Landmarks-California

From Yosemite National Park to the Hollywood sign, here are some landmarks you should visit in California.

Golden Gate Bridge

Crossing the strait of the Golden Gate from San Francisco's Presidio to the Marin headlands for 1.7 miles is the world-renowned Golden Gate Bridge, easily identified by its International Orange color. Opened in 1937, the bridge was built at a cost of $35 million in principal and $39 million in interest and 11 workers’ lives. The single-suspension span is anchored by twin towers that reach skyward 746 feet, and was once taller than any building in San Francisco. To support the suspended roadway, two cables, each more than 7,000 feet in length and both containing 80,000 miles of wire stretch over the top of the towers and are rooted in concrete anchorages on shore. More than 10 years in planning due to formidable opposition, but only four years in actual construction, the Golden Gate Bridge brought the communities of San Francisco and Marin counties closer together.

Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle’s history begins in 1865, when George Hearst purchased 40,000 acres of ranchland. After his mother’s death in 1919, William Randolph Hearst inherited thousands of acres around San Simeon, and over time, he purchased more. The spread eventually encompassed about 250,000 acres. With architect Julia Morgan, Hearst conceived a retreat he called La Cuesta Encantada—Spanish for “Enchanted Hill.” By 1947, when Hearst had to leave the remote location because of his fragile health, the estate was still unfinished even though it comprised 165 rooms and 123 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways—all built to Hearst’s specifications and showcasing a legendary art collection.

Yosemite National Park

An icon of America’s majestic natural beauty, California’s Yosemite National Park welcomes millions of visitors each year—drawn to its dramatic waterfalls, giant sequoias, abundant wildlife, and awe-inspiring cliffs, like Half Dome and El Capitan. Whether you’re looking for the adventure vacation of a lifetime, want to immerse yourself in the stillness of nature—or simply hike, backpack or ski in one of the most beautiful places on earth, you’ll find your place in Yosemite.

Hollyword Sign

Originally made in 1923 to promote a housing development called Hollywoodland, the enormous sign—which lost its last four letters in 1949 and got a massive makeover in 1978 now acts like a towering beacon for anyone who dreams of being in the movies.

Sequoia National Park

There’s something magical about awakening in Sequoia National Park, surrounded by groves of the world’s largest living things. And some smaller ones, too, like red-tail hawks and yellow-bellied marmots.The park is notable for its giant sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on Earth. The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five of the ten largest trees in the world. Tunnel Log is a fallen giant sequoia tree in Sequoia National Park(picture on the right). The tree, which measured 275 feet (84 m) tall and 21 feet (6.4 m) in diameter, fell across a park road in 1937 due to natural causes. The following year, a crew cut an 8-foot (2.4 m) tall, 17-foot (5.2 m) wide tunnel through the trunk, making the road passable again.

El Matador Beach

El Matador Beach is one of three beaches within Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach. El Matador is the most popular of the three and the closest to Malibu.Explore north on the beach to caves and arches in the rocks. The largest cave faces the ocean at the bottom of a huge flat rock that is connected to the base of the bluff. It’s best to visit these natural features at low tide.

Death Valley National Park

In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.

Unconditional Surrender Statue

Unconditional Surrender is a sculpture by Seward Johnson resembling a photograph by Alfred Eisenstaedt, V–J day in Times Square, but said by Johnson to be based on a similar, less well known, photograph by Victor Jorgensen. The original statue was first installed in Sarasota, Florida, then was moved to San Diego, California and New York City.Figures in the local art community in Sarasota hated the statue and argued that it wasn’t art and should be removed. After several years in Sarasota, the statue moved to San Diego where it was on display, stirring up the same debates as it had in Florida. While some were happy to see it gone, arguments for the statue prevailed and eventually it returned from San Diego to Sarasota. The statue was so missed in California that the San Diego Unified Port District took a vote and chose to purchase a bronze version of the statue to live permanently.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe, the clear, cobalt blue lake tucked into the snowy Sierra Nevada mountain range, welcomes athletes, adventurers and casual travelers to its easygoing and pine-scented atmosphere. A long sought-after vacation destination, Lake Tahoe keeps everyone’s interests piqued and their vacations active throughout the year. Lake Tahoe is the nation’s second deepest lake, and the area previously served as a transcontinental route for first the railroad and later highways. As roadside stops increased in the area, so did the bustle, attracting travelers who were taken by the lake’s beauty and wealth of activities.

California State Capitol Museum

The structure was completed between 1861 and 1874. The Capitol and grounds were listed on the office of the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and listed as a California Historical Landmark in 1974, with a re-dedication on January 9, 1982, to commemorate the close of the bicentennial restoration project. The building had undergone a major renovation, known as the California State Capitol Restoration, from 1975 until 1982 to restore the Capitol to its former beauty and to retrofit the structure for earthquake safety. Although not generally considered earthquake country, Sacramento was hit by two earthquakes within days of each other in 1892 which damaged the Capitol.The building serves as both a museum and the state’s working seat of government. Visitors to the Capitol can at once experience California’s rich history and witness the making of history through the modern lawmaking process.