Hostels in California

Big Bear Lake is an awesome town hidden in the mountains. I felt like I was in the Alps! I stopped there on my way to Las Vegas and Joshua Tree. I stayed for three days when I only planned to stop for the night. I went kayaking and hiked to Castle Rock which has great views of the lake and alpine forest. I'd love to come back in winter and try snowboarding!

Visit Sacramento -- it's a tranquil place. I suggest enjoying a delicious coffee in the naked lounge -- it's great!

If you are going to visit San Diego make sure you stay in Pacific Beach. The beach is awesome with some great surf and the nightlife is impressive. Heaps of great bars with some really good drink specials.

Pack a sweater! Because Santa Cruz is in California and a beach town, many people think it will be warm and sunny. Actually, it can get surprisingly cold. Also, don't count on swimming in the ocean, unless you wear a wetsuit. As with most of Northern California beaches, the water is freezing.

Crescent City has three galleries that are worth visiting. One is the 2nd Street Gallery run by the California Redwood Arts Association. The other gallery is the Gallery of Arts and Culture across the street from the post office, and the 3rd is the Harbor Gallery. Aside from Galleries there is the Battery Point Lighthouse museum which is only accessible during low tide. The Battery Point Lighthouse is an active lighthouse that operates 24/7. And there is the historical society museum, and the Lighthouse Repertoire Theatre which has live theatre performances. As far as restaurants, I like Cochina Cochina if your into Mexican food. Their prices are good and the environment is pleasant. And there is Pebble Beach which is off of Pebble Beach Drive. There is a long stairway that you need to descend down. Up above is a popular place for those who watch whales.

One of the more beautiful places in the state of California is South Lake Tahoe, and it's great that you have the option of staying in a hostel here. Because more and more tourists and locals alike frequent the different places for which South Lake Tahoe is quite famous, the local government is continuously improving these locations. Emerald Bay State Park is simply breathtaking to see, especially when you take the drive. Another must-visit is The Gondola at Heavenly. This glass cabin tours you more than two miles up the side of the mountain so you can view Lake Tahoe from a different angle. Whether you ride this gondola in summer or in winter, there is no more perfect location than up and inside this gondola when you want to have your best view of the lake. On the other hand, if you want to have the perfect ski location, South Lake Tahoe is still the best place to be. Tahoe Donner in Truckee has the best location, and this is probably due to the fact that this place is owned by a former Olympian bi-athlete who continuously makes sure that not only do tourists get the best ski exercise that they pay for when they get there, but even beginners and those who just love to simply spend a good day in the cabin with a cup of warm chocolate would find this place their home away from home. It's very comfy and very relaxing. When looking for a hostel in South Lake Tahoe, visitors to the area are sure to find a place that is appropriate for whatever budget, style, and atmosphere they seek.

I've been to Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. Los Angeles is good if you want to experience "Hollywood". Other than that, if you want to experience social beaches I would head to San Diego. If you want a really great city experience, nothing beats San Francisco. There is a lot to do in Los Angeles but be careful because places like ritzy Beverly Hills will very quickly go into some of LA's very ghetto destricts. Same with Hollywood -- past the main touristy area, the town becomes very ghetto. My experience is nothing feels quite as scary as downtown Los Angles at night. By all costs, stay clear of South Central. Venice is an interesting place and so is Santa Monica for some classic social, if not eclectic, culture. Traffic's horrible. Air is terrible. Hey, it's Los Angeles.

Don't miss the Haight Ashbury area (centered around the intersection of Haight Street and Ashbury Street) to get a taste of what the San Francisco 60s was all about.