California Central Valley

The Sierra Nevada divides the immense interior of California and is home to such attractions as Kings Canyon, Sequoia and the majestic Yosemite. With natural beauty in all directions and several national parks which celebrate this fact, the Central Valley is a wonderful place for those seeking a rough, rugged and environmentally stunning back to nature experience.

One of the first towns to be reached from the rocky heights of Los Angles is Bakersfield. For those travellers who enjoy country music, they will think they have died and gone to heaven, for those who are not, then you will think you have reached a whole new level of hell. Country music comes no bigger than in Bakersfield and with the array of eclectic country music venues scattered throughout the town, it can be hard to escape the beer swilling, floor stomping, Stetson wearing honky-tonks who like nothing more than to spend their weekends yee-hawing to the sounds of country.
A visit to the Buck Owens Crystal Palace can be the highlight of any visit to Bakersfield, and with a performance from Buck himself, the $6 cover is worth every cent.
Or for an escape from the country music celebrations, then exploring the rugged countryside which surrounds Bakersfield can be a perfect opportunity to discover the natural beauty. With vast open roads and wide fields in the distance, Bakersfield can be a treat if you know where to look.

Yosemite is one of the most visited areas in the Central Valley. With soaring walls of granite which are rejuvenated by cascading waterfalls, Yosemite is a natural playground. With hundreds of miles of roaming wilderness in all directions, it can be a great opportunity to take part in some spectacular hiking trails. The Yosemite area is a intersection of hiking trails which can take you in all directions into the alpine countryside.
A visit to Glacier Point can offer breathtaking views of Half Dome and the High Sierra’s snow capped summit. You can reach the summit by foot, only if you are brave or capable, although the majority of people opt for the simpler method and take the bus to the top then hike back down.

Kings Canyon and Sequoia are the southern most of the Sierra Nevada national parks. With primordial forests which are home to the magical sequoia trees, Kings Canyon can offer a fantastic chance to explore the wild countryside of the Central Valley.
Sequoia National Park has an abundance of the native sequoia trees, which are the largest collection to be found in the world. Due to the dense forest over rolling hills, a visit to the Sequoia National Park calls for some hiking. There are several fantastic trails throughout the area which take you through some of the most picturesque land in all of America.
Kings Canyon National Park has an enormous canyon gorged out due to the rocks, where the Kings River surges from the High Sierra.
Both National Parks are a wonderful tribute to the glorious countryside which engulfs the Central Valley.