California

By Melanie Renzulli, About.com Guide

Nickname: The Golden State
Population: The most populous state with 37,691,912 residents (according to 2011 census data)
Size: 3rd largest state by area
Capital: Sacramento
Largest City: Los Angeles

California, a beacon in U.S. West to Americans and foreigners alike, hardly needs an introduction. The state is home to the famous cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, and eight of the USA's 50 most populous cities are in California. They include Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland. California has some of America's top beaches, is home to Hollywood, the tech campuses of Silicon Valley, one of the world's most famous theme parks at Disneyland, and the USA's top wine region.

Guides to California Places on About.com

Guide to California Travel

Guide to Los Angeles Travel

Guide to San Francisco Travel

City Guide to Los Angeles

City Guide to Oakland

City Guide to Orange County

City Guide to Sacramento

City Guide to San Diego

City Guide to San Francisco

Maps of California

Interactive Google Map of the State of California

Downloadable City and Regional Maps from Visit California, the state's official tourism board

Maps of Northern California

Maps of Southern California

California Regions Maps

Los Angeles Maps

Map of Los Angeles Neighborhoods from the L.A. Times

Disneyland Resort Maps

Hollywood Star Maps: Maps to homes of celebrities

San Francisco Maps

California Wine Regions Imagined As Subway Stops

Maps of San Diego

Top Attractions/Things to Do in Los Angeles

Top Attractions in LA

Free Things to Do in Los Angeles

Step-by-Step Los Angeles Trip Planner

Top Attractions/Things to Do in San Francisco and the Bay Area

The Best of San Francisco

100 Things to Do in San Francisco

Food Lover's Guide to San Francisco

Dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area

Top Attractions/Things to Do in San Diego

Must-See San Diego

Must-Do San Diego

San Diego Landmarks

Top Attractions/Things to Do in the State of California

California Wine Country

California Weekend Getaways and Day Trips

National Parks in California

California State Parks

Beaches of California - A Comprehensive List

Great Books About California
California has been the setting for countless novels. To get in the mood for a California vacation, take a look at this list from GoodReads.com of novels set in California. You may also want to consider these California travel guides .