From the last stands of primeval redwood forests to vast expanses of fragile desert; from the lofty Sierra Nevada to the broad sandy beaches of our southern coast; from the opulence of Hearst Castle to the vestiges of colonial Russia—California State Parks contains the largest and most diverse natural and cultural heritage holdings of any state agency in the nation. State park units include underwater preserves, reserves, and parks; redwood, rhododendron, and wildlife reserves; state beaches, recreation areas, wilderness areas, and reservoirs; state historic parks, historic homes, Spanish era adobe buildings, including museums, visitor centers, cultural reserves, and preserves; as well as lighthouses, ghost towns, waterslides, conference centers, and off-highway vehicle parks.

Another one of the essentials to California is its recreation, which has many various forms: from Disneyland in Anaheim, the most popular tourist destination in the United States, to the ninth most popular destination, the Yosemite National Park, the home of some of the largest sequoias in the world and its scenic waterfalls. Also on the top ten tourist destinations in America: Universal Studios at second, where one can get both fantastic rides and an insight into the movie industry; and San Francisco, one of the defining Californian cities, places eighth.