#223 Glacier Point
Glacier Point is probably the most beautiful spot in the Sierra Nevada Mountains at 7,214 feet. Located more than 3,000 feet above Yosemite Valley, the vista provides jaw dropping views of the iconic sites including Yosemite, Vernal and Nevada Falls and the prominent Half Dome. Glacier Point Road takes you to the overlook and is a beautiful drive.
#222 Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve
Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve contains a beautiful series of trails along the central coast. Wildflowers bloom in the spring alongside dramatic sea cliffs with a protected seal rookery. Carpinteria or 'carpenter shop' in Spanish is named for the Chumash Native Americans who built wooden canoes here and used the naturally occurring tar for waterproofing.
#221 San Diego Botanic Garden
The San Diego Botanic Garden showcases beautifully landscaped gardens and trails by the sea. California natives, desert gardens, lush tropical rainforests and the largest bamboo collection in the country are among the 3,000 varieties from Africa and South America to Asia and beyond. Stop and smell the flowers along four miles of trails.
#220 Paramount Ranch
Paramount Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area has been a Hollywood Movie Ranch since 1927. Paramount Studios purchased this 2,700 acre lot to recreate the old west as well as many foreign countries. Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Marlene Dietrich are just a few of the Golden Age elite who have filmed here. Wander and listen to the echoes of the past at this living historical site.
#219 USS Iowa
USS Iowa is a museum at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro which opened on the 4th of July 2012. It preserves U.S. Navy Battleship BB-61 which served during World War II, Korean War and Cold War. Three presidents have been hosted aboard and President Roosevelt's Cabin exhibit is a highlight. The tour also includes several rooms, berths, bridges, decks and has wonderful volunteers revealing its history.
#218 Embarcadero
Morro Bay's Embarcadero takes you back to a simpler time along the Central Coast. Galleries, inns, shops and restaurants line the streets with iconic Morro Rock in the background while seals swim along the boats of the harbor. This charming and friendly village will invite you to stay for a day or a lifetime.
#217 Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve
Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve is a park in Riverside County on the edge of the Santa Ana Mountains. The plateau preserves native plants, vernal pools, Engelmann oaks and the historic Moreno and Machado Adobes built in 1846. In the springtime, wildflowers surround the winding trails whose hills turn brilliant shades of green. The geology of the plateau contains rich volcanic history which created a landscape that has looked the same for millions of years.
#216 Palomar Mountain State Park
Palomar Mountain State Park is a beautiful conifer forest park high in the mountains of San Diego County. Pine trees soar among grassy meadows and provide sweeping overlooks of the valleys below. With peaks above 6,000 feet, it is a great place to escape the valley heat in summer and enjoy a chilly and sometimes snowy winter. Luiseño Native Americans lived and hunted here seasonally while gathering acorns. Many of the facilities were built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
#215 Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park is a protected park in the San Joaquin Hills of Orange County. This Mediterranean climate provides home to coastal sage scrub, chaparral and grasslands as well as many mammal species including coyotes and hawks. Native American artifacts like rock shelters and stone tools have been traced from historic Juaneño tribes. The discovery of marine fossils from mammals, fish and birds make this an important area of study. Top of the World Overlook provides sweeping views of Laguna Beach and its coastal canyons.
#214 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on Big Sur's Highway One is a jaw-dropping stretch of coastline. Julia Pfeiffer Burns was a pioneer woman of Big Sur and provided early tourists with food and lodging. The 80 foot McWay Falls drop directly to the beach and is one of the most photographed spots on the Pacific Coast.
