California: The Don'ts of Visiting California

Went to California years ago and met a lady who was in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. It was like meeting a survivor of the Titanic.

"If I have to choose between LA and San Fransisco, I'm choosing San Diego." Truer words have never been spoken.

As a native Californian, I appreciate this video, especially your thoughts on being careful with fire. The fires here over the past several years have been so devastating.I love my state. It’s so diverse and beautiful. I’m a bit more of a NorCal girl, but I honestly love it all. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone refer to it as Cali in a very long time. It doesn’t bother me that much, To be honest. What bothers me are the stereotypes and judgements that come from people who’ve never even been here.

Lived in Sacramento all my life. Fair warning regarding what he said about the access to nature. Although it’s very easy to go out into nature and by beautiful places like the American river, always keep in mind that the homeless problem is hugely prevalent. You’ll find entire camps made of tarps and tents. You could step on a hypodermic needle walking on the beach. It’s always smart to be weary in these kinds of places.

I’m honestly shocked you don’t have the California Missions on here. As a native Californian that makes me sad. The history, architecture and beauty of some shouldn’t be missed.

As an Oceanside native, thanks for the San Diego mention. We’re so slept on, but I like it that way.

This 65 year-old California native thanks you for each of your spot-on comments. It is refreshing to hear such accurate and thoughtful observations of this wonderful state.

You'll find so many different cuisines and cultures, California is beautiful and diverse 😍😍😍

California: gets mentioned Around 15% of the country: This is a crime against me.

Fully agree with everything! We lived in California for many years and only when we moved to Texas we heard “Cali”. At first I was so confused 😆😆😆

For California, don't overlook mass transit options. Instead of driving between San Diego and LA, you can take Amtrak and it takes about the same amount of time but with less stress. Not much between LA and SF, but flights are cheap and there are plenty of options out of LA's secondary airports (BUR, ONT, LGB, SNA).

You definitely can't get bored living here! I feel so lucky to live in Northern California. The saying here is drive 2 hours in any direction and the scenery completely changes. One more warning regarding fire safety. DO NOT park or pull your car off in dry grass, even short grasses. More than one wild fire has started this way. Same with tow chains on RVs or boat trailers. Make sure those are not dragging on the ground as they have also sparked wildfires. We generally do not get rain here from about mid-April to mid-October, so it's really dry here by summer and fall.

Thoughts from a Californian: a very accurate representation, and what I want people to remember most is fire safety. It is not a joke. Thank you.

My home state! Chalk full of so many amazing things to do, see, and eat! San Diego and Sonoma Coast in the north are the best places to visit! Don't forget to drive through the charming coastal towns up and down Cali! Thanks for doing our state justice, Mark!

Best tip of the day: "If I had to choose between Los Angeles and San Francisco...I'd choose San Diego." Me too, friend! Me too!

Totally spot on mark I grew up in Southern California for 37 yrs. Thanks for sticking up for in and out too.

Don’t forget we have Catalina Island too. This state is really expensive, overpopulated etc but there are some incredible things that make it worthwhile! And yes, we don’t say “Cali” lol

If you only have a week, it's best to choose either NorCal or SoCal, as the considerable distance between them can make covering both regions quite exhausting. In the NorCal wonderland, you'll find not only the enchanting city of San Francisco, but also the mesmerizing Monterey, the bewitching beaches of Santa Cruz, and the vibrant vibes of San Jose.

Don't forget to check out Solvang! It's a historic Danish village in Santa Barbara county. Also the California Mission trail is an excellent way to see the state. I think Santa Barbara and Carmel missions are some of the prettiest, IIRC.

I was in CA for a few weeks in July/August. Unfortunately, I didn't get to go to San Diego that time. Also, instead of flying from SFO to LAX, I rode Amtrak through the San Joaquin valley: Stockton, Fresno, Bakersfield. (I try not to fly except when necessary; I hate planes.) This is where they grow all the fruits, nuts and vegetables. And speaking of stereotypes, it would make you think much more of Kansas than California. So much of it is flat with hardly a mountain in sight. And Bakersfield is virtually West Texas, industrially, culturally and politically.