Lonely Planet California
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Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher
Lonely Planet California is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Sashay out onto San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, walk beneath ancient redwoods, or taste wine in Sonoma Valley -all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of California and begin your journey now!
Inside Lonely Planet California:
- Color maps and images throughout
- Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests
- Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots
- Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices
- Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss
- Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, customs, film, television, music, arts, literature, landscapes, wildlife
- Over 19 color maps
- Covers San Francisco, Napa Valley, Coastal Highway 1, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, the Sierra Nevada, Disneyland, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Palm Springs and more
The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet California , our most comprehensive guide to California, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less traveled
Looking for Californian road tripping ideas? Check out Lonely Planet California's Best Trips.
About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day. Lonely Planet enables the curious to experience the world fully and to truly get to the heart of the places they find themselves, near or far from home.
TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 winner in Favorite Travel Guide category
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eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones)
- Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges
- Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews
- Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience
- Seamlessly flip between pages
- Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash
- Embedded links to recommendations' websites
- Zoom-in maps and images
- Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing
Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.
Andrea Schulte-Peevers
Andrea Schulte-Peevers nació y creció en Alemania, y cursó sus estudios en Londres y en la UCLA (Universidad de California en Los Ángeles). Sus numerosos viajes la han llevado a recorrer infinidad de kilómetros por cerca de 75 países. Se gana la vida como escritora profesional de viajes desde hace más de dos décadas, y ha participado, como autora o colaboradora, en casi 100 títulos de Lonely Planet, así como en periódicos, revistas y webs de todo el mundo. Trabaja además como asesora de viajes, traductora y editora, y es especialista en destinos como Alemania, Dubái, los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Creta y las islas del Caribe. Vive en Berlín.
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Lonely Planet California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers
California
Contents
Plan Your Trip
Welcome to California
California's Top 25
Need to Know
What's New
If You Like
Month by Month
Itineraries
Road Trips & Scenic Drives
Beaches, Swimming & Surfing
California Camping & Outdoors
Eat & Drink Like a Local
Travel with Children
Regions at a Glance
On The Road
San Francisco
History
Sights
Activities
Tours & Courses
Festivals & Events
Sleeping
Eating
Drinking & Nightlife
Entertainment
Shopping
San Francisco by Cable Car
Marin County & the Bay Area
Marin County
Marin Headlands
Sausalito
Tiburon
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard & Around
San Rafael
Mill Valley
Mt Tamalpais State Park
Muir Woods National Monument
Muir Beach
Stinson Beach
Bolinas
Olema & Nicasio
Point Reyes Station
Inverness
Point Reyes National Seashore
East Bay
Oakland
Berkeley
Mt Diablo State Park
John Muir National Historic Site
The Peninsula
San Francisco to San Jose
San Jose
Pacifica & Devils Slide
Pacifica to Half Moon Bay
Half Moon Bay
Pescadero
Ano Nuevo State Park
Napa & Sonoma Wine Country
Napa Valley
Napa Valley Wineries
Napa
Yountville
Oakville & Rutherford
St Helena
Calistoga & Around
Sonoma Valley
Sonoma Valley Wineries
Sonoma & Around
Glen Ellen & Kenwood
Russian River Area
Russian River Wineries
Sebastopol
Occidental & Around
Guerneville & Around
Santa Rosa
Healdsburg & Around
North Coast & Redwoods
Coastal Highway 1
Bodega Bay
Sonoma Coast State Beach
Jenner
Fort Ross State Historic Park
Salt Point State Park
Sea Ranch
Gualala & Anchor Bay
Point Arena
Manchester
Elk
Van Damme State Park
Mendocino
Jug Handle State Reserve
Fort Bragg
MacKerricher State Park
Westport
Along Highway 101
Hopland
Clear Lake
Anderson Valley
Ukiah
Around Ukiah
Willits
Southern Redwood Coast
Leggett
Richardson Grove State Park
Garberville
Lost Coast
Humboldt Redwoods State Park & Avenue of the Giants
Scotia
Ferndale
Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Eureka
Samoa Peninsula
Arcata
Northern Redwood Coast
Trinidad
Patrick's Point State Park
Humboldt Lagoons State Park
Redwood National & State Parks
Klamath
Crescent City
Tolowa Dunes State Park & Lake Earl Wildlife Area
Pelican State Beach
Central Coast
Along Highway 1
Santa Cruz
Around Santa Cruz
Monterey
Pacific Grove
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Big Sur
Point Piedras Blancas
Mission San Antonio De Padua
San Simeon
Hearst Castle
Cambria
Cayucos
Morro Bay
Montana de Oro State Park
Along Highway 101
San Juan Bautista
Gilroy
Salinas
Pinnacles National Park
San Miguel
Paso Robles
San Luis Obispo
Avila Beach
Pismo Beach
Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Wine Country
Wineries
Solvang
Buellton
Around Santa Barbara
Montecito
Summerland
Carpinteria
Ojai
Ventura
Channel Islands National Park
Los Angeles
Around Los Angeles
Catalina Island
Big Bear Lake
Disneyland & Orange County
Disneyland & Anaheim
Around Disneyland
Knott's Berry Farm
Discovery Cube
Bowers Museum & Kidseum
Old Towne Orange
Orange County Beaches
Seal Beach
Huntington Beach
Newport Beach
Around Newport Beach
Laguna Beach
Around Laguna Beach
Dana Point
San Diego & Around
Central & Coastal San Diego
La Jolla & North County Coast
La Jolla
Del Mar
Solana Beach
Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Encinitas
Carlsbad
Oceanside
Palm Springs & the Deserts
Palm Springs & the Coachella Valley
Joshua Tree National Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Around Anza-Borrego
Route 66
Mojave National Preserve
Around Mojave National Preserve
Death Valley National Park
Around Death Valley National Park
Upper Mojave Desert
Las Vegas
Northern Mountains
Redding & Around
Redding
Around Redding
Shasta Lake
Mt Lassen Region
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen National Forest
Lake Almanor Area
Susanville
Eagle Lake
Quincy
Bucks Lake
Mt Shasta Region
Mt Shasta
Mt Shasta City
Dunsmuir
Castle Crags State Park
McCloud
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park & Around
Lava Beds National Monument
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges
Modoc National Forest
West of I-5
Weaverville
Lewiston Lake
Trinity Lake
Klamath & Siskiyou Mountains
Scott Valley
Yreka
California Wildlife
Sacramento & Central Valley
Sacramento Valley
Sacramento
SacramentoSan Joaquin River Delta
Davis
Oroville
Chico
Red Bluff
San Joaquin Valley
Lodi
Stockton
Modesto
Merced
Fresno
Visalia
Bakersfield
Kern River Area
Gold Country
Nevada County & Northern Gold Country
Auburn
Auburn State Recreation Area
Grass Valley
Nevada City
South Yuba River State Park
Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park
North Yuba River
El Dorado & Amador Counties
Coloma-Lotus Valley
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
Placerville
Plymouth & Amador City
Sutter Creek
Volcano
Jackson
Calaveras County & South Gold Country
Angels Camp
Murphys
Columbia
Sonora & Jamestown
Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe & Stateline
Lake Tahoe Western Shore
Emerald Bay State Park
DL Bliss State Park
Meeks Bay
Ed Zberg Sugar Pine Point State Park
Tahoma
Homewood
Sunnyside
Tahoe City
Squaw Valley
Truckee & Donner Lake
Lake Tahoe Northern Shore
Tahoe Vista
Kings Beach
Crystal Bay (Nevada)
Lake Tahoe Eastern Shore (Nevada)
Incline Village
Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park
Reno (Nevada)
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Gateways
Fish Camp
Oakhurst
Merced River Canyon
Mariposa
Groveland
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Kings Canyon National Park
Sequoia National Park
Eastern Sierra
Mono Lake Region
Mammoth Lakes
Around Mammoth Lakes
Bishop
Big Pine
Independence
Lone Pine
Understand
Understand California
California Today
History
The Way of Life
On Location: Film & TV
Music & the Arts
By the Book
The Land & Wildlife
Survive
Directory AZ
Accommodations
Customs Regulations
Discount Cards
Electricity
Food
Health
Insurance
Internet Access
Legal Matters
LGBT Travelers
Maps
Money
Opening Hours
Post
Public Holidays
Safe Travel
Telephone
Time
Toilets
Tourist Information
Travelers with Disabilities
Visas
Volunteering
Transportation
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Behind the Scenes
Our Writers
Special Features
San Francisco by Cable Car
Welcome to California
From misty Northern California redwood forests to sun-kissed Southern California beaches, the enchanted Golden State makes Disneyland seem normal.
Natural Beauty
Don’t be fooled by its perpetually fresh outlook and adventurous attitude: California is older than it seems. Coastal bluffs and snowy peaks were created over millennia of tectonic upheavals that threatened to shake California right off the continent. After 19th-century mining, logging and oil-drilling threatened the state’s natural splendors, California’s pioneering environmentalists rescued old-growth trees, reclaimed rivers and cleaned the beaches. Thanks to the leadership of Californian conservationist John Muir and his Sierra Club, California's national and state parks continue to astound visitors today.
Fabulous Food & Drink
Without California, America's menu would be drab and predictable: the Golden State produces most of the country's fresh produce and kicks off nationwide food trends. Every time they sit down to eat, Californians take a stand on food issues: would you like that salad certified organic or spray-free, your toast with farm-to-table jam or urban-beehive honey, and your burger vegan or with humanely raised grass-fed meat? No matter what you order, it’s bound to be local and creative – and it had better be good. For a chaser, California produces over 90% of the nation’s wine-making grapes, and has twice as many breweries as any other state.
From Hollywood to Silicon Valley
Through booms and busts, California has gotten by on its wits and charm. Hollywood still makes most of the world’s movies and TV shows, and launches new talents nightly on stages statewide. But California dreams don't begin with moguls in office towers – they're invented by California's artists, adventurers and resident weirdos in their own backyards. Wild schemes that started at psychedelic music festivals and in San Jose garages have gone mainstream – perhaps you've heard of smartphones, streaming video and Burning Man? – but there are plenty of outlandish ideas here still awaiting discovery. Hang out at California galleries, cafes, bars and festivals, and you may actually see the future coming.
City Lights
California's cities hit maximum dazzle as the sun sets over the Pacific, and lights twinkle across golden hillsides. Lamps illuminate San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, the Hollywood sign glows bright as the moon over LA, and Bay Bridge lights welcome San Francisco arrivals with a wink and a shimmy. Consider this your invitation to come out and play, and join the crowds at LA's star-studded nightclubs and movie palaces, San Francisco's historic LGBT hot spots, Santa Barbara's swanky beach bars and San Diego's booming brewpubs. Tomorrow there will be neighborhoods, beaches, spas and boutiques to explore – but tonight is a night on the town like no other.
F11PHOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Why I Love California
By Alison Bing, Writer
On my way from Hong Kong to New York, I stopped through San Francisco for a day. I walked from Geary St art galleries through Chinatown to Waverly Place, just as temple services were starting. The fog was scented with incense and roast duck. I wandered into the basement of City Lights Bookstore, and near the Muckraking section, I noticed a sign painted by a 1920s cult: 'I am the door.' It's true: California is the threshold between East and West, fact and fiction, body and soul. That revelation was 20 years ago. I'm still here. You have been warned.
California's Top 25
San Francisco
This is as far out as you can get without winding up in the Pacific – San Francisco keeps pushing boundaries with trendsetting food, social movements, art and technology. This town is defined by bold moves: the iconic Golden Gate Bridge is an engineering marvel in a color chosen over the Navy's objections; nature lovers elbowed aside speculators to establish Golden Gate Park; and Alcatraz was occupied by Native American protestors and turned into a museum. Discover the weirdest tech in the west at the Exploratorium, and find inspiration in new-media installations at supersized SFMOMA.
Golden Gate Bridge | MICHAEL LAWENKO DELA PAZ / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Redwood Forests
Hugging a tree never came so naturally as it does in California's sun-dappled groves of ancient redwoods, the world's tallest trees. These gentle giants are quintessentially Californian: their roots may be shallow, but they hold each other up and reach dizzying heights. Even a short stroll on the soft forest floor beneath them puts the rest of the world into perspective. Redwoods thrive along the coast from Big Sur north to the Oregon, and you'll find old-growth groves at Muir Woods National Monument, Humboldt Redwoods State Park and Redwood National and State Parks.
JORDAN SIEMENS / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Yosemite National Park
Feeling so small has never felt this grand. Everything is monumental at Yosemite National Park: thunderous waterfalls tumble over sheer cliffs, granite domes tower overhead and the world's biggest trees cluster in mighty groves of giant sequoias. Conservationist John Muir considered Yosemite a great temple, and awe is the natural reaction to these vast wildflower-strewn meadows and steep valleys carved over millennia by glaciers, avalanches and earthquakes. To achieve maximum wonder, stop at Glacier Point under a full moon or drive the high country’s Tioga Rd on a cloudless summer day.
Yosemite Valley | LOIC LAGARDE / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Palm Springs
The desert gets hot, but Palm Springs has kept its cool since the '50s. This resort getaway is where stars like Sinatra, Elvis, and Leonardo DiCaprio have come out to play away from the paparazzi and lounge by the pool in mid-Century Modern digs. Hit brunch hot spots, vintage stores and the Palm Springs Art Museum until happy hour in tiki speakeasies and LGBT cabarets. Tomorrow you could explore desert canyons across Native American tribal lands, summit the San Jacinto Mountains the easy way on an aerial tramway…or you can just lounge the day away.
A Palm Springs resort | TRINETTE REED / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Big Sur
Following your bliss inevitably leads to Big Sur. Waterfalls splash down sandy bluffs in rainbow mists, and yurt retreats perch at the edge of redwood forests. Beyond purple-sand beaches and coves lined with California jade, pods of migrating whales dot the sparkling Pacific. But don't forget to turn around: hiding behind these coastal bluffs are hot springs and Beat literary retreats, with California condors circling over the cliffs. Time your visit for peak waterfall season in May, or after summer vacation for maximum meditation.
McWay Falls | DOUG MEEK / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Santa Monica & Venice
How do you beat LA traffic? Hit the beach instead. Sunny Santa Monica delivers an endless summer with iconic surf spots, a solar-powered Ferris wheel, carnival games on the old-fashioned pier, tidal touch pools in the aquarium and beach sunsets that go on forever. Arrive at nearby Venice Beach to join the nonstop parade of New Agers, muscled bodybuilders, goth punks and hippie drummers – around here you'll never need an excuse to let your freak flag fly.
NITTO100 / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Hollywood
When you're ready for your close-up, there's only one place to go. The stars come out at night for red-carpet premieres at restored movie palaces, and you too can have your Hollywood moment on the pink-starred Walk of Fame. This once-gritty LA neighborhood is making a glorious comeback, bringing old Hollywood glamour to glitzy velvet-roped bars, VIP nightclubs and hip hotels. Snap a selfie outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre or duck into Hollywood & Highland’s Babylon Court for a photo op with the iconic Hollywood sign and revel in your 15 minutes of social media fame.
OSCITY / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Disneyland Resort
Where orange groves and walnut trees once grew, Walt Disney built his dream world. Since his 'Magic Kingdom' opened in 1955, Disneyland has expanded to neighboring Disney California Adventure to become SoCal’s most-visited tourist attraction. Waltz down Main Street, U.S.A. with your favorite cartoon characters, ride movie-themed roller coasters and watch fireworks explode over Sleeping Beauty Castle on hot summer nights. For a day, leave your troubles behind, suspend disbelief and join throngs of gleeful kids.
Disney/DISNEY ©
Top Experiences
Death Valley
The daunting name brings to mind Wild West ghost towns, broken-down pioneer wagon trains and tumbleweed blowing past skulls on desert sand dunes – but Death Valley is full of life. Spring wildflowers daub the dunes with a painter’s palette of colors, adrenaline-seekers zoom across crackled salt flats, and shy desert wildlife lives by starlight. Twist your way up narrow canyons past geological oddities, and teeter over volcanic craters formed by violent prehistoric explosions.
DAN SEDRAN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
San Diego
San Diego is known for its beaches and craft beer – but there's another side to this seaside town. Beautiful Balboa Park is the pride of San Diego, with Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival–style architecture along El Prado promenade and more than a dozen art, cultural and science museums. Glimpse exotic wildlife and ride the ‘Skyfari’ aerial tram at San Diego’s world-famous zoo, or nab tickets for a show at the Old Globe Theaters, modeled on the famous Shakespearean original.
DANCESTROKES / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Mendocino
Along the coast around the weathered Victorian port of Mendocino, churning surf is never out of earshot, and tides roll back to reveal driftwood, abalone, and boulders that'll make you think some sea monsters have lost their marbles. Mendocino is a legendary bohemian outpost, with bookstores, natural food shops and redwood water towers swirled in mists carrying fragrant bursts of lavender, jasmine and THC – but there's more to explore inland in Mendocino County. You've probably heard of Mendocino's now-legal cash crop, but you'll also find some of the state's best-value wines lining sunny Anderson Valley.
Point Arena, Mendocino County | TRAVELLIGHT / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Santa Barbara
Nicknamed the ‘American Riviera' for its seaside elegance and culinary decadence, Santa Barbara might sound fancy, but it's all laid-back California vibes. Waving palm trees, powdery beaches, fishing boats clanking in the harbor – it’d be a travel cliché if it wasn’t the plain truth. But Santa Barbara worked hard to stay so idyllic: downtown was rebuilt in signature Spanish Colonial Revival style after a 1925 earthquake and environmentalists lobbied to clean up the beaches in the '60s and '70s. California’s ‘Queen of the Missions’ is a rare beauty, with its signature red-roofed, whitewashed adobe building.
ED-NI PHOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Gold Country
‘Go west, young man!’ was the rallying cry of tens of thousands of pioneers who arrived here during California’s gold rush, starting in 1848. Today, these rough-and-tumble Sierra Nevada foothills are a stronghold of Golden State history, with thrilling, mostly true tales of banditry, bordellos and bloodlust. Wind past sleepy townships and abandoned mines on Hwy 49 to discover swimming holes, white-water rafting, downhill mountain-biking bomber runs and saloon wine-tasting rooms supplied by the state's oldest grapevines. Eureka! You've found your California adventure.
Bodie State Historic Park | FEIFEI CUI-PAOLUZZO / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Russian River
Sonoma's Russian River Valley is one of California's best-kept secrets. This wine country is Napa's rebel cousin, with sparkling wines offered in tasting rooms, and cult biodynamic Pinot Noirs you won't find anywhere else. Hippies headed back to the land here in the '60s, and you can taste their organic farm-to-table cuisine and feel the groovy vibes in Occidental and Sebastopol. Riverside cabin retreats date from the 1900s, when San Franciscan socialites headed here for sunshine and privacy – Guerneville has been an LGBT getaway for a century, and Lazy Bear Weekend (July/August) is a major gay holiday.
CLAY MCLACHLAN / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Monterey
Get up close and personal with California marine life in the fishing village of Monterey, where John Steinbeck brought colorful local wharf characters to life – and the seals are pretty outrageous too. Hop aboard a whale-watching cruise to explore a national marine sanctuary, or walk right into the bay at the aquarium to spot golden sea dragons, shy pink Pacific octopuses and scene-stealing rescued otters at play. Explore Monterey's hidden gardens, villa art museums and historic adobe-walled buildings, then visit monarch butterflies and the West Coast’s oldest lighthouse in neighboring Pacific Grove.
Humpback whale | CHASE DEKKER /SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Mt Shasta
No other pile of rock in California stirs the imagination quite like Mt Shasta, rising majestically from the surrounding flatlands. There's something mystical about this peak – Native Californians believed that it was home to a sky-spirit chief. Tales swirl around Mt Shasta: New Age pilgrims say it's an energy vortex, and one late-19th-century explorer reported that survivors of a lost continent were living in tunnels below its surface. Experience spine-tingling chills on its windblown peak, and see for yourself why conservationist John Muir said its beauty made his ‘blood turn to wine.’
LILLY HUSBANDS / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Laguna Beach
While surfers hang loose in Huntington Beach and yachties mingle dockside in Newport Beach, Orange County's Laguna Beach lures them all with culture and natural beauty. Startling seascapes led an early-20th-century artists’ colony to put down roots here, and Laguna’s bohemian past lives on in downtown art galleries, adorable arts-and-crafts bungalows tucked beside multimillion-dollar mansions, and the annual Summer Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters.
Heisler Park | JON BILOUS / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Lake Tahoe
High in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this all-seasons adventure base camp centers on the USA’s second-deepest lake. In summer, startlingly clear blue waters invite splashing, kayaking and even scuba diving. Meanwhile, mountain bikers careen down epic single-track runs and hikers follow trails through thick forests to staggering views. After dark, retreat to cozy lakefront cottages and toast s’mores in firepits. When the lake turns into a winter wonderland, gold-medal ski resorts amp up the adrenaline for downhill fanatics, snowboarders and Nordic traditionalists.
TOPSELLER / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Anchoring the Cascades' chain of volcanoes to the south, this alien landscape bubbles over with roiling mud pots, noxious sulfur vents and steamy fumaroles. But Lassen also delights the senses with colorful cinder cones and azure crater lakes. Ditch the crowds and head to this off-the-beaten-path destination to discover fresh peaks to be conquered, pristine waters for dipping, forested campgrounds for comfort, and boardwalks through Bumpass Hell that will leave you awestruck.
KOJIHIRANO / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Surfing
Even if you never set foot on a board – but, like, you should totally check out this gnarly break, brah – surfing defines California pop culture, from street slang to movies and laid-back fashion. Pros ride world-class breaks off Malibu, Huntington Beach (aka ‘Surf City USA’), La Jolla and Santa Barbara, while newbies get schooled at ‘surfari’ camps along the coast from San Diego north to Santa Cruz.
WONDERFUL NATURE / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Coastin' on Amtrak
All aboard! Evocatively named routes like Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner will tempt you to leave your car behind and ride the rails, from Oakland to SoCal. South of San Luis Obispo, glimpse remote beaches from Amtrak’s panoramic-view observation cars. Blink and you’re already in Santa Barbara, in time for wine. Hop off for a seaside swim at whistle-stop Carpinteria or Ventura, before rolling into LA’s architecturally grand Union Station. Keep rolling south to historic Mission San Juan Capistrano and North County beach towns before landing in downtown San Diego.
HAL BERGMAN PHOTOGRAPHY / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
California's Missions
If you road-trip along the coast between San Diego and Sonoma, you'll be following in the footsteps of early Spanish conquistadors and Catholic priests. Franciscan friar Junípero Serra founded many of California’s 21 missions in the late 18th century, and many are restored to their original stark beauty. Legend has it that ghosts still pace the cloisters of many missions, built by Native California conscripts – many of whom didn't survive to see their completion. Mission San Juan Capistrano is one of best restores, with flowering gardens, stone arcades, fountains, and chapels adorned by spiritual frescoes.
RARENA / SHUTTERSTOCK ©; USED WITH PERMISSION OF MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
Top Experiences
Point Reyes National Seashore
California may be sunnier down south, but Point Reyes is more poetic. Step across the San Andreas Fault to find windswept beaches, where the horizon stretches toward infinity. Way off at land's end, climb the lighthouse and scan the Pacific for migratory whales. In this wild place you'll find good company: there's a seasonal colony of raucous giant elephant seals at Chimney Rock and free-ranging herds of hulking tule elk, especially on the north end. Return to civilization the easy way at Point Reyes Station for lazy brunches and splendid local cheese.
NICK FOX / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Experiences
Channel Islands
Tossed like lost pearls off the coast, the Channel Islands have been California's last outpost of civilization ever since seafaring Chumash people established villages on these remote rocks. Marine life thrives on these islands, from coral reefs to giant elephant seals. Get back to nature with fantastic sea kayaking and snorkeling in Channel Islands National Park, or plan a posh getaway at the harborfront hotels of Mediterranean-style Catalina Island.
Seal | DOUGLAS KLUG / GETTY IMAGES ©
Top Experiences
Coronado
Who says you can’t turn back time? Speed over the curved bay bridge or hop the ferry from San Diego to swanky, retro, seaside Coronado. You don't need a costume to enjoy the period drama of the palatial 19th-century Hotel del Coronado, where royalty and presidents escaped from their duties and Marilyn Monroe cavorted in the 1950s screwball classic Some Like It Hot. Pedal past impossibly white beaches all the way down the peninsula’s Silver Strand, stopping at old-fashioned ice-cream parlors and vintage photo ops – no sepia-tone filter necessary.
GAGLIARDIIMAGES / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Need to Know
For more information, see Survival Guide.
Currency
US dollars ($)
Language
English
Visas
Generally not required for stays of 90 days or less for citizens of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries with Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) approval (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov) – apply online at least 72 hours in advance.
Money
ATMs are widely available. Credit cards are usually required for reservations. Traveler's checks (US dollars) are rarely accepted. Tipping is customary, not optional.
Cell Phones
The only foreign phones that will work in the USA are GSM multiband models. Buy prepaid SIM cards locally. Coverage can be spotty in remote areas.
Time
Pacific Standard Time (GMT/UTC minus eight hours)
When to Go
High Season (Jun–Aug)
A Accommodations prices up 50% to 100% on average.
A Major holidays are even busier and more expensive.
A Summer is low season in the desert, where temperatures exceed 100°F (38°C).
Shoulder (Apr–May & Sep–Oct)
A Crowds and prices drop, especially on the coast and in the mountains.
A Mild temperatures and sunny, cloudless days.
A Typically wetter in spring, drier in autumn.
Low Season (Nov–Mar)
A Accommodations rates lowest along the coast.
A Chilly temperatures, frequent rainstorms and heavy snow in the mountains.
A Winter is peak season in SoCal’s desert regions.
Useful Websites
California Travel & Tourism Commission (www.visitcalifornia.com) Multilingual trip-planning guides.
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/california) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveler forum and more.
LA Times Travel (www.latimes.com/travel) Travel news, deals and blogs.
Sunset (www.sunset.com/travel/california) Local and insider travel tips.
California State Parks (www.parks.ca.gov) Outdoor activities and camping.
CalTrans (www.dot.ca.gov) Current highway conditions.
Important Numbers
All phone numbers have a three-digit area code followed by a seven-digit local number. For long-distance and toll-free calls, dial 1 plus all 10 digits.
Exchange Rates
For current exchange rates see www.xe.com.
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than $100
A Hostel dorm beds: $30–55
A Take-out meal: $7–12
Midrange: $100–200
A Motel or hotel double room: $100–150
A Rental car per day, excluding insurance and gas: $50–80
Top End: More than $200
A Upscale hotel or beach resort room: $150–300
A Three-course meal in top restaurant excluding drinks: $80–120
Opening Hours
Businesses, restaurants and shops may close earlier and on additional days during the winter off-season (November to March). Otherwise, standard opening hours are as follows:
Banks 9am–6pm Monday to Friday, some 9am–1pm or later Saturday
Bars 5pm–2am daily
Business hours (general) 9am–5pm Monday to Friday
Nightclubs 10pm–4am Thursday to Saturday
Post offices 8:30am–5pm Monday to Friday, some 8:30am–noon or later Saturday
Restaurants 7:30am–10am, 11:30am–2pm and 5pm–9pm daily, some open later Friday and Saturday
Shops 10am–6pm Monday to Saturday, noon–5pm Sunday (malls open later)
Supermarkets 8am–9pm or 10pm daily, some 24 hours
Arriving in California
Los Angeles International Airport Taxis to most destinations ($30 to $50) take 30 minutes to one hour. Door-to-door shuttles ($15 to $20) operate 24 hours. FlyAway bus ($9.75) runs to Downtown LA. Free shuttles connect with LAX City Bus Center and Metro Rail station.
San Francisco International Airport Taxis into the city ($45 to $65) take 25 to 50 minutes. Door-to-door shuttles (from $17) operate 24 hours. BART trains ($8.95, 30 minutes) serve the airport, running from 5:30am (later on weekends) to midnight daily.
Getting Around
Most people drive themselves around California. You can also fly (it’s expensive) or take cheaper long-distance buses or scenic trains. In cities, when distances are too far to walk, hop aboard buses, trains, streetcars, cable cars or trolleys, or grab a taxi.
Car Metro-area traffic can be nightmarish, especially during weekday commuter rush hours (roughly 6am to 10am and 3pm to 7pm). City parking is often an expensive hassle.
Train The fastest way to get around the San Francisco Bay Area and LA, but lines don’t go everywhere. Pricier regional and long-distance Amtrak trains connect some destinations.
Bus Usually the cheapest and slowest option, but with extensive metro-area networks. Inter-city, regional and long-distance Greyhound routes are limited and more expensive.
For much more on getting around, see Transportation.
What's New
Recreational Marijuana
Two decades after legalizing medical cannabis, California followed Colorado’s lead in legalizing marijuana for recreational use, with 56% of voters approving Proposition 64 in 2016. How will this change the local economy and tourism, especially in the North Coast’s Mendocino and Humboldt Counties? Find out first hand – or through second hand smoke.
SFMOMA
San Francisco is undergoing an arts renaissance, against the long odds of rising rents and federal funding cuts. Reopened in 2016, an expanded San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has tripled its collections, while blockbuster museum and gallery shows elsewhere keep raising the city's artistic profile.
Expo Line extension
Los Angeles's public transportation system reached a new milestone with the opening of the Metro Rail’s Expo Line, which now offers a direct rail connection between downtown LA and Santa Monica. (www.metro.net)
Big Sur
Heavy winter rains in 2016 and 2017 washed out several areas of California’s coastal highways, but nowhere was damaged more severely than Big Sur, cut off from the rest of the coast for more than six months. Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is scheduled to reopen in late 2017. (www.dot.ca.gov)
Broad
Big-name modern and contemporary art and eye-popping architecture are drawing crowds to LA's newest museum, the Broad ( mRed/Purple Lines to Civic Center/Grand Park). The $140-million wonder has free general admission.
CIA at Copia
The Culinary Institute of America's new Napa campus offers a different kind of restaurant – diners approach cooking stations where rotating chefs prepare food and answer questions – along with a lifestyle shop and countless food and wine-tasting classes and cooking demonstrations.
DTLA
Internationally renowned gallery Hauser & Wirth has moved into a sprawling industrial space in Downtown LA's vibrant Arts District, one of the city's hottest destinations for contemporary art, dining and nightlife.
San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge
Although the bridge’s new eastern span opened to cars in 2013, it took a few years for the scenic Bay Bridge Path ( hhours vary) to open to pedestrians and cyclists, connecting Treasure Island with Oakland and Emeryville.
Tin City
In Paso Robles on the Central Coast, this ever-expanding precinct features craft breweries, urban wineries and innovative distilleries. Weekend afternoons often add live music and food trucks.
Highland Park
In Los Angeles, indie-cool Echo Park and Silver Lake are sharing the spotlight with Highland Park, a booming neighborhood of creative galleries, vintage stores and brand-new bars and eateries.
Santa Barbara's Funk Zone
It's just what this sometimes stuffy seaside city needed: an edgy, creative neighborhood space with art, food, craft beer and regional wines, all just a short walk from the beach.
If You Like…
Fantastic Food
New cravings have been invented at California's cultural crossroads for over 200 years, so don't hold back – get adventurous with the latest food trends, from Peking duck empanadas to vegan soul food.
Chez Panisse Chef Alice Waters revolutionized California cuisine back in the ’70s with seasonal, sustainable, locavore cooking. The tradition continues in this iconic Berkeley restaurant.
French Laundry The north star of contemporary cuisine. Thomas Keller continually takes home international awards to tiny Yountville.
LA's food trucks LA sparked the mobile foodie revolution, with chefs on wheels offering gourmet cuisine from downtown strips to Pacific beachfronts.
Ferry Building Duck inside San Francisco’s landmark to good taste, featuring local, sustainable food producers and a legendary farmers market.
Fish tacos Join surfers on the quest for the ultimate Mexicali snack, starting in San Diego with Baja Betty's and all the way up to Malibu.
Craft Beer
California’s vineyards may steal the scene, but big copper vats hidden in garages across the state are producing award-winning brews.
Lost Coast Brewery In Eureka, knock back a pint of Downtown Brown while admiring conceptual-art beer labels.
www.lostcoast.com
Anderson Valley Brewing Company Mendocino County’s solar-powered brewhouse lets you play disc golf while drinking a bottle of oatmeal stout.
Stone Brewing Company ( h11am-9pm Sun-Thu, to 10pm Fri & Sat) This San Diego upstart brews big, bold character into Arrogant Bastard Ale and chipotle-spiked porter.
Anchor Brewing Company San Francisco lets off steam with the help of Gold Rush steam-brewing techniques innovated by this historic brewer.
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Get tours and pours of this mega-popular pale ale in Chico.
Theme Parks
SoCal is theme-park heaven, bringing Hollywood movie magic, Disneyland and roller coasters galore.
Disneyland Topping almost every family’s must-do list is Walt Disney’s ‘imagineered’ theme park, with Disney California Adventure next door.
Universal Studios Hollywood The legendary movie studio offers a studio backlot tram tour, movie-themed rides, live-action shows and slick special effects.
Legoland California Resort Creative kids love this low-key theme park with a resort hotel and endless building possibilities.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park Take a safari-style tram tour through an ‘open-range’ zoo.
Hiking
Ever since Native Americans blazed the first trails through this wilderness, Californians have been hikers. Oceanside rambles, desert palm oases, skyscraping peaks and silent forests await.
Sierra Nevada Spend a lifetime trekking in national parks and alpine wilderness, or just a day summiting Mt Whitney.
North Coast Hardy backpackers tackle the Lost Coast Trail, while wanderers ramble misty old-growth redwood forests.
Marin County Tawny headlands tempt hikers across SF’s Golden Gate Bridge north to wild, windblown Point Reyes.
Palm Springs & the Deserts Discover hidden oases, stroll across salt flats and visit Native Californian canyons.
Small Towns
When California's crowded metropolises wear you out, restore your spirits at friendly locales by the beach, up in the mountains and down the road from vineyards.
Calistoga Napa Valley's blue-jeans-and-boots crowd heads to this quaint downtown for mud baths and BBQ.
Bolinas This quirky end-of-the-road beach hamlet is Marin County's best-kept secret.
Ferndale A charming Victorian-era farm town tucked away on the North Coast.
Mammoth Lakes All-seasons outdoor adventures begin at eastern Sierra's jumping-off point.
Seal Beach Discover an old-fashioned Orange County surf town, complete with period-perfect main street and wooden pier.
Ferndale, Humboldt County | DENTOK / GETTY IMAGES ©
National & State Parks
Jagged mountain peaks, high-country meadows and desert sand dunes lure you inland – and you'll be astonished by California's wild diversity, from the Nevada border ranges to wind-tossed offshore islands.
Yosemite National Park Ascend into the Sierra Nevada, where waterfalls tumble into glacier-carved valleys and wildflower meadows bloom.
Redwood National & State Parks Get lost ambling among ancient groves of the world’s tallest trees on the foggy North Coast.
Death Valley National Park Uncover secret pockets of life in this austere desert landscape, peppered with geological oddities.
Lassen Volcanic National Park Camp by northern alpine lakes and traipse around the boiling mud pots of Bumpass Hell.
Channel Islands National Park Escape civilization on SoCal’s isolated islands, nicknamed ‘California’s Galapagos.’
Half Dome, Yosemite National Park | MIMI DITCHIE PHOTOGRAPHY / GETTY IMAGES ©
Nightlife
Go VIP all the way at California's chic city nightclubs – or skip the velvet ropes and dress codes, and hit California's come-as-you-are watering holes.
Los Angeles DJs spin at glam Hollywood clubs, and all of LGBT LA hits the ‘WeHo’ scene.
San Francisco Become a beatnik in North Beach, mingle with Mission hipsters or party with the Castro's rainbow-flag nation.
San Diego Put on your best flip-flops for surfer bars, or your walking shows for pub crawls through the Gaslamp Quarter, downtown’s historic red-light district.
Las Vegas, Nevada The Strip’s high-wattage nightclubs are the stuff of legend – but what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles | SEAN PAVONE / SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Film & TV Locations
For a century California has made audiences laugh, cry, and come back for more. To witness the magic in action, join a live studio audience or tour a movie studio in LA.
Los Angeles You can’t throw a director’s megaphone without hitting a celluloid sight, from Mulholland Drive to Malibu.
San Francisco Bay Area Relive film-noir classics like The Maltese Falcon and Hitchcock’s thrillers Vertigo and The Birds.
Lone Pine Get misty-eyed over old-fashioned Westerns filmed in the Alabama Hills over in the Eastern Sierra.
Orange County Where soap operas, 'dramedies' and reality TV series have struck pop-culture gold.
Mendocino This tiny North Coast town has starred in dozens of movies, from East of Eden to The Majestic.
Weird Stuff
SoCal’s deserts and the North Coast are magnets for free spirits, but loopy LA and bohemian SF are just as jam-packed with memorable oddities.
Venice Boardwalk Gawk at the human zoo of bodybuilders, chainsaw-jugglers and Speedo-clad snake-charmers.
Kinetic Grand Championship Outrageously whimsical, artistic and human-powered sculptures race along the North Coast.
Integratron Allegedly built with aliens’ help, this giant 'rejuvenation and time machine' awaits near Joshua Tree.
Madonna Inn Fantastically campy Central Coast hotel with 110 bizarrely themed rooms, from ‘Caveman’ to ‘Hot Pink.’
Mystery Spot Santa Cruz’s shamelessly kitschy 1940s tourist trap will turn your world upside down.
Solvang Danish-flavored village in Santa Barbara's wine country spirited out of a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.
Las Vegas, Nevada Exploding faux volcanoes, a mock Eiffel Tower and an Egyptian-esque pyramid.
Museums
Who says California only has pop culture? You could spend most of your trip viewing multimillion-dollar art galleries, high-tech science exhibits, out-of-this-world planetariums and more.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) The supersized museum has more space than ever for photography, new media and walk-in installation art.
Getty Center & Getty Villa Art museums that are as beautiful as their elevated settings and ocean views in West LA and Malibu.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art More than 150,000 works of art span the ages and cross all borders.
Griffith Observatory There's no better place to see stars in Hollywood than at this hilltop planetarium.
de Young Museum A copper-skinned temple to art from around the globe in SF's Golden Gate Park.
Balboa Park Museums Spend all day in San Diego hopping between top-notch art, history and science museums, including those for kids.
Exploratorium Even adults love the zany interactive science-learning fun at this indoor/outdoor landmark on San Francisco Bay.
History
Native American nations, Spanish Colonial presidios (forts) and Catholic missions, Mexican pueblos (towns) and mining ghost towns have all left traces here for you to find.
Mission San Juan Capistrano Painstakingly restored jewel along California’s mission trail, stretching from San Diego to Sonoma.
Gold Country Follow in the tracks of Western pioneers and hardscrabble miners, or pan for gold yourself.
Old Town San Diego Time travel on the site of California’s first civilian Spanish Colonial pueblo.
Monterey State Historic Park Get a feel for California's Spanish, Mexican and early American days inside adobe buildings.
Bodie State Historic Park Haunting mining ghost town in the Eastern Sierra, above Mono Lake.
Manzanar National Historic Site WWII Japanese American internment camp interprets a painful chapter of the USA’s past.
Shopping
It doesn’t matter where you go in California, especially along the coast: there’s a rack of haute couture, outlet-mall bargains or vintage finds begging to be stashed in your suitcase.
Los Angeles Forget Beverly Hills. Robertson Blvd has more star-worthy boutiques per block, and youthful Melrose Ave is more fashion-forward.
San Francisco Elevating thrift-store fashion to a high art, while indie boutiques spread from the Marina to the Mission.
Orange County Hit Costa Mesa’s offbeat mini-malls, or browse boutiques with beautiful people in Laguna Beach.
Palm Springs Heaven for vintage and thrift-store shoppers seeking retro 20th-century gems, with outlet shopping too.
Month by Month
Top Events
Pride Month, June
Coachella Music & Arts Festival, April
California State Fair, July
Comic-Con International, July
Rose Bowl & Parade, January
January
January is the wettest month in California, and a slow time for coastal travel – but this is when mountain ski resorts and Southern California deserts hit their stride.
3 Rose Bowl & Parade
The famous New Year’s parade held before the Tournament of Roses college football game draws over 700,000 spectators to the LA suburb of Pasadena with flower-festooned floats, marching bands and prancing equestrians.
z Lunar New Year
Firecrackers, parades, lion dances and Chinatown night markets usher in the lunar new year, falling in late January or early February. California's biggest and most historic parade happens in San Francisco, where tiny-tot martial artists chase a 200ft dragon.
February
As California sunshine breaks through the drizzle, skiers hit the slopes in T-shirts, wildflowers burst into bloom, and romantics scramble for Valentine’s Day reservations at restaurants and hotels.
3 Academy Awards
Hollywood rolls out the red carpet for movie-star entrances on Oscar night ( GOOGLE MAP ; www.oscars.org) at the Dolby Theatre in late February or early March. Fans wait patiently in bleachers and jostle paparazzi for a glimpse of the action when stretch limos arrive.
March
As ski season winds down the beaches warm up, just in time for spring break (exact dates vary with school schedules and the Easter holiday).
2 Mendocino Coast Whale Festivals
Mendocino, Fort Bragg and nearby towns toast the whale migration with wining and dining, art shows and naturalist-guided walks and talks over three weekends in March.
z Festival of the Swallows
After wintering in South America, the swallows return (Fiesta de las Golondrinas; hmid-Mar) to Mission San Juan Capistrano in Orange County around March 19 – and the historic mission town celebrates its Spanish and Mexican heritage all month long.
April
As wildflower season peaks in the high desert, the southern desert bursts into song and San Francisco twinkles with international film stars. Shoulder season in the mountains and along the coast brings lower hotel prices.
3 Coachella Music & Arts Festival
Headliners, indie rockers, rappers and cult DJs converge outside Palm Springs for a three-day musical extravaganza held over two weekends in mid-April. Book well ahead – this festival is huge.
3 San Francisco International Film Festival
The nation's oldest film festival lights up San Francisco nights with star-studded US premieres of 325 films from around the globe, held over two weeks from late April to early May.
May
Weather starts to heat up statewide, although some coastal areas are blanketed by ‘May gray’ fog. Memorial Day holiday weekend marks the official start of summer, and one of the year’s busiest travel times.
z Cinco de Mayo
¡Viva México! California celebrates its Mexican heritage and the victory of Mexican forces over the French army on May 5, 1862. LA and San Diego have the biggest celebrations, but you'll find margaritas, music and dancing across the state.
1 Jumping Frog Jubilee & Calaveras County Fair
Taking inspiration from Mark Twain’s famous short story, the Gold Rush pioneer town of Angels Camp fills a long weekend in mid-May with rodeo cowboys, live country-and-western music and old-fashioned family fun.
2 Bay to Breakers
On the third Sunday in May, costumed joggers, inebriated idlers and renegade streakers make the annual dash from San Francisco’s Embarcadero to Ocean Beach. Watch out for participants dressed as salmon, who run upstream from the finish line.
z Kinetic Grand Championship
Artists spend months preparing for this 'triathlon of the art world,' inventing outlandish human-powered and self-propelled sculptural contraptions to cover 42 miles from Arcata to Ferndale over three days.
June
Once school lets out for the summer, everyone heads to California beaches – only to shiver through San Francisco as ‘June gloom’ coastal fog descends. Mountain resorts offer cool escapes, but the deserts are just too darn hot.
z Pride Month
California celebrates LGBT pride not just for a day but for the entire month of June, with costumed parades, film fests, marches and streets parties. SF Pride sets the global parade standard, with 1.2 million people, tons of glitter and ounces of bikinis. San Diego also celebrates in mid-July.
July
California's campgrounds, beaches and theme parks hit peak popularity, especially on the July 4 holiday – summer’s biggest travel weekend.
1 California State Fair
A million people come to this fair ( c) to ride the giant Ferris wheel, cheer on pie-eating contests and horseback jockeys, browse the blue-ribbon agricultural and arts-and-crafts exhibits, taste California wines and craft beers, and listen to live bands. It's held in Sacramento over two weeks in late July.
3 Reggae on the River
Come party with Humboldt's finest haul of hippies, Rastafarians, tree huggers, jugglers, unicyclists and iconoclasts. Festivities last for (at least) two days in late July/early August, featuring live bands, arts and crafts, food vendors, camping and swimming.
z Festival of Arts & Pageant of the Masters
Laguna Beach is so prolifically creative, the local Festival of Arts stretches over July and August, featuring art shows and demos by 140 artists in media ranging from scrimshaw to furniture. The festival culminates with a reenactment of famous paintings by costumed actors, accompanied by an orchestra.
Comic-Con International
Affectionately known as ‘Nerd Prom,’ the nation’s biggest annual convention of comic-book fans, hardcore pop-culture collectors, and sci-fi and anime devotees brings out-of-this-world costumed madness to San Diego in late July.
August
School summer vacations may technically be over, but you'd never guess in California – beaches and parks are still packed. Travel slows only slightly before the Labor Day holiday weekend.
3 Outside Lands
Three days of debauchery in Golden Gate Park: Outside Lands (www.sfoutsidelands.com; 3-day pass standard/VIP $375/795) is out to reinvent the Summer of Love every August with headliner music and comedy acts plus gourmet food, beer and wine.
3 Old Spanish Days Fiesta
Santa Barbara shows off its early Spanish, Mexican and American rancho roots with parades, rodeo events, arts-and-crafts exhibits, and live music and dance shows in early August.
September
Summer’s last hurrah is Labor Day holiday weekend, which is busy almost everywhere in California (except hot SoCal deserts). After Labor Day, prices drop and availability goes up statewide.
1 Tall Ships Festival
In early September, the West Coast’s biggest gathering (c) of historical tall ships happens at Dana Point in Orange County, with knot-tying and scrimshaw-carving demonstrations and other kid-friendly maritime activities.
3 Monterrey Jazz Festival
Old-school jazz cats, cross-cultural sensations and fusion rebels all line up to play the West Coast's legendary jazz festival, held on the Central Coast over a long weekend in mid-September.
October
Summer arrives at last in Northern California, and Southern Californians take a breather after a long summer of nonstop beach-going. The mellow fall shoulder season is a prime time for sweet travel deals along the coast and in cities.
3 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
Over half a million people converge for free outdoor concerts in Golden Gate Park during the first weekend in October. Headliners like Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello and Gillian Welch share seven stages with 100-plus folk, blues and jazz musicians.
6 Vineyard Festivals
All month long under sunny skies, California’s wine countries celebrate bringing in the vineyard harvest with food-and-wine events, harvest fairs, barrel tastings and grape-stomping 'crush' parties.
3 Halloween
Hundreds of thousands of revelers come out to play in LA’s West Hollywood LGBTQ neighborhood for all-day partying and live entertainment. Over-the-top scary and NSFW costumes must be seen to be believed.
November
Temperatures drop statewide, the first raindrops fall along the coast, and with any luck, ski season begins in the mountains. Consider this your opportunity to explore without crowds or traffic, except around the Thanksgiving holiday.
1 Dia de los Muertos
Mexican communities honor deceased relatives on November 2 with costumed parades, sugar skulls, graveyard picnics, candlelight processions and fabulous altars, including in San Francisco, LA and San Diego.
1 Death Valley '49ers
Take a trip back to California’s 19th-century gold rush during this annual encampment at Furnace Creek, with campfire sing-alongs, cowboy poetry readings, horseshoe tournaments and a Western art show in early to mid-November.
December
As winter rains reach coastal areas, SoCal's sunny, dry deserts become magnets for travelers. Christmas and New Year’s Eve are extremely crowded travel times, but worth it for California's palm-tree light displays and holiday cheer.
1 Parades of Lights
Deck the decks with boughs of holly: boats bedecked with holiday cheer and twinkling lights float through coastal California harbors, including Orange County’s Newport Beach and San Diego.
Itineraries
Los Angeles to San Francisco
1 Week
You've got one whole week to settle California's longest-running debate: which is California's better half, North or South? Try not to be distracted by the dazzling ocean views along the glorious 450-mile coastal drive stretching from the 'City of Angels' to the 'City by the Bay' – you've got highlights galore to consider.
Start in Los Angeles for Hollywood star-spotting, movie premieres and live music at legendary Sunset Strip venues. Cruise north to the idyllic beaches of Malibu, and hop a boat from Ventura to explore island wildlife at Channel Islands National Park. Arrive just in time for happy hour at sophisticated seaside Santa Barbara, conveniently located at the edge of SoCal wine country.
Follow the monarch butterfly trail to retro-1950s Pismo Beach, and plan to arrive in San Luis Obispo good and hungry for legendary local BBQ. Take coastal Hwy 1 past offbeat beach towns like Morro Bay, Cayucos and Cambria before you stop and stare at the sprawling landmark to eccentricity known as Hearst Castle.
Wind north along dizzying cliff edges through soul-stirring Big Sur, where redwood forests rise and waterfalls crash onto the beach in a rainbow shimmer. Dive into California's best aquarium in maritime Monterey, and take a bone-rattling antique roller-coaster ride over the beach boardwalk in Santa Cruz.
Hwy 1 leads you past lighthouses and strawberry farms, staggering bluffs and fishing harbors to the countercultural capital of San Francisco. Here you'll discover out-there inventions already in progress: extreme tiki cocktails and Burning Man art cars, wearable meditation technology and vegan meat that bleeds. Now that you've arrived, you may not have settled the great North/South debate – but you can definitely see both sides.
Itineraries
California Classics
3 Weeks
Cover the Golden State's greatest hits on this grand tour, starting with your head in the clouds in foggy San Francisco and ending up over 1400 unforgettable miles later with your toes in the warm sands of San Diego.
Jump aboard a cable car in San Francisco, take a walk on the wild side in Golden Gate Park, and hop a ferry to infamous Alcatraz prison. Plan your jailbreak in time for dinner at the Ferry Building, San Francisco's local food landmark.
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge into the rolling hills of Marin County. California’s most famous grapes grow just east in down-home Sonoma Valley and chichi Napa Valley. Detour west through more vineyards and apple orchards in rural Anderson Valley, and head through redwood forests to emerge in Mendocino, a postcard-perfect Victorian seaside town.
Swing onto Hwy 101 at Leggett, where your magical mystery tour of the Redwood Empire really begins. In Humboldt Redwoods State Park, you'll stand in the shadows of the tallest trees on earth. Kick back in the candy-colored Victorian harbor town of Eureka, or head north to hang out with artists and environmentalists in the outlandish outpost of Arcata.
Turn east on Hwy 299 for a long, scenic trip to hidden Weaverville, skirting the lake-laced Trinity Alps. Keep trucking east, then south on I-5 to Redding, where families throng Turtle Bay Exploration Park. Climb east on Hwy 44 to the otherworldly moonscapes of Lassen Volcanic National Park, at the southern tip of the Cascades Range.
Go southeast on Hwy 89 to Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada's scenic outdoor playground. Roll down the Eastern Sierra’s Hwy 395, taking the back-door route via Tioga Rd (open seasonally) into Yosemite National Park. Feel your jaw drop as you watch waterfalls tumble over granite cliffs, and enjoy moments of profound silence in groves of giant sequoias, the world’s biggest trees.
Zoom south to Los Angeles to find as-seen-on-TV beaches, fleets of food trucks and colorful neighborhood characters. Walk in stars' footsteps through Hollywood, then sprawl on the sand in hip Santa Monica or quirky Venice Beach. Cruise south past the beautiful beaches of swanky Orange County to hang-loose San Diego for epic surf and serious fish tacos. Dude, you've totally got the hang of California.
Itineraries
LA & Orange County
5 Days
All-star attractions, bodacious beaches and fresh seafood are yours to discover on this Southern California sojourn, covering 100 miles of sun, sand and surf.
Kick things off in Los Angeles. Skate north from oddball Venice to oceanfront Santa Monica for sunset carnival rides on the pier. Cram your social feeds with selfies on the star-studded sidewalks of Hollywood, then go highbrow with art musuems in Mid-City, and the symphony hall and Grammy Museum in downtown LA.
But enough with all this LA culture: over in Anaheim, you've got a hot date with Mickey at Disneyland and wild rides at Disney California Adventure. If Disneyland Resort isn't enough adrenaline for you, hit the thrill rides over at Knott's Berry Farm, and recuperate afterwards in nostalgic Old Towne Orange.
Cruise west to 'Surf City USA': Huntington Beach, where you can rent a board, join beach volleyball games and make s'mores over a beach bonfire. Swing by Newport Beach for sunset strolls and people-watching by the piers, then roll south to the upscale artists' colony of Laguna Beach. Slingshot back toward the I-5, and see what SoCal looked like before achieving international stardom at historic Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Itineraries
SoCal Deserts
10 Days
You might think you've arrived on another planet, with giant sand dunes, palm-tree oases, volcanic craters, and rainbow cinder cones – but you're just a few hours from LA. Go get lost – and find yourself – on this 800-mile desert drive.
Start in glam Palm Springs, where stars from Elvis to Leonardo DiCaprio hole up in sleek mid-Century Modern hideaways. Sip mojitos poolside, hike to palm-studded canyons and ride a tram into cool pine-scented mountains.
Drive past the Coachella Valley's date farms and along the shores of the mirage-like Salton Sea, turning west into wild Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to see bighorn sheep and wind-sculpted caves.
Boomerang north to Joshua Tree National Park, with its precariously balanced boulders and iconic namesake trees. Keep motoring north into the Mojave National Preserve, where you can hear sand dunes sing with the wind and wander the world’s largest Joshua-tree forest.
Ready for a change of pace? Las Vegas, baby. Quit while you're ahead at the Strip’s casinos, and take the money and run to Death Valley National Park. These crackled salt flats and marbled canyons make Mars seem overrated – California is totally out of this world.
Itineraries
Sierra Nevada Ramble
10 Days
Nothing can prepare our tiny human minds for the monumental mountain scenery of the Sierra Nevada, with acres of wildflower meadows, gleaming alpine lakes and sun-catching peaks John Muir called the 'Range of Light.' Take this 850-mile trip in summer, when all roads are open to exploration.
To gaze up at the world’s biggest trees and down at a gorge deeper than the Grand Canyon, start in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Go west, then north to Yosemite National Park, where thunderous waterfalls and eroded granite monoliths overhang a verdant valley.
Soar over the Sierra Nevada’s snowy rooftop on Yosemite's high-elevation Tioga Rd (open seasonally). It’s a quick trip south on Hwy 395 to Mammoth Lakes, an all-seasons adventure base camp, and 100 more miles to Lone Pine, in the shadow of mighty Mt Whitney.
Backtracking north, gaze out over Mono Lake and its odd-looking tufa formations, which you can paddle past in a kayak. Head to Lake Tahoe, a deep-blue jewel framed by jutting peaks with hiking trails and ski-resort slopes. Roll across the Nevada state line for casino nightlife in Reno, and return to Tahoe for restorative hot springs.
Itineraries
North Coast & Mountains
2 Weeks
Follow the ruggedly handsome coastline north of San Francisco, where Hwy 1 skirts rocky shores, secluded coves and wind-sculpted beaches, before joining Hwy 101. Loop back via the majestic Northern Mountains for a memorable 800-mile journey.
Across the Golden Gate Bridge, hike over the Marin Headlands or around Mt Tamalpais. Locals keep hiding the road signs to Bolinas, but you'll find this eccentric cove north of Stinson Beach. Head up to blustery and poetic Point Reyes National Seashore, and, passing Bodega Bay, picnic at stunning Sonoma Coast State Beach or Salt Point State Park. Next, climb to the tip of Point Arena Lighthouse, step through pot-scented mists into enchanted Mendocino and ride the Skunk Train at Fort Bragg.
Hwy 1 curves inland to Hwy 101, running north into hippie Humboldt County. Hug ancient redwood trees on the Avenue of the Giants or wander