This Golden State on the Pacific has so much to offer, from towering forests in foggy Northern California to perfect surf beaches in the south.
Top vintages and cook world-class. You can explore active volcanoes, mountains and groves. Surfing beaches, craggy coves and austere bluffs are some of the world's most famous. If you want to travel from desert to dunes, get your wheels in gear. Go into the wilderness.
Immerse yourself in the best experiences the world has to offer with our email newsletter delivered weekly into your inbox.Follow in the footsteps of famous people. You can play and dance through the cities. One of the world's most iconoclastic lands is where you'll find creativity. Some of California's must-visit spots are listed here.
It's best for a variety of destinations.
San Francisco is as far out as you can get without going to the Pacific.
The Golden Gate Bridge is an engineering marvel in a color that the Navy objected to. The Golden Gate Park was established by nature lovers. The museum was occupied by Native American protesters.
At the Exploratorium, you can discover the weird tech in the west, and at the SFMOMA, you can see new-media installations. City Lights Books is one of San Francisco's literary landmarks.
It is not necessary to stay up late to be out and proud. During June Pride month, flag-flying crowds are an absolute joy, at Sunday afternoon Castro "tea dances" (a WWII euphemism for LGBTIQ+ parties) and any sunny day at the gay beach.
Don't forget to sample some of the state's most interesting cuisine, from Asian fusion creations at Benu that look like minimalist sculptures to some of the world's best burritos at Taqueria El Farolito.
It's best for family travel.
Hugging a tree in California's sun-dappled groves of ancient redwoods is very natural. The roots of these giants are shallow, but they hold each other up and are still alive. The rest of the world can be seen from the forest floor.
There are huge stands of old-growth groves at the national and state parks that are located along the coast. There is a drive through the Avenue of the Giants and the largest redwood park in the state.
If you want to get away from it all, stop for a pizza at Brick & Fire in Arcata, and then head to the Finny Country Sauna and Tubs.
It's the best for offbeat living.
Sonoma County's sun-dappled vineyards are still surrounded by pastoral ranch lands as winemaking in the neighboring Napa Valley grows more upscale. Wineries range from the Sonoma Valley to the coastal Russian River Valley.
In this down-to-earth wine country, you can taste new vintages straight from the barrel inside a tin-roofed shed and play with the winemaker's pet dog. In addition to wine tasting, you can also take a float in the river around the town.
You can follow your bliss down the bohemian highway to the farmers market, which has live music.
It's the best for road tripping.
It's known as the Pacific Coast Highway in the south, but it's also known as the Highway 1 in the north. The coast and small communities are cradled by the edges of the highway as it alternates between hairpin switchbacks and straight stretches through the countryside.
You can start on the PCH at Santa Monica and travel north through Malibu, Monterey Bay, and San Francisco. You can see the "glass beach" in Fort Bragg.
It's the best for family trips.
There are thundering waterfalls over sheer cliffs, granite domes tower overhead, and the world's biggest trees in the park.
awe is a natural reaction to the vast wildflower-strewn meadow and steep valleys carved over thousands of years by glaciers. Glacier Point can be reached under a full moon or on a cloudless summer day. Some of the best hiking in California can be found in the park.
You can combine your visit to the park with stops in Kings Canyon National Park and the other parks by taking a detour.
It's the best for celebrity sizzle.
Los Angeles is bordered by sandy beaches, winding canyons and the Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains and has a wide range of entertainment options. If you want to see contemporary art, check out the Broad or the Grammys Museum.
Stop for a meal at the century-old but gourmet-led Grand Central Market before visiting the galleries and shops of the Arts District.
There is only one place to go when you are ready to take a picture. The stars come out at night for red-carpet premiere at restored movie palaces, and you can join them on the Walk of Fame. If you want to get a photo with the famous Hollywood sign, go to Hollywood & Highland's Babylon Court and take a selfies. The new academy museum is fascinating.
How do you get around LA traffic? Instead of hitting the beach, hit it. If you want to learn to surf, get a bird's-eye view from your seat in a solar-powered Ferris wheel, or learn more about the ocean at the aquarium, Santa Monica is the place to go. There's a tribe for everyone at Venice Beach, where there's a parade of New Agers.
It's the best for family fun.
The fishing village of Monterey, where John Steinbeck brought colorful local wharf characters to life, is a great place to get up close and personal with California marine life. Take a whale-watching cruise to explore a national marine sanctuary, or walk into the bay at the aquarium to see golden sea dragons, shy pink Pacific octopuses and scene-stealing rescued otter.
The oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the west coast is located in Pacific grove. There are gray whales, sea otter, sea lions and seals on the cream colored beach in Santa Cruz. The historic roller coaster on the beach boardwalk is a great place to play.
Don't miss the Dungeness crab on the menu in the winter.
It's the best for desert drama.
Death Valley is actually full of life, even though the name conjures up Wild West ghost towns, broken-down pioneer wagon trains and tumbleweed skulls.
There are wildflowers in the dunes, thrill-seekers zoom across salt flats, and wildlife lives by the stars. Go up narrow canyons, zoom across crackled salt flats, and then descend into volcanic craters formed by a massive eruption over two centuries ago.
It's the best for adventure and skiing.
The second deepest lake in the USA is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In the summer, the blue waters lead to splashing, kayaking and scuba diving. Mountain bikers careen down epic single-track threading runs and hikers stride along trails.
After dark, go to a lakeside cottage and enjoy some s'mores. When the lake turns into a winter paradise, gold-medal ski resorts keep downhill enthusiasts and snowboarders more than satisfied. You will always find something to do here.
The area is home to the best restaurants in the country.
It's the best coastal variety.
You will inevitably end up in Big sur. There are waterfalls and retreats at the edge of the forest. Pods of whales can be seen beyond purple-sand beaches and coves lined with California jade.
Hot springs and Beat literary retreats can be found behind the coastal bluffs. There's a lot of gorgeous experiences waiting for you.
The best time to visit the waterfall is in May or after the summer vacation.
The article was published in August of 2019.
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