Things to Do in California: What to See & Must-Do Experiences

Things to do in California cover more activities than almost any other state in America. From the redwood forests of the north to the Mojave Desert in the south, the Pacific coastline running the entire length, and cities that have shaped global culture, what is there to do in California is a question with an almost overwhelming number of answers. Here are the destinations and experiences worth prioritising.

With so many options across the state, planning where to stay is just as important as what to see, so exploring the best hotels and flight deals and discounts early can make a big difference. 

What Is There to Do in California by Region (Quick Guide)

Here are the quick California must do experiences you shouldn’t miss. The list includes the best things to do in California with top experiences and highlights, along with what to see in California, including cities, parks & coastlines.   

Things to Do in California by Destination 

Here is the detailed breakdown of things to do in California by destination. Go through this guide to plan your next trip to California:

Things to Do in San Francisco: Hills, Bridges, and Neighbourhood Culture

San Francisco is the most visually distinctive city in California and one of the great California things to see destinations, compact enough to explore on foot and by cable car, diverse enough to reveal something new in every neighbourhood.

• The Golden Gate Bridge is the non-negotiable starting point. The 2.7-mile crossing takes about 40 minutes on foot and gives the best perspective of the bridge’s scale, the bay below, and the city skyline behind. 
• Alcatraz Island is one of the best must do in California experiences: the audio tour narrated by former inmates and guards is genuinely one of the finest museum experiences in the country.
• The neighbourhoods are what give San Francisco its character. The Mission District has the best Mexican food in California, extraordinary street murals along Clarion Alley, and Dolores Park for afternoon sun. 
• Chinatown – the oldest in North America – is excellent for dim sum and market browsing. 
• The Ferry Building on the Embarcadero houses some of the best artisan food producers in the state, and the Saturday farmers’ market surrounding it is outstanding.
• The cable cars are the best way to navigate the city’s impossible hills between Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square.

Things to Do in Los Angeles 

Los Angeles is one of the most misunderstood what to do in California destinations, visitors expecting a shallow, car-dependent sprawl often leave surprised by how much genuine cultural depth the city has developed.

• The Getty Centre in Brentwood is the starting point for cultural LA – a hilltop campus of Richard Meier architecture housing one of the finest art collections in the western United States, with gardens and views over the city that are extraordinary on clear days. Entry is free. 
• The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) on Wilshire Boulevard has the largest encyclopedic art collection in the western US.
• Griffith Observatory above Hollywood gives the best panoramic view of Los Angeles. The Hollywood Sign, the basin, and the Pacific are free to visit. The hike up from the Los Feliz neighbourhood below takes 45 minutes and is one of the California must do outdoor experiences within the city.
• The beach cities, like Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu, give Los Angeles its coastal identity. The Venice Beach Boardwalk is chaotic and entertaining. Santa Monica Pier at sunset is one of the most photographed California what to see images in the state. The Pacific Coast Highway, which drives north from Santa Monica toward Malibu, with the Santa Monica Mountains on one side and the Pacific on the other, is outstanding on any clear afternoon.

Things to Do in Yosemite National Park: California’s Greatest Natural Treasure

Yosemite is the single most important California things to see as a natural destination. A valley carved by glaciers into sheer granite walls, with waterfalls that drop hundreds of metres, ancient giant sequoia trees, and a floor meadow that reflects Half Dome in the Merced River on still mornings.

• Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, and the view of Half Dome from Valley View are the three iconic sights accessible to anyone without significant hiking. 
• For more active visitors, the Mirror Lake loop (5 miles), the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls, and the summit of Half Dome via the cable route (permit required) cover the full range of difficulty.
• Yosemite requires advance planning – timed entry reservations are required during peak season (May through October), and accommodations in the valley book out months ahead. 
• The Ahwahnee Hotel is the most celebrated accommodation in any US national park – worth a splurge for the building and setting alone.

Best time to visit: Spring (May to June) is the best window, as waterfalls are at their most powerful from snowmelt, temperatures are comfortable, and the valley is vivid green. October offers excellent autumn colour with fewer crowds than in summer.

Things to Do in Big Sur: America’s Most Dramatic Coastal Drive

Big Sur is the must do in California road trip that Californians themselves name most consistently – the 90-mile stretch of Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and Monterey, where the Santa Lucia Mountains drop directly into the Pacific, creating a coastal landscape of cliffs, sea stacks, redwood canyons, and sea views that is simply extraordinary.

• Bixby Creek Bridge – a single-arch concrete bridge spanning a canyon above the Pacific – is the most photographed point on the drive. 
• McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park drops 80 feet directly onto a beach inaccessible on foot, creating one of the most unusual what to see in California images in the state. 
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has redwood grove walks that take you from coastal sun into towering ancient forest within minutes.

Drive it north to south (Monterey to San Luis Obispo) to keep the ocean-side lane for the best views. Allow a full day as the road is winding, the stops are frequent, and rushing it defeats the entire purpose.

Things to Do in Napa & Sonoma: California Wine Country

Napa Valley and Sonoma County, an hour north of San Francisco, are the California what to do answer for food and wine-focused travel. 

• Napa is the more formal and prestigious of the two – the Cabernet Sauvignons from estates like Opus One, Stag’s Leap, and Caymus are among the most celebrated wines in the world. 
• Tastings at most Napa wineries run $40–80 per person and require advance reservations.

Sonoma is more relaxed, more varied in its varieties (Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay), and considerably more affordable than Napa. 

• The town of Sonoma itself has a beautiful central plaza, excellent restaurants, and independent wineries within cycling distance. 
• Cycling between wineries on a rented bike through the Russian River Valley is one of the best half-day experiences in what is there to do in California.

Things to Do in San Diego: Beach City With Genuine Depth

San Diego is the most consistently pleasant city in California with year-round mild weather (averaging 21°C), excellent beaches, and a cultural offering that far exceeds its reputation as a laid-back beach town.

• Balboa Park is the cultural heart with 1,200 acres of gardens, Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, and 17 museums (including the excellent San Diego Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum) in a single park that is one of the finest urban green spaces in America. Entry to the park is free; individual museum tickets are additional.
• La Jolla Cove has the best snorkelling in Southern California – sea lions on the rocks, leopard sharks in the shallows from June through September, and clear Pacific water accessible directly from the beach. 
• The Torrey Pines State Reserve above La Jolla has coastal hiking trails through rare Torrey Pine forest with Pacific views that are among the most scenic California things to see in the south.
• Old Town San Diego (the site of California’s first European settlement) has good Mexican food and historical context. 
• The Gaslamp Quarter downtown gives San Diego its nightlife and restaurant concentration.

Things to Do in Death Valley: California’s Extreme Landscape

Death Valley National Park is the California must do for travellers who want something completely unlike any other California experience. The lowest point in North America (Badwater Basin, 282 feet below sea level), the highest temperatures ever recorded on earth, and a landscape of salt flats, sand dunes, coloured badlands, and volcanic craters make it one of the most alien environments accessible by car anywhere in the world.

• Zabriskie Point at sunrise is one of the great dawn landscape experiences in the US for golden badland formations glowing in the early light. 
• The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells are the most accessible dunes in the park and are excellent at sunset. 
• The Artist’s Palette drive through multicoloured volcanic hills in the late afternoon light is one of the most distinctive California things to see, in the state.

Best time to visit: Visit October through April only, summer temperatures regularly exceed 50°C and are genuinely dangerous.

California Must Do Experiences You Shouldn’t Miss

The California must do experiences include the following things to do in California. Don’t miss out on these: 

California Travel Tips (When to Visit, Budget & Planning) 

While planning your things to do in California, consider the following travel tips for the best experience:

• Getting around: California requires a car for everything outside San Francisco and central LA. Rent from the airport at your first stop and drive. The road trip format suits the state perfectly.
• Best time to visit: April to October for most destinations. Death Valley is open from October to April only. San Diego is genuinely year-round.
• National Parks passes: The America the Beautiful Annual Pass ($80) covers entry to Yosemite, Death Valley, and all other national parks for 12 months, an essential value for any trip covering multiple parks.
• Booking ahead: Yosemite timed entry permits, Alcatraz tickets, and Napa winery reservations all book up, so plan these components 4–8 weeks in advance during peak season.
• Budget: California is expensive relative to most US states. Mid-range accommodation in San Francisco and Los Angeles runs $180–300 per night. Food costs are high in both cities as farmers’ markets and food halls offer the best quality-to-price ratio. To manage costs, especially in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, use the best hotels discount deals to reduce accommodation expenses.

Planning your North America and wider travel? Read our guides on the best places to visit in October, the best places to travel in January, places to visit in Alaska, and the best time to visit Alaska to keep building your travel plans.

Frequently Asked Questions