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I was stereotyping when I first booked a flight to California, Hollywood glamour, beaches, and tech start-ups were all crammed in my head.
I was stereotyping when I first booked a flight to California, Hollywood glamour, beaches, and tech start-ups were all crammed in my head. I had not anticipated being head over hiking boots in love with its national parks.
Being a person who does not like star-spotting but star-gazing, it did not take me long to notice that California is at its best when it comes to natural beauty.
And, in case you are a first-time visitor and are in that dilemma of what national parks to give priority to, these are my top choices- based on my personal experience, early morning drives, dusty boots, and that unexplainable feeling of being and seeing nature just overwhelm you in awe.
Planning ahead helped a lot, just like booking Cheap Stansted Airport Parking made the beginning of my trip stress-free.
Everybody talks about Yosemite because there is a reason why. It is popular and it is crowded but it is also a place that is really worth the hype.
I was blown away the first time I was in the valley with the view of El Capitan and Half Dome looking down at me. I have seen pictures year after year but the size? Unreal.
Yosemite Valley is an ideal starting point to first-time visitors. It provides easy hikes such as Mirror Lake and Bridalveil Fall and a lot more hikes in case you are adventurous.
One morning, I woke up early and hiked up to Glacier Point before sunrise. It was cold and I left my gloves, but the silence and the pink light on the valley made it one of my best memories ever.
When you drive into Joshua Tree it is as though you have landed on another planet. The scenery changes to the surreal-looking twisted Joshua trees giant boulders and starry skies that humble you in the most flattering way.
Just imagine being next to something that is alive and is older than your whole family tree put together. It is like walking in the redwoods. It is silent, not only in noise, but in soul.
This Northern California park complex is not as busy as Yosemite so it is ideal to enjoy a less commercial and more peaceful experience. One foggy morning I hiked Lady Bird Johnson Grove trail alone and it felt like I was in a cathedral of living trees, where sunlight was piercing the trunks, which almost reached up to the heavens.
Note: Don’t forget to check Heathrow airport cheap parking and book according to your needs.
The name of Death Valley frightens away some tourists, but should not. Visit in cooler months, and you will find yourself in a land of weird and interesting extremes.
I thought it would be flat and barren, but was surprised to discover that it has layered canyons, colorful hills at Artists Palette and sunrises over Zabriskie Point that appeared to be painted on the ground.
You just have to be smart: take some water, watch the weather conditions and fill your gas tank before going to the park. There is basically no cell service, and it actually became a blessing, as there were no distractions but only the silence of the desert.
Okay, it is not really a national park in the common sense of the word but Point Reyes is a national seashore and definitely worth mentioning. It is only an hour drive away but it seems like a trip in the past- rolling hills, dairy farms and rough coastline.
I enjoyed the hike to Alamere Falls, where a waterfall falls right onto the beach. So what about the Point Reyes Lighthouse? Dramatic, filmic, and windy. It is also an excellent site to see whales on the move provided you are at the right place at the right time.
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