Top Activities on the Ground in California - page 2

Roll through Northern California’s famous wine country on the renowned Napa Valley Wine Train. Pass charming towns like Rutherford and St. Helena, and soak up the scenery of rolling hills, vineyards, and estates through large picture windows on the trip. Explore the restored vintage train cars, and then take a seat for a gourmet lunch or dinner freshly prepared by the train’s acclaimed on-board restaurant.

Explore the slot canyons in Torrey Pines on this guided tour. Discover spectacular, hard-to-reach areas and take in views of the Pacific Ocean. Visit sandstone slot canyons and wind caves on the trek and stop at a majestic grotto with a waterfall. The hike up can be strenuous at times, but you will be rewarded with stunning views after summiting the cliffs.

This sunrise hike in the San Jacinto Mountains has a beautiful resting stop with stunning views of the Coachella Valley. Here, your guide will lead you through a grounding meditation to help set your intention for the day. Before you get there, you'll watch the sunrise over Indian Canyons and enjoy the nature in Oswitz Canyon. This hike and meditation will help you feel refreshed, relaxed, and connected to the Earth and universe

Group tours of any kind can either go too fast or too slow, making for a less than ideal experience. Explore Lake Tahoe at your own pace with this self-guided electric bike tour on East Shore Trail and make stops when you choose to. Your journey along the trail ends at Sand Harbor, a popular beach area for swimming and boating.

Relax on a private rickshaw ride along Santa Monica and Venice Beach streets and beaches. Enjoy fresh ocean breezes while touring the Santa Monica Pier, Muscle Beach, Venice Boardwalk, and Venice Skatepark. Two people per rickshaw with a local guide pedaling the way. Hotel pickup is included for added convenience.

The San Andreas Fault is one of the world’s best-known fault lines—and this small-group tour will help you discover it up close. Pick between morning and afternoon start times, make your own way to the Indio departure point, and set off via open-air Jeep. You’ll discover the region’s dramatic scenery, will learn about desert habitats and the local Cahuilla people, will visit a desert oasis, and much more.

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.

Enjoy a one-of-a-kind small-group hot-air balloon ride above Temecula. In the early morning, watch your balloon inflate before boarding a basket sized to your group. Soar over vineyards and rolling hills while your pilot shares commentary. The largest baskets hold up to seven guests, ensuring a comfortable experience as you admire local landmarks and scenery.

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.

Spend the day immersed in nature on a full-day hiking tour of Yosemite National Park. See the dramatic slopes of Half Dome and North Dome, experience the force of Yosemite Falls, and hike a variety trails to see Mirror Lake, and Spider Caves. Opt for a tour of an old Pioneer village and cemetery if you want. Guides carry water purification and first aid equipment and all profits form this tour support Yosemite youth summer camp programs.

Guarantee your entry to the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco, so you spend less time waiting and more time enjoying its aquatic attractions. Get direct access to all of the aquarium’s main exhibit areas, including interactive exhibits, as well as walk-through glass tunnels where schools of anchovies and fluorescent jellyfish swim overhead and around you.

Explore the geology around California’s legendary San Andreas fault during a Jeep tour from Palm Desert. See a desert oasis fed by an underground spring as your naturalist guide describes how the Native American Cahuilla tribe used the desert's plants for food, medicine, and shelter. Marvel at steep-walled canyons and tall twisted rock mountains, and learn about the plant and animal life of the area. Choose from a morning or afternoon tour that includes light snacks, and bottled water.

Ride through the towns and vineyards of the Santa Ynez Valley wine region on this e-bike tour with transport from Santa Barbara. With a guide, you'll pedal a Rad Power E-bike to wineries, a lavendar farm, the town of Solvang, and other spots for wine and olive-oil tastings and lunch. A bike tour allows you to enjoy better views of the scenery than from inside a car.

Explore one of California's most iconic settings from the beauty of San Francisco Bay. This narrated Golden Gate Bay cruise journeys alongside Alcatraz and Angel Island State Park, past the shores of Sausalito and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. You can choose to view the sights from inside your boat or out on deck.

Experience panoramic views of the Los Angeles skyline as you embark on a 3.5 mile (5.6 km) hike to one of the highest peaks in Griffith Park. Follow your expert guide as they share captivating tales of Hollywood history. Snap some shots of the iconic Hollywood Sign before finishing your tour at the world-famous, iconic Griffith Observatory.

On this San Francisco bike tour, cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and soak up stunning views of the San Francisco Bay. The guided tour takes you to the artsy town of Sausalito, where you have free time to explore. Return to the city at your leisure (either bike back or purchase a ferry ticket). This tour includes the use of a classic bike or electric bike for the full day.

Spend an evening gourmet wining and dining aboard the ‘Spirit of San Diego,’ enjoying top-notch food and drink while you soak up skyline views. During this San Diego dinner cruise, you sip a complimentary cocktail and enjoy live on-board entertainment as you cruise 25 miles of California’s coastline and gaze at the stars above.

Napa Valley’s rolling vineyards are best experienced in the open air. On this e-bike tour, you’ll glide through wine country, basking in the scenery with your local guide highlighting the way. Break for a stop at a local winery, where you’ll sip at your leisure before getting back on two wheels, heading wherever adventure takes you (that’s right, you can keep the bike for the rest of the day).

Cycle along San Francisco’s waterfront—and enjoy some of the city's most scenic views—on this guided bike tour. Pass Fisherman’s Wharf and the historic Presidio, cross the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, and admire Alcatraz Island and the Pacific Ocean. After arriving in charming Sausalito, take your time exploring before catching the ferry (additional expense) back to San Francisco. With a one-day bike rental, you can continue your adventure at your own pace.

Experience the scenery of downtown San Diego from across the water after you explore the Gaslamp Quarter, USS Midway, and Seaport Village on a fun, electric, open air GoCar ESport by Arcimoto. Then cruise around the highlights of Coronado, the San Diego gem where you'll find pristine beaches, resorts from Hollywood's golden era, and a lively scene of boutiques and eateries. For more than 2 people (1 car), place separate bookings.

From Elvis Presley and Liberace to Marilyn Monroe, see the former homes of celebrities on this bike tour of Palm Springs. Explore several neighborhoods in Palm Springs as you pass by the homes of old Hollywood and more contemporary celebrities. Your guide knows the best and most scenic routes to make the most of your ride.

Explore some of the best eats in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego—and learn insider facts and stories about its sordid past—on this two-in-one, small-group walking tour. Join an expert guide who has the inside scoop on the district's hopping restaurant and bar scene. Sample delicious dishes at several eateries, sip drinks, and learn about the neighborhood's past as a notorious red-light district.

Join your guide for a 2.5-hour walking tour that combines sightseeing in the hills of Los Angeles with a vigorous walk up to the Hollywood sign. Learn about the history of Los Angeles on an entertaining hike that takes in Griffith Park, the Hollywood Hills neighborhood, and the Hollywood sign, and offers views of Burbank, the San Fernando Valley, and all of Los Angeles.

Experience Muir Woods National Monument and the quaint waterfront town of Sausalito on a half-day tour. Travel across the Golden Gate Bridge on a guided day trip that includes pickup in a convenient location in downtown San Francisco, transportation, and National Park entrance fees. Enjoy free time among the ancient redwoods, then explore Sausalito at your own pace before returning to San Francisco by vehicle or by ferry (separate expense).