California, a land of innovation and opportunity, is as diverse as it is vast. From sun-kissed beaches to towering redwoods, it’s a place where the world comes to dream.
While you might’ve known this about California, we’re sure there’s more you haven’t heard. Beyond the well-known Hollywood glamour and Silicon Valley tech scene, sunny California hides a treasure trove of fascinating, lesser-known facts.
In this article, we delve into the intriguing, surprising, and downright strange aspects of the state that make it a place like no other.
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Getting to Know the Golden State: Fun and Weird Facts About California
Kyle Kroeger / ViaTravelers
See Related: Interesting, Fun Facts About London
1. The Origin of California’s Name
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“California” is derived from a 16th-century novel by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, “Las Sergas de Esplandián.” In the story, a mythical island paradise is named California.
2. The Official State Animal is Extinct
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The California Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos californicus) is the state’s official animal. It’s featured on the California state flag, but it’s been considered extinct since its last sighting in 1924.
3. Home to the First Motion Picture Theater
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True to its history as Hollywood’s birthplace, the first permanent motion picture theater opened in Los Angeles in April 1902. Tally’s Electric Theater charged ten cents a ticket per customer.
4. The View at Zabriskie Point Overlook
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This spot in Death Valley National Park gives you a great view of Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the continental United States. At 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, it is also the lowest national park!
Death Valley National Park has a variety of tours that also incorporate ghost towns. Speaking of ghost towns…
5. California’s Ghost Towns
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Second only to Texas, California has more ghost towns than any other state, totaling approximately 346. These are relics from the Gold Rush era.
6. Norma Jeane: Artichoke Queen
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In 1948, Norma Jeane Mortenson (later known as Marilyn Monroe) was crowned the first Artichoke Queen in Castroville, California. This town has since declared itself the “Artichoke Center of the World.”
7. Birthplace of the Original McDonald’s
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The Original McDonald’s restaurant was opened on 15 May 1940 in San Bernardino, California. Imagine how many burgers they’ve sold since!
See Related: Ways To Avoid the Fast Food Trap!
8. California’s Peach Production
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California produces 70% of all peaches (as well as other stone fruit) in the United States. Take that, Georgia!
9. The High-Ranking Hollywood Bowl
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The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles is one of the largest outdoor amphitheater/venues in the continental US. It’s also been listed as one of the ten best music venues in the country by CBSNews, Rolling Stone, and Fodors.
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10. The Production of the First Skateboards
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The first mass-produced skateboard was sold, first at surf shops in California in the 1950s. It was called “Roller Derby,” although it technically came after the “Skeeter Skate,” which introduced a unique innovation: the first steering axles.
11. World’s Largest Landlocked Harbor
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The San Francisco Bay is the largest landlocked harbor in the world! Looking out at all that blue water, it hardly looks like it.
12. Home to the US’s Largest County
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San Bernardino County in California is the largest county in the United States. Try that on for size!
13. The Oldest College Bowl Game
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Football facts: The Rose Bowl is the oldest college bowl game. It has been played in Pasadena, California, since 1902.
14. California’s State Motto
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California’s official motto is “Eureka!” This translates to “I’ve found it!” in Greek, after the discovery of Gold in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
See Related: Where To Stay In Eureka, California: Best Areas & Places
15. California’s Strange Weather: Tule Fog
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California’s Central Valley is known for a weather phenomenon called Tule fog, which can reduce visibility to less than one-quarter mile. If you’re planning to drive in it, use caution!
16. A Moving National Historic Landmark: The Capital City
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The state capital of California has been moved multiple times. It was originally in Monterey, San Jose, Vallejo, and Benicia before settling in Sacramento.
17. The Winchester Mystery House
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Located in San Jose, this mansion was continuously built by its owner, Sarah Winchester, for almost 40 years. It’s well-known for its architectural oddities and rumors about why Winchester, the widow of firearms tycoon William Wirt Winchester, began building it.
It’s claimed that she often abandoned and rebuilt structures in the house, resulting in a labyrinthine design; however, stories say she did so to appease the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. The result is a fascinating house composed of asymmetrical windows, confounding hallways, and more.
See Related: The Santa Cruz Mystery Spot (Explained!): Is It Worth Visiting?
18. Gender Rules in Alcatraz
f11photo / Adobe Stock
The famous island of Alcatraz only operated as a federal prison for 30 years. During this time, the prison held 1,576 “dangerous civilian” criminals, all of whom were men. There were never any women prisoners, guards, or administrators at Alcatraz.
19. The Original “Hollywood” Sign
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The original “Hollywood” sign actually read “Hollywoodland.” It was originally an advertisement for a local real estate development.
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20. San Francisco’s Unique Wave Organ
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San Francisco has a wave-activated acoustic sculpture similar to the newer Zadar Sea Organ in Croatia. When the tide comes in, it plays music!
See Related: The Largest Lakes In The World: Each Natural Wonders
21. The Drive-Thru Chandelier Tree
Zack Frank / Adobe Stock
In Leggett, a drive-thru tree park also doubles as the state tree: more specifically, a 2,400-year-old California redwood tree with a 6-foot-wide by 7-foot-tall hole cut through its base. The cutting allowed its roots to continue to grow.
22. The Old General Sherman Sequoia
Thierry / Adobe Stock
The General Sherman Tree, the world’s largest tree, is the biggest known single-stem tree on the planet. It stands 275 feet (83 m) tall and has a base diameter of over 36 feet (11 m). Following the trunk 60 feet upward, you’ll still find the Sherman Tree’s trunk reaches approximately 17.5 feet (5.3 m) in diameter.
While it’s not the world’s tallest tree, it’s among them. It’s known to exist amidst the other tallest (Redwoods) and oldest (Bristlecone Pines) trees in the world. These trees have called California home for centuries and grow in most national parks up North!
23. The World’s Largest Thermometer
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Located in Baker, this 134-foot-tall thermometer commemorates the scorching 134-degree Fahrenheit temperature recorded in Death Valley in 1913.
In fact, California’s Death Valley holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth, granting the Mojave Desert the title of North America’s hottest desert.
See Related: Where to Stay in Death Valley: Best Areas & Places
24. The Eastlake Movement
Konrad Summers / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
This Victorian architectural style, named after Charles Eastlake, was especially popular in California. Despite Eastlake’s influence on the movement, he disliked Victorian-style furniture!
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25. California’s Wine Country
htrnr / Adobe Stock
California state boasts over 4,200 wineries and 6,000 vineyards/growers. On top of that, it produces around 84% of the country’s wine!
See Related: Where To Stay In Napa Valley: Best Areas & Places
26. The History of the State Flag
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The California state flag also played a part in a short-lived rebellion in 1846. During this, Americans captured part of Sonoma County and raised the California flag to symbolize the California Republic. It’s since been called the Bear Flag Revolt.
27. The Gold Rush Never Ended!
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California is the largest sub-national economy in the world, which is actually larger than many countries! It clocks in at fifth internationally and could one day become fourth, if it overtakes Germany. It’s the only state to rise so high.
Given California is credited as the birthplace of the film, music, and technology industries, it makes sense that its sub-national economy ranks up there!
28. California’s Diverse Landscapes
Hakan Ozturk / Adobe Stock
California showcases incredibly diverse landscapes. Thanks to its beaches and mountain ranges, it’s the only place in the world where you can surf the Pacific Ocean in the morning and ski in the afternoon.
Likewise, it has more national parks (nine!) than any other state, including Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park.
Visit the Golden State!
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Now that you know so much about this great state, is California officially on your must-visit list? It should be! Make a plan to see a giant Sequoia tree at Redwood National Park. While you’re up North, check out San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Finished? Take a drive down the California coast. Surf in Santa Barbara and see a grizzly bear at the zoo in San Diego. No matter your trip, you’ll have a great time!
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