California may be known for its popular attractions like Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Hollywood in Los Angeles and sun-kissed beaches in Santa Monica, but the state is also home to some of the well-known national parks that feature in the list of Most Visited National Parks in the World. Book cheap last minute flights to explore variety national parks in California.
Yosemite National Park – Best known for its waterfalls, Yosemite National Park is equally popular for hiking, fishing, rafting and wildlife watching. Yosemite is the most popular for big-wall rock climbing. The massive granite faces at the park were carved by glaciers around three million years ago. Though the park invites visitors year round, it becomes most crowded in the summer. Visit the park in winter to see it transformed into a quiet snowy paradise. Yosemite was designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Redwood National Park – Take a cheap flight to Oakland to visit the Redwood National Park that hides the world’s tallest living tree. Though the exact location of 115.7m tall Hyperion is a closely guarded secret, standing at the base of one of these giant trees will make you feel like a dwarf. Hikers can camp inside the park in one of the four developed campsites but no accommodation is available. Plan a visit to the Redwood National Park in spring or fall as the summers are very crowded. Avoid visiting in winters as the rains drench the park.
Joshua Tree National Park – Characterized by rugged rock formations and glaring desert landscapes, the national park is named after twisted and bristled Joshua trees. The unusually tall species of yucca might be the stars for some, but the real stars in the park are the rock formations. The nights at the Joshua are filled with uncountable stars as there is no humidity and skies are devoid of light pollution. Look for cheap flights to San Diego for meteor shows happen from October to December.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks – Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park are two different national parks that share a border as well as the entrance fee. The most popular attraction in the Sequoia are the largest trees in the world, by volume. The trees here aren’t as tall as Redwoods but they are the largest. The General Sherman Tree is the world’s largest living thing with an estimated weight of over 2,000 tons.
Death Valley National Park – The name of the park itself is scary enough to scare visitors away but a visit to the park in winter or early spring will turn out to be a surprise. It is a desert with vivid and beautiful colors that leave the first-time visitors amazed. Summers are brutally hot in the Death Valley. A dreadful name, but the park has nine campsites and a number of air-conditioned accommodations for visitors planning to spend a day or night in the park.
Victor Martin is a Freelance Travel Writer.