Todd

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California is best known for its coastline and beaches. The state has nearly 2,000 km of coastline, so the state is known as a surfer's paradise. From the tall cliffs that line the coast, you are almost always guaranteed a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, especially at sunset.

The state is also famous for its giant redwood trees. These trees can grow to be over 100 meters tall. Some trees are so wide you can drive a car through them. These trees have a long life, for they can live for over 1,000 years. One tree in California is over 2,200 years old.

On the eastern side of California, you will find the Sierra Mountains. These mountains start in Alaska and run all the way to Chile, in South America. People usually think of California as a warm place, but the Sierra Mountains provide a great playground for both skiers and snowboarders.

In the Sierras you can find Yosemite National Park. This is by far the most popular national park in California, because it offers a little bit of everything: tall mountains, high cliffs, deep forests, wide meadows, great hiking trails, and beautiful views everywhere you look.

In Southern California, the weather can be very hot and dry, so not surprisingly you will find many deserts in the south. These dry lands are home to many wildlife such as iguana, foxes, coyotes, eagles, bighorn sheep and rattlesnakes.

California is not all wild terrain. It is also home to large areas of farm land. In fact, California produces nearly half of all the fruit and vegetables grown in the United States. For this reason, California is sometimes referred to as America's fruit basket.