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Image 2 of 25 Lassen Volcanic National Park, Bumpass Hell: Walk the boardwalk that traverses a 16-acre cauldron of scalding ponds and mud pots. (Shutterstock/Beschi Mauro) Lassen Volcanic National Park, Bumpass Hell: Walk the boardwalk that traverses a 16-acre cauldron of scalding ponds and mud pots. (Shutterstock/Beschi Mauro)

Image 3 of 25 Joshua Tree National Park: Climb the massive rock formations. (Shutterstock/agap) Joshua Tree National Park: Climb the massive rock formations. (Shutterstock/agap)

Image 4 of 25 Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Plunge down the 70-foot drop—with your hands up in the air—on the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster. (Larry Pieniazeki, wikipedia) Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Plunge down the 70-foot drop—with your hands up in the air—on the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster. (Larry Pieniazeki, wikipedia)

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Image 6 of 25 Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach: Take in a spectacle of sea anemones, crabs and sea stars in some of our country's most vibrant tidal pools. (Terry Telfer) Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach: Take in a spectacle of sea anemones, crabs and sea stars in some of our country's most vibrant tidal pools. (Terry Telfer)

Image 7 of 25 Disneyland, Anaheim: Meet Mickey Mouse, singalong on "It's a Small World," and ride the "Pirates of the Caribbean." (Amy Graff) Disneyland, Anaheim: Meet Mickey Mouse, singalong on "It's a Small World," and ride the "Pirates of the Caribbean." (Amy Graff)

Image 8 of 25 Glass Beach, Fort Bragg: Stroll the beach and look for sparkling mementos. (Shutterstock/Chris H. Galbraith) Glass Beach, Fort Bragg: Stroll the beach and look for sparkling mementos. (Shutterstock/Chris H. Galbraith)

Image 9 of 25 Golden Gate Bridge: Walk across it and take in the sweeping views. (Tusharkoley) Golden Gate Bridge: Walk across it and take in the sweeping views. (Tusharkoley)

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Image 11 of 25 La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum, Los Angeles: Get eye-to-eye with Ice Age fossils including saber-toothed cats, dire wolves and mammoths. La Brea Tar Pits and Page Museum, Los Angeles: Get eye-to-eye with Ice Age fossils including saber-toothed cats, dire wolves and mammoths.

Image 12 of 25 Marshall Gold State Historic Park, Coloma: Pan for gold and scream out "Eureka" at the place where James W. Marshall found shining flecks of gold in 1848. (whitewatertours) Marshall Gold State Historic Park, Coloma: Pan for gold and scream out "Eureka" at the place where James W. Marshall found shining flecks of gold in 1848. (whitewatertours)

Image 13 of 25 California Missions: The 230-year-old San Juan Capistrano is especially well-preserved and the surrounding gardens are beautiful. (Shutterstock/Campagnolo) California Missions: The 230-year-old San Juan Capistrano is especially well-preserved and the surrounding gardens are beautiful. (Shutterstock/Campagnolo)

Image 14 of 25 Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: Take in 360-degree views as you ascend the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: Take in 360-degree views as you ascend the sheer cliffs of Chino Canyon.

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Image 16 of 25 Muir Woods: Hug a redwood tree. Muir Woods: Hug a redwood tree. Photo: Getty Images

Image 17 of 25 San Diego beaches: Catch a wave on a boogie board. (Shutterstock/Mike Flippo) San Diego beaches: Catch a wave on a boogie board. (Shutterstock/Mike Flippo)

Image 18 of 25 Point Reyes National Seashore: Paddle a sea kayak across Tomales Bay. Look out for leopard sharks, seals, and jellyfish. Point Reyes National Seashore: Paddle a sea kayak across Tomales Bay. Look out for leopard sharks, seals, and jellyfish.

Image 19 of 25 State Capitol Building, Sacramento: Step inside this turn-of-the-century building for a free tour. State Capitol Building, Sacramento: Step inside this turn-of-the-century building for a free tour.

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Image 21 of 25 Redwood Valley Railway, Tilden Park, Berkeley: Ride the rails on an old-school steam train. Redwood Valley Railway, Tilden Park, Berkeley: Ride the rails on an old-school steam train.

Image 22 of 25 Sundial Bridge, Redding: Walk across this bridge, covered by some 1.3 million pieces of broken Spanish tile, and look out at the Cascades rising above the Sacramento River. Sundial Bridge, Redding: Walk across this bridge, covered by some 1.3 million pieces of broken Spanish tile, and look out at the Cascades rising above the Sacramento River.

Image 23 of 25 Yosemite National Park: Hike the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls. (Liz Mangelsdorf) Yosemite National Park: Hike the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls. (Liz Mangelsdorf)

Image 24 of 25 California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco: Say "Hello" to the colony of African penguins and the albino alligator named Claude. (Liz Hafalia) California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco: Say "Hello" to the colony of African penguins and the albino alligator named Claude. (Liz Hafalia)