California Essential Guide

Would you like to discover California from the convenience of your iPhone or iPad?

Whether you're a lifelong resident or first-time visitor, you're sure to find something exciting, fresh and new to discover with my new "California Essential Guide," a mobile California travel guide in the Apple iTunes store.

Here's a sneak peek at what you can expect with our App, published by Sutro Media, one of the leading travel app producers on iTunes.

Our next free update will include expanded categories for California camping and all major California sports teams! Have more suggestions? Just let us know!

Why this California travel app?

Travel expert Veronica Hill has compiled this California travel guide to the Golden State, packed with more than 6,000 full-color photos, 500 attractions, and 100+ video guides to popular (and offbeat) California destinations.

Each selection, which includes its own off-line map, is hand-picked by the author for its unique entertainment value. Consider it your virtual guide to the best of California — picked by a lifelong resident and award-winning travel expert. On each entry you can quickly check an attraction's hours and admission price, or call them direct with the touch of a button.

Whether you're a native, an armchair traveler or a sightseeing tourist, the California Essential Guide is sure to provide you with valuable travel tips throughout the state. What's best? We will continue adding content throughout the year — at no further cost to you!

If you enjoy this app, please feel free to mention it to your friends. We'd also be incredibly honored if you leave us a favorable review on iTunes.

What's inside?
A Northern California travel guide and Southern California travel guide with detailed descriptions, photos, admission prices, hours, phone numbers and off-line maps. 

• More than 100 concise California travel video guides, produced by the author
• Top California attractions, zoos, museums, aquariums and theme parks
• Multiple guides to Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, along with dining advice and travel tips
• Mini guides to California National Parks including Yosemite, Death Valley and Joshua Tree
• Mini guides to California wine country (including Napa, Sonoma, Temecula and Santa Barbara)
• Individual entries for all 21 California missions and historic El Camino Real
• Essential California events, from the Oscars to the Rose Parade
• Guide to visiting the Channel Islands, including Catalina Island tours and tips
• Guides to popular (and forgotten) California ghost towns
• Route 66 California landmarks and diners
• Haunted California hotels (and houses) open to the public
• More than 10 scenic California driving tours
• California motorcycle tours and biker bars
• Quirky California roadside attractions
• Free California family day trips and activities
• Los Angeles travel guide with essential downtown and Hollywood attractions
• Unique overnights, from tree houses, yurts and museums to luxury campgrounds and celebrity estates
• Unique and historic California hotels and restaurants
• California adventure travel: hot air balloon rides, rock climbing, kayaking, hang gliding, motorcycle tours and surfing.
• California agritourism guides to working farms, from the cheese-makers in Point Reyes to the oyster beds in Tomales Bay
• Dozens of insider California travel tips, discount links and travel advice

We'll post the link to our app when it's available. In the meantime, you can become a fan on Facebook. Please feel free to share our exciting news with your friends. We'd be so grateful!

CALIFORNIA ESSENTIAL GUIDE can be used offline. When first launching the app, be sure to allow time for the photos and maps to download via a WiFi connection.

About Veronica Hill
Veronica Hill was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Orange County, where she attended Mater Dei High School. She studied at Pepperdine University and California State University at Long Beach, where she received a degree in magazine journalism. Veronica spent 15 years as a travel editor before launching her website, CaliforniaTravelExpert.com. Her writing has appeared in some of the nation's top media outlets, magazines and books — including US Magazine, Rolling Stone, Food & Wine, Associated Press, Freedom News Service and Fodors guides to California/National Parks of the West.

“After months of working on this project, I’m so thrilled to see its release,” said Hill. “I think the combination of videos, maps and photo galleries — along with real-time hours and prices — will really help travelers discover the wonderful sights of California. What’s best is that I’ll continue updating the app frequently throughout the year with new content, money-saving tips and many more surprises.”

About Sutro Media
San Francisco-based Sutro Media (www.sutromedia.com) partners with travel experts to provide real-world guides on mobile phones. Sutro Media has published some of the most popular apps on iTunes, including “Viva Las Vegas, Baby!” “New York City Essential Guide,” “San Francisco Exploration Guide” and “Best of Disney.” The apps retail for between $1.99 and $4.99.