california Archives - Unique America

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10 Unique Towns In California That Most People Have Never Heard Of

By uniqueamerica on March 22, 2017 California

Everyone always imagines L.A. and San Francisco when they think of California but it’s the smaller towns that really make up the heart of the Golden State. The quiet seaside villages, cozy mountain towns and charming communities of Napa Valley all have a lot to offer as well but somehow they just don’t get as much recognition. These are just ten of the many small unique towns across the state that are vastly underrated. 1. Ferndale What’s not to love about Ferndale? This quaint little Victorian village has loads of charm only five minutes from the coast, and many well-preserved…

Photo by John Fowler on Flickr

Now Is The Best Time To Visit These Blooming California Poppy Fields

By uniqueamerica on March 17, 2017 California

California is so dreamy in the spring. The sunny weather is perfect for laying out by the beach, and bright orange poppies – our native state flower – will be starting to bloom. One of the best places to see this gorgeous floral display is Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve just outside of Lancaster, where the fields become filled with a sea of tangerine from March through May. And there’s no better time to visit than now – they recently announced that patches on the eastern end of the park are just beginning to open. The reserve is about two hours north…

Photo by Flickr/Mr. Nixter

10 Views In Yosemite National Park That Will Make You Say “Wow”

By uniqueamerica on March 14, 2017 California

Everyone should experience Yosemite National Park at least once in their lifetime. Even as you’re driving into the valley you can get impressive views from the road. The landscapes, granite cliffs and dramatic waterfalls (including many of the tallest cascades in California) – have world-class beauty that is unsurpassed. But don’t just stop by to see the big hitters like Yosemite Falls – make sure to check out all ten of these amazing viewpoints. 1. Tunnel View Yosemite’s most famous viewpoint, Tunnel View, gives you a perfect vista of El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome. It’s located by the…

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These Salt Ponds In The San Francisco Bay Are Mesmerizing

By uniqueamerica on March 8, 2017 California

Anyone who’s flown into San Francisco (and was lucky enough to land a window seat) may be familiar with this colorful eye candy. They’re known as the Cargill Salt Ponds, and cover over 8,000 acres in the South San Francisco Bay. They’re loaded with three types of micro-organisms (Synechococcus, Halobacteria and Dunaliella). Each one reacts differently to the salinity level, causing the ponds to vary in colors from a deep coral pink to magenta, mustard yellow and blueish-green. The weather and seasons can have an impact on the shades as well. The salt industry has thrived in San Francisco since 1854,…

Photo by Diliff on Wikipedia

You’ll Be Blown Away By The 10 Tallest Waterfalls In California

By uniqueamerica on March 4, 2017 California

The waterfalls in California aren’t only breathtaking but some are larger-than-life. Especially in Yosemite Valley, where many cascades plunge thousands of feet in multiple tiers off rocky cliffs. Just looking up at them from only 5 or 6 feet tall is a stunning reminder of how small we really are. But California is a huge state with hundreds of cascades – which ones drop higher than the rest? Check them out below. 10. Chagoopa Falls Height: 1,200 feet Location: Sequoia National Park Chagoopa Falls is one of the tallest falls in the High Sierras. The only way to see this…

Photo by Krishna Santhanam on Flickr

Why Burney Falls In California Should Be On Your Bucket List

By uniqueamerica on February 24, 2017 California

Some of California’s most dramatic waterfalls drop in Yosemite, but have you ever seen Burney Falls about an hour east of Redding? This 129-foot beauty is the centerpiece of McArthur-Burney Falls State Park, and a picture perfect day trip, especially in the springtime. Aside from the misty falls, the park’s a hot spot for camping, picnics, fishing and boating. It encompasses almost a thousand acres of surrounding forest, and miles of streamside and lake shoreline along Burney Creek and Lake Britton. About five miles of hiking trails wind throughout the park, including a portion of the iconic Pacific Crest Trail…

Photo by Wikipedia/King Of Hearts

A Sneak Peek Inside Hearst Castle On The California Coast

By uniqueamerica on February 20, 2017 California

Unless you already own a mansion, it’s not everyday you get to wander an elegant piece of architecture like Hearst Castle. The 56-bedroom estate sits on top of a hill just off the Pacific Coast Highway in San Simeon, and offers daily tours for visitors interested in a closer look. The castle was designed by Julia Morgan from 1919-1947, and built for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. After 28 years of total work the estate cost about $6.5 million to build and another $3.5 million for the artwork inside. After Hearst later died in 1951, the grounds became a state…

Photo by Flickr/Kārlis Dambrāns

This Wave Organ On The California Coast Makes Music From The Ocean

By uniqueamerica on February 15, 2017 California

Sitting out on a jetty in the San Francisco Bay, the Wave Organ is a unique sculpture that blends art, music and nature. The installation was built with 25 organ pipes – made of PVC and concrete – at various elevations, which become activated and make incredible sounds when the ocean waves come crashing in. The piece was built in 1986 as a collaboration between artist Peter Richards and sculptor and master stonemason George Gonzales. Inspiration came from the sounds produced by a vent pipe off a floating concrete dock in Sydney, Australia. It’s located out on a jetty that…

Photo by Wayne Stadler/Flickr

The 5 Coolest Ghost Towns To Explore Outside Of L.A.

By uniqueamerica on February 10, 2017 California

Los Angeles is such a hectic city, it’s hard to imagine there would be any towns even close that are totally deserted. But still, there are some areas within a day’s drive that were once thriving and now just sit quiet and long abandoned. These ghost towns may not have residents anymore but they’ve still got many old buildings and relics that are fascinating to explore. 1. Pioneertown Only two hours east of L.A., just outside of Joshua Tree National Park, Pioneertown isn’t like any ghost town: it was originally built in the 1940s and had been used as the…

Photo by Albert Lam

This Mysterious Tower Has Been Hiding On The California Coast For Years

By uniqueamerica on February 7, 2017 California

Laguna Beach is famous for their sun-kissed, palm tree-lined coastline, but many people don’t know they’re also hiding a slice of Rapunzel. This castle-inspired structure – known as Pirate Tower (or La Tour in French) – stands about 60 feet tall on the base of a cliff overlooking the beautiful Victoria Beach. It was originally built in 1926 – around the same time as the house at the top of the bluff – and provided easy access to the beach down below. The home (known as the Norman House) and tower were both made for California State Senator William Brown and his…

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