Just make sure to book your campsite well in advance if you plan on staying overnight on the island. Sipping these world-famous wines is a fun choice for day trips, bachelorette parties, and couples’ getaways alike. Kayte Deioma. If you’re wondering why everyone in Malibu looks so cute with their gym outfits and dogs, it’s because hiking is a major part of the lifestyle in this city. There’s no wrong way to experience Anaheim’s Disney parks. Tickets to Alcatraz Island are wildly popular and sell out like hotcakes, so people buy tickets as far in advance as two months. Sculptures of Anza Borrego 6. You can actually see the sunken city from the cliff (Please don’t fall). Or if you are just into the art of metal sculptors. You truly have to see it to believe it. Once inside, you can indulge in some street art or just enjoy a great view of the ocean. It’s good to have a vehicle that can carry your supplies and protect you from the elements. Famous for its native bighorn sheep (that’s where “borrego” comes from!) Hundreds of feet inside the McCloud Limestone Mountain Range are the alluring and mysterious Lake Shasta Caverns. If you’re looking for a good tour to take you around to the different wineries so you don’t have to drive, I’d recommend this one. Related: Best Things to do in Lake Tahoe (During Any Season). Regardless of whether the SF Giants are having a great season or not, it’s always a great idea to catch a game and nosh on those delicious garlic fries at Oracle Park. Visiting wine country in Napa Valley is one of the most popular things to do in California. So what are you waiting for? You’ll find many paintings which may include many explicit and pornographic images of animals and weird figures of people. Borrego Spring desert region is already fascinating and awesome on its own with many peaks to climb, and numerous slot canyons to explore. On powder days, Tahoe’s most hardcore skiers and riders queue up for the famous KT-22 lift before the sun rises. Find accommodation, book your rental car, or sign up for a local tour. Be sure to check out our list of things to do in San Diego! Tomales Bay Oyster Company provides grills and ice on top of your oysters, depending on if you like your shellfish raw or cooked. So the next time you plan your vacation there would you really want to explore it like a tourist and visit the popular clichéd places, or would you like to explore it as a traveler and go where the locals go? California Attractions & Theme Parks . LA is without doubt a stylish city and, as expected, the shopping options are excellent. A literal oasis in the desert, Palm Springs boasts some of the world’s best pool parties hosted by up-and-coming DJs all summer long. With its noble columns and snappy cupola, all painted wedding-cake white, the California State Capitol has a familiar aura that’s sure to captivate – it’s modeled after the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. What do they mean? There are also quite a few good foodie spots and cafes in the neighborhood (especially for vegans and vegetarians), so make sure to research a place or two to eat and drink via Yelp or Foursquare while you’re in town. Balboa Park is not just any ordinary park. Another favorite school field trip option when I was in elementary school, I’ve been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium more times than I can count, but it never gets old. Unique places to visit that not everyone knows about. The butterflies usually start coming in mid-October and stay around Natural Bridges until mid-February. Starting at California’s northern border and stretching down to San Diego, the Pacific Coast Highway takes over 10 hours to complete without stops. Santa Cruz is known as ‘Surf City’ for a reason (don’t listen to people from Huntington Beach who tell you otherwise), and the two most famous spots for surfing in the city have to be Steamer Lane and The Hook in Pleasure Point. The Atlas Heart is a space where you'll find anecdotes on slow travel, craft beer, outdoor adventures, and all the eccentric bits in between that this world has to offer. The Buffalo Paddock is near the Anglers Lodge in the park just off of John F. Kennedy Drive. and colorful badlands, Anza-Borrego provides plenty of sights for visitors who are looking to experience the desert in all its glory. Book a vacation rental on AirBnB (and get $40 off your first booking). Start baking Christmas cookies and hanging your California-inspired holiday decorations — ‘tis the season to be jolly. General Sherman stands at 275 feet tall and is over 36 feet in diameter. California History & Culture . Book your tickets online for the top things to do in California, United States on Tripadvisor: See 1,091,462 traveler reviews and photos of California tourist attractions. Related: How to Spend Winter in Santa Cruz. We’ve compiled a list of Northern California’s most unusual attractions that you’ve got to see to believe. Located three hours south east of L.A. Salvation Mountain is truly one of the most remarkable, unique, and fascinating landmarks of Southern California. California is the third-largest state in the nation and will take you through a variety of temperatures and environments. Note: if you plan on being in Los Angeles for at least a few days, I’d recommend grabbing an LA Go Card to get discounts on a bunch of attractions. Make sure to reward yourself with a trip to the beach afterward! If you’re looking for some new experiences to add to your SoCal bucket list, these 11 places are not only thrilling, but they’re also FREE. So how is it a zoo you may ask? One of my favorite places to travel in California is Joshua Tree. There are so many unique coffee roasters up and down California but for me one of the nicest has to be Verve in Santa Cruz. Better yet, treat yourself to some funnel cake or a scoop of Soda Jerks’ ice cream while watching the sun disappear into the horizon. But that didn’t stop the spirit of California from dwindling. While you can explore the Midway and the other exhibits (including flight simulators and the Battle of Midway Theater) on your own with the self-guided audio tour. Kayte Deioma is an internationally published travel writer and photographer based in the Los Angeles area. California is just filled with so many random and weird abandoned places. These canals were created back in 1905 to resemble the appearance of the canals in Venice. Address: 2920 Zoo Dr, San Diego, CA 92101, United States. Venice Canals 5. Ever since its humble beginnings during the Gold Rush, Julian has made apple pie making into an art with its many apple trees. The equivalent of New York’s Central Park (but much bigger), Golden Gate Park is a hotspot for outdoor and cultural activities. However, one of the most popular coastal routes that don’t skimp on the good views in the 17-Mile Drive that goes through the gated community of Pebble Beach. The panda and gorilla exhibits are always a hit at the zoo, and you can easily get your steps in wandering from the Australia exhibit to the Tiger Trail and the Africa Rocks. Besides Urban Light and Levitated Mass (be prepared to feel very, very small), LACMA is home to some incredible exhibits such as Miracle Mile by Robert Irwin. The cool thing is that the cages are left open so you can get in, explore and see how it feels to be stuck in cage. The city was founded by a group of Danes in 1911 who were trying to escape the intensely cold Midwestern winters. Joshua Tree is just far away enough from any major cities to avoid light pollution, which makes it ideal for gazing at the cosmos at night. Sounds like a great location for a Peta campaign, right? No matter what your motivation, there are plenty of things to see and do in the Golden State, no matter where you go. Rent an ATV or dune buggy from one of the local companies set up on the beach, or in town, and go wild. Solvang is known for its Danish-inspired architecture (complete with windmills) and wineries, as well as Danish bakeries and the ridiculous amount of Danish flags within city limits. These basalt formations are incredibly rare and create strikingly symmetric hexagonal and columnar shapes. The deep cerulean blue of the lake combined with the pine tree-rimmed shoreline and a backdrop of snow-capped mountains sets Lake Tahoe apart as one of the most unique destinations in the world. If you’re looking for an island adventure, Catalina Island is the way to go. If you want to observe the animals up close, the Safari Park is a great option to see your favorites out in the open range. Once you head down the stairs, you can’t miss the visitors twisting and turning in the Labyrinth itself. Northern California is home to everything from rugged coastlines and beautiful beaches to picturesque vineyards, dazzling lakes, rushing rivers and soaring mountains, with exciting cities and unique towns in between. Nope, more like thousands of dead fish and abandoned ruins. There is something truly iconic about this hipster man-mad wonder. You might think it’s a dream to see your favorite actors in the flesh, but I assure you, it can be a reality. I love hearing arguments between New Yorkers in LA about how much better Shake Shack is than In-N-Out Burger. Squaw Valley Ski Resort is the crown jewel of Lake Tahoe. You are reading "21 Best Things to do in Salinas, California" Back to Top. If you are looking for a particular one, there’s an online tool available called “Star Searcher”. Related: How to Spend One Day in San Jose. Or, if you don’t want to do the hard work, Hog Island has a waitstaff on hand to serve you your oysters just the way you like them. You can’t go to the Boardwalk and not ride the Giant Dipper, it’s really that simple – the roller coaster has been providing thrills to riders since 1924. You only have to walk half a mile before reaching the formations. Maybe you've been to California before or live here. See a haunted house come to real life on the Winchester Mystery House tour in San Jose. You can easily get a bag of fortune cookies for a steal at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, help yourself to some egg tarts, or enjoy dim sum during your time in Chinatown! Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. Related: Exploring My Own Backyard in Julian, California. This expansive aquarium is all kinds of cool, educational, and inspiring. San Francisco Zoo . The place was supposed to be self-sustaining Nazi stronghold with electricity generator, concrete walls, water tanks, and a big mansion making it the perfect place for Hitler and his military to plan a plot to take over the U.S. Of course, that didn’t work out after World War II ended quite differently than they expected and LA police raided the place, and shut down the complex. Recommended Experience: Hollywood Behind the Scenes Walking Tour. It is a modern way of recycling. Discover 1217 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in California from The Wave Organ to The El Segundo Butterfly Preserve . Tickets to most live tapings are free. If you’re after some fun things to do with kids in California, definitely factor in a visit to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in San Francisco. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in December. They are located on private property, and accessible by a ten-minute boat ride and shuttle before the mouth of the cave. California has always been about people expressing their feelings via art, no matter how weird that turns out. The skate park is a great start to an afternoon exploring Venice Beach, a counterculture hippie spot that is a unique addition to the usual LA scene. If you are willing to make the trek to the Eastern Sierras, the number of amazing hot spring options increases. The San Diego Zoo is easily one of the top things to do in California. There are several canals which are inter-connected by bridges and couple of paved roads. This infamous lake was accidentally created in early 1900’s (it was a strange time for California). If you want to explore California by road trip, you’re doing it the right way. Each of the Inn’s 110 rooms is uniquely decorated and themed, and the property, built in 1958, has a whole lot of character. Visit the aquarium to see a living kelp forest, cute sea otters, penguins, and more! Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile road in Northern California is one of the best stretches of highway in all of California, rivaling Big Sur in terms of beauty and eco-diversity. Catalina is excellent for scuba diving and snorkeling as well if you’re wanting to get in the water. Witness the circle of life with males fighting over mates, babies being born, and the unique mating call of a whole lot of seals. The city has never forgotten its roots nor its love for all things Danish since then. Must-sees are the El Prado, the Botanical Building, and the Old Globe Theatre (a replica of the Globe Theatre in London). Well that’s up to you to figure it out. However, you can take a quick peek at the museum and bookstore if you want to learn more about the town’s history. You might remember your heart fluttering when La La Land’s Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone danced with the stars, but it was Rebel Without a Cause that cemented Griffith Observatory’s reputation as a must-visit in L.A. Perched on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood, Griffith Observatory is an astronomer’s dream with its own planetarium, the Tesla Coil, and public telescopes. One of many travelers biggest dreams is to visit California, and jump head first into all the great things to do in California. If you have time to embark on a longer trip, the Pacific Coast Highway is world-renowned for its ocean views and popular pit stops, such as Big Sur and San Luis Obispo. You’d think that a sinking town and an abandoned old zoo are not weird enough, how about a 50 acres Nazi compound in the Santa Monica Mountain which is minutes away from the popular third street promenade. The number of sea caves you’re able to paddle through. You can check it out here. If you want a fun time with your favorite critters, buy a ticket today. San Francisco bakery chain, Boudin Bakery, is world-famous for their sourdough bread bowls. Well it used to be, but now it’s just abandoned. And, there’s really no better way to take in its grandeur than through SUPing around the lake. 1. We have reviews of the best places to see in San Diego. If you’re up for the challenge (and you plan in advance in terms of booking permits) you can tackle the Half Dome hike. You can be part of this legacy by helping this mountain grow with anything you do not use right now. Whether you excitedly jog from ride to ride or slow down to stroll through the neon lights of Cars Land or Pixar Pier at night, you’ll want your day to last forever (especially if you know how to use the FastPass correctly). If you hate Bananas look away! If you have time to SUP over at Emerald Bay, it’s home to Lake Tahoe’s only island, Fannette Island, as well as Vikingsholm, an authentic replica of a Viking castle. One of the best things in California is the abundance of amazing Mexican Food. From mid-December through Mid-April is when you might see gray whales, dolphins, and killer whales migrating. We like our quirks in California, so it’s really not surprising that we have a whole Danish-themed town in Central California by the name of Solvang. In that case you may want to explore a different zoo with less people in it..and no animals either! A very ‘California thing’ to do is stepping inside (or driving through) a redwood tree. You can drive this shortened version in one day, although it will be a packed one that involves being in the car for most of the day. It’s seen as one of the best aquariums in the world, and it’s not hard to see why with how diverse our marine life is in the Monterey Bay. Fact … There are three hiking trails that take you up to the famous sign. The Murphy Ranch aka the Nazi compound or locally known to as the Nazi House. Make reservations, bring cash, and enjoy all that briny goodness. You can find current rates and availability at the hotel here. You can check the Guinness Book of World Record as it is recognized for having the largest collection dedicated to a single fruit. What makes this sea kayaking trip especially unique? Tehama County. Related: 101 Things to do in Santa Cruz (From a Local). Get your skip-the-line ticket here for the USS Midway Museum. Over the years it has become a bit overcrowded in the summer months, but one of the best ways to avoid the bulk of the crowds is to visit during the shoulder seasons of spring or fall and to actually get out onto the trails!

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