California attractions

A crescent of white and golden sand next to Santa Barbara Harbor, Leadbetter is one of the most popular beaches in Santa Barbara and among the most beautiful in California. The surf makes the beach popular with windsurfers, catamaran sailors, and low-key surfers. Facilities include public showers, grassy picnic areas, barbecue sites, and lifeguard stations.

California’s Great America combines amusement park adventures with refreshing water rides for the perfect day out for everyone from adrenaline seekers to families with tots. With a wide range of rides—including thrilling roller coasters and a relaxing lazy river—a daily program of live shows, 20 dining outlets, and a dozen shops to browse, there’s plenty to keep visitors entertained for the entire day.

On the Hollywood Walk of Fame is the official museum of superlatives: the Guinness World Records Museum. Here, you'll find the smallest, longest, heaviest, and largest of just about anything. An interactive, family-friendly attraction, the museum encourages visitors to see how they compare to record-breakers across the globe.

Reputed to be one of the best roller coaster parks in the United States, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita, California, boasts 19 coasters, from white-knuckle rides to more gentle options suited to younger visitors. Food, drink, and entertainment options round out the on-site offerings.

The Roman Catholic Saints Peter and Paul Church dates back to 1924, and its cathedral-like façade and twin spires tower over the north side of Washington Square Park. Located in San Francisco’s North Beach district, or Little Italy, the church still holds daily mass, but it’s best known for a photo op—Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe posed here after getting married.

One of San Francisco’s most storied watering holes, Vesuvio Cafe is an icon of the Beat Generation and a symbol of the history and culture of North Beach. Founded in 1948, the bohemian saloon was a popular hangout spot for writers and poets such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Other famous patrons include Bob Dylan and Francis Ford Coppola.

The Fillmore District can be considered a microhood of the Western Addition, covering the blocks around Fillmore Street from Geary to Grove streets. At the corner of Fillmore and Geary, you’ll find the neighborhood’s most famous resident, the Fillmore, the legendary music venue that hosted performances by bands like Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane in the 1960s.

Part of the 700-mile (1,127-kilometer) California Coastal Trail, this ocean-side park in Santa Barbara features a picnic area, playground for small children, and sweeping views of the harbor, beaches, and Channel Islands. A rustic wooden staircase leads to a narrow sandy beach only reachable at low tide. The park is also a prime spot to observe dolphins and whales.

A community of stately homes along the Pacific Ocean, the Sea Cliff neighborhood of San Francisco is a prime city destination. The palm trees, ocean fog, and view of the Golden Gate Bridge together create an experience that is unique to San Francisco. Consider a hike, stroll along China Beach, or a stop at the colorful Lincoln Park Steps.

Built into the hillside in Seward Mini Park, the Seward Street Slides are a pair of parallel concrete chutes that delight both young and old. The slides are steep and slick, making them appropriate for big kids but not tiny tots.

Stretching between the Russian River to the west and the Mayacamas Mountains to the east, Alexander Valley is a key wine-growing region in Sonoma Valley, featuring over 40 wineries and about 15,000 acres (6,070 hectares) planted to grapevines. Stretching for 22 miles, it includes the towns of Healdsburg, Geyserville, and Cloverdale.

The only limit to the Mingei International Museum is human creativity—and that’s what this space is all about. As a species, we’ve been creating since time immemorial, from pottery to pinatas to Pokemon, and here is where it all gets celebrated. And just like our talents, the museum constantly changes, representing art from all around the world and all over time.

A brewpub in the heart of California wine country, the HopMonk Tavern is known for craft beers, live music, and a fun atmosphere—it’s a great place to get a taste of local brews in an area famous for its wine. Housed in a historic stone and timber farmhouse, it’s particularly lively on sunny days when the patio becomes a beer garden and fire pits keep you warm during the evenings.

A path of bronze markers and arrows located on the sidewalks of San Francisco, the Barbary Coast Trail connects 20 of the city’s most historic locations, mostly related to the years between the 1849 Gold Rush and the 1906 earthquake. Back during the Gold Rush days, the term Barbary Coast referred to the red-light district that developed in a section of the city that is now pieces of North Beach, Chinatown, and Jackson Square.

Drive down the California Central Coast from Santa Cruz to Monterey, and the grandeur of Monterey Bay is undeniable. This region of coveted coastal land and protected waters is known for whale-watching, iconic cypress-framed views, the famed Monterey Aquarium, and Monterey itself, among the most ravishing of California’s numberless lovely towns on the coast.

A small cove surrounded by sandstone cliffs, La Jolla Cove is a popular place for snorkeling, swimming, and scuba diving. Part of a protected reserve, the beach offers excellent visibility for marine life. Of all the San Diego beaches, La Jolla Cove is known for its beauty. It also has convenient amenities such as bathrooms and showers.

On a 30-acre (12-hectare) plot overlooking the ocean, the Santa Barbara Zoo is home to over 140 different species, which live in habitats designed to mirror their native environments. Adults and children will both find plenty to enjoy here.

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Springs brings together wildlife and plant life from desert landscapes. From snakes and lizards to mammals including mountain lions and giraffes, the creatures appeal to children and adults alike. Visitors come to learn more about how life thrives in the desert.

Located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, the Torrey Pines Gliderport is Southern California’s top location for paragliding, hang gliding, and more. Here, you can sign up for flight lessons, certifications, and tandem flights. From its Cliffhanger Café, perched atop the cliffs of Torrey Pines, you can watch the paragliders and hang gliders launch in front of the outdoor dining area.

There are plenty of ways to navigate California Wine Country, but few rival the charm of the Napa Valley Wine Train. Offering visitors the chance to travel on restored, vintage locomotives, the Wine Train has on-board kitchens serving gourmet meals of farm-fresh fare paired with local wine. Some routes also include a tasting at a Napa winery.

Situated on the shores of the Los Angeles Harbor, this family-friendly aquarium and research center educates visitors about the marine life of Southern California. Touch pools and viewing tanks showcase thousands of native species and diverse ecosystems, from giant kelp forests and deep Pacific waters to sandy beaches and mud flats.

While there are almost 300 caves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, none are consistently open to the public—except Crystal Cave, a geological wonder of polished marble and sparkling stalactites lying below the national park’s famed sequoia groves. Guided tours take travelers past mesmerizing rock formations, intricate passages, and stalactite-filled chambers.

Home to more than 30,000 plants and many endangered species, the Ventura Botanical Gardens is divided by the world's five Mediterranean climate zones—Chile, the Cape of South Africa, Southern Australia, the Mediterranean Basin, and California. Lace up and embark on the 2-mile trail that weaves through 107-acres of regional plants.

For dining, shopping, and entertainment, head to the Downtown Disney® District, located within walking distance of Disneyland® Park and Disney California Adventure® Park. Open daily, the district’s dining options run the gamut from Mexican and American fare to Cajun and Italian cuisine, while popular shops include the Star Wars™ Trading Post, LEGO® Store, and Sephora. For a spot of entertainment, don’t miss the lively jazz club.

From the lakeside trails of Emerald Bay State Park to the year-round trails of Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe is an outdoor playground—one that comes with the region’s widest array of places to gamble, eat, and stay. In summer months, visitors flock to the sandy, swimmer-friendly shorefront at Pope Beach and Zephyr Cove, while winters draw skiers to slopes with sweeping views of the deep blue lake.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park comprises 68 acres (28 hectares) of coastal bluffs, sea caves, and arches along the Pacific Coast on the western edge of Point Loma. True to its name, the park is a popular spot for watching the sunset. It's also popular among surfers who come to ride the shoreline's crashing waves.

Taller, wider trees exist, but this giant sequoia (officially a Sequoiadendron giganteum) is the largest tree in the world by volume—as in the amount of wood in its trunk. Dominating most of the surrounding trees and easily accessible via a short trail, General Sherman is a must-see with over 2,000 years of history on the land of Sequoia National Park.

Built in the early 1920s, this architectural gem is a creation of American architect Frank Lloyd Wright and represents his first Los Angeles commission. The visionary home predates California modernism, yet Hollyhock House is indicative of the popular movement. With docent-led and self-guided tours, architecture fans shouldn’t miss it.

Originating in the southeastern corner of Yosemite National Park, the Merced River flows 145 miles (233 kilometers) westward and through Yosemite Valley. The river and its tributaries are home to some of the most popular recreational activities in the park, including boating, fishing, whitewater rafting, and swimming off of its sandy beaches.

See the California redwoods the way loggers did in the 1800s at Roaring Camp Railroads, which operates two train routes from its starting point in the forest just north of Santa Cruz. The authentic steam engines date back to 1890 and are some of the oldest and best preserved in the United States.