Thousands of years of isolation allowed unique plants and animals to evolve on these windswept Southern Californian islands, perfect for exploring over a weekend on foot or by kayak. Read more »
Consistently one of the country's most-visited national parks, Yosemite deserves its fame. Its towering giant sequoias are dwarfed only by its immense granite cliffs and waterfalls. Buses serve the park year-round from Merced; routes to the Mariposa Grove, the Eastern Sierras, and Fresno are seasonal (May to September). Read more »