California Bucket List: 35+ Best Places to Visit in California (2024)

FAQs

What is the best season to visit California? ›

March to May

With clear blue skies, plenteous booms, and flowery vistas all around, California is at its scenic best during the spring season. Head to the state's public gardens to capture the beauty of the blooming flowers and enjoy getaways to Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park.

For an easy and often fun way to get around California's larger cities and communities, do what an increasing number of locals do and hitch a ride on a bus, subway, ferry, or light rail system.

From the stunning coastline to the towering mountains, the scenery in California is unlike anything else in the world. No matter where you go in the state, you will be surrounded by natural beauty. And with so many different landscapes to explore, you could spend months here and still not see it all.

No surprise here: Los Angeles is the ultimate star-studded destination for global travelers. There is almost too much to do in the vast Southern California city.

The cheapest flights to California are best found around January. Parts of California class this as the rainy season so expect the best discounts on your flight tickets here. That said, cheap flights to California aren't overly common, so plan in advance and book early to get the best savings.

December, January and February are typically the wettest months in the Golden State, with 75 percent of the state's annual precipitation falling between November and March. In 2023, February was the rainiest month for rainfall in California.

The coldest monthly period would be generally between mid December to mid January, but, even then in especially coastal areas truly cold weather is almost unknown in California, as the average January low in San Francisco is 47° and sub freezing values is something that may not occur for decades.

For a comfortable budget, plan around $150-300 per person per day for your California vacation. California offers plenty of options to explore the state.

Public transportation is reliable in cities and towns

Buses are usually the cheapest and slowest option, but you'll typically find extensive metro-area networks around big cities. In San Diego, for example, municipal trolleys operate on three lines as far south as the Mexican border.

I would suggest you spend one or two weeks in California and rent two cars—one for the San Francisco Area and one for Southern California. Here is how I would spend Two Weeks. I would spend a week near San Francisco and another week in Southern California.

What is special to California? ›

With sun, sand, surf, and mountains, the West Coast state of California is known for its many attractions that lure travelers year-round. From famous landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the Hollywood sign, to the Golden State's rich outdoor opportunities, this eclectic state makes for a well-rounded vacation.

California, the most populous state in the nation, is home to Hollywood's stars, Silicon Valley's technology, Napa Valley's wines and ancient Redwood and Sequoia forests. The Golden State also is one of the country's wealthiest and most socially and politically influential.

In addition, California's beauty often attracts people from all around the globe. Residents often describe California as one of the most diverse places throughout the U.S. because of the different cultures, arts, traditions, no matter what part of the state you choose to live in.

Solvang, California. Solvang, California stands out tremendously from the rest of the state. It feels more like Europe than the rolling hills and beaches of west coast America. The city is known for the Danish buildings and (like other towns in the state) local wineries.

In California's Mediterranean-esque Paso Robles wine country, a beautiful resort has replicated the iconic look of a Greek island town so perfectly, you'll swear you've been transported to Mykonos!