Southern California is located on the west coast of the United States, roughly the bottom third of the state that borders Mexico to its south, the mighty Pacific along its western coast, and desert and hills to its north and east. Located within it are some of the most beautiful mountain ranges and most popular beach hotspots in all of the United States. In fact, Southern California is well known for its deserts and recreational facilities (Young, Don and Marjorie, 3).

One of these mountain ranges is the Transverse Ranges. The Transverse Ranges extends for about 300 miles across Southern California. There is also the well known Mohave Desert in Southern California (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1). The Mohave Desert receives only about 2 inches of rainfall a year (Hutchinson, W.H., 2230).

There is also the Sierra Nevada, and, the hottest place in the world, Death Valley (hence the name). Believe it or not, a long time ago, Death Valley held a lake at least 600 feet deep. On the other hand, the Sierra Nevada collects about 30 to 40 feet of snowfall per year, so this place isn't hot at all (Hutchinson, W.H., 2230).

The Sierra Nevada Range extends to the east for 430 miles from North to South. It rises over 14,000 feet. It's between 40 to 70 miles wide (The Geography of California) and rises 14,000 feet above Owens Valley at the eastern base and 14,000 feet above the Great Valley at its northern base (Fradkin, 63).

The San Diego Ranges cover most of San Diego in the southeastern corner of California. It has a collection of mountains, sometimes called the Peninsular Ranges which are comprised of Agua Tibia, Laguna, and Vallecito Mountains all of which extend down into the Mexican Peninsula known as Baja California (The Geography of California).

Southern California also has a unique climate. The hottest temperature on record was 134 degrees Fahrenheit, recorded in Death Valley, hence the name. The lowest temperature was 45 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, recorded in Boca (The Geography of California). The humidity is consistent with that of the rest of the country's average and its sunshine mostly runs along the average of the rest of the country, with the exception of the winter months where the sun shines over 70% of the time. There is no snowfall present whatsoever. The Temperature appears to be more steady that the US average. The precipitation in Southern California is lower than the average and the average wind speed is so low it doesn't cross paths with the US average at all, but it's not as low as the average sunshine. The area of SoCal also has a high average of tornado activity, which is high above the state average (City-Data).

More climate information is that for temperatures, it tends to be below 68 degrees Fahrenheit for the average July temperatures and is somewhere around 52 degrees Fahrenheit for average January temperatures. Ever year, the average rainfall it receives is only some 8-16 inches (World Book Millennium, 54). Its rainy season is November to March or April (The Geography of California).

There are also numerous graphs and charts on Southern California, specifically in the Laguna Beach area. The household value of this area is on average three times above the state average. The black race population of the Laguna Beach area is below the average of the state. A good thing though is that the percent of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher is above the state average. The length of stay since moving in is, unfortunately, below state average (city-data).

In the year 2000, the population of the area was 23,727 and the estimated population by July 2005 is 24,127. The zip code for Laguna Beach is 92651 and the area codes are 714 and 949. The median resident age of Laguna Beach is 43.4 years. There are also some common industries for men and women. For males the most common industry is professional, scientific and technical. On the other hand, the most common industry for women is education (city-data).

Southern California, being part of California, shares its state facts. The State flag has the words “California Republic” on it and it shows the picture of a bear (Hutchinson, 2230). The state bird is the quail. Also, the state tree is the California Redwood (SIRS Discoverer, 4).

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.

The archaeological ruins at Monte Alban and Mitla (together with the smaller sites in the Central Valley) are reason enough to visit Oaxaca. The sights are breathtakingly, spectacular. The ruins have been designated by the United Nations as one of the most significant cultural zones on the planet. People venture to the ruins to gaze in wonder, climb and explore. For many, it can be a powerful experience.

Feeling the influence of Western influence, due to the close proximity of the USA, many Oaxacans are keen to preserve their culture and have thus developed museums over the years. With constant archaeological research they have become real traditional, community museums, with staff genuinely keen to preserve their culture and display to the world the splendors of Oaxaca. Here, one can only marvel at the meticulous patience that goes into the hand-made production of typical, intricately embroidered Mexican garments that are sold on for pittance and the careful, painstakingly whittled ornaments, carved to perfection. One can also only be gob smacked by the laborious work of a young potter who travels high up a mountain to collect special materials required for the hand-made mixture - it's no wonder that Oaxaca is revered for having some of the finest hand crafts in the world!

Despite boasting an affluent culture and colourful existence, sadly Oaxaca has been weakened by recent political strife and animosity reducing its number of usual annual visitors and making its economy frail. Although the situation has calmed greatly over the past year, the city is marred by the presence of federal police and graffiti scrawled angrily across walls. The residents of Oaxaca however, have become accustomed to this and continue with everyday life as normal. Like the citizens, one should not be put of visiting for it is generally safe and the experience far surpasses the present reminders of recent turmoil. With so much to offer, one will not be disappointed.