California compresses a continent into one state — Pacific surf, alpine sequoia, Sonoran desert, Napa vineyards, and twelve hours of coast highway between them all.
California: Must-See Experiences
- Drive Highway 1 between San Francisco and Big Sur
- Stand under the Golden Gate at sunrise
- Hike Yosemite Valley to Vernal Falls
- Taste your way through Napa or Sonoma
- See Death Valley's Badwater Basin
- Walk Hollywood Boulevard and the Getty
- Surf, swim, or just sit at a Malibu beach
- Cross the Bixby Bridge in Carmel
- See sequoias in Sequoia or Kings Canyon
- Take the ferry to Catalina or Alcatraz
Explore by Region
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Explore California
Frequently Asked Questions
Late spring and early fall are ideal almost everywhere. Coastal cities can be foggy in summer (especially San Francisco). Winter is high season for desert and ski areas.
Two weeks for a coast-to-Yosemite-to-LA loop. A long weekend covers one region (just SF, just LA, just wine country, just Yosemite).
Outside SF proper, yes. Distances are long and transit between regions is limited.
The major cities and coast are. Inland California, the Central Valley, and Sierra towns are far more affordable.
About a third realistically. Pick a region — coast, wine country, Sierra, or south — and go deep rather than racing the length of the state.