Southern California also has a wonderful background to it, as it was home to many native American Indian tribes, such as Iroquois, Chippewa, Apache, Comanche, and others. Many of the once flourishing native languages of these tribes are now mostly extinct. Most of these Native Americans lived in Southern California around the 18th century time period (Young, 1). The religion has also developed throughout the years and so almost ¾ of all of California belongs to Christian churches (Ingram,4).
Many years ago, shaping of the Southern California we know today happened. This includes its geographical features and history of many of its vacation spots. One well known feature, Death Valley, began its formation almost 3 million years ago by the forces within the Earth that broke the Earth's crust into blocks. As said in one book, “Some of the blocks tilted and rotated, creating the alternating mountain and valley pattern (AAA, 78).”
Lakes appeared in the basin of Death Valley during the Ice Ages. Evaporation of these lakes trailed behind large layers of mud and big salt deposits, which are visible. Then, during the past 9,000 years, Death Valley has been occupied by American Indians (AAA, 78).
Miners discovered precious metals in Death Valley including a mineral called Borax, which today is used in some cleaning solutions. The discovery of this led to the exploitation of the mine. “The Borax company built the roads over which the famous 20-mule teams drew wagon loads weighing as much as 40 tons (AAA, 78).”
There is also an abundance of things to do in Southern California. Among other things, there are Art talks, art expos, art tours, and art walks and anything you can imagine art. To add to the art, SoCal is also rich in literature. You can also take a ride along the coast with a beach tour and explore the animals in the water with a whale-watching tour (Laguna Beach).
To add onto the excitement, Southern California also has two of the largest cities in the US. Los Angeles is ranked at number 1 and Long beach at number 5. It also has a hotspot place called Laguna Beach. In fact, Laguna Beach has a little story of itself (Laguna Beach).
Laguna Beach got its name from the Indian word “Lagona”, which means lake. It was founded in 1887 by an artist. A place to see there is the Laguna Beach Museum of Art. Laguna Beach is a resort and art center and is know for its scenic lagoons, beaches, canyons, and flourishing art colony (Laguna Beach, 669).
Laguna Beach is located in Orange County. It is 27 miles away from Long Beach in the direction of southeast. A known church is located in there by the name of Cathedral Chapel of St. Francis by-the-sea. (Laguna Beach, 669).
Santa Ana is a hot vacation spot also. It was established in 1889 on an old Spanish land grant. It was the centre in the new county of Orange when it separated from Los Angeles County and it is the largest city in the county. It is the ninth-largest city in the state. It has a population of 337,977 and is 110 feet above sea level (AAA, 205).
Los Angeles, a very big and prominent city in Southern California, is about 1,215 square miles. It has a population of about 3.7 million people. The city of Los Angeles is cut by the Santa Monica Mountains which go from eats to west. Rainfall is best in mountain zones and lowest along coastal zones. The conflict between the two winds create hot and dry winds known as Santa Ana winds which can reach up to 70 mph and are usually the cause for wildfires (Los Angeles).
Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate which means the summers are hot and dry and the winters are mild and wet. This climate gives Los Angeles a year-round growing season. July temperatures range from highs of 75 to lows of 63 degrees Fahrenheit. January temperatures range from highs of 66 to lows of 48 degrees Fahrenheit (Los Angeles).
Long Beach is also a great place to visit. It is California's fifth largest city and it has a population of 461,522 and is 32 feet above sea level. Long Beach is one of the busiest shopping centers along with the part of Los Angeles and both land and offshore, petroleum is abundant in this area, adding along to the busyness of the ports. It became popular as a seaside resort late into the 19th century. In early April, Long Beach hosts the Long Beach Grand Prix. You can also enjoy relaxing boat cruises to Catalina Island. Ocean and Long Beach boulevards have the Long Beach Arena, Terrace Theatre, and the Center Theatre which are all within the Long Beach convention and entertainment centers (AAA, 134).
Another great and scenic place to travel to is Santa Barbara. It has a population of 92,325 and is 33 feet above sea level. It lies on a narrow shelf between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Coast. It dates back to the earliest day of settlements in Upper California. Its name originates back in 1602 when Spanish Conquistador Sebastian Vizcaino sailed into the bay and named it after the saint born on that day. In 1782, a military fortress was established and a mission was founded 4 years later by a man named Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen. Santa Barbara is one of California's best vacation areas and while driving into it you can grab a scenic view by was of US 102.
You can also take a trip to Death Valley, the place that has the lowest point in all California at 282 feet below sea level (the Geography of California). The Death Valley national park is about 3,336,000 acres. The valley itself is less than 10 miles to about 61 miles in width and is about 146 miles long. Elevations in Death Valley differ from 282 feet below sea level to 11,-49 feet above sea level (AAA, 78).
So what is there not to like in Southern California? A wonderful atmosphere, a rich history, and a fruitful experience await you. The sun is always shining and there is never a cloud in the sky. Come and break free.
