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.

The Cascades are an immense West Coast mountain range, containing some of the most beautiful terrain in the West. Beginning in northern California, the range stretches north through Oregon and Washington to the Canadian border. The section in California is known as the Shasta Cascades, so called because the prominent Mount Shasta is visible throughout much of north central California.

Fresno is located in the center of California, in the fertile inland San Joaquin Valley. Surrounded by farm country, Fresno is a relatively young city with a diverse population. While the city isn't a prime tourist destination, easy access to the beautiful Sierra Nevada range and three national parks (Yosemite and Sequoia/King's Canyon) have made Fresno a frequent stop for area travelers.

Lake Tahoe is one of California's most famous destinations. The largest alpine lake in North America, Tahoe's cold clear waters collect the runoff from more than 600 inches of snow which dust the surrounding peaks each season, attracting skiers from around the world, and in summer, the deep blue waters attract boaters, anglers, cyclists, and hot air balloonists.

Beneath Lassen Volcanic National Park's peaceful forests and gem-like lakes lies evidence of a turbulent and fiery past. The collision of continental plates here led to violent volcanic eruptions and the creation of twisted, hauntingly beautiful scenery.

Modesto is located in the heart of California's central San Joaquin Valley. Surrounded by fertile farmlands that produce dairy products, fruits, nuts, and other resources for the country, Modesto is a small town at heart, with a growing population that appreciates the escape from the larger urban areas nearby.

Rose-colored sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones, Joshua tree forests, and mile-high mountains are found along the scenic roadways in the Mojave Desert. Mule deer and bighorn sheep roam among pinyon pine and juniper in the many mountain ranges here, and a network of dirt roads provide year round opportunities to explore by four-wheel drive vehicle.

Sacramento is California's state capital, located in the middle of the central Sacramento Valley. Visitors can check out a basketball game from hometown team the Kings, or take in the zoo, some theater, or fine cuisine in historic Old Sacramento.

Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park are home to giants: immense mountains, deep canyons, and huge trees. Together with Giant Sequoia National Monument and vast stretches of federal wilderness, a significant portion of the Sierra Nevada range is encompassed in this beautiful area.

Pleasant, small and much it was in the 1800s, Truckee has a timeless, relaxed feel any day of the year.

Yosemite National Park encompasses a spectacular tract of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things. Most famous is the awe-inspiring Half Dome, a massive granite rock face that juts dramatically out of the glacially-carved valley.