Last Updated on July 15, 2024 by Mrunal & Jiten
California is a place with an expansive variety of tourist attractions. On one hand, you have vineyards, on another, deserts! There are mountains and there are beaches.
Whether you want to gaze at natural stars or you want to get dazzled by the film stars – California is the perfect place for both! The top tourist spots here are:
Top 10 Best Places to Visit in California
Table of Contents
San Diego
It is a Beach paradise with 70 miles of coastline of sandy beaches and a plethora of attractions.
Balboa Park is an urban cultural centre with the famous San Diego Zoo, theatres, gardens, museums and food outlets. Other spots to visit here are Anza Borrego Desert State Park, numerous beachfront, luxury spas, golf courses (92 of them) and cultural festivals that are held here.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is an expanding county and is the site for the film and television industry in the United States. Big film studios in Hollywood such as Paramount, Warner and Universal offer visitors behind-the-scenes tours of their studios.
Michelin-starred restaurants beckon you to taste the best here. Adventure lovers can cover the 75-mile coastline by bike or through hiking. Beach lovers can participate in various water sports while museum lovers can have their share of fun in the various unique museums.
San Francisco
This city/county is a cultural and financial centre of the western US.
Some top attractions to visit are Alcatraz Island – an erstwhile federal Prison, Golden Gate – a Bridge stretching 4200 meters, Lombard Street with 8 sharp hairpin bends, Pier39 – for shopping and Dining, Oracle Park for some sports experience and Walt Disney Family Museum.
Do not miss travelling in a cable car that has been running in these parts since the 19th century. Travelling on tracks these cars cover 3 routes providing amazing views of the lovely hills.
The city is covered best on foot and tour agents can help you cover all the landmarks plus dining spots within the stipulated time.
Joshua Tree National Park
This park was formed from a merger of two deserts the Mojave and the Colorado. It is a result of land eroded and shaped by strong winds and occasional rains.
The landscape is populated by many Joshua trees, rock formations, and unique animals that can withstand the climatic conditions.
Distinctive plants such as the Ocotillo cactus and animals such as lizards, Road runners, Lynx, Jackrabbits, Coyotes, Kangaroo rats and scorpions thrive here. At night you can gaze at clear skies illuminated by a million stars.
Oakland
Some of the top attractions in one of the largest cities in California are Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, Paramount Theater, the Fox Theater, a 2800-seat concert area, Oakland Museum, Redwood Regional Park and Chabot Space and Science Center.
The contribution of Oakland to music in the genres of Jazz, funk, blues and Hip hop is well-known. Enjoy the music scene at spots such as Yoshi’s Jazz Club, Eli’s Mile High Club and Fox Theatre.
Santa Barbara
This city lies between the Santa Ynez mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It is a University town with stunning beaches. The scenic landscape is further made attractive by a number of Spanish colonial-style buildings having red tile roofs.
There are several luxury boutiques and multi-cuisine restaurants across the city. You can go hiking on popular trails such as San Ysidro Trail, Inspiration Point and Cold Spring East Fork.
Foodies can head to the waterfront for some yummy seafood like scallops, clam chowder, sea urchins and oysters. For vibrant nightlife choose State Street with happening bars and vibe with the largest student population.
Big Sur
Big Sur is a craggy cliff section on the central coast of California. It is known for its sublime scenery. While there is no specific boundary for this section it is considered as the 71-mile distance between Malpaso Creek in the north and San Carpoforo Creek in the south.
This is a stunning coastline on Highway 1, with beautiful views of redwood forests and rugged cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other
This section receiving 7 million visitors every year offers hiking opportunities too. Some attractions here are the McWay Falls, Point Sur Lightstation (Lighthouse), the Ventana Wildlife Center, Henry Miller Memorial Library and beaches such as Garrapata State Park beach, Pfeiffer Beach, Sand Dollar Beach and Swiss Canyon Beach.
Napa Valley
The weather in Napa is perfect for soaking up its culture. One for wine enthusiasts, it is a premium wine destination, with above 400 wineries and wine-tasting rooms. Sip the award-winning Napa Valley wine while enjoying the scenic landscape here.
Fine dining at Michelin-star restaurants and Luxurious Napa Valley spas are what the doctor ordered for your stressed nerves.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park supports diverse plant and animal species. There are more than 160 varieties of rare plants in this park.
The granite cliffs, canyons, Sequoi trees, huge waterfalls deep valleys and expansive meadows make it a very popular tourist spot. About 800 miles of hiking trails connect the Park at different points.
Death Valley National Park
It is among the hottest places on Earth. Death Valley National Park is popular for its landscapes, canyons in myriad colours and salt flats. The highest peak is the Telescope Peak at an elevation of 11043 feet.
Some spots to visit here are Zabriskie Point, Artists Palette and Bad Water Basin.
When to visit
The summers are the best time to reach California from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. This could be between June and August.
How to reach there
There are few direct flights from India to California. There are 2 airports here one in Los Angeles and another in San Francisco.
