Visit California recently launched a new Media & Trade Center website, designed to serve as a one-stop shop for media resources and inspiration. The revamped media.VisitCalifornia.com was introduced to the world at a press conference at IPW Denver May 22.

“There is no better way to share the state’s hidden gems and iconic attractions than through authentic storytelling by travel and lifestyle journalists,” said Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta in the coinciding press release. “This dynamic platform will allow media from around the globe to easily find content to inspire their next article or trip.”

The news-driven homepage highlights the latest featured stories and also filters top content based on interest – culinary, family fun, luxury, arts and entertainment, or outdoor adventure.

Along with traditional press releases, the site serves up royalty-free images and videos for media outlets to use, along with story ideas developed in collaboration with California travel and tourism industry partners to showcase the latest experiences the state has to offer by newsworthy themes.

Additional areas of content focus include general and “most-searched-for” information about California, such as state statistics, details about marquee events held across the state, profiles for each of the state’s 12 distinct tourism regions and partner-supplied “What’s New in California” product updates and openings.

The site was designed with a global audience in mind. Media and travel trade users can select from 14 localized site experiences featuring market-focused and translated content for maximum applicability.  

Other features include:

•        Tagging system for story ideas, press releases, recent coverage  and marquee events  by theme, season and region 
•        Research, including international market profiles and statewide facts and figures
•        Resources for media to request press trips or tap into Visit California’s global media relations and travel trade network.

The online media center was developed in partnership with Mindstream Interactive and follows a total revamp of Visit California’s industry site, industry.VisitCalifornia.com.

Explore the new Media & Trade center now at media.VisitCalifornia.com.

With the all-new 2018 California Road Trips Guide, travelers are invited to kick off their summer with awe-inspiring drives that deliver on quintessential California experiences.

The 36-page magazine provides visitors with the information and inspiration they need to make the most of their next California road trip. More than 1 million copies of the 2018 California Road Trips Guide will be distributed in print, including 600,000 in the Travel + Leisure's July, adventure-themed issue.

It's a perfect match for this year's guide, which highlights 12 epic drives suited for the venturous traveler with detailed directions and illustrated maps. Along each unique route, the guide calls out Instagram-friendly locations for the social-savvy – a feature new to this year's edition. 

California Road Trips features a diverse collection of itineraries, including one where readers can find out how to make the most of their time visiting Southern California theme parks by adding on a few undiscovered gems. For travelers looking to catch a sunset, an insider’s guide outlines eight secluded, soulful beaches along the scenic North Coast. Travelers can also find the information they need to snap the perfect Instagram shot while trekking through jaw-dropping vistas, snow-capped volcanoes and towering waterfalls.

For road trips that veer off the beaten path, venture on the coast starting south of San Francisco along some of the most beautiful stretches of Highway 1, including eight recommended stops between Santa Cruz and Big Sur. Travelers can also take an architecture tour through Los Angeles and wind their way east through the Inland Empire and Palm Springs before curling around to San Diego.

Another highlight is the 180-mile journey up the Pacific Coast. Beginning in Los Angeles, the route takes drivers through Ventura County and Santa Barbara before ending at a vineyard in San Luis Obispo County. The trip is representative of the Golden State itself in that it offers an unparalleled wealth of diverse experiences – from lively urban scenes in Santa Monica and Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone to the natural beauty of Malibu, where the Santa Monica Mountains plunge to the edge of the continent.

With the summer travel season kicking into high gear, it's not too late to plan an epic summer road trip — check out the 2018 California Road Trips Guide online, pick up single copies at one of the state's 16 California Welcome Centers and select newsstands, or order at VisitCalifornia.com/CVG.