Top 15 Places to Visit in California for All Kinds of Vacations
Whether you are an adrenaline junkie, a nature-loving nomad, a beach-loving workout addict, or even a hipster cum film buff millennial, the Sunshine State, California, has something for everyone to enjoy.
Its vast lands also feature some of America’s most beautiful scenic Ocean Drive, lush, pristine forests, thrilling amusement parks, and breathtaking desert views.
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Venice Beach in Los Angeles
Venice Beach is one of the most popular beaches in the world. Known for its well-manicured sand, public exercise park, and famous one-and-a-half miles of boardwalk, this beach attracts some of the most eccentric personalities on the planet and some of the sexiest.
The beach offers plenty of fun activities, from surfing to beach volleyball and basketball to rollerskating on the boardwalk. Still, by far, the most popular activity here is people-watching.
It’s hard not to like what’s going on at the beach. You can see everything from musicians, jugglers, artists, and even memes!
Along the beach, you’ll also see some of the fittest people in America, as outdoor workout facilities are readily available for people to show off their (body) prowess. Expect some impressive calisthenic workouts like this one.
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Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
One of the world’s most famous and most photographed bridges, the Golden Gate Bridge tops the list for travelers visiting San Francisco.
You might think that this is an exaggeration to see the thousands and thousands of tourist pictures of the bridge on the web, but the spectacular views and massive structure of the bridge will still amaze you every time you visit.
Around the area, you can take a city tour of the equally impressive San Francisco or take a boat cruise tour to Alcatraz Island, which brings us to the next item on our list.
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Alcatraz Island in San Francisco
Off the coast of San Francisco, you can take a boat cruise to Alcatraz Island and participate in a self-guided audio tour of the former federal penitentiary prison.
The tour is very insightful, with historical facts, and former guards or inmates give many parts of the tour!
This place is amazing. Good for photos if you like taking pictures and the history of everything that happened inside the prison, as well as many famous criminals like Al Capone, Birdman, and many more.
Still trying to think of how those 3 guys escaped and what they did to get all that, and I want to know if they are still alive.
Worth a look if you come to San Francisco and I recommend booking it well in advance; after being in the city a few times, I finally was able to see it about 3 weeks in advance had booked
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Napa Valley Winery in San Pablo Bay
Napa Valley is a place for all wine connoisseurs and people who like to drink a glass for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
This narrow stretch of land, located between the Mayacamas and the foothills of the Vaca Mountains, is the top wine-producing region in the United States. Am I kidding, or am I?
Napa is visited by more than five million people annually, with nearly 400 wineries in the region, its high-quality varieties such as Cabernet, Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Champagne, and Merlot, and its other local wines made of olive oil, tomatoes, cheese, and mustard for production.
In addition to its culinary attractions, Napa Valley is known for its visual arts scene and hosts an annual Napa Valley Film Festival.
Other nearby attractions in Napa include many spas and mud baths and the ever-popular Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga.
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San Diego Zoo at Balboa Park
Covering nearly 100 acres of land, the San Diego Zoo is one of the country’s largest and most well-known zoos. The zoo houses over 3,700 animals from over 650 species and subspecies.
Exotic animals include pandas, orangutans, red pandas, and koalas, which live in comfortable enclosures designed to recreate natural settings, which the San Diego Zoo prides itself on.
The zoo stretches along a valley and has a variety of trails that visitors can try, including Monkey Trails, Forest Tales Walk, and Tree Top Walk.
But if you are not looking forward to walking through this massive piece of land, you can also opt for Guided Bus Tours to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding areas and their inhabitants.
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Disneyland in Anaheim
Being the most famous amusement park in the world, Disneyland California has enthralled its fans for over 50 years with its hotels, restaurants, theme parks like Adventureland and MainStreet USA, numerous thrilling roller coasters, all kinds of Disney-themed rides, and the famous Disney Well entertained.
Characters that roam in and around the magical kingdom entertain fans of all ages. Disneyland offers complete family fun and has earned its title as the Happiest Place on Earth.
However, this park requires early planning as it can be crowded during summer, Christmas, and spring break.
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Universal Studios in the San Fernando Valley
Universal Studios has been divided into several sections: a working live set, a theme park, and their City Walk, which houses approximately 5 nightclubs, 30 restaurants, and souvenir shops.
Visitors can wander their theme parks, such as the popular Jurassic Park and the new Harry Potter World, where roller coasters and rides are designed to fit the theme of the respective worlds in the film.
In addition to its innovative parks and rides, Universal Studios also offers studio tours, where guests tour back-lots and old movie sets from pop-culture films such as Back to the Future and Bates Motel to TV show sets such as Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane Will visit.
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Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor in Santa Clara
Having the most concentrated roller coasters in a single amusement park, it’s no surprise that Six Flags Magic Mountain is known as the Thrill Capital of America.
Some of the roller coaster highlights will also be New Revolution, Twisted Colossus, Full Throttle, Goliath, and Colossus, which is billed as “the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the West.”
Patrons will find the park’s best views from the top of these steeply inclined roller coasters, like on the Viper, which soars 188 feet (56 m) in the air!
But that’s only if you can keep your eyes open! Families will be pleased to know that the park has a designated area for cartoon-themed kiddie rides and 4 kiddie coasters for you adrenaline junkies to start training!
There are 23 great water-themed rides, slides, and activities to cool off in the warm weather! Lastly, a water-themed park named Hurricane Harbor is available on the opposite side of the park. So bring an extra change or two of clothes.
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Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier is the place to go if you are looking for a great weekend getaway with the family.
This 100-year-old amusement park is located on a pier on Santa Monica Beach and offers plenty of bars, restaurants, and a full arcade with more than 200 games ranging from classics to more contemporary ones.
The pier is lined with loads of carnival food, from funnel cakes to vendors selling carnival staples like cotton candy. One of the best ways to see the park is to ride on its red and yellow Ferris wheel, which is the city’s icon.
An option would be to ride the roller coaster, which travels at cruise speed over and around the park, giving riders a scenic view of the entire ghat.
A highlight of the park, however, will be its antique, hand-painted 1897 indoor carousel near the entrance to the park. Note that you are not allowed to roller skate there. It was such a big problem that they made rule #11 on the board!
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Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles
When visiting Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory is renowned as a national leader in public astronomy.
It offers some great interactive astronomical displays, such as the popular Hall of the Sky and Hall of the Eye, a pair of complementary displays that explore the connection between space and people.
In addition, it also offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean to downtown LA and close-up views of the Hollywood Sign from its perched atop Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park.
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Redwood National Park
Redwood National and State Parks are temperate rain forests with old-growth giant ancient redwood trees. It runs along the Pacific Coast of Northern California.
It has some of the tallest redwood trees in the world; the photos don’t do them any justice. You will have to come here for yourself to see the sheer size of some of these trees!
The park has many great trails for hikers of all experiences. But besides hiking, a great way to admire the park’s beauty is to take a drive through its enchanted forest.
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Death Valley National Park
Death Valley, located in the Mojave Desert, makes up most of Death Valley National Park. It is the driest and lowest point in North America at 282 feet / 855 meters below sea level. Breathtaking views of California’s unique desert landscape and colorful dunes make this picturesque landscape a worthwhile visit.
One of the park’s highlights is the Badwater Basin view from Dante’s Peak. Other places of interest include the Zabriskie Point viewpoint and historical sites such as Scotty Castle, the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, and the ruins of Ghost Town.
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Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park covers 1,200 square miles (1,930 km²) and is known for its impressive waterfalls, deep gorges, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, and vast wilderness area.
10 hiking trails can be found in the park for all levels of hikers. There are 13 campgrounds available in the park, Operating mostly on a first come, first served basis depending on the time of year. But campgrounds generally fill up quickly every day from April through October.
The spectacular Upper Yosemite Falls, plummeting a staggering 1,430 feet at one point, is one of the most stunning waterfalls you’ll ever see! Mariposa Grove, one of the most beautiful parks in the United States, is located in the southern part of the park and has the largest stand of giant sequoias.
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Big Sur
Big Sur stretches 90 miles of California’s central coast, from San Simeon to Carmel. This is one of the best road trips in California because of its beautiful, rugged beaches and its Redwood Forest considered the “greatest meeting of land and water in the world.”
The Bixby Bridge in Big Sur is the world’s highest single-span bridge, while its breathtaking McVay Falls plunges 80 feet into the ocean. It is breathtaking.
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Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is also one of the places you can expect to find a wholesome family retreat. It is one of the largest lakes in the world, located between California and Nevada.
Activities on the Lake vary by season. In the winter, it will be a great place to take your family skiing, snowboarding, and even snowmobiling, while in summer, you can enjoy the beauty of the surroundings with activities like kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, or even just swimming. Can take Lake!
More than just Hollywood
For a state mostly known for its glitz and glamour, being home to some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, California offers visitors more than the popular media is willing to admit.
Whether it is a quiet family vacation by the Lake, a thrilling adventure with your friends in the mountains, or testing out some of the best adrenaline-pumping coasters, there is always something to do for everyone here in California!
There’s no reason why this sunshine state shouldn’t be at the top of your travel bucket list!
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