Top Things to do in California
The 10 Best Points of Interest & Landmarks 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. Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,300 reviews
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens offers everything from colorful displays to thunderous waves. The mild maritime climate makes it a garden for all seasons, attracting gardeners and nature lovers. With manicured formal gardens, a dense coastal pine forest, native flora and habitats, fern-covered canyons, camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias and conifers, heaths, heathers, and flower-filled coastal bluffs overlooking the blue ocean, the garden is a jewel on the Pacific Coast. Your visit is a show of support for our non-profit botanical garden and its mission!
Reviewed By Gardenxoe - Eureka, United States
We’ve never been disappointed by this garden. This time the rhododendrons were in full bloom and it was also a great time to see native wildflowers. We love the transition from beautiful display gardens to native plants (as you head to dramatic ocean overlook). Another good time to visit garden is in July/August, when the dahlias & heathers are blooming.
2. Half Dome
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,474 reviews
Major rock formation in Yosemite.
Reviewed By C1431LKnancyt
After failing to summit 2 years ago (ear infection caused severe vertigo on sub-dome) I chose to have a guided tour on my second attempt (Aug 2019) so that I didn't have to navigate the ridiculously complicated process of getting wilderness permits and half dome permits again. (Hello Silicon Valley! Can you not help our gov't improve this system!?) I chose the DiscoveryTreks.com company for their reasonable price and doable 3 night backpack itinerary. Having someone to cook and clean up after all the meals was really appealing, and our guide Jason did not disappoint! He was wonderful in both his calm and encouraging demeanor (not easy to keep everyone happy in a group with varying opinions and expectations haha!) We had two people with us who had never backpacked before, and all of us had our challenges with fitness and knee issues, so Jason really was awesome in how he managed all of our anxieties and fitness issues and still got us to the dome with a great attitude. Unless you are extremely fit, I do NOT recommend attempting half dome without at least one night in the Little Yosemite Camp site. Doing it in one day is dangerous unless you are very fit and very prepared. I highly recommend #DiscoveryTreks.com if you want to climb half dome but don't want the hassle of figuring out all the logistics on your own. These guys will get you there safely and will take a lot of the burden out of the trip. We started the hike via Mono Meadows after spending our first night at North Pine backpackers campsite in the valley floor. We woke up early to catch a tour bus (you must have tickets) to Glacier Point, and then hopped back on same bus to Mono Meadows trailhead. It was a nice bonus to get a tour of Glacier Point and our bus driver Colette (I think?) was hysterical! From Mono Meadows we had an easy 3 hr hike to our campsite on the Illilouette creek where we swam and relaxed in virtual solitude. I recommend water proof hiking shoes by the way, as we had a very wet meadow crossing at one point. From there the next morning we hiked into Little Yosemite Valley via the Panorama Trail and John Muir Trail, which afforded amazingly beautiful views without the steep climb of the mist trail. Arriving before lunch we had time to swim in the Merced and rest before eating lunch (Jason is a great cook!) and then preparing for the Half Dome climb. We started out before 2pm and arrived at the cables about 3.5hrs later. Lots of breaks on the way up due to high heat and just our fitness levels. The sub-dome was particularly challenging for me because it is steep and does not have railings. Not recommended for folks with vertigo! It was not a long ascent though, and we reached the cables within maybe 30 minutes. The cable route is very steep and way scarier than I imagined, but thankfully there were very few hikers on it that late in the afternoon. We arrived at cables around 5:30 I think. I was not going to attempt them until the ranger there said they aren't as bad as they look. He was wrong, haha, but by the time I started going up there was no turning back. Having the cable on each side of your body is reassuring, especially with good gloves and hiking shoes gripping well, but there are sections where you are walking up very steep slick rock with a cliff on each side of you and it is not for the faint of heart. They have wood planks to stop on every 10 or 15 feet, which helps you get some rest and feel more secure on the cliff. It takes around 30 mins to climb if you don't have others holding you up on the cables, but it is definitely hard on your arms and back since you are pulling your weight up equally between your arms and legs. I advise ascending the cables without looking to either side of you as you are definitely close to the cliff at several points. Arriving at the top was so worth all of the pain and fright though! It is otherworldly on top, with stunning 360 degree views. So peaceful that time of day too. The sun was starting to set so that the light was gorgeous on the valley. Coming down the cables was also quite frightening, but maybe not as bad as going up since you knew what to expect and had gravity helping you. There are a few rock shelves to step down and these are quite disconcerting if you are short since you have to reach up higher to the cable in these sections, but overall the descent is quick if no one is holding up the line. Going down the sub-dome was way easier for me than up, and we were on the main trail home in no time. However, the trail back to LYV camp is long and it is critical to carry extra water and snacks and MOST IMPORTANT a light! We were at our campsite before dark, but not much before it. We saw several people coming up on our way down who did not have water or headlamps and we heard later that one of them had to be helped by others on the trail. Don't be a burden to others and make sure you prepare properly for this hike! It is not cool to assume you are so special you don't need water or headlamps to attempt the dome. The next morning we broke camp and headed back to the valley floor via the John Muir trail. It took around 3.5hrs. Lots of switchbacks and sore knees but well worth the effort. We chose to splurge on a final night at the Ahwahnee with a dinner reservation planned in advance. A great end to a fantastic adventure! Thanks to Jason and DiscoveryTreks!
3. Redlands Bowl
4. Battery Spencer
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 204 reviews
Reviewed By beagleshnout - Branson, United States
Which I am one. I tour Coastal Artillery forts/batteries whenever I travel. This is a must. The view of the ocean is wonderful. The entire Marin Headlands area with Fort Baker, Fort Cronkite, Fort Barry etc is fantastic for the outdoors hiker and military history buff.
5. Santa Barbara County Courthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,969 reviews
Visit the Santa Barbara Courthouse to enjoy a free Self-Guided Exterior Tour and a virtual tour of the Mural Room interior. Use your cell phone or tablet to explore Santa Barbara’s iconic Spanish Colonial Revival Courthouse. The web-based tours can be found at sbcourthouse.org. The Courthouse is closed to visitors during Covid.
Reviewed By cresapsd - San Diego, United States
Coincidentally our stay in Santa Barbara was during the annual Fiesta Days and we enjoyed free concerts in the courthouse sunken garden as well as a docent led tour. The tour was very interesting and entertaining. The courthouse is not to be missed and don’t forget to check out the breathtaking view from the courthouse clock tower
6. Old Mission Santa Barbara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,679 reviews
Visitors can tour this historic Franciscan mission that features twin bell towers and lovely gardens.
Reviewed By PetriHat - Los Angeles, United States
The historic mission is both working monestary and historic landmark. Take a self guided tour for $9 and experience the inner gardens, cemetery, and church before entering the museum to see the history of the missions and how they interacted with and impacted the native Chumash culture.
7. Golden Gate Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 49,332 reviews
Stretching 4,200 feet and towering as high as a 65-story building, this well-known bridge is the gateway to San Francisco.
Reviewed By SandeeHoff - Villas, United States
Crossed this iconic bridge and wish I had time to walk or bike over it, simply put it an amazing bit of history and is phenomenal engineering. Lives up to all photos I've seen, if time and health allow I'd get out of car and experience it!
8. General Sherman Tree
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,162 reviews
An 249.9 foot ancient tree believed to be between 2,300 and 2,700 years old.
Reviewed By ELKW
you can drive to go there or take shuttle bus (in summer time), if you drive, you need to park in a more remote parking lot, and need to walk a long way to the Sherman tree, but we take the bus, can get off at the bus stop where is wheelchiar-accessible trail head, so with a short walk, you can go to the Sherman tree. It's the biggest tree (by volume) in the world, so worth to take a look. by the way, there is a fallen tree truck with a hole, so you can walk through the tunnel, it's quite interesting, and both adults and kids love to go through it. It's a point of interest besides the Sherman tree, so if you go to this National park, it's a MUST to walk this trail and to take a look to the Sherman tree, also there are several giant red wood trees can be seen in this trail
9. Sonoma Plaza
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 910 reviews
Bordered by several gourmet shops, this pretty town square is a perfect place for a picnic.
Reviewed By G5471VNsueh - Gilbert, United States
This was the birth of California, full of history and social activities. Whether you want to have a picnic in the park, tour the historic mission, do some wine tasting, have a delicious lunch or dinner at one of the unique restaurants or do some interesting shopping, it's all in The Square.
10. Downtown Disney District
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8,768 reviews
Make way for more magic with unique eateries, upscale shops and exciting entertainment for Guests of all ages at Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney District! Check out Disney fan favorite shops like World of Disney, Disneyland Resort Backlot Premiere Shop, & Disney Home; and unique restaurants like Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes & Salt & Straw. For the most up to date health and safety measures and top things to know, go to: https: //disneyland.disney.go.com / experience-updates / downtown-disney / Check out Disney fan favorite shops like World of Disney, Disneyland Resort Backlot Premiere Shop, & Disney Home; and unique restaurants like Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes & Salt & Straw. For the most up to date health and safety measures and top things to know, go to: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/experience-updates/downtown-disney/
Reviewed By CMelam - Bend, United States
In addition to the two Disney parks, there's also Downtown Disney which is a must see when in Anaheim. We always have a great time walking around Downtown, shopping, having a great meal, and just hanging out. There are plenty of restaurants, great shopping opportunities if you've forgotten to buy your keepsakes in the park, and a great place to people watch. You can get many of the sweets that you can find in the park, and the huge Disney store has everything you could want.
