Places to Explore In California

Channel Islands National Park

On crystal-clear days, the craggy peaks of Channel Islands are easy to see from the mainland, jutting from the Pacific in sharp detail. Sometimes called...

• 2 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 22 Things To Do

Death Valley National Park

The natural riches of Death Valley—the largest national park outside Alaska—are overwhelming: rolling waves of sand dunes, black cinder cones thrusting up hundreds of feet...

• 10 Restaurants
• 5 Hotels
• 35 Things To Do

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree teems with fascinating landscapes and life-forms, including its namesake trees. Dagger-like tufts grace the branches of the Yucca brevifolia, which grows in vast...

• 10 Restaurants
• 3 Hotels
• 48 Things To Do

Lake Tahoe

Whether you swim, fish, sail, or simply rest on its shores, you’ll be wowed by the overwhelming beauty of Lake Tahoe, which is famous for...

• 33 Restaurants
• 26 Hotels
• 20 Things To Do

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Peak, a plug dome, is the most famous feature of this 166-square-mile tract of coniferous forests and alpine meadows. Its most spectacular outburst occurred...

• 4 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 22 Things To Do

Los Angeles

One of the glitziest places on the planet, the City of Angels combines the people-watching of Rodeo Drive, the nonstop nightlife of the Sunset Strip...

• 44 Restaurants
• 23 Hotels
• 141 Things To Do

Bel Air

• 1 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Beverly Hills

When visiting Beverly Hills for the first time, many people head for the boutiques and restaurants that line the palm tree–fringed sidewalks of Rodeo Drive...

• 6 Restaurants
• 8 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

Century City

• 2 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Westwood

• 2 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

Downtown Los Angeles

If there's one thing Angelenos love, it's a makeover, and city planners have put the wheels in motion for a dramatic revitalization of this area...

• 22 Restaurants
• 14 Hotels
• 60 Things To Do

Koreatown

Despite its name, Koreatown is one of the most eclectic neighborhoods in all of Los Angeles, particularly when it comes to dining. Obviously, you can...

• 9 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 6 Things To Do

Hollywood

Sure, Hollywood's top attractions are a bit touristy—but if it's your first time, you should at least make a brief stop here. Be sure to...

• 4 Restaurants
• 8 Hotels
• 6 Things To Do

Atwater Village

Alongside nearby Glassell Park and Cypress Park, Atwater Village is one of the seven neighborhoods that make up the Northeast Los Angeles region, christened NELA...

• 12 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 7 Things To Do

Echo Park

Silver Lake's edgier older cousin and neighbor, Echo Park is centered on a beautifully restored lakefront park (you can even rent a paddleboat and experience...

• 13 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 15 Things To Do

Highland Park

In the early 20th century, Highland Park was a bastion for artists who erected numerous Arts and Crafts movement houses. It evolved into a largely...

• 12 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 11 Things To Do

Los Feliz

In the rolling hills below the stunning Griffith Observatory, Los Feliz is one of L.A.’s most affluent neighborhoods. With Hollywood just a few miles west...

• 5 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 17 Things To Do

Silver Lake

This hilly, mostly residential neighborhood sits southeast of Los Feliz and northwest of Echo Park. Regarded as a bohemian enclave since the 1930s, it was...

• 12 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 12 Things To Do

Brentwood

This wealthy residential enclave west of Beverly Hills is home to the world-class Getty Center...

• 6 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

Pacific Palisades

Stunning ocean views, glamorous homes, and dusty canyons define this affluent area snug between Santa Monica and Malibu. Although there is a downtown village of...

• 2 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 4 Things To Do

Playa del Ray

Hills built by ancient sand dunes run parallel to the ocean, lending a secluded feeling to this easygoing coastal community. When night falls, the hillside...

• 0 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Santa Monica

This pedestrian-friendly little city, about 8.3 square miles, has a dynamic population of artists and writers, entertainment folks, educators, and retired people; its left-wing politics...

• 14 Restaurants
• 17 Hotels
• 31 Things To Do

El Segundo

Just south of LAX, you’ll find this quaint, sleepy beach community. Originally an oil town—Standard Oil set up its second refinery in El Segundo (hence...

• 0 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 1 Things To Do

Manhattan Beach

Chic boutiques, multimillion-dollar homes, and some of the best restaurants in Los Angeles dot the hilly downtown streets of this tiny community. While the glamour...

• 0 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 1 Things To Do

Burbank

Johnny Carson, host of The Tonight Show, used to ironically refer to downtown Burbank as "beautiful," but it's since become one of the area’s most...

• 9 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 8 Things To Do

North Hollywood

Originally called Lankershim after the family of ranchers and farmers who first settled here, this area took the name North Hollywood in the 1920s to...

• 9 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 9 Things To Do

Studio City

Ventura Boulevard, the famed commercial strip, cuts through the lively neighborhood of Studio City. This area, located west of Universal City, is home to several...

• 7 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 4 Things To Do

Universal City

Although it has its own zip code and subway station, Universal City, over the hill from Hollywood, is simply the name for the unincorporated area...

• 2 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 2 Things To Do

Mid-Wilshire

The 1½-mile strip of Wilshire Boulevard between La Brea and Fairfax avenues was bought up by developers in the 1920s, and they created a commercial...

• 7 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 7 Things To Do

West Hollywood and Fairfax

West Hollywood is not a place to see things (like museums or movie studios) as much as it is a place to do things—like go...

• 30 Restaurants
• 16 Hotels
• 63 Things To Do

Hermosa Beach

This energetic beach city boasts some of the priciest real estate in the country. But down by the sand, the vibe is decidedly casual, with...

• 2 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

Redondo Beach

With its worn-in pier and cozy beach, Redondo is a refreshingly unglamorous counterpoint to neighboring beach cities. This was the first port in Los Angeles...

• 0 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 1 Things To Do

Sawatelle Japantown

• 3 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 1 Things To Do

Venice

From the resident musicians and roving hippies of the boardwalk to the boho boutiques and farm-to-table cafés of Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice is not easily...

• 6 Restaurants
• 3 Hotels
• 14 Things To Do

Napa and Sonoma

In California's premier wine region, the pleasures of eating and drinking are celebrated daily. It's easy to join in at famous wineries and rising newcomers...

• 186 Restaurants
• 94 Hotels
• 382 Things To Do

Eastern Carneros

• 0 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Western Carneros

• 0 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

North County and Around

A whole world of scenic grandeur, fascinating history, and scientific wonder lies just beyond San Diego’s city limits. If you travel north along the coast...

• 81 Restaurants
• 37 Hotels
• 103 Things To Do

Orange County and Catalina Island

With its tropical flowers and palm trees, the stretch of coast between Seal Beach and San Clemente is often called the Southern California Riviera. Upscale...

• 42 Restaurants
• 35 Hotels
• 47 Things To Do

Avalon

Avalon, Catalina’s only real town, extends from the shore of its natural harbor to the surrounding hillsides. Its resident population is about 3,800, but it...

• 6 Restaurants
• 11 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

Palm Springs and the Desert Resorts

With the Palm Springs area’s year-round sunshine, luxurious spas, chef-driven restaurants, and see-and-be-seen pool parties, it's no wonder that Hollywood A-listers and weekend warriors make...

• 50 Restaurants
• 47 Hotels
• 79 Things To Do

Pinnacles National Park

President Theodore Roosevelt recognized the uniqueness of the Pinnacles Volcanic Formation—its jagged spires and monoliths thrusting upward from chaparral-covered mountains—when he made it a national...

• 0 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 19 Things To Do

Redwood National Park

Soaring more than 375 feet high, California's coastal redwoods are miracles of efficiency—some have survived hundreds of years, a few more than two millennia. These...

• 8 Restaurants
• 7 Hotels
• 34 Things To Do

Sacramento and the Gold Country

The Gold Country is one of California's less expensive yet still sublime destinations, a region of the Sierra Nevada foothills filled with natural and cultural...

• 62 Restaurants
• 31 Hotels
• 82 Things To Do

San Diego

San Diego is a vacationer's paradise, with year-round temperatures in the seventies and near-constant sunshine. One of America's most family-friendly cities, San Diego is home...

• 62 Restaurants
• 20 Hotels
• 158 Things To Do

Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo

Although Balboa Park as a whole is huge, many of its top attractions are located within reasonable walking distance. A straight shot across the Cabrillo...

• 0 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Barrio Logan

San Diego's Mexican-American community is centered on Barrio Logan, under the San Diego–Coronado Bay Bridge on the Downtown side. Chicano Park, spread along National Avenue...

• 3 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 7 Things To Do

East Village

The most ambitious of the Downtown projects is East Village, not far from the Gaslamp Quarter, and encompassing 130 blocks between the railroad tracks up...

• 9 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 13 Things To Do

Embarcadero

The Embarcadero cuts a scenic swath along the harborfront and connects today's Downtown San Diego to its maritime routes. The bustle of Embarcadero comes less...

• 6 Restaurants
• 3 Hotels
• 11 Things To Do

Gaslamp Quarter

Considered the liveliest of the Downtown neighborhoods, the Gaslamp Quarter's 4th and 5th Avenues are peppered with trendy nightclubs, swanky lounge bars, chic restaurants, and...

• 12 Restaurants
• 17 Hotels
• 49 Things To Do

Little Italy

Home to many in San Diego’s design community, Little Italy exudes a sense of urban cool. The main thoroughfare, India Street, is filled with lively...

• 20 Restaurants
• 4 Hotels
• 22 Things To Do

Mission Bay

Mission Bay welcomes visitors with its protected waters and countless opportunities for fun. The 4,600-acre Mission Bay Park is the place for water sports like...

• 0 Restaurants
• 3 Hotels
• 1 Things To Do

Mission Beach

Heading west on Mission Bay Drive to the ocean, the Giant Dipper roller coaster rises into view, welcoming visitors to the Belmont Park amusement park...

• 1 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 1 Things To Do

Pacific Beach

North of Mission Beach is the college-packed party town of Pacific Beach, or "PB" as locals call it. The laid-back vibe of this surfer’s mecca...

• 2 Restaurants
• 4 Hotels
• 6 Things To Do

Miramar

In the past, Miramar was generally associated with the annual Miramar Air Show, the largest military air show in the country. Today, Miramar is better...

• 0 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 3 Things To Do

Hillcrest

The large, retro Hillcrest sign over the intersection of University and 5th Avenues makes an excellent landmark at the epicenter of this vibrant section of...

• 11 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 11 Things To Do

Mission Hills

The route from Old Town to Hillcrest passes through the historic neighborhood of Mission Hills, with its delightful examples of early-20th-century architecture. From the top...

• 8 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 8 Things To Do

Mission Valley

Although Mission Valley’s charms may not be immediately apparent, it offers many conveniences to visitors and residents alike. One of the area’s main attractions is...

• 0 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

North Park

Named for its location north of Balboa Park, this evolving neighborhood is home to an exciting array of restaurants, bars, and shops. The stretch of...

• 9 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 19 Things To Do

Old Town

As the first European settlement in Southern California, Old Town began to develop in the 1820s. However, its true beginnings took place on a nearby...

• 5 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 20 Things To Do

South Park and Golden Hill

The South Park neighborhood is actually on the east side of Balboa Park, but it’s south of North Park, hence the name. The tree-lined neighborhood...

• 6 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 12 Things To Do

University Heights, Adams Avenue, and Normal Heights

Tucked between Hillcrest and North Park, the small but charming neighborhood of University Heights is centered on Park Boulevard. The tree-lined street is home to...

• 9 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 7 Things To Do

Harbor Island

Following the successful creation of Shelter Island, in 1961 the U.S. Navy used the residue from digging berths deep enough to accommodate aircraft carriers to...

• 3 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Liberty Station

From 1923 to 1997, Liberty Station served as the Naval Training Center (NTC) where 1.75 million Navy recruits and 1 million A and C school...

• 4 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 9 Things To Do

Ocean Beach

At the northern end of Point Loma lies the chilled-out, hippie-esque town of Ocean Beach, commonly referred to as "OB." The main thoroughfare of this...

• 11 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 9 Things To Do

Point Loma

The hilly peninsula of Point Loma curves west and south into the Pacific and provides protection for San Diego Bay. Its high elevations and sandy...

• 12 Restaurants
• 6 Hotels
• 10 Things To Do

Shelter Island

In 1950 San Diego’s port director decided to raise the shoal that lay off the eastern shore of Point Loma above sea level with the...

• 3 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 2 Things To Do

San Francisco

With its myriad hills and spectacular bay, San Francisco beguiles with natural beauty, vibrant neighborhoods, and contagious energy. From the hipster Mission District to the...

• 23 Restaurants
• 11 Hotels
• 101 Things To Do

Chinatown

A few blocks uphill from Union Square is the abrupt beginning of dense and insular Chinatown—the oldest such community in the country. When the street...

• 11 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 22 Things To Do

North Beach

North Beach truly was a beach at the time of the gold rush—the bay extended into the hollow between Telegraph and Russian Hills. Among the...

• 16 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 25 Things To Do

Mission District

Packed with destination restaurants, hole-in-the-wall eateries representing dozens of cuisines, and hip watering holes—plus taquerias, pupuserías (places selling thick, filled tortillas), and produce markets—one of...

• 21 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 29 Things To Do

Nob Hill

Nob Hill was officially dubbed during the 1870s when the "Big Four"—Charles Crocker, Leland Stanford, Mark Hopkins, and Collis P. Huntington, who were involved in...

• 5 Restaurants
• 6 Hotels
• 15 Things To Do

Polk Gulch

Polk Gulch, the microhood surrounding north–south Polk Street, hugs the western edges of Nob Hill and Russian Hill but is nothing like either. It's actually...

• 5 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

Russian Hill

Essentially a tony residential neighborhood of spiffy pieds-à-terre, Victorian flats, Edwardian cottages, and boxlike condos, Russian Hill has some of the city's loveliest stairway walks...

• 11 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 6 Things To Do

Japantown

Though still the spiritual center of San Francisco's Japanese American community, Japantown feels somewhat adrift. The Japan Center mall, for instance, comes across as rather...

• 6 Restaurants
• 4 Hotels
• 10 Things To Do

Pacific Heights

Pacific Heights defines San Francisco's most expensive and dramatic real estate. Grand Victorians line the streets, mansions and town houses are priced in the millions...

• 10 Restaurants
• 6 Hotels
• 26 Things To Do

Mission Bay

San Francisco is a small city, but it can't really build much more. There is one major exception: Mission Bay. The name is confusing because...

• 4 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 2 Things To Do

SoMa

SoMa is less a neighborhood than a sprawling area of wide, traffic-heavy boulevards lined with office skyscrapers and ultrachic condo high-rises. The COVID-19 pandemic hit...

• 26 Restaurants
• 12 Hotels
• 49 Things To Do

Castro

The brash and sassy Castro district—the social, political, and cultural center of San Francisco's thriving gay (and, to a much lesser extent, lesbian) community—stands at...

• 9 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 18 Things To Do

Haight

During the 1960s, the siren song of free love, peace, and mind-altering substances lured thousands of young people to the Haight, a neighborhood just east...

• 5 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 20 Things To Do

Hayes Valley

A chic neighborhood due west of Civic Center, Hayes Valley has terrific eateries, cool watering holes, and great browsing in its funky clothing, home-decor, and...

• 16 Restaurants
• 4 Hotels
• 30 Things To Do

Noe Valley

This upscale but relaxed enclave just south of the Castro is among the city's most desirable places to live, with laid-back cafés, kid-friendly restaurants, and...

• 4 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 11 Things To Do

Cow Hollow

Between old-money Pacific Heights and the well-heeled, postcollegiate Marina lies comfortably upscale Cow Hollow. The neighborhood's name harks back to the 19th-century dairy farms whose...

• 10 Restaurants
• 5 Hotels
• 26 Things To Do

Marina

Well-funded postcollegiates and the nouveaux riches flooded the Marina after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake had sent many residents running for more-solid ground, changing the...

• 10 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 14 Things To Do

Presidio

At the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, one of city residents' favorite in-town getaways is the 1,400-plus-acre Presidio, which combines accessible nature-in-the-raw with a...

• 4 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 10 Things To Do

Embarcadero

Stretching from below the Bay Bridge to Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco's flat, accessible waterfront invites you to get up close and personal with the bay...

• 14 Restaurants
• 4 Hotels
• 16 Things To Do

Financial District

During the latter half of the 19th century, when San Francisco was a brawling, extravagant gold-rush town, today's Financial District (FiDi, for short) was underwater...

• 24 Restaurants
• 6 Hotels
• 13 Things To Do

Fisherman's Wharf

The crack of fresh Dungeness crab, the aroma of sourdough warm from the oven, the cry of the gulls—in some ways you can experience Fisherman's...

• 5 Restaurants
• 5 Hotels
• 13 Things To Do

Sunset District

Hugging the southern edge of Golden Gate Park and built atop the sand dunes that covered much of western San Francisco into the 19th century...

• 10 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 8 Things To Do

The Richmond District

In the mid-19th century, the western section of town just north of Golden Gate Park was known as the Outer Lands, and it was covered...

• 10 Restaurants
• 2 Hotels
• 9 Things To Do

Civic Center

San Francisco's eye-catching, gold-domed City Hall presides over this patchy neighborhood bordered roughly by Franklin, McAllister, Hyde, and Grove Streets. The optimistic "City Beautiful" movement...

• 1 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 15 Things To Do

Tenderloin

Stretching west of Union Square and north of Civic Center, the Tenderloin could be the city's poster child for urban challenges: low-income families huddle in...

• 6 Restaurants
• 3 Hotels
• 11 Things To Do

Union Square

The city's finest department stores put on their best faces in Union Square, along with such exclusive emporiums as Tiffany & Co. and Bulgari, and...

• 11 Restaurants
• 44 Hotels
• 61 Things To Do

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

The word “exceptional” best describes these two parks, which offer some of the nation’s greatest escapes. Drives along their byways deliver stunning vistas at nearly...

• 8 Restaurants
• 8 Hotels
• 61 Things To Do

The Bay Area

It's rare for a metropolis to compete with its suburbs for visitors, but the view from any of San Francisco's hilltops shows that the Bay...

• 138 Restaurants
• 50 Hotels
• 170 Things To Do

Half Moon Bay

It may be the largest and most visited of the coastal communities, but Half Moon Bay is still by all measures a small town. Turn...

• 8 Restaurants
• 6 Hotels
• 11 Things To Do

Moss Beach

• 1 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 1 Things To Do

Pacifica

• 3 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Pescadero

As you walk down Stage Road, Pescadero's main street, it's hard to believe you're only 30 minutes from Silicon Valley. If you could block out...

• 2 Restaurants
• 1 Hotels
• 5 Things To Do

The Central Coast

Balmy weather, glorious beaches, crystal-clear air, and serene landscapes have lured people to the Central Coast since prehistoric times. Today it’s also known for its...

• 93 Restaurants
• 79 Hotels
• 154 Things To Do

Central Big Sur

The countercultural spirit of Big Sur—which instead of a conventional town is a loose string of coast-hugging properties along Highway 1—is alive and well today...

• 0 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

Southern Big Sur

The countercultural spirit of Big Sur—a loose string of coast-hugging properties along Highway 1—is alive and well. Its few residents include the very wealthy, the...

• 0 Restaurants
• 0 Hotels
• 0 Things To Do

The Central Valley

In California’s family of diverse regions, the 225-mile-long Central Valley is literally and figuratively a middle sibling. Cradled between the popular coastal communities to the...

• 23 Restaurants
• 14 Hotels
• 55 Things To Do

The Far North

The Far North's soaring mountain peaks, trail-filled national forests, alpine lakes, and wild rivers teeming with trout make it the perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts...

• 25 Restaurants
• 19 Hotels
• 28 Things To Do

The Inland Empire

Threaded with rolling vineyards, homey agricultural towns, and mountain retreats, the Inland Empire has a humble allure. Often bypassed because of its freeway maze and...

• 28 Restaurants
• 14 Hotels
• 49 Things To Do

The Mojave Desert

Dust and desolation, tumbleweeds and rattlesnakes, barren landscapes and failed dreams—these are the bleak images that come to mind when most people hear the word...

• 15 Restaurants
• 10 Hotels
• 48 Things To Do

The Monterey Bay Area

North of Big Sur, the coastline softens into lower bluffs, windswept dunes, pristine estuaries, and long, sandy beaches bordering one of the world’s most amazing...

• 54 Restaurants
• 48 Hotels
• 104 Things To Do

The North Coast

The spectacular coastline of Sonoma, Mendocino, and Humboldt counties defies expectations. The Pacific Ocean defines the landscape, but instead of boardwalks and bikinis there are...

• 44 Restaurants
• 28 Hotels
• 57 Things To Do

The Southern Sierra

The granite peaks and ancient pines of the Eastern Sierra bedazzle heart and soul so completely that, for many visitors, the experience surpasses that at...

• 22 Restaurants
• 20 Hotels
• 19 Things To Do

Yosemite National Park

By merely standing in Yosemite Valley and turning in a circle, you can see more natural wonders in a minute than you could in a...

• 12 Restaurants
• 8 Hotels
• 51 Things To Do