Top California Sightseeing Tours in 2026

Experience Joshua Tree National Park on a small-group tour from Palm Springs Art Museum. Explore surreal desert landscapes, towering rock formations, and hidden backroads. Learn about the San Andreas Fault's forces shaping the land and hear stories of the indigenous Cahuilla people. This half-day tour includes general admission, removing the need for separate park entry arrangements.

This Los Angeles Highlights Full-Day Tour from Anaheim is a great choice for those who want to enjoy Southern California’s big theme parks but would also like to experience LA and all it has to offer, too. Travel from Anaheim resort area to stop at big attractions near LA such as Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach, Marina del Rey, and Santa Monica.

Bypass the line and head directly to the gate with your prebooked tickets for this San Francisco Bay sightseeing cruise. This sunset cruise takes you across the bay with outstanding views of the city skyline, Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and Alcatraz Island. Relax while background music sets the tone. Watch the sunset or select a city lights cruise during winter months.

Go whale watching from San Diego aboard a replica of a historic sailing schooner that won the world’s first America’s Cup sailing competition in 1851. Throughout your cruise, your expert guide shares informative commentary about gray whales, dolphins, and other marine animals, along with details about the US Navy sites you pass as you head out on the Pacific Ocean.

Avoid the crowds, confusion, and limitations of large buses and discover San Francisco by luxury minivan. This half-day, small-group tour takes offers the perfect city overview. Stop for photo opportunities at some of San Francisco's most popular attractions, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks, and learn more from your guide's stories. By the end of the tour, you'll have seen the best of the City by the Bay.

Take a journey around San Francisco's top sights in a retro way with this small-group tour by vintage Volkswagen bus, decorated with long eyelashes so you can't miss your tour vehicle. You'll pass by neighborhoods like Chinatown, Union Square, Pacific Heights, North Beach, Haight-Ashbury, the Marina, and Hayes Valley, plus see the Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Civic Center, and more.

See the sights of Avalon on a quick tour that takes you along the waterfront, up the hillsides, and through the center of town. The quick, nonstop journey provides views and allows you to get oriented with Avalon and its attractions so you can better enjoy your time on Catalina Island. Learn about the island's history and heritage from a guide as you travel the loop.

Encounter some of Earth's most magnificent creatures on a 2–3-hour whale-watching cruise in San Diego. The voyage departs right from Mission Bay, so you’ll be out into the open Pacific Ocean and looking for animals in just 10 minutes. Expert Guides and Naturalists on board help you spot whales and dolphins and learn about their lives in the deep blue sea.

With its iconic hills, architecture, bridge and bay, it’s no wonder so many movies have been filmed in San Francisco. See filming locations from numerous productions on this movie sites tour from Fisherman’s Wharf. Watch clips on the tour bus as you pass by the real locations with an informative actor-turned-guide who shares stories about the city and cinema history.

See Los Angeles efficiently on a guided city tour that removes the need to plan routes, drive, or manage parking. With hotel pickup and drop-off included, you can focus on understanding the city while a guide provides context across key neighborhoods, including Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Venice Beach. This tour is designed to give first-time visitors a clear overview of LA in one day, helping you decide where to return on your own.

Enjoy a different perspective and admire San Francisco and its surrounding sights from the water on a San Francisco Bay sailing cruise. Onboard a catamaran, sail past the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, legendary Alcatraz Island, and the hamlet of Sausalito. Take advantage of great photo ops while you soak up the sea breeze during this scenic tour.

Combine three of the Bay Area's top attractions—Alcatraz Island, Muir Woods, and Sausalito—in a single tour from San Francisco. Enjoy comfortable transportation in a luxury small-group tour van, including a trip across the Golden Gate Bridge, so you can focus on the scenery instead of driving. Your Alcatraz admission includes the ferry ride and audio tour, with free time to explore Muir Woods and Sausalito at your own pace.

Discover the underwater world of Catalina Island during a 45-minute ride on a semi-submarine. The semi-sub allows you to view the marine life of Avalon Bay as you dive six feet (two meters) below the surface at Lovers' Cove. Stay dry as you get a close look at fish feeding around the submarine, then take in views of the island from your vessel's top deck during the return journey to Avalon.

Experience Catalina’s rugged interior—the protected side of the island that few visitors get to see—on this nature tour. Traveling by custom-built safari vehicle for easy wildlife viewing, head to the Airport-in-the-Sky and get a chance to spot bald eagles, bison, deer and the endemic Catalina Island fox. Learn about the island’s history and ecology from your naturalist guide, and enjoy panoramic views of a Native American gathering site.

Explore a shady oasis and rugged canyons on a Hummer adventure that goes deep into Joshua Tree’s arid landscape. See the park's most iconic sights and learn about its geology, wildlife, and cultural history. Immerse yourself in the majesty of the park in the company of your guide as you travel around in the open-air vehicle.

Take an unforgettable boat ride in Monterey Bay to spot local marine wildlife, from humpback whales to Great white sharks to dolphins. This whale-watching adventure takes you to one of the best spots in the state to spot some of these majestic creatures. Sail over Monterey Bay Canyon, which is a nutrient-rich area known for attracting all kinds of underwater wildlife.

Hop on a '70s-era VW bus and get to know the hippie past and hipster vibe that make up San Francisco today. Starting and ending at Fisherman's Wharf, this sightseeing tour takes you around the city, including Chinatown, North Beach, the Castro, the Mission, downtown and more. See the homes of The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, while listening to '60s classics. So settle into a neon-blue seat and dig your shoes into groovy shag carpet. Each bus accommodates up to just six people.

This is a great choice for time-tight travelers visiting Los Angeles. Save hours researching the best things to do in the city, and instead, go on a special tour that visits the city’s most photogenic spots and famous locations. Along the way, listen to commentary and stop to take photos near the Hollywood Sign, the American Film Academy, the Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills, and Rodeo Drive.

On this San Francisco bridge cruise, get an up-close look at the city’s two engineering marvels—the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge—as you travel across San Francisco Bay. See major city sights such as Alcatraz, Coit Tower, and the Ferry Building, and listen to recorded commentary about the city's legendary architecture while you glide under both bridges.

See San Francisco’s most famous waterfront landmarks from the water on a bay cruise that combines iconic views with onboard flexibility. Sail beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, pass Alcatraz Island, and take in panoramic views of the city skyline while listening to stories and insights through an app-based audio guide. With skip-the-line boarding and indoor and outdoor viewing areas, it’s an easy way to experience the bay from a different perspective.

Cars are mostly banned on Catalina Island, and trying to see the highlights of the island’s vibrant harbor area on foot is a recipe for blisters. On this express private tour, visit coastal Avalon by chauffeured golf cart, covering more sights in less time than you could on your own. Along the way, learn about the island’s history and unique lifestyles of its few thousand residents.

Spend a few hours relaxing and sightseeing in the waters just off San Diego during this 1- or 2-hour San Diego Harbor cruise. Sit back and relax as you take in a fully narrated tour, offering top-notch sight lines of the San Diego skyline, a cruise under Coronado Bridge, a look at the bustling US Naval fleet, and a chance to spot some of the harbor’s resident sea lions.

Explore Sonoma Valley wine on a small-group tasting tour from San Francisco to boutique wineries, making sightseeing stops along the way. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, enter Sonoma's rolling landscape of golden hills and vineyards, and enjoy a series of guided tastings, learning about Sonoma wine varietals and terroir as you sip. After your time in Sonoma, pause in the artists' colony of Sausalito, with the option to return to San Francisco by ferry for great views across the San Francisco Bay.

In just four hours, experience the scenic highlights of San Diego and its neighboring areas. Watch sea lions and pelicans on the beaches of La Jolla and capture fantastic views from the top of Mt Soledad. Soak up the Old World elegance of the mansions and Hotel Del on Coronado Island, and find peace in the urban oasis of Balboa Park. Wind through downtown and Old Town San Diego, learning about the city’s history along the way. Enjoy personalized attention on this small-group tour limited to just 14 people.