California

With just shy of 40 million residents, California is the most populous US state. Home to four of the world’s ten largest companies and four of the world’s ten richest people, if California were a country, it would be the fifth-largest economy in the world. But the Golden States’ riches run much deeper than cold hard cash. Countless films, photographs and guidebooks have attempted to capture its size, beauty and diversity, but nothing beats the reality of exploring the valleys, peaks and rivers of Yosemite, surfing in Malibu, hot air ballooning over Napa Valley’s vineyards, walking across the Golden Gate Bridge or spotting your favourite celebrity’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.