California Region

California runs from surf-and-sun Southern California to foggy San Francisco, with wine country, deserts and giant trees in between.

Why go / don’t miss: the beaches and studios of Los Angeles, the hills and bay of San Francisco, the granite cliffs of Yosemite, the wineries of Napa Valley, the drama of Big Sur, and the theme parks of San Diego and Anaheim.

Areas: Southern California (LA, San Diego, the desert); the Central Coast (Big Sur, Santa Barbara); the Bay Area and wine country; and the Sierra Nevada (Yosemite, Tahoe).

Getting around: fly into LA or San Francisco; a car (and a Highway 1 road trip) is essential.

When to go: spring and fall are ideal statewide; the coast is mild year-round, the deserts brutal in summer.

Where to stay: Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego as bases.

Dining: tacos and Mexican food, farm-to-table cuisine, wine country dining and every world cuisine.

Local tips: it’s a huge state - pick north or south (or a coast road trip) rather than all of it.

California stretches along the Pacific Coast from foggy northern rainforests to sun-drenched southern beaches, and inland across fertile valleys to the high, snowbound Sierra Nevada - a state of huge geographic contrasts and a restless, inventive character. The big signature cities include San Francisco with its steep streets and iconic bridge, sprawling Los Angeles with its entertainment industries and beaches, and sunny San Diego; iconic parks and landscapes range from the granite cliffs of Yosemite National Park to the ancient trees of Redwood National Park and the surreal salt flats of Death Valley National Park.

California is a place of cultural mash-ups and legendary road trips: drive the dramatic cliffs of Highway 1 through Big Sur, explore tech campuses in Silicon Valley, or soak up the mid-century cool of Palm Springs - each region feels like its own world. The state’s national parks - from the desert sculptures of Joshua Tree National Park to the volcanic landscapes of Lassen Volcanic National Park - offer easily accessible wild spaces close to major urban centers.

Outdoors options are virtually limitless: hike and rock-climb in the Sierra, surf and paddle along the coast, ski in the high country around Lake Tahoe and Mammoth, or go backcountry backpacking in the less-traveled eastern ranges. Desert outings (including stargazing in Joshua Tree National Park or Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park) provide a completely different California experience.

Food and drink are an essential part of the state’s identity - farm-to-table freshness, Mexican and Asian influences, pioneering craft beer, and world-class wine regions such as Napa Valley and Sonoma make California a culinary destination, from food trucks to Michelin-starred restaurants.

California packs oceans, mountains, deserts and forests into one sprawling state - visit for the iconic city scenes of San Francisco and Los Angeles, world-class parks like Yosemite National Park and Joshua Tree National Park, coastal drives on Highway 1, and a food-and-wine culture that’s as diverse as the landscape.

California’s climate varies dramatically - coastal areas have a Mediterranean pattern with mild, wet winters and dry summers, inland valleys get hotter in summer, the Sierra Nevada receives heavy winter snow, and the southeast is arid desert; choose timing based on the region and activities you want.

Most visitors combine flights between regions with car rentals for local exploration - driving is the most flexible way to see California’s varied landscapes.

Major Highways

Major routes include I-5, the spine of the state running north - south through the Central Valley; US‑101 and State Route 1 (the Pacific Coast Highway) which link coastal cities from the Bay Area to Los Angeles; I‑80 connecting the Bay Area to Sacramento and east to Nevada; I‑10 across Southern California toward Arizona; and I‑15 running from the Los Angeles area to Las Vegas, making these corridors the backbone of road travel in California.