On September 9th, we celebrate National California Day. It’s a day that recognizes the Golden State. The area of California was never organized as a territory but was administered from 1848 to statehood by a federal military authority. California was admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the 31st state.

For more than a century, Spanish missionaries settled in California. Manifest Destiny and the Mexican American War would play a pivotal role in making California a U.S. Territory. Under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico sold California along with its territories north of the Rio Grande for 15 million dollars.

Only days before the treaty was signed, gold was found at Sutter’s Mill in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The gold rush of 1849 would set off an era of settlement unlike any a new territory had ever seen. Two years later, California became the 31st state.

While many think of sunny beaches and orange groves, California has a diverse climate. Each region boasts an opportunity for seasonal outdoor adventures. Whether surfing or downhill skiing is on the agenda, it’s sure to be found. If hiking among giant redwoods or touring historic missions is more to your liking, you’ll discover it here.

Of course, we can’t overlook Northern California’s wine country. Beautiful road trips and wine tastings along the magnificent Napa Valley or Sonoma County are a must for wine lovers.

Swimmin’ pools and movie stars, Califonia has those in large numbers.  While moving pictures weren’t born in California, Hollywood sure made them flourish. By the turn of the 20th century, Hollywood built a foundation of movie studios that continued growing, many of which still exist today.