I wrote on many places in California in different posts, so I thought I’ll pack them together to a single list of the best attractions the golden state has to offer
1. San Francisco
Hands down one of the best cities in the world. From the Golden Gate Bridge to the old cable cars, from the mysterious Alcatraz island to the sea lions in Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, San Francisco has its own vibe that will leave a deep impression on you. Read here my list of best attractions in San Francisco
2. Los Angeles
After SF, the largest technology hub in the world, here’s LA – the largest entertainment hub in the world. See the famous Hollywood sign, walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame, visit the different studios and even be the audience during a taping of a show! Here’s my complete list of Los Angeles attractions
3. Yosemite National Park
We covered the two major urban attractions in California, so next let’s go out to the great outdoors. California is home to 8 national parks – same as Alaska and more than all the other states. It’s most famous national park is Yosemite – the third most visited national park in the country, after Great Smoky Mountains and the Grand Canyon. Yosemite is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park contains beautiful cliffs, waterfalls (Yosemite Falls are North America’s tallest waterfall), three Giant Sequoia groves and diverse wildlife
4. Giant Sequoia National Park
Located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The forest is named for the majestic Giant Sequoia trees which populate 38 distinct groves within the boundaries of the forest. The Sequoia National Forest covers 4,829 sq km (1,865 sq mi). The prime attraction of the park is the General Sherman tree – the world’s largest tree by volume. The park also has over 240 caves, a scenic view of Sierra Nevada mountain range, and Moro Rock – a granite dome with a 400 steps stairway leading to a breathtaking view
5. California State Route 1
I already covered Route 1 in my post on the world’s most beautiful drives. The famous route runs on the coastline road between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and offers incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. There are plenty of places to stop on the way to take pictures and enjoy the great California weather
6. Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is located in divided between California and Nevada. Death Valley is the hottest, lowest, and driest place in the country. It is home to sand dunes, salt flats, and the unique phenomenon of the Death Valley sailing stones
7. San Diego
Let’s jump back from the parks to civilization for a moment. San Diego is the oldest town in the state as well as the second largest city in the state after LA. San Diego is most famous for the Balboa Park, its zoo – one of the best in the world, SeaWorld, the Seaport Village and the old town
8. The California Wine Tour: Napa Valley, Sanoma Valley and more
California is world famous for its wines and with over 1200 wineries, it produces nearly 90 percent of the entire wine production of the United States. Wine lovers and tourists from around the world arrive to sunny California for a road trip between the vines and the different wineries. This trend especially picked up after the 2004 hit movie Sideways
9. Lake Tahoe
Like Death Valley, Lake Tahoe is also divided between California and Nevada. The large lake is surrounded by mountains and offers attractions year round: during the summers you can enjoy the lake: swimming, kayaking, sailing, rent paddle boats and jet skis, and during the winters enjoy the ski resorts on the mountains. The lake is also close to Reno – Nevada’s second most popular gambling destination, after Las Vegas
10. Redwood National and State Parks
Located in Northern California, the Redwood National and State Parks are a group of four parks, that together protect 45% of all remaining coast redwood – the tallest and one of the largest tree species in the planet. You can enjoy hiking between the massive trees, or enjoy any of the other activities such as biking, fishing, kayaking, horse riding and more