California Information

From 10,000 years ago California was a thriving land rich in food and populated by a diverse range of pre-columbian native indians. The first Europeans to explore the area were Portuguese and Spanish in 1542. The Spanish missionaries started establishing missions up and down the coast in the late 17th, early 18th century.

In the late 18th century, Alta California as it was then known was colonised by the Spanish government and in 1821 both Mexico and Alta California were made a combined independent republic. 1846 saw a collection of American settlers declare the independence of a Californian republic. During the Mexican-American war of 1848 Mexico ceded the Californian section to United States where it was quickly admitted to the union in 1850.

For tourists the range of activities found in California is virtually limitless. From the massive Redwood forests to the north of the state, to the deserts of the east and the bustle of the populated West Coast there are countless pockets where visitors can loose themselves for weeks if not months.

The usual list of 'must see' highlights include, Los Angles and Hollywood, San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, San Diego, Disneyland, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park but as anyone who has explored California will tell you, this is just scratching the surface.