Definitely not overrated! Yosemite, Big Sur, the Redwoods, Monterey Bay, Tahoe, Mammoth/June Lake, Catalina--some of the most beautiful scenery in the world--I should know, I've been to nearly 100 countries! Certainly some places like Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Boulevard, Universal Studios, etc., are simply tourist traps with nothing much to offer unless you like crowds and overpriced restaurants and souvenir shops but overall, California is a gem among the 50 states.