Fodor's California
Ready to experience California? The experts at Fodor's are here to help. Fodor's...
California's endless wonders, from Yosemite National Park to Disneyland, are both natural and man-made. Soul-satisfying wilderness often lies close to urbane civilization. With the iconic Big Sur coast, dramatic Mojave Desert, and majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, sunny California indulges those in search of great surfing, hiking, and golfing. Other pleasures await, too: superb food in San Francisco, studio tours in Los Angeles, winery visits and spas in Napa and Sonoma. Follow a beach picnic with a city stroll and live the California dream.
Fodor's California
Ready to experience California? The experts at Fodor's are here to help. Fodor's...
Top Destinations
Top Destinations
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...
San Francisco
With its myriad hills and spectacular bay, San Francisco beguiles with natural beauty, vibrant neighborhoods, and contagious energy. From the...
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...
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...
The Central Coast
Balmy weather, glorious beaches, crystal-clear air, and serene landscapes have lured people to the Central Coast since prehistoric times. Today...
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 Area...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The North Coast
The spectacular coastline of Sonoma, Mendocino, and Humboldt counties defies expectations. The Pacific Ocean defines the landscape, but instead...
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 its...
Healdsburg
Sonoma County's ritziest town and the star of many a magazine spread or online feature, Healdsburg is located at the intersection of the Dry...
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 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...
The Inland Empire
Threaded with rolling vineyards, homey agricultural towns, and mountain retreats, the Inland Empire has a humble allure. Often bypassed because...
Napa
After many years as a blue-collar burg detached from the Wine Country scene, the Napa Valley's largest town (population about 80,000) has evolved...
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara has long been an oasis for Los Angelenos seeking respite from big-city life. The attractions begin at the ocean and end in the...
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...
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...
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 full day pretty...
Palm Springs
A tourist destination since the late 19th century, Palm Springs evolved into an ideal hideaway for early Hollywood celebrities who slipped into...
St. Helena
Downtown St. Helena is the very picture of good living in the Wine Country: sycamore trees arch over Main Street (Highway 29), where visitors...
Sonoma
One of the few towns in the valley with multiple attractions unrelated to food and wine, Sonoma has plenty to keep you busy for a couple of...
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...
Calistoga
The false-fronted shops, 19th-century buildings, and unpretentious tasting rooms lining the main drag of Lincoln Avenue give Calistoga a slightly...
Monterey
Monterey is a scenic city filled with early California history: adobe buildings from the 1700s, Colton Hall, where California’s first constitution...
Sacramento
All around the Golden State's seat of government you'll experience echoes of the gold-rush days, most notably in Old Sacramento, whose wooden...
Berkeley
Berkeley is the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, the radical hub of the 1960s, the home of arguably the nation's top public university...
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...
Yountville
Yountville (population about 3,000) is something like Disneyland for food lovers. It all started with Thomas Keller's The French Laundry, one...
Oakland
In contrast to San Francisco's buzz and beauty and Berkeley's storied counterculture, Oakland's allure lies in its amazing diversity. Here you...
Mammoth Lakes
International real-estate developers joined forces with Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to transform the once sleepy town of Mammoth Lakes (elevation...
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...
Paso Robles
In the 1860s, tourists began flocking to this ranching outpost to "take the cure" in a bathhouse fed by underground mineral hot springs. An...
Santa Cruz
The big city on this stretch of the California coast, Santa Cruz (pop. 63,364) is less manicured than Carmel or Monterey. Long known for its...
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Even when its population quadruples with tourists on weekends and in summer, Carmel-by-the-Sea, commonly referred to as Carmel, retains its...
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...
Santa Rosa
Urban Santa Rosa isn't as popular with tourists as many Wine Country destinations—which isn't surprising, seeing as there are more office parks...
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...
San Luis Obispo
About halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo spreads out below gentle hills and rocky extinct volcanoes. Its main appeal...
Temecula
Temecula, with its rolling green vineyards, country inns, and first-rate restaurants, bills itself as "Southern California Wine Country." The...
South Lake Tahoe
The city of South Lake Tahoe's raison d'être is tourism: the casinos of adjacent Stateline, Nevada; the ski slopes at Heavenly Mountain; the...
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...
Mill Valley
Chic and woodsy Mill Valley has a dual personality. Here, as elsewhere in the county, the foundation is a superb natural setting. Virtually...
Sausalito
Bougainvillea-covered hillsides and an expansive yacht harbor give Sausalito the feel of an Adriatic resort. The town sits on the northwestern...
Sebastopol
A stroll through downtown Sebastopol—a town formerly known more for Gravenstein apples than for grapes but these days a burgeoning wine hub...
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is all about the trees, and to understand the scale of these giants you must walk among them. If you do nothing else,...
Catalina Island
Just 22 miles out from the L.A. coastline, across from Newport Beach and Long Beach, Catalina has virtually unspoiled mountains, canyons, coves...
Point Reyes National Seashore
With sandy beaches stretching for miles, a dramatic rocky coastline, a gem of a lighthouse (Point Reyes Lighthouse: closed at this writing,...
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park consists of two sections that adjoin the northern boundary of Sequoia National Park. The western portion, covered...
Laguna Beach
Driving in along Laguna Canyon Road from the Interstate 405 freeway gives you the chance to cruise through a gorgeous coastal canyon, large...
Newport Beach
Newport Beach has evolved from a simple seaside village to an icon of chic coastal living. Its ritzy reputation comes from megayachts bobbing...
Truckee
Formerly a decrepit railroad town in the mountains, Truckee is now the trendy first stop for many Tahoe visitors. The town was officially established...
Glen Ellen
Craggy Glen Ellen epitomizes the difference between the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Whereas small Napa towns like St. Helena get their charm from...
Fresno
Fresno, with half a million people, is the center of the richest agricultural county in the United States. Cotton, grapes, and tomatoes are...
Outside Redwood National Park
The North Coast's largest city is Eureka, population 27,000 and the Humboldt County seat. Its Old Town has an alluring waterfront boardwalk...
Pinnacles National Park
President Theodore Roosevelt recognized the uniqueness of the Pinnacles Volcanic Formation—its jagged spires and monoliths thrusting upward...
Big Sur Coastline
Long a retreat of artists and writers, Big Sur is a place of ancient forests and rugged shoreline, stretching 90 miles from San Simeon to Carmel...
Avalon
Avalon, Catalina’s only real town, extends from the shore of its natural harbor to the surrounding hillsides. Its resident population is about...
Rutherford
The spot where Highway 29 meets Rutherford Road in the tiny community of Rutherford may well be the most significant wine-related intersection...
Disneyland Resort
The snowcapped Matterhorn, the centerpiece of Disneyland, punctuates the skyline of Anaheim. Since 1955, when Walt Disney chose this once-quiet...
Pacific Grove
This picturesque town, which began as a summer retreat for church groups more than a century ago, recalls its prim and proper Victorian heritage...
Placerville
It's hard to imagine now, but in 1849 about 4,000 miners staked out every gully and hillside in Placerville, turning the town into a rip-roaring...
Barstow
Barstow was born in 1886, when a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway began construction of a Harvey House depot and hotel...
Redding
A handy gateway to Lassen Volcanic National Park, Redding, population about 95,000, sits along the busy I–5 corridor, with attractions that...
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg is a working-class town that many feel is the most authentic place on the coast. The city maintains a local vibe since most people...
Tiburon
On a peninsula that was named Punta de Tiburón (Shark Point) by 18th-century Spanish explorers, this beautiful Marin County community retains...
Carmel Valley
Carmel Valley Road, which heads inland from Highway 1 south of Carmel, is the main thoroughfare through this valley, a secluded enclave of horse...
Cambria
Cambria, set on piney hills above the sea, was settled by Welsh miners in the 1890s. In the 1970s the isolated setting attracted artists and...
Murphys
A well-preserved hamlet of white-picket fences and Victorian houses, compact Murphys has an upscale yet unpretentious vibe. Shops and restaurants...
Huntington Beach
Once a sleepy residential town with little more than a string of rugged surf shops, Huntington Beach has transformed itself into a resort destination...
Lodi
With about 100,000 acres of mostly rich alluvial soils planted to more than six-dozen grape varietals—more types than in any other California...
Tahoe City
Tahoe City is the only lakeside town with a charming downtown area good for strolling and window-shopping. Stores and restaurants are all within...
Geyserville
Several high-profile Alexander Valley AVA wineries, including the splashy Francis Ford Coppola Winery, can be found in the town of Geyserville...
Bakersfield
Bakersfield's founder, Colonel Thomas Baker, arrived with the discovery of gold in the nearby Kern River valley in 1851. With 364,000 residents...
Kenwood
Tiny Kenwood consists of little more than a few restaurants, shops, tasting rooms, and a historic train depot, now used for private events....
Nevada City
Nevada City, once known as the Queen City of the Northern Mines, is the most appealing of the northern Mother Lode towns. The iron-shutter brick...
Morro Bay
Commercial fishermen slog around Morro Bay in galoshes, and beat-up fishing boats bob in the bay's protected waters. Nature-oriented activities...
Big Bear Lake
When Angelenos say they're going to the mountains, they usually mean Big Bear, where alpine-style villages surround the 7-mile-long lake. The...
Mendocino
A flourishing logging town in the late-19th century, Mendocino seduces 21st-century travelers with windswept cliffs, phenomenal Pacific Ocean...
Ventura
Ventura Harbor is home to myriad fishing boats, restaurants, and water-activity centers where you can rent boats and take harbor cruises. The...
Chico
Its name is Spanish for "small," but with a 40% increase in population between censuses, Chico outpaced Redding as the Far North's largest city...
Ojai
The Ojai Valley, which director Frank Capra used as a backdrop for his 1936 film Lost Horizon, sizzles in the summer when temperatures routinely...
Pismo Beach
About 20 miles of sandy shoreline—nicknamed the Bakersfield Riviera for the throngs of vacationers who come here from the Central Valley—begins...
Guerneville
Guerneville's tourist demographic has evolved over the years—Bay Area families in the 1950s, lesbians and gays starting in the 1970s, and these...
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...
Olympic Valley
Olympic Valley got its moniker in 1960, when its ski resort, Palisades Tahoe, hosted the Winter Olympics. Snow sports remain the primary activity...
Borrego Springs
The permanent population of Borrego Springs, set squarely in the middle of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, hovers around 2,500. From September...
Rancho Mirage
The rich and famous of Rancho Mirage live in beautiful estates and patronize elegant resorts and expensive restaurants. Although many mansions...
Solvang
You'll know you've reached the town of Solvang when the architecture suddenly changes to half-timber buildings and windmills. Danish educators...
Claremont
The seven Claremont Colleges are among the most prestigious in the nation, lending the town an ambitious and creative energy. The campuses are...
Outside Sequoia and Kings Canyon Nationa Parks
The already remote Sierra National Forest encircles much of Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, making them a wilderness within a wilderness. ...
Weaverville
Chinese miners erected the 1874 Joss House that anchors Weaverville's downtown historic district. The town, population about 3,200, is a popular...
Mt. Shasta
While a snow-covered dormant volcano is the area’s dazzling draw, the town of Mt. Shasta charms visitors with its small shops, friendly residents...
Eureka
An excellent place to fuel up, buy groceries, and learn a little about the region's mining, timber, and fishing pasts, historic Eureka was named...
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 onto Main Street...
Palm Desert
Palm Desert is a thriving retail and business community with popular restaurants, private and public golf courses, and premium shopping along...
Dana Point
Dana Point’s claim to fame is its small-boat marina tucked into a dramatic natural harbor and surrounded by high bluffs. The early-March Dana...
Grass Valley
More than half of California's total gold production was extracted from mines around Grass Valley, including the Empire Mine, among the Gold...
Corona del Mar
A small jewel on the Pacific Coast, Corona del Mar (known by locals as "CDM") has exceptional beaches that some say resemble their majestic...
Outside Yosemite National Park
Marking the southern end of the Sierra's gold-bearing mother lode, Mariposa is the last big town before you enter Yosemite on Route 140 to...
Modesto
Among the most striking "welcome to downtown" signs you'll see, the Modesto Arch, at 9th and I streets, bears the city's motto: "Water, Wealth...
Bodega Bay
Pockets of modernity notwithstanding, this commercial fishing town retains the workaday vibe of its cinematic turn in Alfred Hitchcock's The...
Avila Beach
Because the village of Avila Beach and the sandy, cove-front shoreline for which it's named face south into the Pacific Ocean, they get more...
Sutter Creek
Sutter Creek is a charming conglomeration of balconied buildings, Victorian homes, and neo–New England structures. At any time of year Main...
Carnelian Bay to Kings Beach
The small lakeside commercial districts of Carnelian Bay and Tahoe Vista service the thousand or so locals who live in the area year-round and...
Davis
Davis began as a rich agricultural area and remains one, but it doesn't feel like a cow town. It's home to the University of California at Davis...
Pebble Beach
In 1919 the Pacific Improvement Company acquired 18,000 acres of prime land on the Monterey Peninsula, including the entire Pebble Beach coastal...
Merced
The 2005 debut of a branch of the University of California helped spur redevelopment in Merced County’s seat of government. The transformation...
Oakhurst
Motels, restaurants, gas stations, and small businesses line Highway 41 in Oakhurst, the last sizable community before Yosemite National Park...
Visalia
Visalia's combination of a reliable agricultural economy and civic pride has produced the Central Valley's most vibrant downtown, with numerous...
Three Rivers
Three Rivers is a good spot to find a room when park lodgings are full. Either because residents here appreciate their idyllic setting or because...
Oakville
Barely a blip on the landscape as you drive north on Highway 29, Oakville is marked mainly by its grocery store, but the town's small size belies...
Quincy
A center for mining and logging in the 1850s, Quincy is nestled against the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. The county seat and largest...
Auburn
Halfway between San Francisco and Reno, Auburn is convenient to gold-rush sites, outdoor recreation opportunities, and wineries. The self-proclaimed...
Palmdale
Before proclaiming itself the aerospace capital of the world, the town of Palmdale was an agricultural community. Settlers of Swiss and German...
Outside Death Valley National Park
Founded at the turn of the 20th century, Beatty sits 16 miles east of the California-Nevada border on Death Valley's northern side. Named...
Forestville
To experience the Russian River AVA's climate and rusticity, follow the river's westward course to the town of Forestville, home to a highly...
San Juan Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano is best known for its historic mission, where the swallows traditionally return each year, migrating from their winter haven...
Shenandoah Valley
The most concentrated Gold Country wine-touring area lies in the hills of the Shenandoah Valley, east of Plymouth—you could easily spend two...
Outside Lassen Volcanic National Park
Located in remote northeastern California, Lassen has few towns of any real size around it, although you will find a smattering of places to...
Bishop
One of the biggest towns along U.S. 395, bustling Bishop has views of the Sierra Nevada and the White and Inyo mountains. First settled by the...
Los Olivos
This pretty village was once on Spanish-built El Camino Real (Royal Road) and later a stop on major stagecoach and rail routes. Tasting rooms...
Long Beach and San Pedro
...
Kernville
The wild Kern River, which flows through Kernville en route from Mt. Whitney to Bakersfield, delivers some of the most exciting white-water...
Indio
Indio is the home of the renowned date shake: an extremely thick and sweet milkshake made with dates. The city and surrounding countryside generate...
Red Bluff
Red Bluff is a gateway to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Established in the mid-19th century as a shipping center on the Sacramento River, and...
San Simeon
Whalers founded San Simeon in the 1850s, but had virtually abandoned it by 1865, when Senator George Hearst began purchasing most of the surrounding...
Buellton
A crossroads town at the intersection of U.S. 101 and Highway 246, Buellton has evolved from a sleepy gas and coffee stop into an enclave of...
La Quinta
The desert became a Hollywood hideout in the 1920s, when La Quinta Hotel (now La Quinta Resort and Club) opened, introducing the Coachella Valley...
Victorville
At the southwest corner of the Mojave is sprawling Victorville, a town with a rich Route 66 heritage and a museum dedicated to the Mother Road...
Lancaster
Points of interest around Lancaster include a state poppy reserve that bursts to life in the spring and Edwards Air Force Base, which many consider...
Yucca Valley
One of the high desert's fastest-growing cities, Yucca Valley is emerging as a bedroom community for people who work as far away as Ontario...
Ridgecrest
A military town that serves the U.S. Naval Weapons Center to its north, Ridgecrest has scores of stores, restaurants, and hotels. With about...
Graton
Steps from Sebastopol and near Occidental, tiny Graton has a one-block main drag one can stroll in two minutes—although it’s possible to while...
Lee Vining
Tiny Lee Vining is known primarily as the eastern gateway to Yosemite National Park (summer only) and the location of vast and desolate Mono...
Indian Wells
For the most part a quiet and exclusive residential enclave, Indian Wells hosts major tennis tournaments throughout the year, including the...
Dunsmuir
Surrounded by towering forests and boasting world-class upper Sacramento River fly-fishing, Dunsmuir acquired its current moniker when a Scottish...
Aptos
Backed by a redwood forest and facing the sea, downtown Aptos—known as Aptos Village—is a place of wooden walkways and false-fronted shops....
Outside Channel Islands National Park
With a population of nearly 110,000, Ventura is the main gateway to Channel Islands National Park. It's a classic California beach town filled...
Ferndale
Ferndale, best known for its colorful Victorian architecture, is worth the 5-mile detour off U.S. 101. Many shops and the local museum carry...
Santa Ynez
Founded in 1882, the tiny town of Santa Ynez still has many of its original frontier buildings. You can walk through its three-block downtown...
Moss Landing
Moss Landing is not much more than a couple of blocks of cafés and restaurants, art galleries, and studios, plus a busy fishing port, but therein...
Jamestown
Jamestown supplies a touristy view of life during the two gold rushes in these parts. The first took place in the 1850s, the second in the 1880s...
Jackson
Jackson wasn't the Gold Country's rowdiest town, but the party lasted longer here than most anywhere else: "girls' dormitories" (aka brothels...
Lake Shasta Area
The city of Shasta Lake, population about 10,000, is a portal to water, wilderness, and dazzling stalagmites, with the monolithic Shasta Dam...
Oak Glen
More than 60 varieties of apples are grown in Oak Glen. This rustic village in the foothills above Yucaipa is home to acres of farms, produce...
Capitola and Soquel
On the National Register of Historic places as California’s first seaside resort town, the village of Capitola has been in a holiday mood since...
Occidental
A village surrounded by redwood forests, orchards, and vineyards, Occidental is a former logging hub with a bohemian vibe. The small downtown...
Mariposa
Mariposa marks the southern end of the Mother Lode. Much of the land in this area was part of a 44,000-acre land grant Colonel John C. Fremont...
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...
Idyllwild
Set in a valley halfway up Mt. San Jacinto, Idyllwild has been a serene forested getaway for San Diegans and Angelenos for nearly a century...
Pomona
The green hills of Pomona, dotted with horses and houses, are perhaps best known as the site of the Los Angeles County Fair and of California...
The Marin Headlands
The term "Golden Gate" has become synonymous with the world-famous bridge, but it was first given to the narrow waterway that connects the Pacific...
Stinson Beach
This laid-back hamlet is all about the beach, and folks come from all over the Bay Area to walk its sandy, often windswept shore. An ideal day...
Woodland
In its heyday, Woodland was among California's wealthiest cities. Established by gold seekers and entrepreneurs, it later became an agricultural...
Stockton
California's first inland port—connected since 1933 to San Francisco via a 60-mile-long deepwater channel—is wedged between Interstate 5 and...
Alturas
Alturas is the county seat and largest town in Modoc County. The Dorris family arrived in the area in 1874, built Dorris Bridge over the Pit...
Susanville
From Susanville, established as a trading post in 1854, you have an easy, though at least hour-long, approach to Lassen's northeastern (Butte...
Chester
A gateway to Lassen Volcanic National Park on Lake Almanor's north shore, Chester, population 2,200, supports locals and tourists with modest...
Hanford
Founded in 1877 as a Southern Pacific Railroad stop, Hanford had one of California's largest Chinatowns—the Chinese came to help build the railroads...
Needles
Along Route 66 and the Colorado River, Needles is a decent base for exploring Mojave National Preserve and other desert attractions. Founded...
Lone Pine
Mt. Whitney towers majestically over this tiny community, which supplied nearby gold- and silver-mining outposts in the 1860s, and for the past...
Riverside
By 1882 Riverside was home to more than half of California's citrus groves, making it the state's wealthiest city per capita in 1895. The prosperity...
Trinidad
A mellow base for exploring the southern portion of Redwood National and State Parks, coastal Trinidad got its name from the Spanish mariners...
Cathedral City
Cathedral City is more residential than tourist-oriented, with large and small malls everywhere, but the city has several good restaurants and...
Gualala
This former lumber port on the Gualala River, a good base for exploring the southern Mendocino coast, has all the basic services plus an arts...
Joshua Tree
...
Redlands
Redlands lies at the center of what once was the largest navel orange–producing region in the world. Orange groves are still plentiful throughout...
Rancho Cucamonga
Once a thriving wine-making area with more than 50,000 acres of wine grapes, Rancho Cucamonga—the oldest wine district in California—lost most...
Outside Joshua Tree National Park
...
Freestone
...
Lake Arrowhead
Lake Arrowhead Village is an alpine community with lodgings, shops, outlet stores, and eateries that descend a hill to the lake. Outside the...
Outside Pinnacles National Park
The small town of Soledad, just outside the park's western entrance, is most famous as the setting of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, ...
Elk
In this quiet town on the cliff above Greenwood Cove, just about every spot has a view of the rocky coastline and stunning Pacific sunsets....
Oakdale
Oakdale was founded as an orchard community and, in a real stretch, calls itself the Cowboy Capital of the World. Formerly the home of a Hershey...
Fish Camp
As you climb in elevation along Highway 41 northbound, you see nothing but trees until you get to Fish Camp, where there's a post office and...
Randsburg
Randsburg and nearby Red Mountain and Johannesburg make up the Rand Mining District, which first boomed with the discovery of gold in the Rand...
Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs's famous mineral waters, thought by some to have curative powers, bubble up at temperatures of 90°F to 148°F and flow into...
Independence
Named for a military outpost that was established near here in 1862, sleepy Independence has some wonderful historic buildings and is worth...
Twentynine Palms
...
Lompoc
Known as the flower-seed capital of the world, Lompoc is blanketed with vast fields of brightly colored flowers that bloom from May through...
Little River
The town of Little River is not much more than a post office and a convenience store; Albion, its neighbor to the south, is even smaller. Along...
Sonora
One of several southern Gold Country gateways to Yosemite National Park, Sonora was the biggest town in the Mother Lode. Reminders of the gold...
Point Arena
Occupied by longtime locals and long-haired surfers, this former timber town on Highway 1 is part New Age, part rowdy, and always laid-back...
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...
Emerald Bay State Park
You can hike, bike, swim, camp, scuba dive, kayak, or tour a look-alike Viking castle at this state park. Or you can simply enjoy the most popular...
Mojave National Preserve
The 1.6 million acres of the Mojave National Preserve hold a surprising abundance of plant and animal life—especially considering their elevation...
Angels Camp
Angels Camp is famous chiefly for its May jumping-frog contest, based on Mark Twain's short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras...
Knott's Berry Farm
Once an actual farm, Knott's Berry Farm now offers a non-Disney theme park option for anyone with a love of roller coasters and boysenberries. ...
Columbia
Columbia is the gateway for Columbia State Historic Park, one of the Gold Country's most visited sites. It's a great place for families to...
El Portal
The market in town is a good place to pick up provisions before you get to Yosemite. You'll find a post office and a gas station, but not much else. ...
Muir Beach
Except on the sunniest of weekends, Muir Beach is relatively quiet, but the drive to this community and beach is a scenic adventure. ...
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Conservationists banded together a century ago as the Save the Redwoods League and scored a crucial victory when a memorial grove was dedicated...
Salinas
Salinas, a hardworking city surrounded by vineyards and fruit and vegetable fields, honors the memory and literary legacy of John Steinbeck...
Ontario
Ontario has a rich agricultural and industrial heritage. The valley's warm climate once supported vineyards that produced grape varietals such...
Corona
Corona's Temescal Canyon is named for the dome-shaped mud saunas that the Luiseño Indians built around the area's artesian hot springs in the...
Pope-Baldwin Recreation Area
To the west of downtown South Lake Tahoe, U.S. 50 and Highway 89 come together, forming an intersection nicknamed "the Y." If you head northwest...
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea, one of the largest inland seas on Earth, is the product of both natural and artificial forces. The sea occupies the Salton Basin...
Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
Visitors love to hike, swim, and fish here in the summer, but this park is also popular in winter, when a small campground remains open. Eleven...
Tahoma
With its rustic waterfront vacation cottages, Tahoma exemplifies life on the lake in its quiet early days before bright-lights casinos and huge...
Mt. Tamalpais State Park
The view of Mt. Tamalpais from all around the bay can be a beauty, but that’s nothing compared to the views from the mountain, which take...
Bass Lake
Almost surrounded by the Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake is a reservoir whose waters can reach 80ºF in summer. Created by a dam on a tributary...
Salt Point State Park
Enjoy dramatic views, forested acres, and a rocky, rugged shoreline along Highway 1’s 5-mile route through this park. With the hiking, picnicking...
Jenner
The Russian River empties into the Pacific Ocean at Jenner, a wide spot in the road where houses dot a mountainside high above the sea. Facing...
Anderson Valley
At the town of Albion, Highway 128 leads southeast into the Anderson Valley, Mendocino's primary wine-growing region. Most of the first 13 miles...
Amador City
The history of tiny Amador City (population less than 200) mirrors the boom-bust-boom cycle of many Gold Country towns. With an output of $42...
McArthur–Burney Falls Memorial State Park
One of the most spectacular sights in the Far North is Burney Falls, where countless ribbon-like streams pour from moss-covered crevices. The...
Coloma
The California gold rush started in Coloma when James W. Marshall discovered flecks of metal in the bottom of a ditch. “Boys, I believe I’ve...
San Juan Bautista
Much of the small town that grew up around Mission San Juan Bautista, still a working church, has been protected from development since 1933...
Fort Ross State Historic Park
With its reconstructed Russian Orthodox chapel, stockade, and officials' quarters, Fort Ross looks much the way it did after the Russians made...
D.L. Bliss State Park
This park shares 6 miles of shoreline with adjacent Emerald Bay State Park and has two white-sand beaches. Hike the Rubicon Trail for stunning...
Año Nuevo State Reserve
A beautiful park year-round, Año Nuevo State Reserve bustles during elephant seal mating season, from mid-December through March. ...
Red Rock Canyon State Park
On the stretch of Highway 14 that slices through Red Rock Canyon State Park, it’s easy to become caught up in the momentum of rushing to your...
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
In 1908 army chaplain and former slave Colonel Allen Allensworth and a group of African Americans decided to move west to create a community...
Bolinas
The tiny town of Bolinas wears its 1960s idealism on its sleeve, attracting potters, poets, and peace lovers to its quiet streets. With a funky...
Muir Woods National Monument
Climbing hundreds of feet into the sky, Sequoia sempervirens are the tallest living things on Earth—some are more than 1,800 years old. One...
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Home to some grand redwoods and terrain that varies from rocky coastal coves to dense forestland, the 18,000-acre Big Basin has a human history...
Bodie State Historic Park
Bodie State Historic Park's scenery is spectacular, with craggy, snowcapped peaks looming over vast prairies. The town of Bridgeport is the...
Carneros District
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Baker
...
Cerro Gordo Ghost Town
...
Manzanar National Historic Site
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Primm, NV
...
Watsonville
...
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...
San Francisco
With its myriad hills and spectacular bay, San Francisco beguiles with natural beauty, vibrant neighborhoods, and contagious energy. From the...
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...
Healdsburg
Sonoma County's ritziest town and the star of many a magazine spread or online feature, Healdsburg is located at the intersection of the Dry...
Napa
After many years as a blue-collar burg detached from the Wine Country scene, the Napa Valley's largest town (population about 80,000) has evolved...
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara has long been an oasis for Los Angelenos seeking respite from big-city life. The attractions begin at the ocean and end in the...
Palm Springs
A tourist destination since the late 19th century, Palm Springs evolved into an ideal hideaway for early Hollywood celebrities who slipped into...
St. Helena
Downtown St. Helena is the very picture of good living in the Wine Country: sycamore trees arch over Main Street (Highway 29), where visitors...
Sonoma
One of the few towns in the valley with multiple attractions unrelated to food and wine, Sonoma has plenty to keep you busy for a couple of...
Monterey
Monterey is a scenic city filled with early California history: adobe buildings from the 1700s, Colton Hall, where California’s first constitution...
Calistoga
The false-fronted shops, 19th-century buildings, and unpretentious tasting rooms lining the main drag of Lincoln Avenue give Calistoga a slightly...
Sacramento
All around the Golden State's seat of government you'll experience echoes of the gold-rush days, most notably in Old Sacramento, whose wooden...
Berkeley
Berkeley is the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, the radical hub of the 1960s, the home of arguably the nation's top public university...
Oakland
In contrast to San Francisco's buzz and beauty and Berkeley's storied counterculture, Oakland's allure lies in its amazing diversity. Here you...
Yountville
Yountville (population about 3,000) is something like Disneyland for food lovers. It all started with Thomas Keller's The French Laundry, one...
Mammoth Lakes
International real-estate developers joined forces with Mammoth Mountain Ski Area to transform the once sleepy town of Mammoth Lakes (elevation...
Paso Robles
In the 1860s, tourists began flocking to this ranching outpost to "take the cure" in a bathhouse fed by underground mineral hot springs. An...
Santa Cruz
The big city on this stretch of the California coast, Santa Cruz (pop. 63,364) is less manicured than Carmel or Monterey. Long known for its...
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Even when its population quadruples with tourists on weekends and in summer, Carmel-by-the-Sea, commonly referred to as Carmel, retains its...
Santa Rosa
Urban Santa Rosa isn't as popular with tourists as many Wine Country destinations—which isn't surprising, seeing as there are more office parks...
San Luis Obispo
About halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo spreads out below gentle hills and rocky extinct volcanoes. Its main appeal...
South Lake Tahoe
The city of South Lake Tahoe's raison d'être is tourism: the casinos of adjacent Stateline, Nevada; the ski slopes at Heavenly Mountain; the...
Temecula
Temecula, with its rolling green vineyards, country inns, and first-rate restaurants, bills itself as "Southern California Wine Country." The...
Sausalito
Bougainvillea-covered hillsides and an expansive yacht harbor give Sausalito the feel of an Adriatic resort. The town sits on the northwestern...
Mill Valley
Chic and woodsy Mill Valley has a dual personality. Here, as elsewhere in the county, the foundation is a superb natural setting. Virtually...
Sebastopol
A stroll through downtown Sebastopol—a town formerly known more for Gravenstein apples than for grapes but these days a burgeoning wine hub...
Point Reyes National Seashore
With sandy beaches stretching for miles, a dramatic rocky coastline, a gem of a lighthouse (Point Reyes Lighthouse: closed at this writing,...
Laguna Beach
Driving in along Laguna Canyon Road from the Interstate 405 freeway gives you the chance to cruise through a gorgeous coastal canyon, large...
Newport Beach
Newport Beach has evolved from a simple seaside village to an icon of chic coastal living. Its ritzy reputation comes from megayachts bobbing...
Truckee
Formerly a decrepit railroad town in the mountains, Truckee is now the trendy first stop for many Tahoe visitors. The town was officially established...
Fresno
Fresno, with half a million people, is the center of the richest agricultural county in the United States. Cotton, grapes, and tomatoes are...
Glen Ellen
Craggy Glen Ellen epitomizes the difference between the Napa and Sonoma valleys. Whereas small Napa towns like St. Helena get their charm from...
Avalon
Avalon, Catalina’s only real town, extends from the shore of its natural harbor to the surrounding hillsides. Its resident population is about...
Rutherford
The spot where Highway 29 meets Rutherford Road in the tiny community of Rutherford may well be the most significant wine-related intersection...
Pacific Grove
This picturesque town, which began as a summer retreat for church groups more than a century ago, recalls its prim and proper Victorian heritage...
Placerville
It's hard to imagine now, but in 1849 about 4,000 miners staked out every gully and hillside in Placerville, turning the town into a rip-roaring...
Barstow
Barstow was born in 1886, when a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway began construction of a Harvey House depot and hotel...
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg is a working-class town that many feel is the most authentic place on the coast. The city maintains a local vibe since most people...
Tiburon
On a peninsula that was named Punta de Tiburón (Shark Point) by 18th-century Spanish explorers, this beautiful Marin County community retains...
Carmel Valley
Carmel Valley Road, which heads inland from Highway 1 south of Carmel, is the main thoroughfare through this valley, a secluded enclave of horse...
Redding
A handy gateway to Lassen Volcanic National Park, Redding, population about 95,000, sits along the busy I–5 corridor, with attractions that...
Murphys
A well-preserved hamlet of white-picket fences and Victorian houses, compact Murphys has an upscale yet unpretentious vibe. Shops and restaurants...
Huntington Beach
Once a sleepy residential town with little more than a string of rugged surf shops, Huntington Beach has transformed itself into a resort destination...
Cambria
Cambria, set on piney hills above the sea, was settled by Welsh miners in the 1890s. In the 1970s the isolated setting attracted artists and...
Lodi
With about 100,000 acres of mostly rich alluvial soils planted to more than six-dozen grape varietals—more types than in any other California...
Kenwood
Tiny Kenwood consists of little more than a few restaurants, shops, tasting rooms, and a historic train depot, now used for private events....
Morro Bay
Commercial fishermen slog around Morro Bay in galoshes, and beat-up fishing boats bob in the bay's protected waters. Nature-oriented activities...
Tahoe City
Tahoe City is the only lakeside town with a charming downtown area good for strolling and window-shopping. Stores and restaurants are all within...
Bakersfield
Bakersfield's founder, Colonel Thomas Baker, arrived with the discovery of gold in the nearby Kern River valley in 1851. With 364,000 residents...
Nevada City
Nevada City, once known as the Queen City of the Northern Mines, is the most appealing of the northern Mother Lode towns. The iron-shutter brick...
Petaluma
The first thing you should know about Petaluma is that this is a farm town—with 62,500 residents, a large one—and the residents are proud of...
Geyserville
Several high-profile Alexander Valley AVA wineries, including the splashy Francis Ford Coppola Winery, can be found in the town of Geyserville...
Chico
Its name is Spanish for "small," but with a 40% increase in population between censuses, Chico outpaced Redding as the Far North's largest city...
Ojai
The Ojai Valley, which director Frank Capra used as a backdrop for his 1936 film Lost Horizon, sizzles in the summer when temperatures routinely...
Ventura
Ventura Harbor is home to myriad fishing boats, restaurants, and water-activity centers where you can rent boats and take harbor cruises. The...
Mendocino
A flourishing logging town in the late-19th century, Mendocino seduces 21st-century travelers with windswept cliffs, phenomenal Pacific Ocean...
Pismo Beach
About 20 miles of sandy shoreline—nicknamed the Bakersfield Riviera for the throngs of vacationers who come here from the Central Valley—begins...
Big Bear Lake
When Angelenos say they're going to the mountains, they usually mean Big Bear, where alpine-style villages surround the 7-mile-long lake. The...
Guerneville
Guerneville's tourist demographic has evolved over the years—Bay Area families in the 1950s, lesbians and gays starting in the 1970s, and these...
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...
Olympic Valley
Olympic Valley got its moniker in 1960, when its ski resort, Palisades Tahoe, hosted the Winter Olympics. Snow sports remain the primary activity...
Rancho Mirage
The rich and famous of Rancho Mirage live in beautiful estates and patronize elegant resorts and expensive restaurants. Although many mansions...
Borrego Springs
The permanent population of Borrego Springs, set squarely in the middle of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, hovers around 2,500. From September...
Solvang
You'll know you've reached the town of Solvang when the architecture suddenly changes to half-timber buildings and windmills. Danish educators...
Philo
Many wineries straddle Highway 128 in Philo, where the tasting rooms are more low-key than their counterparts in Napa. The wineries here, however...
Weaverville
Chinese miners erected the 1874 Joss House that anchors Weaverville's downtown historic district. The town, population about 3,200, is a popular...
Mt. Shasta
While a snow-covered dormant volcano is the area’s dazzling draw, the town of Mt. Shasta charms visitors with its small shops, friendly residents...
Eureka
An excellent place to fuel up, buy groceries, and learn a little about the region's mining, timber, and fishing pasts, historic Eureka was named...
Claremont
The seven Claremont Colleges are among the most prestigious in the nation, lending the town an ambitious and creative energy. The campuses are...
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 onto Main Street...
Palm Desert
Palm Desert is a thriving retail and business community with popular restaurants, private and public golf courses, and premium shopping along...
Dana Point
Dana Point’s claim to fame is its small-boat marina tucked into a dramatic natural harbor and surrounded by high bluffs. The early-March Dana...
Modesto
Among the most striking "welcome to downtown" signs you'll see, the Modesto Arch, at 9th and I streets, bears the city's motto: "Water, Wealth...
Corona del Mar
A small jewel on the Pacific Coast, Corona del Mar (known by locals as "CDM") has exceptional beaches that some say resemble their majestic...
Grass Valley
More than half of California's total gold production was extracted from mines around Grass Valley, including the Empire Mine, among the Gold...
Bodega Bay
Pockets of modernity notwithstanding, this commercial fishing town retains the workaday vibe of its cinematic turn in Alfred Hitchcock's The...
Davis
Davis began as a rich agricultural area and remains one, but it doesn't feel like a cow town. It's home to the University of California at Davis...
Sutter Creek
Sutter Creek is a charming conglomeration of balconied buildings, Victorian homes, and neo–New England structures. At any time of year Main...
Carnelian Bay to Kings Beach
The small lakeside commercial districts of Carnelian Bay and Tahoe Vista service the thousand or so locals who live in the area year-round and...
Merced
The 2005 debut of a branch of the University of California helped spur redevelopment in Merced County’s seat of government. The transformation...
Visalia
Visalia's combination of a reliable agricultural economy and civic pride has produced the Central Valley's most vibrant downtown, with numerous...
Avila Beach
Because the village of Avila Beach and the sandy, cove-front shoreline for which it's named face south into the Pacific Ocean, they get more...
Pebble Beach
In 1919 the Pacific Improvement Company acquired 18,000 acres of prime land on the Monterey Peninsula, including the entire Pebble Beach coastal...
Hopland
U.S. 101 briefly narrows to one lane in each direction to become this small town's main drag. For many years a center for the cultivation and...
Boonville
At first glance Boonville, population a little more than 1,000, looks pretty much as it has for decades, with the 19th-century Boonville Hotel...
Oakhurst
Motels, restaurants, gas stations, and small businesses line Highway 41 in Oakhurst, the last sizable community before Yosemite National Park...
Auburn
Halfway between San Francisco and Reno, Auburn is convenient to gold-rush sites, outdoor recreation opportunities, and wineries. The self-proclaimed...
Quincy
A center for mining and logging in the 1850s, Quincy is nestled against the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. The county seat and largest...
Palmdale
Before proclaiming itself the aerospace capital of the world, the town of Palmdale was an agricultural community. Settlers of Swiss and German...
Oakville
Barely a blip on the landscape as you drive north on Highway 29, Oakville is marked mainly by its grocery store, but the town's small size belies...
Three Rivers
Three Rivers is a good spot to find a room when park lodgings are full. Either because residents here appreciate their idyllic setting or because...
Los Olivos
This pretty village was once on Spanish-built El Camino Real (Royal Road) and later a stop on major stagecoach and rail routes. Tasting rooms...
Shenandoah Valley
The most concentrated Gold Country wine-touring area lies in the hills of the Shenandoah Valley, east of Plymouth—you could easily spend two...
Indio
Indio is the home of the renowned date shake: an extremely thick and sweet milkshake made with dates. The city and surrounding countryside generate...
Long Beach and San Pedro
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Bishop
One of the biggest towns along U.S. 395, bustling Bishop has views of the Sierra Nevada and the White and Inyo mountains. First settled by the...
Kernville
The wild Kern River, which flows through Kernville en route from Mt. Whitney to Bakersfield, delivers some of the most exciting white-water...
San Juan Capistrano
San Juan Capistrano is best known for its historic mission, where the swallows traditionally return each year, migrating from their winter haven...
Forestville
To experience the Russian River AVA's climate and rusticity, follow the river's westward course to the town of Forestville, home to a highly...
Lee Vining
Tiny Lee Vining is known primarily as the eastern gateway to Yosemite National Park (summer only) and the location of vast and desolate Mono...
Buellton
A crossroads town at the intersection of U.S. 101 and Highway 246, Buellton has evolved from a sleepy gas and coffee stop into an enclave of...
San Simeon
Whalers founded San Simeon in the 1850s, but had virtually abandoned it by 1865, when Senator George Hearst began purchasing most of the surrounding...
La Quinta
The desert became a Hollywood hideout in the 1920s, when La Quinta Hotel (now La Quinta Resort and Club) opened, introducing the Coachella Valley...
Indian Wells
For the most part a quiet and exclusive residential enclave, Indian Wells hosts major tennis tournaments throughout the year, including the...
Red Bluff
Red Bluff is a gateway to Lassen Volcanic National Park. Established in the mid-19th century as a shipping center on the Sacramento River, and...
Victorville
At the southwest corner of the Mojave is sprawling Victorville, a town with a rich Route 66 heritage and a museum dedicated to the Mother Road...
Ridgecrest
A military town that serves the U.S. Naval Weapons Center to its north, Ridgecrest has scores of stores, restaurants, and hotels. With about...
Lancaster
Points of interest around Lancaster include a state poppy reserve that bursts to life in the spring and Edwards Air Force Base, which many consider...
Graton
Steps from Sebastopol and near Occidental, tiny Graton has a one-block main drag one can stroll in two minutes—although it’s possible to while...
Lake Shasta Area
The city of Shasta Lake, population about 10,000, is a portal to water, wilderness, and dazzling stalagmites, with the monolithic Shasta Dam...
Jackson
Jackson wasn't the Gold Country's rowdiest town, but the party lasted longer here than most anywhere else: "girls' dormitories" (aka brothels...
Moss Landing
Moss Landing is not much more than a couple of blocks of cafés and restaurants, art galleries, and studios, plus a busy fishing port, but therein...
Ukiah
About 16,000 people live in Ukiah, the Mendocino County seat and largest town. Logging and beer hops were two prominent industries starting...
Dunsmuir
Surrounded by towering forests and boasting world-class upper Sacramento River fly-fishing, Dunsmuir acquired its current moniker when a Scottish...
Occidental
A village surrounded by redwood forests, orchards, and vineyards, Occidental is a former logging hub with a bohemian vibe. The small downtown...
Ferndale
Ferndale, best known for its colorful Victorian architecture, is worth the 5-mile detour off U.S. 101. Many shops and the local museum carry...
Capitola and Soquel
On the National Register of Historic places as California’s first seaside resort town, the village of Capitola has been in a holiday mood since...
Santa Ynez
Founded in 1882, the tiny town of Santa Ynez still has many of its original frontier buildings. You can walk through its three-block downtown...
Mariposa
Mariposa marks the southern end of the Mother Lode. Much of the land in this area was part of a 44,000-acre land grant Colonel John C. Fremont...
Oak Glen
More than 60 varieties of apples are grown in Oak Glen. This rustic village in the foothills above Yucaipa is home to acres of farms, produce...
Jamestown
Jamestown supplies a touristy view of life during the two gold rushes in these parts. The first took place in the 1850s, the second in the 1880s...
Idyllwild
Set in a valley halfway up Mt. San Jacinto, Idyllwild has been a serene forested getaway for San Diegans and Angelenos for nearly a century...
Aptos
Backed by a redwood forest and facing the sea, downtown Aptos—known as Aptos Village—is a place of wooden walkways and false-fronted shops....
Riverside
By 1882 Riverside was home to more than half of California's citrus groves, making it the state's wealthiest city per capita in 1895. The prosperity...
Hanford
Founded in 1877 as a Southern Pacific Railroad stop, Hanford had one of California's largest Chinatowns—the Chinese came to help build the railroads...
Stockton
California's first inland port—connected since 1933 to San Francisco via a 60-mile-long deepwater channel—is wedged between Interstate 5 and...
Pomona
The green hills of Pomona, dotted with horses and houses, are perhaps best known as the site of the Los Angeles County Fair and of California...
Alturas
Alturas is the county seat and largest town in Modoc County. The Dorris family arrived in the area in 1874, built Dorris Bridge over the Pit...
Chester
A gateway to Lassen Volcanic National Park on Lake Almanor's north shore, Chester, population 2,200, supports locals and tourists with modest...
Susanville
From Susanville, established as a trading post in 1854, you have an easy, though at least hour-long, approach to Lassen's northeastern (Butte...
Stinson Beach
This laid-back hamlet is all about the beach, and folks come from all over the Bay Area to walk its sandy, often windswept shore. An ideal day...
Woodland
In its heyday, Woodland was among California's wealthiest cities. Established by gold seekers and entrepreneurs, it later became an agricultural...
Gualala
This former lumber port on the Gualala River, a good base for exploring the southern Mendocino coast, has all the basic services plus an arts...
Cathedral City
Cathedral City is more residential than tourist-oriented, with large and small malls everywhere, but the city has several good restaurants and...
Lone Pine
Mt. Whitney towers majestically over this tiny community, which supplied nearby gold- and silver-mining outposts in the 1860s, and for the past...
Trinidad
A mellow base for exploring the southern portion of Redwood National and State Parks, coastal Trinidad got its name from the Spanish mariners...
Needles
Along Route 66 and the Colorado River, Needles is a decent base for exploring Mojave National Preserve and other desert attractions. Founded...
Freestone
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Joshua Tree
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Corning
Signs along Highway 99 and I–5 beckon travelers to Corning, whose favorable soil and plentiful sunshine have made the town a center of olive...
Lake Arrowhead
Lake Arrowhead Village is an alpine community with lodgings, shops, outlet stores, and eateries that descend a hill to the lake. Outside the...
Elk
In this quiet town on the cliff above Greenwood Cove, just about every spot has a view of the rocky coastline and stunning Pacific sunsets....
Rancho Cucamonga
Once a thriving wine-making area with more than 50,000 acres of wine grapes, Rancho Cucamonga—the oldest wine district in California—lost most...
Oakdale
Oakdale was founded as an orchard community and, in a real stretch, calls itself the Cowboy Capital of the World. Formerly the home of a Hershey...
Redlands
Redlands lies at the center of what once was the largest navel orange–producing region in the world. Orange groves are still plentiful throughout...
Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs's famous mineral waters, thought by some to have curative powers, bubble up at temperatures of 90°F to 148°F and flow into...
Randsburg
Randsburg and nearby Red Mountain and Johannesburg make up the Rand Mining District, which first boomed with the discovery of gold in the Rand...
Twentynine Palms
...
Independence
Named for a military outpost that was established near here in 1862, sleepy Independence has some wonderful historic buildings and is worth...
Sonora
One of several southern Gold Country gateways to Yosemite National Park, Sonora was the biggest town in the Mother Lode. Reminders of the gold...
Fish Camp
As you climb in elevation along Highway 41 northbound, you see nothing but trees until you get to Fish Camp, where there's a post office and...
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...
Lompoc
Known as the flower-seed capital of the world, Lompoc is blanketed with vast fields of brightly colored flowers that bloom from May through...
Little River
The town of Little River is not much more than a post office and a convenience store; Albion, its neighbor to the south, is even smaller. Along...
Volcano
Many roads, all of them winding, all of them scenic, lead to Volcano, an off-the-beaten-path former mining town of about 120 people, the entirety...
Point Arena
Occupied by longtime locals and long-haired surfers, this former timber town on Highway 1 is part New Age, part rowdy, and always laid-back...
Knott's Berry Farm
Once an actual farm, Knott's Berry Farm now offers a non-Disney theme park option for anyone with a love of roller coasters and boysenberries. ...
Columbia
Columbia is the gateway for Columbia State Historic Park, one of the Gold Country's most visited sites. It's a great place for families to...
Angels Camp
Angels Camp is famous chiefly for its May jumping-frog contest, based on Mark Twain's short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras...
Ontario
Ontario has a rich agricultural and industrial heritage. The valley's warm climate once supported vineyards that produced grape varietals such...
Muir Beach
Except on the sunniest of weekends, Muir Beach is relatively quiet, but the drive to this community and beach is a scenic adventure. ...
Salinas
Salinas, a hardworking city surrounded by vineyards and fruit and vegetable fields, honors the memory and literary legacy of John Steinbeck...
El Portal
The market in town is a good place to pick up provisions before you get to Yosemite. You'll find a post office and a gas station, but not much else. ...
Corona
Corona's Temescal Canyon is named for the dome-shaped mud saunas that the Luiseño Indians built around the area's artesian hot springs in the...
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea, one of the largest inland seas on Earth, is the product of both natural and artificial forces. The sea occupies the Salton Basin...
Tahoma
With its rustic waterfront vacation cottages, Tahoma exemplifies life on the lake in its quiet early days before bright-lights casinos and huge...
Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
Visitors love to hike, swim, and fish here in the summer, but this park is also popular in winter, when a small campground remains open. Eleven...
Bass Lake
Almost surrounded by the Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake is a reservoir whose waters can reach 80ºF in summer. Created by a dam on a tributary...
Jenner
The Russian River empties into the Pacific Ocean at Jenner, a wide spot in the road where houses dot a mountainside high above the sea. Facing...
Amador City
The history of tiny Amador City (population less than 200) mirrors the boom-bust-boom cycle of many Gold Country towns. With an output of $42...
Bodie State Historic Park
Bodie State Historic Park's scenery is spectacular, with craggy, snowcapped peaks looming over vast prairies. The town of Bridgeport is the...
Coloma
The California gold rush started in Coloma when James W. Marshall discovered flecks of metal in the bottom of a ditch. “Boys, I believe I’ve...
Bolinas
The tiny town of Bolinas wears its 1960s idealism on its sleeve, attracting potters, poets, and peace lovers to its quiet streets. With a funky...
San Juan Bautista
Much of the small town that grew up around Mission San Juan Bautista, still a working church, has been protected from development since 1933...
Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park
In 1908 army chaplain and former slave Colonel Allen Allensworth and a group of African Americans decided to move west to create a community...
Anderson Valley
At the town of Albion, Highway 128 leads southeast into the Anderson Valley, Mendocino's primary wine-growing region. Most of the first 13 miles...
Fort Ross State Historic Park
With its reconstructed Russian Orthodox chapel, stockade, and officials' quarters, Fort Ross looks much the way it did after the Russians made...
Watsonville
...
Cerro Gordo Ghost Town
...
Primm, NV
...
Manzanar National Historic Site
...
Baker
...
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...
The Central Coast
Balmy weather, glorious beaches, crystal-clear air, and serene landscapes have lured people to the Central Coast since prehistoric times. Today...
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 Area...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The North Coast
The spectacular coastline of Sonoma, Mendocino, and Humboldt counties defies expectations. The Pacific Ocean defines the landscape, but instead...
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 its...
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 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...
The Inland Empire
Threaded with rolling vineyards, homey agricultural towns, and mountain retreats, the Inland Empire has a humble allure. Often bypassed because...
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...
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...
Big Sur Coastline
Long a retreat of artists and writers, Big Sur is a place of ancient forests and rugged shoreline, stretching 90 miles from San Simeon to Carmel...
Outside Redwood National Park
The North Coast's largest city is Eureka, population 27,000 and the Humboldt County seat. Its Old Town has an alluring waterfront boardwalk...
Outside Sequoia and Kings Canyon Nationa Parks
The already remote Sierra National Forest encircles much of Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, making them a wilderness within a wilderness. ...
Outside Yosemite National Park
Marking the southern end of the Sierra's gold-bearing mother lode, Mariposa is the last big town before you enter Yosemite on Route 140 to...
Outside Death Valley National Park
Founded at the turn of the 20th century, Beatty sits 16 miles east of the California-Nevada border on Death Valley's northern side. Named...
Outside Lassen Volcanic National Park
Located in remote northeastern California, Lassen has few towns of any real size around it, although you will find a smattering of places to...
Yucca Valley
One of the high desert's fastest-growing cities, Yucca Valley is emerging as a bedroom community for people who work as far away as Ontario...
Outside Channel Islands National Park
With a population of nearly 110,000, Ventura is the main gateway to Channel Islands National Park. It's a classic California beach town filled...
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 Marin Headlands
The term "Golden Gate" has become synonymous with the world-famous bridge, but it was first given to the narrow waterway that connects the Pacific...
Outside Joshua Tree National Park
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Outside Pinnacles National Park
The small town of Soledad, just outside the park's western entrance, is most famous as the setting of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, ...
Carneros District
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Eastern Carneros
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Western Carneros
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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 full day pretty...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is all about the trees, and to understand the scale of these giants you must walk among them. If you do nothing else,...
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park consists of two sections that adjoin the northern boundary of Sequoia National Park. The western portion, covered...
Pinnacles National Park
President Theodore Roosevelt recognized the uniqueness of the Pinnacles Volcanic Formation—its jagged spires and monoliths thrusting upward...
Emerald Bay State Park
You can hike, bike, swim, camp, scuba dive, kayak, or tour a look-alike Viking castle at this state park. Or you can simply enjoy the most popular...
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Conservationists banded together a century ago as the Save the Redwoods League and scored a crucial victory when a memorial grove was dedicated...
Mojave National Preserve
The 1.6 million acres of the Mojave National Preserve hold a surprising abundance of plant and animal life—especially considering their elevation...
Salt Point State Park
Enjoy dramatic views, forested acres, and a rocky, rugged shoreline along Highway 1’s 5-mile route through this park. With the hiking, picnicking...
Mt. Tamalpais State Park
The view of Mt. Tamalpais from all around the bay can be a beauty, but that’s nothing compared to the views from the mountain, which take...
Pope-Baldwin Recreation Area
To the west of downtown South Lake Tahoe, U.S. 50 and Highway 89 come together, forming an intersection nicknamed "the Y." If you head northwest...
Red Rock Canyon State Park
On the stretch of Highway 14 that slices through Red Rock Canyon State Park, it’s easy to become caught up in the momentum of rushing to your...
McArthur–Burney Falls Memorial State Park
One of the most spectacular sights in the Far North is Burney Falls, where countless ribbon-like streams pour from moss-covered crevices. The...
Muir Woods National Monument
Climbing hundreds of feet into the sky, Sequoia sempervirens are the tallest living things on Earth—some are more than 1,800 years old. One...
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Home to some grand redwoods and terrain that varies from rocky coastal coves to dense forestland, the 18,000-acre Big Basin has a human history...
Año Nuevo State Reserve
A beautiful park year-round, Año Nuevo State Reserve bustles during elephant seal mating season, from mid-December through March. ...
D.L. Bliss State Park
This park shares 6 miles of shoreline with adjacent Emerald Bay State Park and has two white-sand beaches. Hike the Rubicon Trail for stunning...