How to Plan a California Vacation Online

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From surfing the waves under the sun in Malibu to hiking through Yosemite National Park to cross-country skiing near Lake Tahoe, California is home to a multitude of outdoors activities for adventure seekers throughout the year. The Golden State offers miles and miles of beaches, trails, streams, mountain terrain and parks. With all that there is to do, the hardest part of planning a trip to the West Coast may just be deciding on a destination.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step 1

Do some research to decide which part of the state you want to visit. Web sites such as visitcalifornia.com and www.ca.gov/Tourism provide details about California's outdoors, cultural, shopping, nightlife and dining opportunities. Southern California is known for its beaches, including Huntington Beach (dubbed Surf City USA) and Zuma Beach. The Central Coast offers opportunities for campers, including the San Luis Obispo County Campgrounds and the Andrew Molera State Park Campgrounds in Big Sur. Northern California has dozens of state parks open for hiking enthusiasts.

Step 2

Surf online to make reservations for travel and accommodations. At Web sites including Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia, you can search by location for flights and hotels. The major airports in California include those in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, Ontario and San Diego.

Step 3

Check for discounts. Membership in organizations such as AAA (www.aaa.com) may get you cheaper rates on hotel rooms and travel.

Step 4

Get information and make reservations for your activities. Interested in whitewater rafting? Check out www.whitewatertours.com and www.california-river-rafting.com for opportunities at the Merced and American rivers as well as other locations. You can book your rafting adventure online at these Web sites. Hikers should visit socal.hiking.info, which gives details about the many trails in Southern California.

Resources

Article Written By Contributing Writer

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