BEST California Places to Picnic

• Enjoy The Golden State Picnic Menu

Nicknamed the "Golden State," California is the third largest state in area after Alaska and Texas. The discovery of gold and the immigration in 1849 of thousands of "forty-niners" in search of the precious metal helped California's admission into the Union in 1850.

Today, California, land of the giant redwoods, has the highest population of any state in the nation and is America's principal agricultural state. It is also the home of Hollywood, the center of America's movie and television industry. 

Its capital is Sacramento and the state flower is the golden poppy.

• California State Park Sites

  • Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area

  • Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park

  • Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

  • Bothe-Napa Valley State Park

  • Carlsbad State Beach

  • Cuyamaca Rancho State Par

  • Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

  • Palomar Mountain State Park

  • Providence Mountains State Recreation Area

  • Saddleback Butte State Park

  • Santa Monica State Beach

  • Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area in the San Bernadino Mountains

  • Sutter's Fort State Historic Park

  • Zmudowski State Beach

• National Park Sites in California

  • Channel Islands National Park

  • Death Valley National Park

  • Fort Point National Historic Site

  • Golden Gate National Recreational Area

  • John Muir National Historic Site

  • Joshua Tree National Park

  • Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks

  • Lassen Volcanic National Park

  • Mojave National Preserve

  • Muir Woods National Monument

  • Redwood National and State Parks

  • Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park

  • San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park

  • Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

  • Yosemite National Park

• California City and Town Parks

  • Los Angeles City Parks

  • San Diego City Parks

• California County Parks

  • Los Angeles County Parks

  • San Diego County Parks