The 41 Best Things to Do in California – An Ultimate Guide to the Golden State!

Idyllic California bursts with roads to trip, mountains to climb, ecosystems to explore, and sights to see. The state features so many hip cities, scenic places, and thrilling adventures that travelers get overwhelmed, unsure which part to visit first. 

I lived in the Golden State for over ten years, exploring every nook and cranny to discover the best things to do in California, and I’m sharing them with you. 

The Best Things to Do in California

California is the third-largest state in the union, covering over 160,000 square miles. It features three world-renowned cities, nine national parks, five natural ecosystems, and worlds of adventure. 

As such, the complete list of things to do in California is enormous. Deciding which experiences to include and which to cut took hours of handwringing, research, and deep contemplation, but the ones I settled upon will surely tickle your fancy. 

These 41 epic things to do in California are grouped from South to North—let’s start our journey in Socal and travel up the state!

Infographic highlighting some of the fun things to do in California.
Made in Canva.

Wine Tasting Temecula

Northern California is renowned for its wine, but did you know that the Southern part of the state also has delectable wine?

Temecula is a charming little town just East of San Diego. It features an old Western atmosphere and motif with a modern, clean feel. Nestled among several local wineries, it is the epicenter of the SoCal wine industry.  

Hire a limo or small bus with a group of friends for the best Temecula wine-tasting experience. You can hop from vineyard to vineyard without worrying about who has to drive home. 

Add Wilson Creek to your winery list and try some of their iconic almond champagne. The divine vintage dances on your tastebuds with the sweet yet slightly nutty almond flavor. I dare you to leave without a bottle. 

San Diego Zoo

In the iconic show “Friends,” Ross must give up his beloved pet monkey Marcel to a zoo. Much like a parent hoping for the best college for his child, Ross dreams of getting Marcel accepted into the zoo of all zoos: San Diego. 

The show wasn’t exaggerating. San Diego Zoo is one of the best zoos in the county and a marvel of animal welfare and conservation.

The Balboa Park Zoo houses nearly four thousand animals, representing over 600 species from across the globe. It also features a lush botanical garden showcasing over 7000 plant species. 

A fun bonus of the zoo is the sky tram, a unique way to transverse the park. Observe the grounds from above as you travel from one end of the park to another via sky tram!

San Diego Safari Park

The sister to the magnificent zoo is the iconic San Diego Safari Park. Often referred to as the wild animal park, this 1800-acre park is the best way to see wild animals in their natural environments. Most residents are in massive enclosures, allowing them to roam freely with other species as they would in their native habitats.

Although the predators are kept in separate enclosures to prevent mishaps, they have huge territories to explore and considerable engagement opportunities. 

Although you can’t drive a personal vehicle through the park, you can upgrade from a walking tour (don’t worry – all enclosures are fenced in!) to a guided safari tour, bringing you as close as safely to the animals. 

If you’re lucky, you can even hand-feed a giraffe!

San Diego Brewery Hopping

Small microbrews are all the rage, and San Diego sits proudly at the leading edge of the microbrew trend. Breweries hailing from San Diego receive countless national and even international prestige.

The San Diego area features nearly 100 breweries  – visiting them all is almost impossible. 

To get the most out of your time, choose your top five and hire a party bus to transport you across the city to each location. Not all the breweries serve food, so plan meal times for your tour and visit some of the tempting restaurants San Diego offers. 

See the Metal Sculptures at Anza Borrego

A front-on view of the giant metal scorpion sculpture in Anza Borrego State Park, California
Photo Credit: Partners in Fire.

California is home to so many wonders that Anza Borrego often gets forgotten. That’s a huge mistake. The desert state park deserves a spot on any list of the best things to do in California. 

Although the desert landscape is breathtaking, it’s only a tiny portion of the appeal. Anza Borrego is home to giant metal sculptures of dragons, scorpions, bugs, and dinosaurs.  Ricardo Breceda created the statues, and the monuments displayed in the park represent the most extensive collection of his famous metalworks in the world.

For an even more spectacular visit, head to  Anza Borrego in the spring when the desert wildflowers bloom. During this time of year, the ordinarily barren desert landscape explodes with an abundance of color, and the hills are covered with flowers as far as the eye can see. The flower show is impressive every year, but rare superbloom events create a breathtaking carpet of flowers across the desert. 

Salton Sea

If visiting Anza Borrego, you should also drive a few extra miles and check out the Salton Sea. which lies east of the park, on the other side of HWY 86.

Be warned – I don’t consider the Salton Sea a “best” place to visit in California, but rather essential for observing the very real effects human pollution has on the environment. 

The Salton Sea is notorious. The area saw one of California’s most significant environmental disasters, as farm runoff polluted the lake to the point of no return, and the resulting evaporation led to colossal dust storms. 

It’s a sad place to visit, yet crucial to understanding how our activity affects the natural world. 

Ride the Waves

The Salton Sea is not ideal for surfing, but if you head back west to the Pacific coast, you will find a surfer’s paradise. Huntington Beach, in Orange County (located between San Diego and Los Angeles but closer to LA), is known as Surf City USA. The vast beach offers tons of opportunities for water sports.

I recommend taking surf lessons if you’ve never tried it before. I made the mistake of thinking it was easy, and during my three hours of “surfing,” I didn’t manage to stand up on the surfboard a single time.

If surfing is too tricky, you can always try bodyboarding or good old-fashioned swimming. The water is colder than you’d expect, though – as the currents come down to California from Alaska. The water is an excellent reprieve from the hot California summer sun, but it’s too cold to swim without a wetsuit in the winter.

Dive Bar Hopping in Long Beach

Long Beach is one of my favorite cities in California. It’s not your typical touristy area, but it overflows with charm. I love all the quirky dive bars scattered along Broadway and Second Street in the Belmont Heights and Bluff Heights areas. 

If you enjoy a livelier crowd, simply travel further East for the famed Second Street bars of Belmont Shores or a little West to head into Downtown Long Beach for fantastic nightlife along Pine.

Queen Mary

ariel image of the Queen Mary in harbor
Photo Credit: GagliardiPhotography via Shutterstock.com.

While in Long Beach, make time to see the city’s most prestigious attraction, the  Queen Mary. Sister ship of the Titanic, the Queen Mary, began her illustrious career in 1937 with a maiden voyage from Southampton, England, across the Atlantic. She sailed for thirty glorious years before retiring to a life of luxury on the docks of Long Beach.

The Queen Mary captures the imagination of millions of tourists, serving as a hotel and events center. People come from far and wide to tour her cabins and engine rooms, marveling at the engineering masterpiece.

According to legend, a ghostly guest haunts the ship. Around Halloween, guests can see for themselves when her grounds transform into spooky haunts and mazes. 

Whether you’re into history or ghosts, the Queen Mary is a perfect place to explore.

Choose Your Beach

With over 800 miles of Coastline, California has many beautiful beaches. From the sunny sandy beaches of SoCal to the rocky northern coast, there’s an idyllic beach for everyone.

If you’re looking for a scenic beach, check out Laguna in Orange County. If you want to surf, head to Huntington Beach. People looking for a trendy hip community should check out Hermosa Beach, and celebrity hunters should head to Malibu.

In the central part of the state, Ventura Beach has fewer crowds and stunning natural beauty. You will see rockier beaches when you head further up the coast (take Pacific Coast Highway for an epic drive!). The Northern beaches aren’t ideal for swimming as the water tends to be much colder, but they offer breathtaking views. 

Venice Beach

Venice Beach is one of the state’s most iconic beaches, so I’d be remiss if it didn’t get its own small paragraph. Venice, the famed muscle beach of the 1980s, is where all the bodybuilders would hang out and show off their strength. The beach still has some workout equipment for people to test out and compete with, but the bodybuilding scene isn’t as intense as it once was.

A flourishing art community and an enormous skate park replaced the bodybuilders. Local aspiring artists can show up and claim a space on the beach walk for free, as long as they sell art and not a crafted good. It’s a great place to sample the flavors of the new and upcoming artists of the area.

The skate park is excellent for kids to hang out and show off their skateboarding skills. Spectators can watch rising stars practice their tricks or gather around street performers putting on a show. 

Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles
Photo Credit: Melanie Allen Partners in Fire

Santa Monica is directly to the North of Venice Beach, and you can walk or bike between them on the beach trail (though it’s a bit of a hike). The beach itself is typical of California beaches, but the fantastic pier makes it a hot place to be.

The Santa Monica Pier features rides, games, and restaurants. It’s like a mini-fair atop a pier sitting next to the ocean. 

My favorite ride is the Ferris Wheel, also known as the Pacific Wheel. From atop the wheel, you can see a good portion of the city and enjoy spectacular coastline views. 

The Last Bookstore

If you love books, check out The Last Bookstore in downtown LA. The store has two stories filled with old books and a separate room for rare and unique volumes.

The iconic tunnel of books sits at the top of the stairs. It’s a literal tunnel made of books you must walk through to browse the selections upstairs. Take a book tunnel selfie in the cut-out circle for the perfect memento of your visit. 

The clever ambiance is a large part of the appeal, but regardless, there’s also something magical about getting lost in an old bookshop.

Eat at the Grand Central Market

While in downtown LA, stop at the Grand Central Market for a bite. The only challenge is deciding which mouthwatering foods to sample. 

Grand Central Market is a mall food court bursting with quirky, delicious restaurants. Imagine going to a mall, and instead of seeing the same old Subways and Burger Kings, you have French bakeries, eggaries, ramen shops, currywurst stands, specialty PB&J stands, and 15 other small, local, delicious eateries. 

Although I haven’t tried all the food at the Grand Central Market, everything I’ve sampled was perfect. The unique twists on old classics and delicious ethnic foods make it the ideal location to discover LA’s flavor. 

Berth 55 in San Pedro

Do you want a tray piled to the moon with fresh seafood? Then you need to visit Berth 55 in San Pedro. 

Berth 55, just south of Los Angeles, isn’t a typical tourist attraction. No one plans their trip around it. But if you’re in the area and want to get a sample of the local flavor, Berth 55 is the place to go.

It’s a fish market and restaurant all in one. People go to buy fresh cuts of fish for later and sample the various vendors’ takes on seafood. You can get a tray piled high with fries, fish, and chicken for ridiculously low prices. It’s a great value, and it’s delicious.

The Oldest Street in Los Angeles

Olvera Street in downtown LA is considered the oldest street in the city. Dating back to when LA was part of Mexico, the street honors its Mexican heritage. Restaurants and vendors celebrating Mexican culture fill the pedestrian-only walkway.   

The street is also home to several historic buildings built in the Spanish style, including treasures such as the Sepulveda House, the Pico House, and a handful of old Spanish churches.

All the Art Museums

Lights from the Urban Light exhibit outside of LACMA in Los Angeles, CA
Photo Credit: Daviproduct_Portfolio via Shutterstock.com.

California is the place to visit if you’re into fine art. Sure, New York has the MET, but Los Angeles has the LACMA complex, the Getty Center, and the Broad, while San Francisco is home to the Legion of Honor and a Cartoon Art Museum. The capital, Sacramento, is home to the Crocker Art Museum.

LACMA is my favorite of the bunch, only because it’s so vast. You can start your day at the iconic light display in front of the building and stroll around various museums, including a Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), an Asian Art Museum, a botanical garden, and, of course, the main LACMA building, which houses European arts throughout the ages. Thousands of paintings by some of the world’s most influential artists hang on those walls. 

The Getty Center is North of Los Angeles, near Beverly Hills. It also has an impressive collection, but even if you aren’t into art, it’s worth checking out due to the fantastic view of the city from the top of the villa.

Visit the Tar Pits

You’ll find the iconic La Brea Tar Pits right next to LACMA. The thousand-year-old tar pits showcase preserved remnants of the last glacier period. During the Great Ice Age, tar-filled chasms swallowed mammoths, dire wolves, and other species that roamed the Earth. Transport yourself to a wilder time with a stroll through the grounds once inhabited by these magnificent paleolithic creatures. 

Of course, the pits themselves are no longer a threat (and parts that might be are fenced off!), but it’s interesting to see the fossils paleontologists have uncovered and get a taste of an earlier epoch right in the center of Los Angeles.

Art Walk – Galleries in LA

If you’re more interested in modern art and lesser-known artists, explore the various art walks and galleries scattered throughout the city. 

Before COVID, many neighborhoods around Los Angeles featured monthly art walks to celebrate local artists, but the pandemic forced the landscape to change. 

The iconic First Thursday art walk in the downtown arts district has transformed into the “Art Walk is Everyday” self-guided tour, inviting visitors to explore the local galleries and art scene every day. 

Laguna Beach in Orange County still celebrates a First Thursday art event, but the Long Beach Second Saturday art crawl gave way to more targeted events and exhibitions hosted by the Arts Council for Long Beach.

Visit Catalina

A unique thing to do in California is to visit Catalina Island, a small island located a few miles off the Southern Coast. You can take a ferry to the island and spend the day at a beach bar, zip-lining through the forest, or on an undersea adventure.

Catalina has a different vibe from the rest of the state. Though a bustling tourist community in the day, the town closes down in the evening and seems to be a retirement community. Only the grocery store is open past 8 PM, and it seems the locals all go to sleep as soon as the last ferry leaves.

It’s a fun place to visit and a tourist’s paradise during the day. It’s worth checking out if you have a free day in your California itinerary.

Hearst Castle

The courtyard at Hearst Castle in San Simeon looking out into the Ocean. Hearst Castle is one of the best things to do in California.
Photo Contributor
DimaSid via Shutterstock.com.

The United States isn’t known for its castles, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have any. Hearst Castle in central California proudly stands as one of the nation’s most iconic castles. 

Media mogul William Randolph Hearst, known for starting world-renowned Hearst Magazines such as Cosmo and Country Living, built the castle in the early 20th century. 

With over 68,000 square feet of living space, 38 bedrooms, 42 bedrooms, and 14 bathrooms, the main castle of the complex is a shining example of early 20th-century luxury. The complex also features three outlying buildings. 

You can take various tours through the castle, including an art tour, a tour of the kitchens and cottages (where the servants would have lived and worked), and tours highlighting the architecture of the masterpiece. If you are looking for something different to do in California, a castle tour is just the ticket.

Central Coast Beach Cities

When people think of California, most think of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, but there are plenty of fantastic cities in between. The state features central valley wine cities like Santa Barbara and San Louis Obispo, scenic beach towns like Morro Bay and Monterey Bay, and even fun suburbs like Pasadena just outside Los Angeles and Santa Rosa to the North of San Francisco.

Each of these cities (and so many more!) has its own flavor that is quite different from the big cities. Travelers shouldn’t shy away from exploring the small towns and experiencing everything California offers!

Wine Hop Santa Barbara

California’s Central Valley isn’t renowned for its wine, but it should be.  I already mentioned Santa Barbara as one of the coastal cities you should visit – but that was more for the picturesque beach scenes. Santa Barbara is also one of the best places for wine tasting.

Most of the area wineries have small tasting rooms within the city center, which makes walking from one tasting room to the next a breeze. You don’t have to worry about how you will get from one winery to the next when you visit Santa Barbara! The town also has a variety of cute local restaurants, so keep your belly full while tasting the fruits of the valley so you don’t overdo it!

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey Bay is home to one of the most iconic aquariums in the country. Built right on the rocky coast of the bay, this aquarium offers a close look at the ecosystem of the surrounding ocean. It features a kelp forest exhibit, tide pools, and everyone’s favorite, the lovable and playful sea otters.

Monterey Bay is located about 120 miles South of San Francisco and is a perfect day trip destination.

Yosemite

Photo taken in Yosemite National Park of river with trees on either side - one of the best places to visit in the US

Yosemite National Park is one of the most iconic parks in the state. Featuring magnificent cliffs, gorgeous valleys, and an abundance of wildlife, it’s a must-visit for nature lovers.

There are two iconic cliffs in Yosemite: Half Dome and El Capitan. You can drive up to scenic overlays to see both from a distance, but the hiking trails and paths are ideal for those willing to trek. Be wary, though—hiking down is far easier than hiking back up, as I learned on my first visit to the park. 

The gorgeous views and natural beauty make it easy to see why Yosemite is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The Valley of Giants

The largest living organisms on Earth call California home. Of course, I’m talking about the giant sequoias in California’s Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks.

The General Sherman Tree is the largest tree on the planet based on mass. Comprised of over 52000 cubic feet of wood, he’s a wonder to behold. It’s impossible not to feel insignificant when standing beside such a giant. The knowledge that his roots go as deep into the Earth as he is tall, thus doubling his size, makes his enormity even more impressive.

General Sherman isn’t the only giant in these two parks. This area of California is the only place in the world where these sequoias grow, and the parks conserve many of them within their boundaries. Three of the five largest trees in the world live in these two parks, and there are quite a few runner-ups in the parks. 

Death Valley

The sand dunes and desert landscapes in Death Valley National Park, one of the best things to do in California.
Photo Credit: M. Allen, Partners in Fire

It’s time to head away from lush forests and into scorching deserts for the next epic place to visit in California.

Death Valley is a desert landscape typically considered the hottest place in the country. It’s also the driest location and lowest point in the United States. 

You wouldn’t think visiting a place known as the hottest and driest would be fun. However, it’s a fantastic place to view breathtaking desert landscapes. 

Although it is home to the lowest point in the US, the landscape abounds with hills, rocks, and mountains. Viewing points scattered throughout the park allow you to take in the scenic vistas.

The park also features numerous hiking trails and paths. I wouldn’t recommend hiking in the summer, but please bring plenty of water. It gets hot out there!

Big Sur

The scenic coast in Big Sur, one of the best places to visit in California.
Photo Credit: Partners in Fire.

Big Sur is a coastal community between Los Angeles and San Francisco, but closer to San Francisco. Visiting this area isn’t about the city, though. It’s about the gorgeous rocky cliffs you can find throughout the region.

If you want to see one of the most beautiful cliff faces in the world, head to Big Sur in the springtime. Blooming wildflowers dot the cliffs leading up to the ocean while the tide pools below pop with the deep blues of cold ocean water blanketed with algae growths. The crashing waves provide a soundtrack to the breathtaking scene that’s almost impossible to describe. 

Alcatraz

One of the most iconic things to do in California is visit the famous Alcatraz prison. Although renowned for being a prison, it was only functional as one for about thirty years, from 1934 to 1936. It spent the majority of its time as a military base, operating as such as early as the 1850s.

After the prison closed, Native Americans occupied the site, protesting the unfair treatment of Native tribes in the states. That occupation lasted approximately 19 months, from 1969-1971.

In 1973, Alcatraz opened as a National Park. Tourists flock to Alcatraz to learn its sordid history and glimpse what life would have been like for those imprisoned on the island.

Eat Through San Francisco

San Francisco is a foodie’s paradise. With its eclectic mix of ethnic cuisines, modern gastropubs, and bread bowls, the city has something for everyone.

San Francisco features one of the best Chinatowns in the nation (though I’m partial to Chicago’s – the Moon Palace restaurant there is one of my top five favorite restaurants in the world), so start there with authentic dumplings. Then, head down to the Fisherman’s Wharf area to scope out the best bread bowls in the nation. San Francisco is the birthplace of sourdough – so you won’t want to skip out on this famed delicacy. 

San Francisco’s many eclectic restaurants, gastropubs, and food stands are sure to please even the most sensitive palates. Be sure to bring your appetite when you visit this iconic city.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is a gorgeous mountain town in Northern California, just on the California side of the Nevada border. The city rests upon its namesake lake, the pristine Lake Tahoe, which is one of the clearest, cleanest lakes you will ever see.  

Lake Tahoe is popular with skiers but has a ton of charm outside of ski season. Many folks stay near Lake Tahoe when they visit Reno, as it’s a gorgeous locale near Nevada’s second-best gambling spot. 

The lakeside town is perfect for outdoor activities. It boasts incredible views, great hiking, and also a ton of modern amenities. Whether looking for an adventure or a relaxing weekend getaway, Lake Tahoe is a fantastic choice. 

Winchester House

The mysterious Winchester House, a must see attraction in Northern California.
Photo Credit: Partners in Fire.

If you’re looking for a spooky adventure, look no further than the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. The house was a simple 8-room farmhouse when purchased by Sara Winchester (heiress to the Winchester Arms fortune) near the end of the 19th century.

Upon buying the structure, Sara began what is now considered one of the most prolonged construction periods on any building. Construction never ceased from the time she bought the small home until she died in 1922. The tiny farmhouse morphed into a gigantic mansion, boasting 160 rooms, 10,000 windows, and 2,000 doors.

Everyone thought Sara was crazy. Legend has it that she felt some great tragedy would befall her if she ever stopped construction on the home. The 24,000-square-foot masterpiece has numerous stairways and doorways to nowhere, random hallways and windows, and corridors that make no sense, which led some to believe that she was attempting to confuse the ghosts haunting her.

No one knows her true motivation for building such a maze of a mansion, but it is indeed a fascinating place to visit.

Ski/Snowboard

California is the only state where you can ski and surf on the same day. Big Bear Mountain is just an hour’s drive from Los Angeles and a well-known get-away for the folks living in the massive city. However, for the best winter sports experience, you’ll want to head into the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Magnificent ski and snowboard resorts are scattered throughout the state, but most are in the central region near the Nevada border. Head to June Mountain for a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere or Mt. Rose for a more competitive winter sports vibe.

Visit a Lesser-Known Park

California is home to a plethora of State and National parks. Although most aren’t as iconic as Yosemite or Sequoia, they are all inspiring in their own right and deserve some attention.

I’ve already mentioned quite a few of the National Parks in the post, but there are plenty more that you should visit.

Of course, there is Joshua Tree in the Mojave Desert. It’s another desert park, but iconic for the unique desert flora you can see there (specifically the Joshua tree).

Partners in Fire founder Melanie Allen in Joshua Tree, California, looking out at the scenic desert landscape.
Photo Credit: Partners in Fire.

There are plenty of other state parks located in all the different ecosystems that California has to offer. Visit beach state parks, desert state parks, parks nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and parks next to scenic lakes for the habitat that best suits your vibe. 

Whichever adventure you are looking for, California has a state park to meet it.

All the Mountain Towns

If you’re heading to California to escape the hustle and bustle of a big city, you may want to skip Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. There are tons of things to do in California outside of these three cities.

One of those things is escaping to a small mountain town. The Sierra Nevada mountain range cuts through half the state, so you can find a quaint little mountain town near you no matter which city you are near. My favorites include Mammoth Lakes, to the South of Yosemite, and Lake Arrowhead, in the mountains East of Los Angeles.

Ask any California native, though; they are bound to have their favorites. These little mountain towns are usually close to the national parks and have antique shops, local diners, and cozy bed and breakfasts. They are the perfect retreat from busy city life.

Old Town Sacramento

Did you want to see an old Western town on your visit to California? Then you should check out Old Town Sacramento

Dedicated to the Western frontier, the old town transports you back in time to the California gold rush. Most buildings date to the 1800s and have been renovated just enough to give them a theme park vibe. Some folks think it’s a cheesy tourist trap, but I think it’s cute and fun.

Museum of Science and Curiosity 

Visitors to Sacramento must check out its newest museum. The Museum of Science and Curiosity opened in 2021 and celebrates humanity’s thirst for knowledge. 

The museum is a hotbed of discovery, featuring interactive exhibits on space, healthcare, engineering, and more. Visitors can get hands-on in the design and challenge zone or learn about space and time in the UC Davis Multiverse Theater. 

Those interested in space should also visit the Sacramento State Planetarium, which shows the first images from the James Webb telescope. 

Napa Valley

Although I already mentioned two excellent places to have a wine-tasting adventure, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include  Napa Valley on a list of the best things to do in California. It’s the quintessential location for indulging in California wine.

Napa Valley, home to over 400 wineries, rests about two hours north of San Francisco. The small town offers far more than wine. Guests can escape daily life at luxury resorts, dine at exquisite restaurants, and embark on epic adventures (like hot balloon rides!) while staying in the scenic valley. 

Theme Parks

California has some of the best theme parks in the country, and I’d argue that it rivals even Florida as the best place to go for a theme park adventure. The original Disneyland sits in Orange County, just south of Los Angeles. It’s smaller than Orlando’s Disney World but just as iconic.

It’s not all about Disney, though. The original Universal Studios is in Hollywood, and I’d argue this park is better than its Orlando counterpart. During Halloween Horror Nights, you can even access some of the back lots to see the Norman Bates house from Psycho and the clock tower from Back to the Future.

The Los Angeles area also hosts Knotts Berry Farm, a theme park geared toward a younger crowd, and Six Flags, featuring some of the most exhilarating roller coasters I’ve ever experienced.

The theme parks aren’t limited to the Los Angeles area. Another Six Flags in Vallejo is closer to San Francisco, and San Diego hosts SeaWorld and Legoland.

Deep-Sea Fishing

One of the best things to do in California is head out into the middle of the sea and be one with nature – catching yourself dinner for the next few days. Of course, I’m talking about the deep-sea fishing tours you can take all along the coast.

These chartered trips take you to the best fishing locations off the California coast. Here, you can catch various fish and take them home to eat. 

  

One great thing about these tours (for me, at least) is that the deckhands will help you with any part of the fishing you aren’t comfortable with. You can even pay them to gut and filet your fresh catches so that you bring home only the edible parts!

Use Fishing Booker to book your deep-sea fishing trip today!

Sea Life Tours

If you want to be one with the sea without partaking in its bounty, you can go out on any number of sea life tours. These include whale-watching tours and glass-bottom boat tours. 

Spotting whales in the wild can be tough, even on a self-proclaimed whale-watching trip, but you will almost always see dolphins and California sea lions, which are just as much fun, especially to those who don’t have sea life around them regularly.

Honorable Mention

Fresno will never make any list of places to visit in California. It’s a typical mid-sized American city without a lot for tourists to do. 

However, it is right off Route 99 and a gateway to some of the gorgeous parks we discussed above. If you’re driving by Fresno and you get hungry, you need to stop at the Dog House Grill for the absolute best BBQ brisket sandwich you will ever have in your life. After lunch, get out of Fresno. There’s nothing else worth seeing there.

Things to Skip in California

Tourists on Hollywood blvd in Los Angeles taking photos with street performers.
Photo Credit: Michael Gordon via Shutterstock.com.

You may have noticed that Hollywood Boulevard is not on this list. Although everyone thinks of Hollywood as one of the top things to do in California, Hollywood Boulevard is a dud. Unless you are obsessed with celebrities and movie life, it’s not worth your time.

Hollywood Boulevard and the corresponding Walk of Fame are dirty and filled with folks poorly dressed as superheroes trying to sucker tourists into paying for photos. The stars on the pavement aren’t exceptional. Stores and restaurants are overpriced, and it doesn’t even have a lot of silly, hokey tourist shops to make it entertaining.

You can see the Hollywood sign from many places in Northern Los Angeles, even just driving down the 101 freeway. So take a scenic drive through LA to see the iconic sign, and skip the visit to Hollywood Boulevard. 

Too Many Things To Do in California!

California bursts with adventure. 

There are so many things to do in California that it’s impossible to fit them all into one list. It’s a vast state rich in culture and with various ecosystems and environments. The enormous expanse of land offers something for everyone to enjoy.

If your favorite iconic thing to do in California didn’t make the list, share it in the comments! Let’s expand the list of California’s best together!

Author: Melanie Allen

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Pursuing Your Passions, Travel, Wellness, Hobbies, Finance, Gaming, Happiness

Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation and is a certified happiness life coach. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.