The legend of California, the embroidered image portrayed by Hollywood's worldwide film and television industry, really does exist. Days are warm and sunny, the mansions of Beverley Hills are the height of luxury, beautifully-sculpted bodies roller-blade along the beachfront boardwalks, blonde-haired surfers compete for waves and the allure of Hollywood's fame and fortune is as strong as ever.

Everyone either adores or despises the Golden State, the 'spoilt kid' of the USA, who brushes off the barbs of envious resentment with indifference, confident in the knowledge that California offers one of the most varied and exciting places to live in America. The world-renowned cities of the West Coast are strung along miles of magnificent coastline with cliffs, soaring redwood forests and beaches. The high snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and the magnificent glacier-carved valley of Yosemite National Park contrast with the shimmering heat of spectacular desert landscapes and the neat rows of leafy vineyards in the Napa Valley, one of the world's best-known wine growing regions.

The Golden Gate Bridge, steep roller-coaster hills and the formidable island of Alcatraz are instantly recognisable images of San Francisco, while the welcoming beach lifestyle and family-fun attractions make San Diego a popular vacation destination. Undoubtedly the city with the most razzle-dazzle is Los Angeles, a high-energy conglomeration of wealthy neighbourhoods, beaches and excessive standards of living. It lives up to its reputation as 'the entertainment capital of the world' presenting the attractions of Hollywood, Universal Studios and Disneyland, as well as first-class shopping, fine restaurants and a lively nightlife.

As the most populous state in the USA, California is blighted by pollution, congested freeways, crime and overcrowded attractions, but it remains a leader in social tolerance, as well as being a forerunner in the film, entertainment and music industry. The state also lives with the constant threat of earthquakes, being cut through by the San Andreas Fault. Despite the ever-present fear that 'the big one' will strike, California remains one of the most popular states in which to live, work and play.

Golden Gate Bridge

Address: Highway 101 North

Admission: A $6 toll is collected from cars when driving south towards the city Access for pedestrians is on the east sidewalk during daylight hours only from sunrise to sunset (April to October from 5am to 9pm, November to March from 6am to 6pm). The bridge is open 24 hours for motorists

Telephone: (415) 921 5858

Alcatraz

Admission: Admission includes the ferry trip and is $26 (adults) or $16 (children). Night tours: $33. Other concessions are available. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially in peak season The last boat leaves the island at 6.30pm in summer (April to October) and 4.30pm in winter

Telephone: (415) 773 1188 (ferry schedules and information), or (415) 705 1042 (park information)

Fisherman's Wharf

Address: The Embarcadero

North Beach

Golden Gate Park

Address: John F Kennedy Drive

Admission: Park entrance is free. $10 (Academy of Sciences) plus $2.50 for the planetarium; $3.50 (Japanese Tea Garden) The Academy of Sciences is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Japanese Tea Garden is open daily from 9am to 6.30pm

Telephone: Park information (415) 831 2700 or (415) 321 8000 (Academy of Sciences). Japanese Tea Garden (415) 752 4227

Cable Cars

Address: 1201 Mason Street (Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse)

Admission: $3 per ride, each way. Day passports for the cable cars, buses and streetcars are also available. Entrance to the museum is free The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm (until 6pm from April to October)

Wine Country

Hollywood

Admission: Mann's Chinese Theatre movie tickets $10. Guinness World Records Museum and Wax Museum $12.95 each. Ripley's ‘Believe It or Not!' Museum $11.95. Concessions are available The Guinness World Records Museum opens daily 10am to midnight; Wax Museum daily 8am to midnight; Ripley's ‘Believe It or Not!' Museum open daily 10am to 11pm (until midnight on weekends)

Telephone: Mann's Chinese Theatre (323) 461 3331, Walk of Fame (323) 469 8311, Guinness World Records Museum (323) 463 6433, Wax Museum (323) 462 5991, Ripley's ‘Believe It or Not!' Museum (323) 466 6335

Universal Studios Hollywood

Address: 100 Universal City Plaza, University City

Admission: $69 (adults), $59 (children smaller than 48 inches/122cm). Combination tickets are available Opening times vary according to season and visitors are advised to check beforehand. Generally open daily in summer from 8am to 10pm (June to September), and in winter from 10am to 6pm (September to June)

Telephone: (818) 622 3801

Warner Bros Studios

Address: 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank

Admission: Two-hour tours are $45 per person Open for tours from Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm (9am to 3pm in winter). Reservations are required

Telephone: (818) 954 3000

Disneyland Resort

Address: 1313 Harbour Boulevard, Anaheim

Admission: Prices vary and are available on the website provided above. Both parks are open daily, but opening hours vary according to days and seasons; please check their website for up to date information

Telephone: (800) 225-2024 (bookings)

West LA

Beach Communities

Balboa Park

Address: 1549 El Prado

Admission: Entrance to the park itself is free, as is the Botanical Building and most of the gardens. The visitor centre is open daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm (5pm in summer). Some museums are closed on Mondays, but the zoo, science centre and Spanish Village Art Centre are open daily

Telephone: (619) 239 0512

San Diego Zoo

Address: 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park

Admission: Basic admission is $37 (adults), $27 (children age 3-11). Combination packages with the associated Wild Animal Park and the museums of Balboa Park are also available Open daily from 9am to 5pm, and from 9am to 6pm during Spring Break (March).

Telephone: (619) 231 1515

SeaWorld

Address: 500 SeaWorld Drive, Mission Bay

Admission: $69 (adults), $59 (children aged 3-9) Open daily, but park hours vary according to the season. Generally open from 9am to 10pm (summer) and from 10am to 5pm (September to May)

Telephone: 1 800 257 4268 or 800 380 3203 (recorded information)

Downtown

The Beaches

Coronado Island

Address: Coronado Visitor Center is at 1100 Orange Avenue, Coronado

Admission: Free The visitors centre is open from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, weekends 10am to 5pm

Telephone: CVC (619) 437 8788

Yosemite National Park

Admission: $20 per vehicle or $10 per individual, valid for seven days The park is open all year round, 24-hours, but some roads may be closed from October to June due to snow, such as the Tioga, Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove Roads. Chains may be required on the other roads during winter. The Yosemite Village Visitor Center is open daily from 8am to 6pm (June to September) and until 5pm in winter

Telephone: (209) 372 0200

Death Valley National Park

Admission: $20 per vehicle, or $10 per individual, valid for seven days. The guided tour of Scotty's Castle is $11 The park is open all year round. Furnace Creek Visitor Center is open daily from 8am to 5pm. Scotty's Castle is open daily from 8.30am to 5pm

Telephone: Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Museum (760) 786 3200, Scotty's Castle Visitor Center and Museum (760) 786 2392

Tijuana, Mexico

Sausalito

Exploratorium

Address: 3601 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA 94123

Admission: Adult $15. Children $10. Concessions available Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. Closed Mondays, except Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Telephone: (415) 561 0360

Aquarium of the Bay

Address: The Embarcadero and Beach Street

Admission: Adults $15.95, Children $8. Concessions available. Open daily except 25 December. Hours may vary according to season.

Telephone: (415) 623 5300

Alamo Square

Chinatown

Address: Intersection of Bush and Grant Streets

Lombard Street

Address: Between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets

Los Angeles Zoo

Address: Griffith Park

Admission: $13 (adults); $8 (children) Open daily from 10am - 5pm

La Brea Tar Pits

Admission: $7 (adults), free on the first Tuesday of each month Monday through Friday, 9.30 am to 5 pm, Saturday, Sunday 10am to 5pm

Griffith Park and Observatory

Admission: Free 5am to 10.30pm daily

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Address: 111 South Grand Avenue

Admission: Free

Santa Monica Puppetry Center

Address: 1014 Broadway, Santa Monica

Admission: $7.50 Tuesday and Thursday 10.30am; Wednesday, Sat and Sun 2pm

Telephone: (310) 656 0483

Magicopolis

Address: 1418 Fourth Street, Santa Monica

Admission: Evening shows $27; Matinees $22 Monday to Friday, 11am to 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 11am to 10pm

Telephone: (310) 451 2241

Castle Park

Address: 3500 Polk Street, Riverside

Telephone: (951) 785 3000

Peach Tree Pottery

Address: 3795 Boise Ave. Mar Vista

Admission: $40 and up

Telephone: (310) 567 2708

Camp Monkey Muffin

Address: Sunkist Park, Culver City

Admission: $35-$75/class

Telephone: (310) 560 5013

Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum

Address: 175 Jefferson Street

Admission: $14.99 (adults); $8.99 (children). Admission prices exclude tax Mid-June to Labor Day: Sunday to Thursday from 9am – 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 9am – 12am. Rest of the year: Sunday to Thursday from 10am – 10pm.; Friday and Saturday from 10am – 12am

Telephone: (415) 202 9850

Boardwalk Casino Arcade

Address: 400 Beach St, Santa Cruz

Admission: Open Monday to Friday from 11am – 10pm; Saturday to Sunday from 19am – 7pm

Telephone: (831) 426 7433

Oakland Zoo

Address: 777 Golf Links Road, Oakland

Admission: $11 (adults); $7.50 (children). Children under 2 are free Open daily from 10am – 4pm

Telephone: (510) 632 9525

Randall Museum

Address: 199 Museum Way

Admission: Free Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am – 5pm

Telephone: (415) 554 9600

Children's Fairyland

Address: 699 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland

Admission: $7 each Winter: Friday to Sunday 10am – 4pm; Spring and fall: Wednesday to Sunday 10am – 4pm; Summer: Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone: (510) 238 6876

Ghirardelli Square

Address: 900 North Point Street

Anaheim

Knott's Berry Farm

Address: 8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, CA

Admission: Full day regular: $52.99 (age 3 – 61 years and taller than 48 inches); Full day Junior: $23.99 (age 3 and up and under 48 inches) Opening times vary according to season

Telephone: (714) 220 5200

Coit Tower

Address: 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd (at Greenwich St)

Telephone: (415) 362-0808

Haight Ashbury

Union Square

San Francisco MOMA

Address: 151 Third Street (between Mission and Howard)

Admission: Adults $15, students $9 Monday - Tuesday 11:00 a.m. - 5:45 p.m. Wednesday Closed Thursday 11:00 a.m. - 8:45 p.m. Friday - Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.

Telephone: (415) 357-4000

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

Admission: Adults: $12, youth $7, children free Tuesday–Wednesday 10am - 5pm; Thursday (February through September) 10am to 9pm; Friday–Sunday 10am to 5pm; Monday closed

Muir Woods

Admission: $5 Open every day 8am to sunset

Telephone: (415) 388-2595

Campanile

Address: 624 South La Brea Avenue (Miracle Mile)

Food Type: Local

Spago Beverly Hills

Address: 176 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills

Food Type: Modern Eclectic

Valentino Santa Monica

Address: 3115 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica

Food Type: Italian

Patina

Address: 141 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown

Food Type: French

Nobu Matsuhisa

Address: 129 North La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills

Food Type: Japanese

Water Grill

Address: 544 South Grand Avenue, Downtown

Food Type: Seafood

Chinois on Main

Address: 2709 Main Street, Santa Monica

Food Type: Chinese

Border Grill

Address: 1445 Fourth Street, Santa Monica

Food Type: Tex-Mex

Café Pinot

Address: 700 West Fifth Street (Downtown)

Food Type: French

Aqua

Address: 252 California Street (Financial District)

Gary Danko

Address: 800 North Point at Hyde Street (Fisherman's Wharf)

Food Type: French

One Market

Address: 1 Market Street, Embarcadero

Food Type: American

Boulevard

Address: 1 Mission Street, Embarcadero, SoMa

Food Type: American

Fifth Floor

Address: 12 Fourth Street, Hotel Palomar, SoMo

Food Type: French

The Slanted Door

Address: 1 Ferry Building #3

Zuni Café

Address: 1658 Market Street, Civic Center, Hayes Valley

Greens

Address: Building A, Fort Mason Center, Marina Boulevard, Marina

Delfina

Address: 3621 18th Street (Mission District)

Food Type: Italian

Brandy Ho's

Address: 217 Columbus Avenue, Chinatown

Food Type: Chinese

Cicada

Address: 617 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles

Food Type: Italian

Dining in the Dark

Food Type: International

Historic John's Grill

Address: 3 Ellis Street

Food Type: Steakhouse