While winter weather closes access to some places in the state, it also provides opportunities for unique activities. And, if you happen to visit during a winter rain storm, there are plenty of things to do on a rainy day in San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego.
Christmas in California - Many parts of California are short on snow, but not on imagination. California has some unique Christmas traditions, including parades with boats instead of floats, musical concerts in wine caves, gala Christmas pageants and surfing Santas.
Skiing
California Skiing Guide - Most Californians prefer to visit snow rather than live in it, but several of the state's ski areas are located within an easy drive of its major cities. Four of Ski Magazine's top twenty ski resorts are in California and you'll find no shortage of the white stuff in the mountains.For fun in the snow without sliding down a hill, try a dog sledding tour.
Nature
California's milder winters and coastal location give nature lovers plenty to do and see.
California's Butterfly Coast - California's central coast plays an integral part in the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. From November through March, coastal eucalyptus groves turn into "monarch butterfly hotels," and the morning air fills with flashes of orange and brown wings.
Whale Watching - Butterflies aren't the only animals migrating around California. Winter is the time for the gray whale migration, when they leave their feeding grounds in Alaska and swim south to Mexico to bear their young and mate. Most coastal cities have whale watching tour boats that take you out to watch them swim by.
Did you think sex on the beach was either illegal or the cute name of a bar drink? It is, unless you're an elephant seal at Ano Nuevo State Reserve. Winter is the time when these gigantic noisy creatures haul themselves onto land to have their babies and mate. Imagine bellowing, fighting one ton males, hundreds of baby elephant seals and their mothers, and you have an idea of the spectacle. Ano Nuevo State is one of the seals' favorite places for all this pandemonium, and tours are given through March. You can also find a big elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas just off Hwy 1 north of Hearst Castle.
Driving
Rain and snow can cause road closures and mudslides. Beware, Californians forget how to drive in the rain because they don't have to do it for six to nine months at a time. Any time it's raining at lower elevations it's snowing at upper ones, so if you plan to drive the mountains, or to Lake Tahoe from San Francisco, check to see if chains are required.Roads that close (or may close) every winter include:
- Tioga Pass in Yosemite which closes with the first snow after November 1. Sonora Pass and most other high-elevation routes across the Sierras close, too.
- The road to lower Kings Canyon in Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park which closes mid-November to mid-April, no matter what the weather is like.
- California Highway One is especially susceptible to mudslides and closures during rainy winters. Check its status if you plan to travel on it.
Special Events
Special winter events include:- Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena - January 1
- Rose Bowl Game, Pasadena - January 1
- Hollywood Christmas Parade, Hollywood - Thanksgiving weekend
- Golden Globe Awards, Beverly Hills - January
- Chinese New Year Parade, San Francisco - January-February
