California s nickname Golden State dates from its Wild West mining era. But on sunny days when the coastal fog lifts, it might just as well describe California s more than 1100 miles of Pacific beaches. Sara Benson, Lonely Planet Writer Our Promise You can trust our travel information because Lonely Planet authors visit the places we write about, each and every edition. We never accept freebies for positive coverage so you can rely on us to tell it like it is. Inside This Book 8 authors 75+ beaches 100 maps 102 wineries Inspirational photos Clear, easy-to-use maps Comprehensive planning tools Best of the Golden State feature In-depth background Disneyland Trip Planner