Information on California
Hollywood's portrayed image of California is not that far from the truth, the days are warm and sunny, the mansions of Beverley Hills are the height of luxury, beautifully-sculpted bodies roller-blade along the beachfront boardwalks, blonde-haired surfers compete for waves and the allure of Hollywood's fame and fortune is as strong as ever.
The Golden State of California offers one of the most exciting and diverse places to live in America. 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 impressive Golden Gate Bridge and the imposing island of Alcatraz are some of San Francisco's most recognisable images, where as in San Diego the warm and welcoming beaches and family attractions are more predominant images. Undoubtedly the city with the most razzle-dazzle is Los Angeles, a high-energy conglomeration of wealthy neighbourhoods, beaches and excessive standards of living. It lives up to its reputation as 'the entertainment capital of the world' presenting the attractions of Hollywood, Universal Studios and Disneyland, as well as first-class shopping, fine restaurants and a lively nightlife.
California is the most highly populated state in the USA and therefore blighted with 'smog', congested freeways, crime and overcrowded attractions, despite all this California is a leader in social tolerance in the USA and is also a forerunner in film, entertainment and the music industry. The state also lives with the constant threat of earthquakes, being cut through by the San Andreas Fault. Despite the ever-present fear that 'the big one' will strike, California remains one of the most popular states in which to live, work and play.
