There's a reason why California has become the most populous (and most popular?) state in the country. Actually, there are lots of reasons: California has more to offer in one package than any other state. From mountains to seacoast, deserts to lush forests, teeming cities to wilderness, California is a land of dizzying contrasts. It could take several lifetimes just to see all of it.

In fact, even within a single region of California, the contrasts are incredible. In Southern California, for instance, an hour's drive (if the freeways aren't too crowded) will take you from the bustle of downtown Los Angeles to the silence of the Mojave Desert. To get there, you start near sea level and pass through mountain ranges that rise above 11,000 feet. And on the way, you can listen to radio broadcasts in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Korean, and Farsi. Other regions of the state are just as diverse in their own ways.