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Nathan Yan / Stocksy United

California

Twinkling cities, misty redwood forests, sun-kissed beaches, a creative local food scene and an adventurous attitude: California is instantly captivating.

Explore California

  • Yosemite National Park

    Yosemite means "killer" in the Indigenous Miwok language, and in today's parlance it's indeed an impressive, awesome site. Everywhere you look in Yosemite…

  • Golden Gate Park

    When Frederick Law Olmsted, architect of New York's Central Park, gazed in 1865 upon the plot of land San Francisco Mayor Frank McCoppin wanted to turn…

  • Griffith Observatory

    With eyes on both the galaxy above and palm-flanked boulevards below, the Griffith Observatory hovers above LA like a hulking spacecraft. This is one of…

  • Haight Street

    Was it the fall of 1966 or the winter of ’67? As the Haight saying goes, if you can remember the Summer of Love, you probably weren’t here. The fog was…

  • Chinatown Alleyways

    If you look close today at the clinker-brick buildings lining these narrow backstreets, past the temple balconies jutting out over bakeries, acupuncture…

  • City Lights Books

    No one could have predicted the cultural force City Lights would become when it first opened in 1953. Sure, it had a proletarian ethos suggested by its…

  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

    When the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art expanded in 2016, it was a mind-boggling feat that nearly tripled the institution's size to accommodate a…

  • Coit Tower

    If you want to really see San Francisco, head to Coit Tower, a 1933 art deco beaut designed by Arthur Brown, Jr. and Henry Howard that sits high up on…

  • Golden Gate Bridge

    Few cities boast a structure so iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge, commemorated in everything from films like The Maltese Falcon to not one but two emojis…

Planning Toolkit

  • Discover some of the most unique and fulfilling experiences your next destination has to offer.

  • Tips & Travel trends to help you pick the perfect time to visit this destination.

  • Browse the various transportation options to make your trip that much easier when you arrive.

  • Ways to maximize the fun without spending a dime on your next great adventure.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout California.

  • See

    Yosemite National Park

    Yosemite means "killer" in the Indigenous Miwok language, and in today's parlance it's indeed an impressive, awesome site. Everywhere you look in Yosemite…

  • See

    Golden Gate Park

    When Frederick Law Olmsted, architect of New York's Central Park, gazed in 1865 upon the plot of land San Francisco Mayor Frank McCoppin wanted to turn…

  • See

    Griffith Observatory

    With eyes on both the galaxy above and palm-flanked boulevards below, the Griffith Observatory hovers above LA like a hulking spacecraft. This is one of…

  • See

    Haight Street

    Was it the fall of 1966 or the winter of ’67? As the Haight saying goes, if you can remember the Summer of Love, you probably weren’t here. The fog was…

  • See

    Chinatown Alleyways

    If you look close today at the clinker-brick buildings lining these narrow backstreets, past the temple balconies jutting out over bakeries, acupuncture…

  • See

    City Lights Books

    No one could have predicted the cultural force City Lights would become when it first opened in 1953. Sure, it had a proletarian ethos suggested by its…

  • See

    San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

    When the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art expanded in 2016, it was a mind-boggling feat that nearly tripled the institution's size to accommodate a…

  • See

    Coit Tower

    If you want to really see San Francisco, head to Coit Tower, a 1933 art deco beaut designed by Arthur Brown, Jr. and Henry Howard that sits high up on…

  • See

    Golden Gate Bridge

    Few cities boast a structure so iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge, commemorated in everything from films like The Maltese Falcon to not one but two emojis…

Featured videos

Cultural Diversity: San Diego

3:14

  • Discover the surprising wonders of Joshua Tree National Park

  • Exploring California's hidden gem, Oceano Dunes

  • Three incredible hikes in Los Angeles

  • Take a magical road trip on California's Highway 1

  • Which US national park is right for you?

  • L.A.'s weirdest peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

  • The best US cities to explore with your dog

  • The world's most amazing scenic train journeys

  • Sci-fi movie locations you can actually visit

  • Where to go in April

  • Discover California's Redwood Coast

Guidebooks

Learn more about California

Ready to go? Get to the heart of California with one of Lonely Planet's in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.

California