History

Alcatraz Island Enjoy a scenic boat ride on the way to this famous prison island; explore the complex; listen to the audio tour about life on the island; learn about the Native American takeover of 1969; take a ranger-guided journey into the ecosystems of the maritime outcropping. Pier 33, near intersection of Bay Street, San Francisco, CA; +1 415 705 5555. Fee.

Bodie State Historic Park Learn how the gold miners lived at this real ghost town preserved in a state of "arrested decay;" take a ghost tour of the supposedly haunted lands and explore the mine shafts brave men once crawled through. Bodie Rd., Bridgeport, CA; +1 760 647 6445.

La Brea Tar Pits Marvel at the remains of woolly mammoths and hundreds of other prehistoric creatures that have been recovered from the pits; unearth fossils by volunteering to work at one of the ongoing excavations; visit the Page Museum to learn more about the history of the tar pits. 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA; +1 323 934 7243. Fee.

Cable Car Museum Learn the history of the iconic San Francisco cable car; see the massive powerhouse wheels that drive the entire system; head downstairs to the sheave room to understand the inner workings of the system; climb aboard a real preserved cable car. 1201 Mason St., San Francisco, CA; +1 415 474 1887.

Calico Ghost Town Walk the streets of this 1880s mining town; visit the museum to see an adobe building; take a ghost tour through the hard rock silver mine. Ghost Town Rd., Yermo, CA; +1 760 254 2122. Fee.

The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts Explore the rich heritage of the Indian tribes that occupied California before the arrival of Europeans; walk through reconstructed dwellings; see native items like dress regalia and musical instruments. 2618 K St., Sacramento, CA; +1 916 324 0971. Fee.

California State History Museum Learn about the contribution of Latinos to the state's development; see the original California Constitution; discover the history of Amelia Earhart and other famous females at the California's Remarkable Women exhibit. 1020 O St., Sacramento, CA; +1 916 653 7524. Fee.

California State Railroad Museum Climb into a 19th-century mail car; lay in a sleeper to feel the swaying of the train; examine over 1,000 toy trains and 21 real locomotives; take a ride on the steam-powered excursion train. 125 I St., Sacramento, CA; +1 916 445 6645. Fee.

Carmel Mission Visit the historic headquarters of the Spanish Mission system, built in 1771; wander through the Heritage Garden's vineyard and grove of olive trees; take a guided tour of the structure and grounds to learn more about Spanish influence in the region. 3080 Rio Rd., Carmel, CA; +1 831 624 1271. Fee.

Castle Air Museum Climb aboard the impressive Convair RB-36H and the Boeing B-52; wander around the outdoor lot packed with 46 planes, including a nuclear bomber. 5050 Santa Fe Ave., Atwater, CA; +1 209 723 2178.

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Uncover the heritage of the only town in California founded and financed by African Americans; visit the Mary Dickinson Memorial library to learn about the colonel's achievements, then tour his home to see how he and other African Americans lived in turn-of-the-last-century California. 4129 Palmer Ave., Earlimart, CA; +1 661 849 3433. Fee.

Columbia State Historic Park Travel back in time to 1850 at this living historical city; rent a horse to tour the area; relax from the back of a 100-year-old stagecoach; watch a blacksmith at work; grab a sarsaparilla at one of the Wild West saloons. 11255 Jackson St., Columbia, CA; +1 209 588 9128. Fee for special events.

Discovery Museum of Sacramento, Gold Rush History Center Learn how the gold rush changed Sacramento or walk over a glass floor that looks down into the heart of Sacramento's past. 101 I St., Sacramento, CA; +1 916 264 7057. Fee.

Empire Mine State Park Visit one of California's richest gold mines; see the "secret room" where mine managers kept a hidden model of the site's 367 miles of shaft; hike or ride horseback through the beautiful Backcountry trails. 10791 East Empire St., Grass Valley, CA; +1 530 273 8522. Fee.

Fort Ross State Historic Park Discover the southernmost settlement of Russian colonization on the North American continent; see the Orthodox chapel; meander through the orchard that dates back to the 19th-century community. 19005 Coast Highway One, Jenner, CA; +1 707 847 3286. Fee.

Hangtown's Gold Bug Park and Mine Follow costumed tour guides as they lead you deep into the Gold Bug Mine; hike the Vulture Claim Trail to see the "coyote holes" left by 19th-century miners; pan for gold or gems. 2635 Goldbug Lane, Placerville, CA; +1 530 642 5207.

Laws Railway Museum Visit the real Wild West at this museum, housed in an original 1883 train depot; learn how frontier medicine was practiced; see original locomotives that helped to expand the West. U.S. Hwy 6, Bishop, CA; +1 760 873 5950. Fee.

Maritime Museum Board the Star of India, an 1863 sailboat that earns the title of oldest active ship in the world; visit the 1898 steamer, Berkeley, to learn about the rich naval history of the region; watch a classic sea movie projected onto sails of the ships during the Movies Before the Mast film festival. 1492 N. Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA; +1 619 234 9153. Fee.

Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Tour houses, schools, stores, and other historic buildings from the 1849 gold rush; see a replica of the sawmill where gold was first found in the region; watch costumed re-enactors bring the gold rush mayhem back to life. 310 Back St., Coloma, CA; +1 530 622 3470. Fee.

Mission San Juan Capistrano Visit this Spanish outpost dating back to 1776; view Serra Chapel, the oldest standing church in California; follow the mission's publication for kids, "Passport Explorer," on adventures through the mission's grounds. 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, CA; +1 949 234 1300. Fee.

Museum of Tolerance Tour this powerful museum, which looks at current issues through the prism of historical intolerance; enter the Millennium Machine to learn more about problems of intolerance affecting the world today; visit the Hall of Testimony to learn about the Holocaust from the words of survivors. 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA; +1 310 553 8403. Fee.

National Steinbeck Center Celebrate one of America's greatest writers through detailed stage sets and the filmed version of The Grapes of Wrath starring Henry Fonda; explore manuscripts, pictures, and notes from Steinbeck's life. 1 Main St., Salinas, CA; +1 831 796 3833.

Palm Springs Air Museum Explore the world of World War II combat aviation; see a real B-17 Flying Fortress; climb in the nose of a Grumman Goose; watch a P-51 Mustang take to the skies at one of the Saturday flight exhibitions. 745 N. Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, CA; +1 760 778 6262. Fee.

La Purisima Mission State Historic Park View this meticulously restored Spanish Mission that dates back to 1787; visit the museum to learn about the history of Spanish settlers in the area; take a guided tour of the building and grounds. 2295 Purisima Rd., Lompoc, CA; +1 805 733 3713. Fee.

San Bernardino County Museum Meet a Shasta ground sloth; see a real covered wagon and a stage coach; encounter a grizzly bear up close and personal; marvel at Native American baskets and pottery. 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA; +1 909 307 2669. Fee.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Head below the decks of the historic Eureka ferry; help raise the sails on Balclutha; take a boatbuilding class; listen to a sea music concert; learn about the local waterfowl at the "Birds of the Bay" program. Jefferson St. and Hyde St., San Francisco, CA; +1 451 447 5000. Fee.

San Juan Bautista State Historic Park Tour a blacksmith shop, jailhouse, and pioneer cabin that date back to the early 19th-century settlement of the region; visit the Castro-Breen Adobe to see exhibits explaining the history of the Monterey Bay area. Hwy 156, San Juan Bautista, CA; +1 831 623 4526.

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Virtually steer a vessel into Santa Barbara Harbor; learn ocean shanties at Sea Song Sing-a-long; land a "big one" at the interactive Sport Fishing exhibit; scope out some vintage surfboards at the surfing display. 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA; +1 805 962 8404. Fee.

Sutter's Fort State Historic Park Wander through the original settlement in the Sacramento valley; watch California's history to life as actors work as blacksmiths, bakers, and soldiers. 2701 L St., Sacramento, CA; +1 916 445 4422. Fee.

Sutter Gold Mine Try your luck at finding some gold from the real California Motherlode; ride the Boss Buggy deep underground as you learn about the mining history in the area; strap on a hard hat and find out the difference between fool's gold and the real stuff the hard way. 13660 Highway 49, Sutter Creek, CA; +1 866 762 2837. Fee.

Weaverville Joss House Travel to the Orient without leaving California at the Temple of the Forest Beneath the Clouds, the oldest continuously used Chinese temple in the state; take the guided tour to discover the antique weapons and other artifacts that illustrate the history and experience of Chinese immigrants in the region. SW corner of Hwy. 299 Oregon, Weaverville, CA; +1 530 623 5284. Fee.

U.S.S. Midway Museum Experience life at sea; climb aboard a historic aircraft carrier and explore 60 exhibits and aircrafts; self-guided audio tour narrated by Midway veterans. 910 N. Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA; +1 619 544 9600. Fee.