California attractions

Located in St. Helena, V. Sattui Winery dates back to 1885 and produces small-batch wines with a focus on organic and sustainable farming practices. Learn more about about how its wines are made on a tour of the Italian-style property, or stop by for a tasting.

Situated among rolling hills in the Carneros region of Sonoma, Gloria Ferrer was the first sparkling wine house to plant roots in the area back in the early 1980s. Today, visitors can sip flights of bubbly on a spacious patio overlooking the vineyards, or head underground on guided tours of the estate’s expansive wine cellars.

Located on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, Indian Canyons is the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and is made up of three canyons: Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon, and Murray Canyon. The canyons attract hikers with more than 60 miles (95 kilometers of trails.

The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is the leading and largest music hall of the Los Angeles Music Center and hosts some of the best performances in southern California. Once the setting of the Academy Awards, the hall is a top Los Angeles cultural landmark and currently serves as the home of the LA Opera and Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this graceful valley swath beside the San Gabriel Mountains was first developed in the 1880s by railroad barons and hoteliers to lure winter-weary Easterners out west. Today Old Pasadena—sometimes known as Old Town Pasadena—is best known for its museums and the annual Rose Parade and Rose Bowl college football game.

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, on California’s Central Coast, is chock-full of dreamlike scenery—think dramatic headlands, hidden coves, and scenic lookouts, plus more than 5 miles (8 kilometers) of trails and a rocky coastline full of tide pools. Beyond hiking, visitors can explore the on-site cultural history museum and spot wildlife, including sea lions, harbor seals, herons, and, in the winter, migrating whales.

An entertainment hub in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, LA Live is a premier destination for live performances, dining, dancing, and more. From nightclubs to bowling to professional sports, LA Live is a go-to location for premier events. It may even look familiar: LA Live's Microsoft Theater is known to host star-studded award shows.

One of San Francisco’s biggest districts, SoMa, meaning South of Market Street, encompasses several communities, including South Beach, Mission Bay, Rincon Park, AT&T Park, and Yerba Buena Gardens. A mix of commercial, residential, and entertainment neighborhoods, SoMa is a vibrant cultural hub of San Francisco that continues to evolve.

In Balboa Park, home to more than a dozen gardens, Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden blooms with roughly 1,600 roses in season, including more than 130 varieties. It’s a garden lover’s dream come true, with winding paths, fountains, and gazebos to explore at your leisure.

A U.S. National Historic Landmark District, Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo was founded in the early 1900s and is one of just three Japantowns in the country. The compact neighborhood in downtown LA is home to cultural attractions, shops selling Japanese goods, and dozens of restaurants serving sushi, ramen, and other Japanese and Asian fusion cuisine.

Step inside the Walt Disney® Family Museum to understand the man and innovator who created Mickey Mouse and Disney World® and revolutionized the movie industry. Interweaving Disney’s personal history with early drawings of Disney’s animated works, this museum takes visitors back in time to Hollywood’s earliest days.

The San Diego Museum of Man explores the meaning and mysteries of human culture, from ancient Egypt and native Californian Kumeyaay people to the history of beer making and cannibalism. Interactive exhibits take visitors through thousands of years of anthropology, all inside a landmark Spanish colonial building in Balboa Park.

From the gates of Hogwarts™ to wand shopping at Ollivanders™, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ invites you into a magical universe within Universal Studios Hollywood. While it’s a favorite with true Harry Potter fans, there’s a lot to see even for visitors who don’t know the books and films by heart—including high-flying immersive rides, a British tavern, and a family-friendly roller coaster.

Once a tangle of industrial warehouses and scuba shops, this waterfront district just off Santa Barbara’s main drag has morphed into a hip haven for foodies, wine lovers, and urban explorers. Art galleries, restaurants, microbreweries, and wine tasting rooms now fill the walkable neighborhood, making it a popular gourmet destination.

Numerous sea caves are carved into the sandstone cliffs along San Diego's La Jolla coast, but Sunny Jim Sea Cave is the only one accessible by land. To reach the natural attraction, walk through a man-made tunnel allegedly used for bootlegging during Prohibition. The souvenir shop that houses the tunnel entrance displays historic photos and information.

One of the most idyllic enclaves on California's central coast, this upscale community has long been a haven for celebrities seeking refuge from the daily grind of Los Angeles. Mansion-studded mountains spill into the sea, and a sleepy yet luxurious vibe prevails among Montecito’s boutique shopping and dining destinations.

One of San Francisco’s main thoroughfares, ever-pulsating Market Street cuts a diagonal line from the Embarcadero on the city’s northeastern edge to the Twin Peaks neighborhood. It’s home to everything from big-name shops, restaurants, and cafés to offices, theaters, and plazas—attracting visitors and locals both day and night.

A must-visit for architecture lovers, San Diego’s Heritage County Park preserves some of the city’s finest examples of Victorian homes. Located adjacent to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park—and spanning some 8 acres (3 hectares)—the park was developed in the 1970s and ‘80s, when the historic houses were relocated to this site.

The melodious sounds from Spreckels Organ Pavilion float across San Diego’s Balboa Park, treating passersby to a free symphony. One of the world’s largest outdoor pipe organs, the instrument is set in an ornate structure and was gifted to the city in 1914 by the Spreckels family, who ran the Spreckels Sugar Company.

Housed in the historical Max Factor Building, the Hollywood Museum is a popular destination for visiting cinephiles and Old Hollywood enthusiasts. Home to thousands of objects, from costumes and photographs to movie props—and even a Rolls-Royce once owned by Cary Grant—it also features makeup rooms once used by Max Factor himself.

Journey through Asia—without embarking on an overseas trip—in this museum dedicated to art from the region. During your stay in San Francisco, view artworks spanning different periods in history and contemporary art from cultural regions, such as India, Japan, China, and Korea.

This towering curtain of water flowing from the Merced River is one of Yosemite National Park’s best-known waterfalls. Located in Yosemite Valley, it’s accessible via the Mist Trail, a popular short hike leading to Nevada Falls farther up the river. While the water runs virtually year-round, the flow peaks in the heart of spring.

On an unassuming street in the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, Jerry Garcia and other members of the Grateful Dead lived in a classic San Francisco Victorian for a couple of years before and after the 1967 Summer of Love. Today, it’s a popular photo stop on hippie-themed tours of the city.

Built in 1907, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is a classic seaside amusement park complete with roller coasters, arcade games, and old-school rides along a mile-long stretch of beach. A colorful Ferris wheel offers aerial views, and there are plenty of indoor activities and food options, too. One of the oldest amusement parks in California, it’s designated historical landmark, and people of all walks of life will find delights here.

Although it has less name recognition than Half Dome, Sentinel Dome offers majestic views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Yosemite Valley, including Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. The dome's gently sloped summit is reachable via a well-marked, relatively short trail and is a scenic alternative to the often crowded viewpoints of Glacier Point.

Among the oldest and most storied Major League Baseball stadiums in the United States, Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium has attracted sports fans since its opening in 1962. Located in the city’s Elysian Park neighborhood, the landmark is also the country’s largest baseball stadium, and regularly hosts concerts and other special events, in addition to home games for the World Series–winning Dodgers.

Just one of the many gardens in San Diego’s Balboa Park, the Japanese Friendship Garden is a serene oasis inside the bustling, attraction-filled park. Representing the friendship between San Diego and the Japanese city of Yokohama, the 12-acre (5-hectare garden features more than 200 cherry trees amid the manicured landscape.

This large salt pan in Death Valley in the Mojave Desert has eroded over time into jagged spires, making it look like a pockmarked stretch of land where “only the devil could play golf.” Now protected by the US National Park Service, the mineral-rich land can be heard “popping” as salt crystals burst in the heat.

Dedicated to artwork created since 1950, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego – Downtown is one of two locations of the museum (the other is in La Jolla. The MCASD’s collection of 4,700 pieces includes a variety of mediums, from sculpture and painting to video, photography, and installations.

Dedicated to the natural history of Southern California—from ancient times to the modern day—the San Diego Natural History Museum (also known as The Nat) is one of the city’s most popular, family-friendly museums. Across four floors, its exhibition spaces are dedicated to topics ranging from dinosaurs and fossils to minerals and more.