California has a number of major airports. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the largest in the U.S. and a gateway to Asia and the Pacific, is 10 mi/16 km southwest of downtown. Many major airlines also serve the surrounding Los Angeles airports of Burbank (BUR), Ontario (ONT), Long Beach (LGB) and Orange County (SNA). San Diego International Airport (SAN) is another busy air hub in the southern half of the state.
Most people flying into Northern California will arrive at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), also a U.S. gateway to Asia and the Pacific. San Jose International Airport (SJC), Oakland International Airport (OAK) and Sacramento International Airport (SMF) are served by slightly fewer airlines. The nearest international airport to Lake Tahoe is the Reno, Nevada, airport (NVO). To best see Northern California, we suggest flying into the Bay Area (San Francisco, San Jose or Oakland), renting a car and then hitting the road. Major rental car agencies maintain branches at all of the state's larger airports.
Cruise ships dock at Los Angeles Harbor in San Pedro or in adjacent Long Beach. They also stop regularly in San Diego and in San Francisco at Pier 35. Small boats take visitors to the Channel Islands from Ventura and Oxnard. Ferries to Catalina Island run from San Pedro and Long Beach. (Catalina Cruises operates a fast commercial passenger vessel—the Catalina Jet—from Long Beach to Catalina that promises a stabilized ride for those who suffer queasiness on most boat trips.)
Several Amtrak lines serve California from outside the state. Within the state, one Amtrak line travels along the Los Angeles-San Diego corridor and then on to Paso Robles, and another line runs from San Diego to San Francisco via Los Angeles and the Central Valley. The Coast Starlight makes a scenic run between Los Angeles and Oakland before continuing on to Seattle, Washington. Greyhound provides bus service between cities in California and to points outside the state.
