Bakersfield is a surprisingly old-fashioned community just two hours away from glitzy Los Angeles. You'll find stock car races and downtown murals, honky-tonk bars and working farmers here, as well as great live music and Basque cuisine.

Channel Islands National Park protects five beautiful coastal islands, and is home to an astonishing variety of plant and animal life. The park consists of some quarter of a million acres, half of which are under the ocean, encompassing a wide variety of terrain from beaches and sea caves to forests and mountains. Over 2,000 species of plants and animals can be found within the park, more than a hundred of which are found nowhere else in the world.

West and south of central Los Angeles is a 60-mile stretch of coastline as varied as the city itself. Luxury homes, kids playing on the beach, Hollywood film shoots and commercial fishing piers can all be found as you travel along the Pacific Coast past over a dozen communities.

Los Angeles is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Contrasts abound: Hollywood legends and clueless tourists; the glamour of Beverly Hills and unglamorous rush hour traffic; Valley Girls and CalTech doctorate students; all compete for a piece of L.A.'s complex identity.

Santa Barbara is the center of a stunning stretch of southern California coastline where the Santa Ynez mountains meet the warm Pacific Ocean. This sheltered area enjoys a warm climate year-round, which has attracted vacationers and tropical plants alike. About 90 minutes west of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara seems light-years away.

Ventura provides a unique historic and small-town appeal just an hour’s drive from the massive sprawl of L.A. Ventura is home to at least 13 scenic beach areas and gives access to excellent surfing, fishing, camping, whale watching, harbor cruises, island exploring, golfing, and many other recreational activities. Popular places to visit include old downtown where a myriad of dining, shopping, historic, and cultural experiences are available. The Ventura Harbor Village offers additional shopping, dining, and seaside activities.