30 California Trivia Quiz Questions and Answers

California, located on the west coast of the United States, is the most populous state in the country and the third-largest by land area. It is renowned for its diverse geography, ranging from breathtaking coastline along the Pacific Ocean to vast deserts, fertile valleys, majestic mountains, and ancient forests. California is often called the “Golden State” due to the historic Gold Rush of the mid-1800s and the state’s natural beauty and prosperity.

Article overview

• Part 1: 30 California trivia quiz questions & answers
• Part 2: Download California trivia questions & answers for free
• Part 3: Free online quiz software – OnlineExamMaker

Part 1: 30 California trivia quiz questions & answers

1. What is California’s nickname?
a) The Sunshine State
b) The Golden State
c) The Lone Star State
d) The Empire State

Answer: b) The Golden State

2. When did California become a state in the United States?
a) 1800
b) 1849
c) 1850
d) 1900

Answer: c) 1850

3. What is the capital city of California?
a) Los Angeles
b) San Francisco
c) Sacramento
d) San Diego

Answer: c) Sacramento

4. Which city is famously known as the entertainment capital of the world?
a) Los Angeles
b) San Francisco
c) San Diego
d) Anaheim

Answer: a) Los Angeles

5. Which national park in California is famous for its giant sequoia trees, including General Sherman, the largest tree on Earth?
a) Yosemite National Park
b) Sequoia National Park
c) Kings Canyon National Park
d) Death Valley National Park

Answer: b) Sequoia National Park

6. What famous bridge connects San Francisco to Marin County?
a) Golden Gate Bridge
b) Brooklyn Bridge
c) Bay Bridge
d) Coronado Bridge

Answer: a) Golden Gate Bridge

7. Which amusement park in California is known as “The Happiest Place on Earth”?
a) Disneyland
b) Universal Studios Hollywood
c) Six Flags Magic Mountain
d) Knott’s Berry Farm

Answer: a) Disneyland

8. What famous neighborhood in San Francisco is known for its steep streets, cable cars, and Victorian houses?
a) Hollywood
b) Fisherman’s Wharf
c) Chinatown
d) Nob Hill

Answer: d) Nob Hill

9. Which city in Southern California is known for its beautiful beaches and is home to the San Diego Zoo?
a) Los Angeles
b) San Francisco
c) San Diego
d) Long Beach

Answer: c) San Diego

10. What is the famous wine-producing region in Northern California known for its vineyards and wineries?
a) Napa Valley
b) Sonoma Valley
c) Central Valley
d) Santa Clara Valley

Answer: a) Napa Valley

11. The California Gold Rush began in 1848 after gold was discovered at ______________.
a) Big Sur
b) San Francisco Bay
c) Sutter’s Mill
d) Death Valley

Answer: c) Sutter’s Mill

12. Which desert in California is known for its otherworldly landscapes and Joshua trees?
a) Death Valley
b) Mojave Desert
c) Sonoran Desert
d) Coachella Valley

Answer: b) Mojave Desert

13. What is the largest lake entirely within the state of California?
a) Lake Tahoe
b) Clear Lake
c) Salton Sea
d) Mono Lake

Answer: b) Clear Lake

14. Which famous prison, located on an island in San Francisco Bay, was known as “The Rock” and housed some of the most notorious criminals in U.S. history?
a) Alcatraz Island
b) Angel Island
c) Treasure Island
d) Catalina Island

Answer: a) Alcatraz Island

15. California is known for its extensive coastline along which ocean?
a) Atlantic Ocean
b) Indian Ocean
c) Arctic Ocean
d) Pacific Ocean

Answer: d) Pacific Ocean

Part 2: Download California trivia questions & answers for free

16. Which iconic rock formation can be found in Yosemite National Park?
a) El Capitan
b) Half Dome
c) Moro Rock
d) Pinnacles

Answer: b) Half Dome

17. Which famous technology hub in the San Francisco Bay Area is home to many high-tech companies and startups?
a) Silicon Beach
b) Silicon Prairie
c) Silicon Valley
d) Silicon Canyon

Answer: c) Silicon Valley

18. Which desert national park in southeastern California is famous for its colorful badlands and unique geological formations?
a) Death Valley National Park
b) Joshua Tree National Park
c) Channel Islands National Park
d) Pinnacles National Park

Answer: b) Joshua Tree National Park

19. What is the largest city in California by population?
a) San Francisco
b) Los Angeles
c) San Diego
d) Sacramento

Answer: b) Los Angeles

20. The Pacific Crest Trail, a long-distance hiking trail, runs through which mountain range in California?
a) Sierra Nevada
b) Cascade Range
c) Coastal Range
d) Santa Monica Mountains

Answer: a) Sierra Nevada

21. What is the state flower of California?
a) Daisy
b) Poppy
c) Rose
d) Sunflower

Answer: b) Poppy

22. Which national park in California is known for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, and ancient sequoia trees?
a) Joshua Tree National Park
b) Sequoia National Park
c) Yosemite National Park
d) Death Valley National Park

Answer: c) Yosemite National Park

23. California is home to the world’s oldest and tallest trees in which national park?
a) Kings Canyon National Park
b) Sequoia National Park
c) Channel Islands National Park
d) Lassen Volcanic National Park

Answer: b) Sequoia National Park

24. Which famous California city is often associated with the entertainment industry, including movies, television, and music?
a) San Francisco
b) Los Angeles
c) San Diego
d) Sacramento

Answer: b) Los Angeles

25. The city of San Francisco is famous for its iconic _____________, an iconic suspension bridge that spans the Golden Gate Strait.
a) Brooklyn Bridge
b) Bay Bridge
c) Golden Gate Bridge
d) Coronado Bridge

Answer: c) Golden Gate Bridge

26. What is the state tree of California?
a) Redwood
b) Sequoia
c) Oak
d) Palm

Answer: a) Redwood

27. Which famous avenue in Los Angeles is known for its movie premieres, entertainment industry events, and Walk of Fame?
a) Hollywood Boulevard
b) Rodeo Drive
c) Sunset Boulevard
d) Melrose Avenue

Answer: a) Hollywood Boulevard

28. California is the primary producer of which fruit in the United States?
a) Apples
b) Oranges
c) Bananas
d) Grapes

Answer: b) Oranges

29. Which national park in California is known for its extremely hot temperatures and unique salt flats?
a) Joshua Tree National Park
b) Sequoia National Park
c) Death Valley National Park
d) Channel Islands National Park

Answer: c) Death Valley National Park

30. California is home to which famous tech company known for its search engine, internet services, and other technological innovations?
a) Microsoft
b) Apple
c) Google
d) Amazon

Answer: c) Google

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