Great California Parks and Recreation

The California Department of Parks and Recreation oversees and manages more than 1.3 million acres of land. Each acre of this land is different than the last, and there are some magnificent sites to be seen that can inspire, educate, and transform the way that people think of the land that we live on. Whether you travel to California or you have lived in the state for your whole life, you will find many of the parks and specific sites in California breathtaking and interesting. While there are hundreds of parks for you to visit, we’ve listed a few for you to consider the next time you have a vacation, a weekend off, or you’d just like to get away and realize for yourself just how beautiful California is.

California Parks

California Historic and monument sites

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

This California State Park is located about 20 miles north of Santa Cruz and contains the Waddell Creek watershed, which was formed by a seismic uplift. The Big Basin is California’s oldest State Park, as it was founded in 1902. The Park was originally just 3,800 acres but has slowly grown over the years to protect more than 18,000 acres of California land. 

You’ll find that the Big Basin Redwoods State Park is home to many Redwoods, including old growth and even recovering portions of the Redwood Forest. The Park also includes growth of conifer, oak, chaparral, and riparian habitats. The wide variety of elevations in the park ranging from sea level to 2,000 feet mean that there are many different ecosystems as well as climates that range from foggy and damp near the ocean water to warm and sunny on the ridge tops. It’s delightful that visitors can experience all of this in just one day!

The Park features more than 80 miles of trails and quite a few waterfalls. Some of the trails will take one from Big Basin to Castle Rock State Park. Other trails will lead one through the park along the Waddell Creek to the beach and to the freshwater marsh of the Theodore J. Hoover Natural Preserve. While walking through these trails visitors will experience lush canyons and sparse valleys as well as animals such as raccoons, deer, and even bobcats! Those that like to watch birds will see Steller’s jays, egrets, herons, and woodpeckers.

The California State Capitol Building

Constructed from 1981 until 1974, the California State Capitol Building is a great place to visit for a piece of California history. The building is located in Sacramento, California and houses the State Legislature and is also the location of the office for the Governor of California. The building is on the grounds of the California State Capitol Museum, meaning you can take in several interesting sites on your trip to the Capitol Building. The Capitol Building is one of many locations on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Castle Rock State Park

Boasting a beautiful supply of redwood, Douglas fir, and madrone forest in its wild state, the Castle Rock State Park is located near the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Park covers more than 3,600 acres of land that is home to not only the trees in their natural state but canyons with unique rock formations that attract rock climbers from all over the world. For the hikers, Castle Rock provides more than 32 miles of hiking with trials that are linked to the Santa Clara and San Lorenzo valleys with the Castle Rock State Park as well as several others. Castle Rock is actually the starting point of the Skyline to the Seal Trail, which is a 30-minute trail that leads to Waddell State Beach. For those that are interested in backpacking trips, there are two campgrounds in the park that offer a safe place to camp for those that partake in overnight backpacking trips.

The Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

This park is located in San Diego, California and is a city park. The park is an attempt to recreate the way life would have been in San Diego from 1821 until 1872 and offers a look back at San Diego history, as San Diego was California’s first Spanish settlement. The park features five original adobe buildings that are part of a bigger setup of shops, restaurants, and even a museum. In addition to the five original buildings there is also an original schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, newspaper office, as well as a stable with an old carriage collection making the park a fascinating time warp for those that visit.

Dining in and around the park is delicious, especially if you favor Mexican food. In the Park you’ll find four very popular restaurants, which as The Cosmopolitan Restaurant, The Jolly Boy Restaurant, and Saloon Casa de Reyes, as well as Casa Guadalajara all of which serve delicious food and is fitting after a day spent in the park learning about the history of San Diego. Transportation via trolley in and around the Park will make your visit complete, not to mention a bit more fun than one might expect!