Top Things to do in California
The 10 Best Historic Walking Areas in California, United States
California is a fertile, peaceful place where you’ll find a near-equal balance of vineyards and deserts, beaches and mountains, hippies and traditionalists. Catch an epic wave in Big Sur or swirl a glass in Napa Valley. Be dazzled by the Joshua Tree night sky or just star-gaze in Hollywood. Swish down the slopes of a Tahoe ski resort, or cruise across the Golden Gate Bridge with the top down and the music blasting. Above all, don’t forget to soak up some Golden State sunshine.
Restaurants in California
1. Pacific Grove Oceanview Boulevard
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 741 reviews
Reviewed By SFantle101 - Bellevue, United States
This is a beautiful alternative (or complement) to 17 Mile Drive; much less traffic and still great views any time of day. Take the time for a relaxing walk and you'll be rewarded with serenity.
2. Pleasanton Old Town
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By jmhFranklin_TN - Katy, United States
We enjoyed an after lunch stroll down Main Street in Old Town Pleasanton. The preservation of architecture is refreshing to see. The brick buildings are beautiful. There are many lovely shops to browse in as well as an art gallery. Plenty of coffee shops and restaurants to choose from as well. Highly recommended.
3. USS Los Angeles Memorial
4. San Juan Bautista State Historic Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 95 reviews
Reviewed By OldeBlueHen
This is an interesting and educational historic sight which sits adjacent to Mission San Juan Bautista, a still active historic Roman Catholic church. There are displays of early buildings and descriptions of key historic figures from that area and how Spain and the Catholic Church was tied into the early history of California. The park is a little off the beaten path. You take the exit for the town of San Juan Bautista off of SR 156 and follow the signs in the down town area to the historic district. There you will find the Mission Church and the state historic park (corner of 2nd St and Washington Ave). There are also some additional extras to see including part of the San Andreas Fault which runs right next to the Mission Church (you can walk right on top of the fault line itself), and the areas of the Mission San Juan Bautista used in filming the Alfred Hitchcock movie "Vertigo". The people at the state historic park can give you a lot of details on where exactly the filming was done. This makes for a very interesting visit. There is a fee for touring the building of the state park.
5. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,643 reviews
Historic site in downtown San Diego that recreates life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872.
Reviewed By Enjoy4790 - San Diego, United States
I love Old Town San Diego I've been going to Old Town since I was a couple weeks old we have always had our family parties in Old Town even when I moved far away whenever I would come back to visit San Diego I would go to Old Town there's so much to do so much to see many different men Mexican restaurants lots of shops on the weekends they have the craft festivals they have live music in Old Town free live music shows they also have a live theater called the Signet they have many surrounding hotels or you can just stay in Hotel Circle and then you will be really close to Old Town actually there's hundreds of hotels that are very close to Old Town San Diego but in Old Town you really want to experience the Mexican food not every Mexican restaurant is good my top recommendations are going to Casa Guadalajara or El Agave Mexican Restaurant there's a few other good ones but then there are many that are well below average as far as the shopping there's a lot of cute unique boutiques and then there's many Mexican owned little shops that have some fabulous jewelry stores old town is in the center of San Diego just about 8 minutes from SeaWorld, it's about 8 minutes from the airport it's about 8 minutes from downtown San Diego it's about 11 minutes from La Jolla it's about 16 minutes from Del Mar so it's really Central....... Another really nice thing about Old Town is many of the people that work in the shops around the Old Town Park and in the restaurants wear "time period Clothing" which is really special and then in the restaurants they wear authentic true Mexican dresses and clothing and then they have a "live show" in "fiesta de los Reyes" so it is live Mexican style dancing and singing and the show is seven days a week and it's free and so that's really enjoyable but the restaurant it's connected to called "fiesta de los Reyes" is really bad as far as the food and the service is even worse but if you are willing to put up with that it's in a beautiful setting so if you don't really care about service and you don't really care about having a nice meal then go ahead and eat there because there's so much to do right around that area but then over at Casa Guadalajara where I recommended for you to go to lunch or dinner the shopping over there will blow you away ats, some of the best shopping in all of San Diego and the lady that owns Casa Guadalajara she owns all the shops around it, it's called "Bazaar del Mundo" and it's a two-level shopping area it's so worth seeing, the most beautiful clothing and true authentic elegant Mexican apparel and dishes and Gourmet Foods and material and shoes and jewelry it's really worth seeing✨
6. Colorado Boulevard
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 251 reviews
The site of the Rose Parade in Pasadena.
Reviewed By terrihK9755MZ - Phoenix, United States
We walked up and down Colorado Ave shopping and exploring. It was a beautiful day. The streets are clean, great stores and restaurants too. We had a lovely day taking in Pasadena.
7. Ocean Avenue
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 691 reviews
Reviewed By ghk1857
Stroll along the Pacific Palisades and gaze at the open top convertible automobiles as they drive past. Or better still, drive your own car along one of the most iconic roads in the world.
8. State Street Underpass
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,386 reviews
Seven straight miles of shops.
Reviewed By christinam22018 - San Diego, United States
Visiting Santa Barbara is always fun. The city has great shopping, dining and the beach! We walked from one end of State Street all the way for the Wharf. We went into the antique shops and record shops. It’s a nice stroll so bring comfy shoes and your credit card! We stopped into a store; I can’t remember the name; but she sells slightly used high end items. I found a gorgeous Oscar de la Renta silk scarf for $100. It was a good find! There are numerous local businesses up and down the street. There is also a ‘mall’ with all the typical stores. It’s was very enjoyable.
9. Jack London State Historic Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 468 reviews
Jack London State Historic Park, comprised of 1400 acres, is the legacy of Jack London, one of America's most famous authors. The park offers historic buildings dating to the late 1870's, great scenic beauty and more than 20 miles of trails open to hikers, bikers and horseback riders. The park is open year-round, 7 days, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. There is no camping. Day Use fee is $10/car. Historic buildings include the House of Happy Walls, the Wolf House Ruin, barns, the Cottage where Jack London lived and died and the famous "Pig Palace".
Reviewed By 2AmigosWWPP
What a GEM! Jack London is California’s first native born novelist and this State Park is a chance to walk in his footsteps and appreciate his creativity and uniqueness. From the self-guided walking tours of Wolf House, the Beauty Ranch, and his cottage to the more extensive hikes up to London and Fern Lakes, is truly a walk back into the early 1900s. Unfortunately due to Covid the museum house was closed, and a return trip when it’s open is a must. I never tire of this State Park and the history it contains. Always include a picnic lunch to enjoy on property.
10. Point Loma
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,920 reviews
A lookout point above San Diego Bay and home of the Cabrillo monument.
Reviewed By jwnowak - San Diego, United States
Living in Point Loma i have Liberty Station , Shelter Island at my door step with excellent food and views of the city and bay right there.If you're looking for a relaxed atmosphere locals spot to eat I recommend Point Break, my favorite local place for good food, nice portions and friendly atmosphere at a reasonable price and where you're made to feel welcomed by the staff and owners like you're family this is the place to go
