Smell those fabulous flowers. From Carlsbad to Carpinteria to Lompoc , enjoy colorful fields of poinsettias, sweet peas, ranunculus and poppies, to name a few. Viewing is seasonal so call these cities' visitor bureaus or chambers before you go looking.
Foodies are a demographic of people who travel for the love of a good meal.
More than 45 percent of today's food dollar is spent away from home and that number goes up when you travel. The state of California offers nealy 74,000 restaurants and drinking places with top chefs vying for top hat in the California dining market. Everything under the sun can be found, but most interesting is the mix of cultural styles and food preparations seen in California cuisine. Here are some Gourmet Recipes from California chefs. Photo of TV food personality Mary Sue Milliken .