2 Best Sights in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California

More than two dozen murals in the Central Valley city of Exeter's cute-as-a-button downtown make it worth a quick detour if you're traveling on Route 198. Several of the murals, which depict the area's agricultural and social history, are quite good. All adorn buildings within a few blocks of the intersection of Pine and E streets. If you're hungry, the Wildflower Cafe, at 121 South E Street, serves inventive salads and sandwiches. Shortly after entering Exeter, head west on Pine Street (it's just before the water tower) to reach downtown.

Well-imagined and interactive displays at this worthwhile stop provide the basics about sequoias, of which there are 2,161 with diameters exceeding 10 feet in the approximately 2,000-acre Giant Forest.