Places to Play: Monterey Bay Aquarium

Collage of photos from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California

The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s 200-plus exhibits of living ocean animals inspire awe among its 2 million annual visitors. Offering incomparable views into the rich marine habitats of Monterey Bay, the nonprofit public institution fulfills its mission to inspire ocean conservation in parallel with being one of California’s top tourist attractions. Entertainment – by playful sea […]

A Comprehensive Guide to California’s 20 Remarkable National Forests

collage of four images of California national forest scenery

The National Forest Foundation has declared July 8 to 14, 2024, as National Forest Week. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the 20 national forests in California, which protect a whopping 20.8 million acres of federal land. The Golden State comes second only to Alaska in national forest acreage.  California’s national forests cover […]

Weekly News Roundup for Friday, June 28th, 2024

Two girls holding oars in front of a lake
Safety around water is important as people seek cool activities during hot weather, as demonstrated by these kayakers wearing life jackets at Kings Beach State Recreation Area (Photo courtesy of California State Parks, 2024.)

A roundup of the biggest news stories in California this week… Giant Panda Pair Heading from China to San Diego Zoo On Wednesday, June 26, a delegation of representatives from the United States, including leaders of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, joined dignitaries and conservation leaders at the China Conservation & Research Center for Giant […]

The Ultimate Summer-in-California Bucket List 

Summertime in California bingo card with graphic icons
(Illustration by California News Press)

(+ a free printable “Summertime in California” bingo card!) School’s out and summer is officially here, so it’s time to get outdoors and enjoy all that the sunniest season has to offer. In California, we’re spoiled with incredible opportunities for outdoor fun, from beach days to mountain hikes, and sometimes just a nice neighborhood stroll. […]

Reasons to Visit (or Skip) LA’s Venice Beach

Horizontal collage of varied scenes from Venice Beach, California

Venice is a weird beachfront neighborhood of Los Angeles. Whether it’s good-weird or bad-weird, and whether or not Venice Beach is worth visiting, is entirely subjective. For some visitors, the beachfront neighborhood with its famous boardwalk is an absolute must-see highlight of Southern California. For others, there are probably quite a few more appealing destinations […]

Weekly News Roundup for Friday, June 14th, 2024

View across the wetland habitat of Dos Rios State Park, which opened as California's newest state park on June 12, 2024

A roundup of the biggest news stories in California this week… California’s Newest State Park Opens to the Public Dos Rios State Park, the first new state park in California in 10 years, opened to the public on June 12. The 1,600-acre park is about 8 miles west of Modesto in the San Joaquin Valley. […]