Compare California holidays

What to do in California

Home to some of the most iconic sights in the USA, California’s attractions are almost too many to mention. From national parks and blissful beaches to theme parks and dynamic cities, these are five of the best.

Yosemite National Park

If you only visit one of California’s parks, make it Yosemite National Park. Home to thrashing rivers, towering mountains, crashing waterfalls, and endless hiking trails, this is the western USA at its breathtaking best.

Meander through Mariposa Grove, craning your neck at giant sequoias; watch climbers tackle El Capitan; and join a ranger-led tour to bring the scenery alive for the whole family. Beyond Yosemite are impressive national parks like Sequoia (where the ‘General Sherman’ tree reaches 84m/276ft), Joshua Tree, and the arid beauty of Death Valley.

Hollywood

Everything in this Los Angeles neighbourhood has a glimmer of movie magic. The Hollywood sign beams out from the Hollywood Hills, while silver-screen icons are immortalised along the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Peer behind the scenes on a studio tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, pay your respects to bygone film greats at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and keep your eyes peeled for celebs. Travelling with kids? Head to Disneyland, a short drive from Los Angeles in Anaheim.

Golden Gate Bridge

A symbol of San Francisco – and an incredible feat of engineering – the Golden Gate Bridge stretches from the Presidio district to the rugged Marin Headlands. Explore walking trails and clifftop views around the Presidio before cycling or walking across the bridge (be careful, it gets crowded).

Out in the bay, you’ll see the infamous island prison of Alcatraz. It’s well worth booking an Alcatraz tour to learn about the daily lives of inmates and their bold feats of escape.

Lake Tahoe

Straddling the Nevada border, North America’s largest alpine lake is surrounded by hiking trails through evergreen forests, while kayaks bob on its glassy waters. There’s culture, too, like the 1929-built mansion Vikingsholm.

Summer is peak season for tackling the Tahoe Rim Trail, though hikers and cyclists continue well into the balmy autumn. Winter is even lovelier, when resorts such as Heavenly, Palisades, and Kirkwood bring snowboarders and skiers flocking to the pillowy snow, which sometimes lasts well into spring.

Pacific Coast Highway

Hugging the coast between San Francisco and San Diego, the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as Highway 1) is one of the most spectacular road trips in the USA. Be sure to make a stop at the enormous Monterey Bay Aquarium offers close-up views of sharks, seals, penguins, and other marine life.

Continue to popular Big Sur, a stretch of untouched, wild coastline, where Bixby Bridge is an irresistible photo-op. Make time for friendly San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and its wineries, before finishing in San Diego, one of California’s sunniest spots.

Where to stay in California

For families

Kids will love staying in Disneyland, but San Diego is the real sweet spot for families. There's Legoland and San Diego Zoo plus intrigues like the USS Midway to fuel kids' imaginations. Meanwhile, beaches, watersports, and the rollercoasters of Belmont Park are all close by. Resorts with pools and catered meals keep family holidays simple, and there are often kid-friendly activities on site.

Consider action-packed Lake Tahoe, too, for winter ski holidays or summer hikes and cycle rides. Towns like South Lake Tahoe and Truckee have hotels and self-catering apartments.

For travellers on a budget

For cheap California holidays, cut accommodation costs by camping in national parks like Yosemite (but reserve months ahead) and snip restaurant costs by self-catering. No stay in the Golden State will have rock-bottom prices, but accommodation rates drop if you stay outside big cities (like in charming towns such as Solvang and Placerville).

Mount Shasta, with chain hotels and midrange resorts, is a lower-budget alternative to Lake Tahoe: its striking peak hosts a small ski area in winter and walking trails during summer.

For food and drink

Foodies will have a full menu in San Francisco. The Ferry Building Marketplace has magnificent ice cream and coffee, the Financial District hosts Prohibition-era saloons, diners come to the Marina to munch crab, while brunch spots in the Castro draw queues for eggs benedict. The Mission is a hub for Mexican cuisine, while Potrero Hill attracts craft beer aficionados.

Accommodation in San Francisco is expensive but there are boutique and chain hotels downtown, characterful B&Bs in the Mission and Castro, and self-catering apartments everywhere.

For nightlife

All creatures of the night will find their fix in Los Angeles. There's sizzling LGBTQ+ nightlife in West Hollywood, rooftop bars in downtown LA, exclusive nightclubs in Beverly Hills, plus renowned live music venues such as the Hollywood Bowl.

Downtown LA and Hollywood have good transport links so they’re great bases; both areas have chain hotels, swanky boutique hotels with rooftop pools and on-site restaurants, and compact self-catering apartments. Remember, even if you're well above the legal drinking age of 21, you need ID to enter bars!

For culture

Los Angeles has California’s biggest museums and iconic sights, such as The Getty, The California Space Center, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. San Francisco is known for its distinctive neighbourhoods, such as the Mission and Chinatown.

For an intriguing pocket of desert culture, Palm Springs is a fascinating getaway for its mid-century architecture, LGBTQ+ culture, and Rat Pack history. Modernist hotels with outdoor pools are easy to find, as are cosy self-catering rentals. With rustic B&Bs, theme park hotels, and ultra-luxurious resorts, there’s an enormous range of accommodation in Palm Springs.