Winter trip to the west

[bobbyg4345]

I live in Phoenix and want to take a trip in January to California. I am stopping off in Laughlin, NV so I will begin my trip from there.  Weather permitting, where are some interesting places to visit?

 

[winniman]

One place that comes to mind that is a bucket list for lots of people is a trip up the Pacific Coast Highway. Very scenic. We came south from British Columbia two winters ago. We did San francisco, and saw the redwood trees farther north. It was a very rainy year that year, and part of the southern portion of the road was closed due to landslides. Im sure more locals can add in stuff like the Hearst Castle etc. We wanted to go to Yosimite and a few other National parks on our way through, but snowfall up in the mountains kept us from going. We will have to add it to our next time list, perhaps more in the summer months.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

How much time do you have? 

 

[Seilerbird]

California leads the nation in National Parks with nine, more than even Alaska which has 8 NPs. They are all pretty spectacular. Here are my favorites in order: Yosemite, Channel Islands (if you scuba dive), Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Redwoods, Mt Lassen and Pinnacles. Besides those you have the entire Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego to Crescent City. Along the way is the San Diego Zoo, Morro Rock, Big Sur, Monterey Aquarium, and the Point Reyes National Seashore. Lake Tahoe should have been a National Park as it is more beautiful than most of them.