. California's border to the West is made up of a rugged coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The coastal mountains rise up from the ocean and are home to redwood trees in the northern half. The Central Valley bisects California from north-to-south before giving way to the Sierra Nevada mountains, home of Yosemite National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and other natural wonders. The southeastern part of California is dominated by desert, which covers 25% of California's total area. The Mojave is a high desert, with elevations ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. This area receives less than six inches (152 millimeter) of rain each year.

How is the Climate in California

Parlos Verdes Light House Aug 2012 - Point Vicente Lighthouse, Palos Verdes Peninsula The state's climate varies from subtropical at the coast to the brutal winters of the mountains to one of the world's hottest regions in the deserts. Rainfall is more common in the northern part of the state than in the south and snow is common except in the mountains. The hottest temperature ever recorded in the Gulf countriesern Hemisphere, 134°F (56.6°C) was at Death Valley in 1913 and temperatures regularly exceed 120°F (50°C) during the summer.In contrast, winter temperatures in the mountains can drop below 0°F (-20°C). Generally speaking most precipitation happens in the winter. California experienced droughts in 2006–2010 and 2012–2017. Some measures were put in place to cut water consumption. You will notice more and more lawns being replaced by drought resistant landscaping and once fertile farms in the Central Valley lying fallow due to lack of water. For swimming and the Pacific Ocean is surprisingly cold even in July due to cold currents. September and October are optimal for swimming.

The People of California

California is a very diverse state with many ethnic groups. California has large populations of people of varied backgrounds such as Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Armenian, Iranian, Jewish, Chinese, Russian, Filipino, Eastern Indian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, (Thai) and Hmong. California also has large populations of African Americans and Native Americans. Although typically considered to be a liberal state, Californians have a wide variety of political views which tend to vary based on region. The Central Valley, Orange County (California) | Orange County, San Diego and Palm Springs area tend to be more conservative, while Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay area tend to be more liberal. California is a large and diverse state, with different cultures in each region.

Public Holidays in California

California observes all the United States#Holidays|federal holidays, except Columbus Day and adds Cesar Chavez Day on March 31st (or nearest weekday). However, some city's such as Coronado that have a large population of federal workers or military personnel do observe Columbus Day.

How to travel to California

Skyscraper Los Angeles Downtown 2013 - Skyscrapers in Downtown L.A.

Fly to California

See also: Air travel in the United States

San Francisco International Airport (IATA Flight Code: SFO) and Los Angeles International Airport (IATA Flight Code: LAX) are the most popular entry points with a wide variety of Flights from Europe, East Asia, India, Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji etc.), Latin America and from various city's in the US on a variety of U.S. and foreign flag carriers. To a lesser extent there are also direct connecting Flights from the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Israel) to Los Angeles. They are however also the most crowded and the SFO-LAX route is one of the busiest air corridors in the world causing frequent delays due to congestion. Delays at San Francisco airport due to fog are also somewhat common.If coming from within the US and from Mexico there are other alternate airports in California that are less crowded and may be closer to your final destination. They are:

• Los Angeles area – Bob Hope Airport (IATA Flight Code: BUR) in Burbank, John Wayne Airport (IATA Flight Code: SNA) in Orange County (closest to Disneyland & Knots Berry Farm); Ontario (California)#By plane|Ontario Airport (IATA Flight Code: ONT) in Ontario (closest to Joshua Tree, Death Valley and the Inland Empire deserts) and a small airport in Long Beach Airport (IATA Flight Code: LGB) in Long Beach (west coast hub for JetBlue Airlines).
• San Francisco Bay Area – Oakland Airport (IATA Flight Code: OAK) in Oakland and San Jose Airport (IATA Flight Code: SJC) in San Jose; both San Francisco and Oakland airport are now connected to the local commuter-railway network, BART while San Jose is connected by Caltrains at the 'Santa Clara Station'.
• Sacramento#By plane|Sacramento Airport (IATA Flight Code: SMF) in Sacramento
• Reno#By plane|Reno Airport (IATA Flight Code: RNO) in Reno, Nevada closer to the Lake Tahoe area than from Sacramento.
• Las Vegas#By plane|Las Vegas Airport (IATA Flight Code: LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada closer to Death Valley NP.
• Fresno Airport (IATA Flight Code: FAT) in Fresno, closest to Yosemite NP.
• San Diego#By plane|San Diego Airport (IATA Flight Code: SAN) in San Diego
• Tijuana#By plane|Tijuana Airport (IATA Flight Code: TIJ) in Tijuana.If coming from Mexico it may be more advantageous to fly to Tijuana on a (Mexican) domestic flight and then cross into San Diego by ground transportation than on an international flight to San Diego, Los Angeles, or other city's further north. From San Diego you can continue north to the San Francisco Bay area, Las Vegas, Phoenix or wherever in the US you are continuing to. See California#By plane 2|By plane under the "Get Around" section for more information.

By road

All major road entrances (including entrances from other U.S. States) to California have agricultural inspection stations to ensure that some fruits and vegetables do not cross into a region where they may come into contact with the farms in the Central Valley (California) | Central Valley. Often, travelers are subject to border inspection (somewhat strict for domestic travel) and asked if they have been on a farm or are carrying organic matter with them.

Travel by train to California

See also: Rail travel in the United States

Amtrak serves several routes into and out of California. If you are going to Los Angeles from the North, you might have to switch to a bus for the last couple of kilometers, as there is only one track railway connection between the Central Valley and the LA metropolitan area (2023), which is also one of the busiest freight lines in the USA. Plans to build a new high speed rail line to link San Francisco and Los Angeles are underway, but completion is not scheduled before the late 2020s. The following Amtrak routes serve California and terminate in Los Angeles#By train|Los Angeles or Emeryville:

• The California Zephyr runs daily between Chicago#By train|Chicago and Emeryville with connections in Omaha, Denver, Provo, Salt Lake City and Reno|Reno/Lake Tahoe. This train also stops in the Sierra Nevada (Truckee and Colfax) and the Sacramento Valley (Roseville, Sacramento, Davies and Martinez). Emeryville is the nearest Amtrak station to downtown San Francisco where passengers transfer to the Amtrak Thruway bus to continue across the bay to San Francisco.
• The Coast Starlight runs daily between Los Angeles and Seattle#By train|Seattle via Portland (Oregon)#By train|Portland, Klamath Falls, Redding, Bay Area (California) | San Francisco Bay Area, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Oxnard.
• The Southwest Chief runs daily from Chicago#By train|Chicago via Kansas City, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Williams Junction (nearest stop to the Grand Canyon) and Kingman to Los Angeles. It also makes stops in the Mojave Desert (Needles, Barstow and Victorville); the Inland Empire (Riverside and San Bernardino) and Orange County (Fullerton) and on its way into Los Angeles.
• The Sunset Limited runs three times a week from New Orleans via Houston, San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson and Yuma.Additionally, Amtrak's Texas Eagle service between San Antonio and Chicago incorporates the Sunset Limited to provide a direct connection to Los Angeles with the same stops as the Sunset Limited between San Antonio and Los Angeles. This train also stops in the Inland Empire (Pomona, Ontario and Palm Springs).

Train services are limited to two token lines with hardly any real transport value in Mexico and there are NO passenger rail service to anywhere near the U.S./Mexican border from anywhere in Mexico.

How to get around in California

California is the third largest state of the US by area (after Alaska and Texas). It compares in size with Sweden. However, getting around California can be simple.

How to travel to California by car

California State Route 1 in Marin County - California State Route 1|600px 405 southbound near Getty Museum - Interstate 405 in Los Angeles In addition to interstates and US highways, California has one of the most expansive state highway systems in the United States. As with all trips in the United States, a vehicle is the best way to get around and see all destinations. However the trip from the northern end of California to the southern end can take well over ten hours. The coast route (State Route 1 and U.S. 101) is much slower and windier than Interstate 5 and GPS travel estimate times may be inaccurate - especially on Highway 1. Most California drivers are courteous and careful (although speeding is rampant) and the safety and ease of driving in California is comparable to most First World industrialized countries. Exceptions may be found in the most congested areas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, where road rage and reckless driving are commonplace.

Freeway signage (and cautions)

California uses the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) lane marking system standard throughout the United States, in which dashed white lines divide lanes of through traffic and yellow divides opposing traffic (with single dashed indicating passing and double solid indicating no passing).In many urban areas the lane markings are replaced by Botts dots for additional tactile feedback when crossing lanes. The network of freeways in major population centers is often confusing and intimidating to those unfamiliar with the area, so having a good map is very helpful. The great majority of exits from freeways are on the right.At interchanges between freeways, in most cases and the flow of traffic continues through the left lanes with the transition to the other freeway being in the right lanes. At certain freeway interchanges, Caltrans (California Dept. of Transportation) is notorious for posting advance direction signs that do not correctly explain which lanes correspond to which ramps.Additionally, Caltrans does not always post signs warning of upcoming lane drops or merges. For example, where a freeway has three through lanes and the central lane splits into two lanes, thus resulting in two ramps with two lanes each and the advance signage may incorrectly imply that only the right lane will break off for the upcoming right-side ramp, thus causing visitors driving in the middle lane to merge unnecessarily into the right lane. And the two lanes on the right-side ramp may suddenly merge into each other without any warning. These issues frequently result in visitors making wild last-minutes lane merges. The 2009 national MUTCD is intended to remediate this problem (as seen in California and several other states) by mandating the use of detailed arrows on direction signs that clearly show which lanes split into new lanes at upcoming interchanges, but California has not yet implemented the new MUTCD standard. Thus, one should approach major freeway interchanges in California with caution. Mile-based exit numbering is in progress but is still very erratic in areas; an exit number may not be marked at all, may be marked on the last directional sign before the exit, or may be marked on the final "EXIT" sign where the exit ramp separates.

Ramp meters

In urban areas and the access ramps to a freeway may have traffic lights for each lane (called ramp meters or ramp metering lights; you'll see warning signs that read "METER ON"). During high-traffic times and the traffic light spaces out the vehicles attempting to merge onto the freeway. Be sure to read the sign below the light as ramps can allow 1-3 vehicles per green light. Most ramp meters are for ramps from local roads to a freeway, but some freeway junctions have meters on their ramps too.

Toll roads and bridges

Most highways are freely accessible, although there are a handful of tollways as well as tolled lanes on roads that are otherwise freeways. Most Southern California toll roads have no toll plazas; in most cases, you must have a FasTrak account and transponder - see below - to drive and pay the toll. On the other hand, all major bridges in the San Francisco Bay Area have toll plazas, with tolls charged on traffic in only one direction.All Bay Area toll plazas have cash lanes, except the Golden Gate Bridge (which takes photos of the license plates for non-FasTrak vehicles and bills the owner later). Cash toll lanes are staffed by human toll collectors; California toll plazas do not have "exact change" lanes where drivers may toss change in a basket without stopping. All California toll roads and toll plazas also accept FasTrak electronic toll collection transponders (aka tags) which can be used throughout the state. FasTrak is not compatible with any other state's ETC system. Going through a FasTrak-only toll plaza lane or toll road without a transponder or (only in some cases) an active FasTrak account with which your car's license plate is registered will result in a expensive ticket.

HOV/carpool lanes

Some freeways have a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane on the far left. This lane, also called the carpool lane or diamond lane, is marked by:

• a diamond symbol painted on the road surface
• signage on the wall separating the two sides of the freeway, with the diamond symbol
• a double yellow line on the road surface (only in Southern California)

Some freeway access ramps have carpool lanes too; often and the non-carpool lanes will have ramp meter traffic lights while the carpool lane has none. In most cases and the carpool lane is only for vehicles with 2 or more persons inside, motorcycles and clean-air vehicles with l.htm government-issued "Access OK" stickers. Sometimes, 3 or more persons and/or a FasTrak transponder may be required, so check the signage before entering a carpool lane. Carpool lane restrictions may be enforced 24 hours a day every day, or only when the signage says so (in those cases, it's only during rush hour on weekdays). Carpool lanes in Southern California have limited access points marked by a dashed white line. Thit is the only point at which a vehicle may legally enter or exit a carpool lane, since you are not allowed to cross a double yellow line. The minimum fine for unlawful use of a carpool lane is $341.

Traffic safety and law enforcement

All persons in a moving vehicle are required to wear a seatbelt and the driver and all passengers can be individually ticketed for failing to do so. Motorcycle riders must wear a helmet. Cellphone users are required to use a hands-free headset if talking on the phone while driving. Texting by the driver is illegal, as is any action on the phone that forces the driver to touch it more than once (and even single-touch actions are only allowed if the phone is mounted securely rather than hand-held). Unless otherwise signed, right-turns are permitted at red lights following a full stop. If it is raining hard enough to require you to use your windshield wipers, California law requires that your headlights be turned on. California does not have stationary photo radar cameras like in other countries and mobile manned photo radar units are rare and still experimental. However, most California police officers do carry radar guns and use them often and on rural freeways and the California Highway Patrol occasionally flies aircraft overhead to spot speeders and help ground units home in on their positions. Red light enforcement cameras are in use at many urban intersections, but are marked only by a single "PHOTO ENFORCED" sign before the intersection. Even more confusing, all approaches to an intersection may be marked with "PHOTO ENFORCED" signs when only one or two actual movements across the intersection are really photo-enforced. The cameras must obtain a clear view of the driver's face and license plate before a ticket may be issued. California's laws against driving under the influence of drinks are very strict; the maximum permissible blood alcohol concentration is 0.08%.All drivers are strongly encouraged to call 911 to report drunk drivers. California requires disabled out-of-state visitors to apply at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for a travel placard for handicapped parking. It's valid for 90 days.

Major highways

California State Route 1 All American Road sign - A California State Highway sign. The poppy sign below it indicates that it is a state scenic route Here are some important highways in California:

• Interstate 5: Runs between San Diego, Los Angeles and Sacramento and then north into Oregon and Washington
• Interstate 8: Runs between San Diego and Arizona
• Interstate 10: Runs between Los Angeles and the Inland Empire and Palm Springs and then into Arizona and points east
• Interstate 15: Runs between San Diego and the Inland Empire, Barstow, Las Vegas, Nevada and points north
• Interstate 40: Runs between Barstow, Needles and then into Arizona and points east
• Interstate 80: Runs between the Bay Area, Sacramento, Reno, Nevada and points east
• Interstate 405: Loop around the Los Angeles Area
• Interstate 580: Connects that San Francisco Bay Area with Interstate 5
• Pacific Coast Highway|State Route 1: Runs up the California Coast between Orange County, Los Angeles, Monterey and the Bay Area and Fort Bragg
• State Route 99: Runs along the California Central Valley between Red Bluff, Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield
• U.S. Highway 50: Runs between Sacramento, South Lake Tahoe, Carson City, Nevada and points east
• U.S. Highway 101: Runs between Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and then close to the California Coast to the San Francisco Bay, Eureka and points north
• U.S. Highway 395: Runs along the Eastern Sierras, connecting the Inland Empire and High Desert with Bishop, Reno and Susanville and then into Oregon and points north
• Route 66: Now decommissioned, historically connected Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, Barstow, Needles and then into Arizona and points east

Fly to California

LAX LA - Los Angeles International Airport Flying may be a more reasonable option for crossing large expanses of the state. American/American Eagle; United/United Express, Delta, Virgin America, Southwest, Jetblue, Jet Suite and https://Alaska Airlines offer intrastate flights within the state of California. San Francisco is a hub for United and Virgin America; Los Angeles is a hub for United, American/American Eagle, Virgin America and Alaska Airlines; and Long Beach is the West Coast hub for JetBlue. The LAX-SFO route is one of the busiest in America which means competitive fares and delays are frequent which is only made worse by the fog that tends to hit San Francisco bay at a regular basis.In addition and the airlines offer Flights from different airports in Southern California#By air|southern California in the south; to the Bay_Area_(California)#By plane|SF Bay area and Sacramento to the north at competitive rates. The primary airports served by major US carriers, Volaris (from Mexico) and Aeromexico (from Mexico) in California are in:

• Los Angeles area – Los Angeles International (IATA Flight Code: LAX), Bob Hope Airport (IATA Flight Code: BUR) in Burbank, John Wayne Airport (IATA Flight Code: SNA in Orange County; Ontario (California)#By plane|Ontario Airport (IATA Flight Code: ONT) and a small airport in Long Beach (IATA Flight Code: LGB)
• San Francisco Bay Area – San Francisco International Airport|San Francisco (IATA Flight Code: SFO), Oakland (IATA Flight Code: OAK), San Jose (IATA Flight Code: SJC); both San Francisco and Oakland airport are now connected to the local commuter-railway network, BART while San Jose is connected by Caltrains at the 'Santa Clara Station'.
• San Diego#By plane|San Diego (IATA Flight Code: SAN)
• Sacramento#By plane|Sacramento (IATA Flight Code: SMF)
• Reno#By plane|Reno (IATA Flight Code: RNO), Nevada closer to the Lake Tahoe area

The busiest second tier airports are Fresno (IATA Flight Code: FAT) (nearest to Yosemite NP); ault.asp Santa Barbara (IATA Flight Code: SBA); and tments/aviation-palm-springs-international-airport-psp Palm Springs (IATA Flight Code: PSP). There are also Flights to Bakersfield, Arcata/McKinley (nearest to Eureka), Monterey, Redding and San Luis Obispo mainly by United Express.

Travel by train to California

The state's various rail services provide a affordable and reasonably comfortable way to see and get around much of the state USA without a car|without a car. Amtrak operates a few long-distance routes through and out of California, as well as the three Amtrak California routes:

• San Luis Obispo-Santa Barbara-Los Angeles-San Diego on the Pacific Surfliner
• Oakland/Sacramento-Stokton-Bakersfield on the San Joaquins (which have connecting Thruway bus service to Los Angeles)
• San Jose-Oakland-Sacramento-Auburn on the Capitol Corridor
• Amtrak Thruway Motorcoaches connects additional city's and towns to/from the Amtrak (train) network by bus such as Santa Cruz-San Jose; San Francisco-Emeryville; Bakersfield-Los Angeles; Bakersfield-Las Vegas; Martinez-Arcata; Redding-Sacramento; etc.

Amtrak has seen continuously increasing ridership in most of the USA for more than a decade now and surprisingly enough three of the six most popular Amtrak routes run through California, thus making them a viable alternative to the more often than not congested roads and airports. In addition and there are several commuter and regional services in the state's metro areas:

• Caltrain San Francisco-San Jose-Gilroy through the famous Silicon Valley.
• Altamont Commuter Express San Jose-Stockton through the Altmont Corridor.
• BART] operates throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
• Metrolink runs throughout the greater Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura County (metropolis) region on multiple routes.
• COASTER] runs along the coast of San Diego County between downtown San Diego, Carlsbad, Oceanside.

There are also light rail systems in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose. Almost all of these systems are being expanded or upgraded to cope with rising ridership, so expect more and better service in years to come.

Travel on a Bus in California

See also: Intercity buses in the US

The bus is not the most glamorous way to get around the state, but it can be the cheapest. There are fairly frequent service between San Francisco#By bus|San Francisco and Los Angeles#By bus|Los Angeles; San Francisco and Sacramento#By bus|Sacramento; and Sacramento and Los Angeles on multiple lines. There are hourly "clocker" buses between Los Angeles, San Diego and/or Tijuana. The bus stations/stops in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose and San Diego are all well-located and in separate locations that are not necessary next to or near each other. In Los Angeles the stations (Greyhound, Tufesa, Intercalifornia, El Paso-LA Limousines) are east of the downtown core in the notorious and sketchy 'skid row' area (gentrifying to become the 'arts' & 'fashion' neighborhoods). Others (Bolt Bus & Megabus) have stops at either Union Station or Patsaouras Transit Plaza on the opposite side of the tracks from Union Staton, or somewhere nearby (CA Shuttle Bus) instead. Some of the same companies also have additional stops or depots in Santa Monica, North Hollywood, El Monte, Colton and/or East L.A. as well as Santa Ana in Orange County. There are multiple bus companies operating within California and they are:

• Bolt Bus - +1-877-BOLTBUS (2658287) - Offers service between Los Angeles (downtown Union Station & North Hollywood) and the SF Bay area (San Jose, San Francisco & Oakland) on one route and from Los Angeles (downtown Union Station & Ontario) to Barstow and Las Vegas on another.
• Eastern Sierra Transit ☎ +1 760 872-1901 +1 800 922-1930 Operates 'local' buses along US Highway 395 corridor between Mammoth Lake, Bishop and Lone Pine in Mono and Inyo Counties in the eastern 'Desert' and the Sierra Nevada parts of the state. They have a route continuing north to Carson City & Reno from Mammoth Lake and south to Lancaster from Lone Pine. The area is not served by Greyhound or Amtrak Thruway buses

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• El Paso Los Angeles Limousine Express - (downtown LA depot) 622 E 6th Street Southwest corner of E 6th Street & Wall Street across the street from police station ☎ +1 213 623-2323 and +1 323-265-3232 - Travels along I-10 between Los Angeles, Indio, Phoenix, Las Cruces and El Paso on one route and on I-15 to Las Vegas & North Las Vegas on another route. They have additional stops in E. Los Angeles, El Monte and Colton on their way on both routes. They also have a second depot at 4425 South Atlantic Blvd in E Los Angeles.
• Flixbus ☎ +1 855 626-8585 (German) bus company to rival Greyhound Lines (First Group); Megabus (Stagecoach Group) and various American and Mexican bus companies in the American market. It connects Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sacramento, SF Bay Area and San Diego via multiple city's en route in Arizona and California. It may expand to other parts of the US if it is successful. It dominates the (German) market and has grown rapidly through subcontracting its operations, which has the downside for clients that the buses are not of a consistent style or quality.
• Green Tortoise ☎ +1 415 956-7500 1 800 867-8647 Operates something like a 'hippie' bus that serves as a bus by day with stops to visit different places like a bus tour throughout the day and a RV camper by night in different campgrounds. It offers bus tours and camping trips to Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Death Valley Sequoia and along the coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Some of its tours involve a 3- to 5-day round trip from the point of origin such as from San Francisco to Yosemite NP and back while others are one way where the journey starts from one place and end in the other like from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree and end in Las Vegas. Even with round trips it is feasible to ask to be picked up or dropped off in different places than the point of origin/return. Others like its 'Hostel Hoppers' or 'Express' are a straightforward bus ride from point A to B. It is one way to combine 'taking the bus' from one place to another and to visit and see remote places without a private automobile.
• Greyhound & Curceros-USA - , | directions 1 800 231-2222 Greyhound goes to 100 locations statewide, though these are not all actual stations, some are merely stops. In general, Greyhound serves the same routes that Amtrak does along the main highways. In some cases Greyhound is cheaper, faster and more frequent than Amtrak.

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• Hoang Express ☎ +1 714 839-3500 +1-888-834-9336 $60-65 to Bay Area; $80 to Sacramento Travels between SoCal (San Diego, El Monte, Los Angeles, Westminster (California) | Westminster); Bay Area (San Francisco, San Jose & Oakland) and to Sacramento on another route from Los Angeles. They also offer service from Los Angeles to Arizona (Phoenix, Chandler (Arizona) | Chandler and Tempe.
• International Bus Lines - formerly Intercalifornias | ☎ +1 213 629-4885 +1-888-834-9336 Prices vary depending on your destination Connects Tijuana, San Ysidro (just over the border), Santa Ana, Los Angeles, San Fernando, Bakersfield, Fresno and San Jose/Stockton (California) | Stockton (route splits/joins in Madero) and several other places in between.

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• LuxBus on request for hotel pick up/drop off +1-877-610-7870 Operates to/from Las Vegas, Anaheim and San Diego.
• Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA) - Travels extensively in the North Coast region along Highway 1 from Ft Bragg to Navarro River Junction (#65), Point Arena (#75), Bodega Bay and Santa Rosa (#95). Another route from Ft Bragg to Willits, Ukiah and Santa Rosa along SR-20 and US Highway 101 (Routte #65). Much of the area is not served by Greyhound or Amtrak Thruway Buses off the US Highway 101 corridor.

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• Megabus - Goes up to Oakland (via South Jose & San Francisco) and over to Las Vegas on two separate routes from Los Angeles. They also have another route from San Francisco to Sacramento & Reno along I-80.
• Orange Belt Stages - Trailways - ☎ +1 559 733-4408 1 800-266-7433 Regular scheduled service between Lenmoore and Santa Maria through Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. They also offer day trips to different places for sightseeing and to scheduled events throughout California.
• Sage Stage - (bus stops) Rite Aide 5th & Main in Alturas ☎ +1 530 233-6410 - Provides public transportation from Alturas and Canby in Modoc County, in the Shasta Cascades, to Redding; Reno, NV; and Klamath Falls, OR on three separate routes.
• Santa Barbara Airbus - ☎ +1 805 964-7759 +1-800-423-1618 Connects Los Angeles International Airport|LAX to Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta.
• "Cabin" - formerly Sleep Bus - Overnight service to the Los Angeles area (Ocean & Arizona Ave in Palisades Park in Santa Monica) from San Francisco (Bayside Lot 1 Bryant St). Thit is an actual sleeper bus featuring twin size bunk beds with privacy curtains, power outlets and free wifi.

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• Tufesa ☎ +1 213 489-8079 Prices vary depending on your destination Connects Los Angles to Sacramento (via Bakersfield, Fresno, etc); to Salt Lake City (via Barstow, Las Vegas, Street George, etc); to Hermosillo (via Phoenix, Tucson, Nogales); San Francisco Bay Area; and to Tijuana (via Santa Ana, San Diego/San Ysidro).
• Yarts - Operates regularly scheduled buses from Yosemite NP (Visitors' Center) to Fresno, Merced, Mammoth Lakes & Sonora on four separate routes.
• Jass - ☎ +1 408 209-0304 Prices vary from place to place Offers services from San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara, Oakland and other areas of the state with different travel routes.

By foot

• The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the length of California on its way from Mexico to Canada
• The American Discovery Trail connects California with Nevada and the East Coast.

Local Language in California

Golden Hour at Emerald Bay - Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe The California Constitution states that English is the official language of the state of California, but in reality, this rule is treated as a floor rather than a ceiling and one should regard California as a multilingual state.American English is the main language and Spanish is the de facto second language and a knowledge of even rudimentary Spanish is useful in most city's from Sacramento to San Diego. Los Angeles has some of the largest Hispanic populations north of Mexico. The state is highly influenced by Spanish culture, as California was once part of the Spanish empire until 1821 and then of Mexico for a short while after, until ceded to the USA after a decisive US victory in the war between Mexico and the US in 1848. In fact, some of its residents declared it an independent country for about a month (The Bear Flag Republic) in the midst of the Mexican-American War 1846–1848, and many of California's city's were named after saints or phrases in Spanish (such as Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose (California) | San Jose). Store and street signs are sometimes written in both English and Spanish in major metropolitan areas and "Spanglish" (a mixture of English and Spanish) is often used and heard throughout the state. Even people with no Latino legacy whatsoever sometimes speak fluent Spanish or use common Spanish-derived expressions when speaking English. Most businesses in California have at least a few employees who are bilingual in English and Spanish. Some restaurants in fact may have a workforce that is more fluent in Spanish than English. Chinese is also spoken throughout California and areas with a large number of Chinese residents or businesses have Chinese signage. Japanese, Tagalog, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi, Punjabi and Khmer are also spoken among Asian Californian populations. Big city's like Los Angeles or San Francisco also tend to have communities of crucially any ethnicity imaginable and there is a good chance you can hear their language and have an opportunity to consume their culture's food. Los Angeles, for example, boasts quite a large Ethiopian neighborhood.

What to see in California

Us-ca-sanfran-goldengate - Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco 16-yosemite-half-dome - Half-dome at Yosemite National Park Silver Lake - Silver Lake is in the Sierra Nevada|Sierra Nevada Range of eastern California

Halal Tours and Excursions in California

• El Camino Real (The Royal Road) — a historic road linking the 21 Spanish missions of Alta California (modern day state of California) offering a fascinating look into California's history
• Pacific Coast Highway — tour up and down the iconic California coast, along Big Sur, all the way up to its end where it merges into the US 101, which goes up to Washington state.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for California

Hollywood sign 053004 - Hollywood

• Ski at one of the great resorts near Lake Tahoe or Big Bear Lake|Big Bear.
• Try your hand at surfing or work on your tan in Orange County (California) | Orange County or Santa Monica.
• The long coastline offers some great Scuba diving in California|California scuba diving.
• Climb a mountain and camp in the Sierra Nevada or Shasta Cascades.
• See California's amazing wildflowers. From March through May and the California Wildflower Hotline at +1 818 768-3533 offers the latest information on the best places to view wildflowers throughout Southern and Central California. The hotline and website are updated every Thursday evening. More than 90 wildflower sites are included. The hotline, operating more than 25 years, is run by the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants, Inc.
• Listen to music at the Northern California Blues Festival. The fastest growing festival of its kind comes in June to Sacramento County around Father's day each year and features a spectacular line-up of Blues artists. Event benefits Through the Mind, a non-profit providing free alternative mental health to America's Veterans.
• Visit one of the many theme parks in California, such as Disneyland or Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Shopping in California

T-shirts flags and other items with the famous "bear flag" are available virtually everywhere a tourist might wander. Usually US Dollars and common credit or debit cards are the only accepted modes of payment. You might have some luck with Mexican Pesos near the immediate border area, but exchange rates are pretty bad. California stores no longer give out free plastic bags, except for fresh grocery produce and meats. Reusable plastic bags cost a minimum ten cents (by law) and many stores sell cloth bags for one or two dollars. Sales tax varies from county to county.

Halal Restaurants & Food in California

California doesn't have a very well-defined cuisine of its own, but rather a remarkably diverse food scene defined by its large population of immigrants of varied ethnic backgrounds and its access to one of the most productive agricultural regions this side of the planet. The culinary style referred to as "Californian cuisine" focuses on imaginative fusions of other cuisines, typically with heavy attention to presentation and an emphasis on using freshly prepared local ingredients. Almost any dish you can imagine can be found somewhere in California, with the cuisines of The Americas and Asia heavily represented and those of nearly every other country available to a lesser extent. More "North American" fare includes everything from Burgers shacks to Vegetarian, organic and even completely vegan restaurants; the Californian love for food has left it with one of the most diverse restaurant scenes in North America. The large city's have the most variety, while things get simpler and more meat-heavy as you get more rural. There are a handful of distinctive California dishes, although most of them have been adopted and adapted throughout the US.

• Cobb salad - a cold salad of bacon or ham, Chicken, boiled eggs, avocado, tomato, lettuce and bleu Cheese, with a vinaigrette dressing. Traditionally it's chopped fairly fine, but in modern times it's served in a variety of ways. It was invented at the Brown Derby restaurant in LA.
• French dip sandwiches - invented somewhere in LA and the exact location is subject to dispute, but it's a warm sandwiches of thinly sliced roast beef on a roll that's dipped into beef broth.
• Cioppino - a seafood stew developed by Italian immigrants in San Francisco, it resembles various Italian fish stews but includes local ingredients like chopped Dungeness crab.
• The Mission Burrito - a San Francisco tradition characterized mainly by its great size and caloric content, featuring copious amounts of beans and Rice in addition to Cheese, Meat and/or vegetables.
• California Burrito - a San Diego specialty, it's a carne asada (spicy grilled steak) burrito, stuffed with french fries.
• Santa Maria Barbeque - Thit is a central coast tradition. It's a bottom sirloin beef roast (the cut is locally known as tri-tip), where the fat hasn't been trimmed. It's suspended high above a hot oak fire, fat side up, so it cooks slowly and the fat melts and tenderizes the Meat. It's served thinly sliced with Tortillas or bread, salsa, onions, avocado and other side dishes.
• Chop Suey - the original "American Chinese" dish was popularized as good quality food for laborers during the California Gold rush. While it's increasingly hard to find, many other American Chinese dishes were first created in San Francisco's Chinatown. In recent years, though, Californians have tended to seek out more authentic Chinese food and you're actually more apt to find classic American Chinese fare like crab rangoon or General Tso's Chicken in other states.

See also: Fast food in North America California is known for its fine soft drinks and gourmet soft drinks. Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino are premier neighborhoods north of San Francisco, but there are others in the Central Coast region and even the San Diego region where suitable microclimates have been found. The inland Central Valley region has hotter summers and traditionally produced affordable bulkfruit cocktails, but quality has been improving withfruit cocktailmaking innovations. Californians tend to view as a natural accompaniment of food or socializing, overlooking its content more easily than with distilled spirits. However police crackdowns on drinking and driving are increasingly severe with roadblocks and random checks. Conviction for driving with a blood alcohol level over .08 percent is likely to bring serious legal and financial consequences. Drivers with lower blood alcohol can still be convicted for DUI (driving under the influence) if they fail field sobriety tests such as walking a straight line. You must be 21 years of age to drink any beverage. Underage drinking is taken very seriously so if you are in a club or and appear to be under 30 you should be ready to present identification showing your age. For California also has a lot of microbreweries. Sierra Nevada, in Chico (California) | Chico, is one of the biggest microbreweries in North America. In the Central Coast (California) | Central Coast the midsized brewery Firestone Walker in Paso Robles is a good addition to the localfruit cocktailries in the area. In San Diego, Stone Company offers a great variety of soft drinks that can be purchased throughout the state. There are over 200 microbreweries in California.

Medical Issues in California

Air stagnation

Occasionally and there will be an advisory issued for air stagnation, which is a phenomenon involving an air mass that cannot move and therefore stagnates over an area for an extensive period of time. Air pollutants can cause breathing difficulties for those with existing respiratory conditions. If you have a respiratory condition, refer to the National Weather Service website on air quality to see if any such advisories have been issued for the areas you might visit.

Disease

Like many western states, California has had cases of hantaviral pulmonary syndrome, 42 confirmed cases in the state since 1993. Realistically, however, hantavirus is of very little concern to the traveler; but sensible precautions should be applied. Do NOT venture in a wild animal's den or handle any dead animals; particularly rodents, as rodents seem to be the primary vector of the illness. There is no cure for the disease, treatment mainly consists of supportive therapies. The main defense against the virus is prevention.

Stay Safe

Elephant seals fighting - Elephant seals fighting, San Simeon

California-Mexico Border

Due to California's proximity to the International Boundary with Mexico, visitors should be cautious while in areas near the border crossing.

• Know where you are at all times, follow good safety procedures and use common sense when making decisions.
• Do not pick-up hitch hikers.
• Keep valuables, including spare change, out of sight and lock your vehicle.
• Avoid traveling in well-marked but unofficial "trails."
• Avoid hiking or camping in areas of major border activity. If you are visiting a national or state park, consult park staff to help plan backcountry travel in safer areas.
• Report any suspicious behavior to the US Border Patrol.

Crossing the border

Thousands of U.S citizens visit the state of Baja California, Mexico from California every year with the majority of travelers returning from an enjoyable experience. However, a minority of travelers do experience difficulties and serious inconveniences while traveling to Mexico. Before traveling to Mexico, ensure that you have the proper documentation and are familiar with the recommendations for foreign travel from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs There are six border crossings between California and Mexico: two between San Diego and Tijuana, one between Tecate and Tecate, two between Calexico and Mexicali and one between Andrade and Los Algodones. The United States operates a consulate-general in Tijuana and a consulate in Mexicali. Mexico operates Consulates in Calexico, Fresno, Los Angeles, Oxnard, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Ana.

Crime

The usual inner city crime can be found in the worst parts of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland. Central Valley city's, such as Sacramento, Stockton (California) | Stockton and Fresno also have gang problems. Northern coastal city's such as Eureka have an ongoing problem with significant drug activity, primarily the prevalence of methamphetamine and property crimes. However, most California city's are very safe. As long as you take basic precautions against petty crime and stay out of obviously run-down neighborhoods, you will probably have a safe and pleasant visit. Be smart and you will be safe. If you are traveling along the Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 101, you may notice there are a substantial number of hitch-hikers along the way. Do not pick up hitch-hikers. Drugs are illegal in California, with the noted exception of cannabis|marijuana. Adults 21 and over are now allowed to possess, use and cultivate small amounts of marijuana, so long as it is not consumed in public or possessed on the grounds of a school or day care center. Legal dispensaries (except for those licensed for medical use) have not yet been established, but adults in California are allowed to share up to 1oz of marijuana flowers or 8 grams of concentrate. Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, so do not carry marijuana past state lines - even to another state where it is legal - as this will be considered drug trafficking and subject to harsh punishment. If you find yourself in an emergency situation (of any kind), dial 9-1-1 on your phone or from any (available) phone. It is a free call from a payphone.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes that are large enough to cause extensive damage are rare, but remain a matter of reality for the state. The biggest dangers in an earthquake are falling objects and windows which shatter explosively.In the event of an earthquake, face away from windows and hide under any sturdy table or desk that may be available.If you are indoors, do not run outside! Falling building facades are more likely to cause severe injuries than anything inside. Contrary to popular belief do not stand in a door frame it is not safe at all, thit is merely a myth. You're more likely to get your fingers caught in the frame from all the shaking and swinging of the door than gain protection from a falling object. If outdoors, stay away from buildings and stay out from under power lines.

Deserts

Along the southern most border of California-Nevada, as well as the border of California-Arizona, California has elaborate desert landscapes which extend into the south central regions of the state; the most famous (or infamous) being the region known as Death Valley, where several tourists and hikers have indeed met their fate while exploring the region. If you are planning on traveling or hiking into these locations, follow desert survival guidelines. Be sure to take plenty of water (at least one gallon per person, per day), sunscreen and wear light clothing. Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. Be sure to have a full tank of gasoline prior to traveling by vehicle into these regions, as many desert locations are extremely remote and without any services for several miles (in some cases nearly 100 miles). To break down in these regions could be extremely unpleasant in the best case scenario, tragic in the worst. Also, it is best to hike during the earlier part of the day, as thunderstorms tend to develop suddenly during the afternoon. In the event you encounter inclement weather conditions, seek high ground instantly! Thunderstorms can cause flash flooding in canyons and other low-lying areas.

Tsunamis

The incidence of earthquakes in California raises the concern for potential threats of tsunamis. Though tsunamis occur very rarely, a great deal of California's coastline is in a tsunami zone. For more information on the state's hazard assessment, visit the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research website.

Wildfires

Wildfires are quite common between May and October. Take a few precautions – clear the area around campfire pits/rings in campgrounds, never leave flames unattended (even artificial ones), avoid weapon use in dry areas. The strongest impact from fires is smoke. Smoke affects areas dramatically exceeding the size of the root fire. Travelers with respiratory issues should consult visitor information sites before visiting areas where fires are occurring.

Mudslides

Unfortunately, fire season leads directly into the usual rainy season and hilly areas where the vegetation has burned are particularly vulnerable to destructive and sometimes deadly mudslides. Heed any evacuation warnings that are issued.

Wild animals

Bears are found in the Sierra Nevada and all neighboring parts of the state. They're rarely dangerous, but should never be approached. If you are camping, you need to ensure that food, food waste and other scented items such as soap and toothpaste are secure from them. Mountain lions are rarely seen, but live in all mountainous parts of the state and once in a while attack humans. If you see one, yell and wave your arms to make yourself appear as large as feasible. Coyotes are quite common, even in relatively populated areas like the Hollywood Hills. They pose little danger to humans, but will attack dogs, cats and other domestic animals. Many animals, most notoriously bats, can carry rabies. When hiking, watch for ticks, which can carry Lyme disease and rattlesnakes. If you're bitten by any animal, seek immediate medical attention.

Poisonous plants and mushrooms

Poison oak can be found almost anywhere in the state, but is particularly common in Southern California and the Central Coast and the Bay Area and any Coast Redwood woodlands. It's toxic throughout the year, even during the winter when it's lost its leaves. Sensitivity varies by individual, but many Muslim can end up with a very nasty, blistering rash by contacting it. See the linked article for treatment options. California is also home to several lethal varieties of mushrooms, which can be particularly dangerous to would-be gatherers because some of them resemble edible varieties found elsewhere in the world. Even if you're an expert on mushroom varieties where you live, don't assume you're safe gathering them in California.

Local Customs in California

California is filled with a very diverse group of people. Northern and Southern California have notably different cultures, while the rural areas in the Central Valley and Eastern portions of the state differ even more significantly. Sensitive topics include immigration, race, rights, water rights, land-use and politics. Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area are especially well-known for being some of the most politically liberal areas in the US and continue to serve as some of the world's major centers of counterculture. Conversely, parts of California, particularly the Central Valley, are some of the most conservative parts of the US. Of course, it's unwise to assume any individual's political leaning based on where they live.

More Muslim friendly Destinations from California

• Arizona – Home to the Grand Canyon, Arizona borders California to the southeast across the Colorado River.
• Nevada – California's eastern neighbor is best known as the home of Las Vegas, although towns such as Reno and Carson City are also good day-trip opportunities for visitors wanting to explore the Silver State.
• Oregon – Sharing a border to the north, Oregon is home to impressive mountains and extensive forests.
• Hawaii – Many visitors to America's fiftieth state depart through California on their journey across the Pacific.
• Baja California – Those traveling across the border to Mexico can visit some of that country's most impressive sea and landscapes.

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