California Favorites

  Monzogranite clambering - feel the...
by welbourn3
 
  • Monzogranite clambering - feel the power!
      Monzogranite clambering - feel the...
    by welbourn3
  • lovely floral sidealk, Solvang, California
      lovely floral sidealk, Solvang,...
    by marinarena
  • to Powell Street
      to Powell Street
    by machomikemd
  • the valet parking
      the valet parking
    by machomikemd
  • parking
      parking
    by machomikemd
 

Most Viewed Favorites in California

1.

Golden Gate Bridge   San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

 64 Reviews  They are two vista points at the Golden Gate Bridge, the nearest one just before crossing the bridge is the south vista point and the farthest one is upon exiting the bridge via US 101 going to the... 

 See All 913 Favorites in San Francisco

2.

Disneyland / Knotts Berry Farm   Los Angeles

Disneyland / Knotts Berry Farm, Los Angeles

 25 Reviews  The staff in Disneyland is very professional and polite. They never push us to leave though we devoted ourselves to shopping and became the last group of tourist in Disneyland...it is midnight time... 

 See All 395 Favorites in Los Angeles

3.

Beaches   San Diego

Beaches, San Diego

 26 Reviews  If it is the beach you're looking forward to, I'd suggest that which one you spend most time at would depend upon your income level and tastes. Ocean Beach is a "funky,""let it flow" type of place... 

 See All 307 Favorites in San Diego

4.

Disneyland   Anaheim

Disneyland, Anaheim

 28 Reviews  Ridemax is a software application that you can purchase online. You download the software onto your computer. You can either purchase a 90 day subscription (15 USD) or a one year subscription ($25... 

 See All 58 Favorites in Anaheim

5.

Weather Wise   Yosemite National Park

Weather Wise, Yosemite National Park

 13 Reviews  Temperatures in April can range between 32 (freezing) and 66 (relatively pleasant), but the weather can go from gorgeous to dangerous in a matter of an hour - very unpredictable, still, in April.... 

 See All 199 Favorites in Yosemite National Park

6.

Mountains/ hiking   Palm Springs

Mountains/ hiking, Palm Springs

 6 Reviews  Make a trip to Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the world in terms or volume thanks to the engineering wonder Hoover Dam. Avoid carrying suspicious looking bags in case you incur unnecessary... 

 See All 44 Favorites in Palm Springs

7.

Grauman's Foot & Hand Prints   Hollywood

Grauman's Foot & Hand Prints, Hollywood

 8 Reviews  At front of the chinese theater you can find the first prints done by stars.There are different stories how it came to the prints.Fact is that ,Mr.Sid Graumann invited on 17.May 1927 Norma... 

 See All 72 Favorites in Hollywood

8.

17 Mile Drive   Monterey

17 Mile Drive, Monterey

 5 Reviews  The community of Pebble Beach is actually an unincorporated area run by a corporation rather than by an elected government but it falls under a census designated place called Del Monte Forest. Del... 

 See All 80 Favorites in Monterey

9.

Desert Views   Death Valley National Park

Desert Views, Death Valley National Park

 41 Reviews  The last two times we have come this way we always travel along Highway 178 that passes through Inyokern, Ridgecrest, China Lake, Argus, and Trona. Just as you pass over the hills you will see such... 

 See All 194 Favorites in Death Valley National Park

10.

Third Street Promenade   Santa Monica

Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica

 17 Reviews  Shop or have lunch at SANTA MONICA PLACE. Situated along Colorado Avenue & 4th Street & 1 block away from Ocean Avenue, it's mall shopping housed within the contemporary architecture designed by... 

 See All 86 Favorites in Santa Monica

11.

Queen Mary   Long Beach

Queen Mary, Long Beach

 9 Reviews  I haven`t been at the Queen Mary.But it looked very impressive from the roundwalk at the harbour.The Queen Mary has a long history,played a role in the 2nd world war.Today it is a hotel and visitor... 

 See All 61 Favorites in Long Beach

12.

Seasonal Events   San Jose

Seasonal Events, San Jose

 3 Reviews  In summer 2008 we saw country artists Jason Aldean and Emerson Drive at San Jose Municipal Stadium. Tickets were $15 for general admission and about $75 for the seating immediately in front of the... 

 See All 18 Favorites in San Jose

13.

The Lake   South Lake Tahoe

The Lake, South Lake Tahoe

 8 Reviews  Well, I guess if you came here, to Lake Tahoe, your main reason was to see the lake! Just ensure you leave enough time to do just that, not like me, too busy taking in the sights elsewhere, haha.... 

 See All 26 Favorites in South Lake Tahoe

14.

Beach Sights   Manhattan Beach

Beach Sights, Manhattan Beach

 17 Reviews  Well a litte different on Saturday don't you think .During this weekend late July early August the 6 Men Volleyball Tourney is held here in Manhattan Beach . It is a great event and well worth... 

 See All 61 Favorites in Manhattan Beach

15.

OLD SACRAMENTO   Sacramento

OLD SACRAMENTO, Sacramento

 9 Reviews  Go to Old Town...everyone will say that but it is true. Old town is darling with its wooden sidewalks and sleepy river ambiance. It is a bit touristy, but that's why it has a few good resturaunts and... 

 See All 42 Favorites in Sacramento

16.

Beaches and Tide Pools   Laguna Beach

Beaches and Tide Pools, Laguna Beach

 11 Reviews  After reading a sad article this morning about how polluted a lot of America's beaches have become, I was pleased to at least see that Laguna Beach had some of the cleanest beaches in the country.... 

 See All 19 Favorites in Laguna Beach

17.

Information / Sources   Pasadena

Information / Sources, Pasadena

 13 Reviews  I suppose this would be the city's official website. It has quite a bit of information. There is always something going on in Pasadena. That's what makes it such a great town to visit. Nice shopping... 

 See All 62 Favorites in Pasadena

18.

Flora / Fauna   Big Sur

Flora / Fauna, Big Sur

 14 Reviews  Along the coast of the Big Sur area of California, as you gaze off shore into the Pacific Ocean, you may often see a line of green. This is a rich habitat made of giant kelp, a slim aquatic plant that... 

 See All 119 Favorites in Big Sur

19.

Solvang Tastes   Solvang

Solvang Tastes, Solvang

 7 Reviews  One of the things the area around Solvang is famous for is the different types of wine. When you are in this area you must make it a priority to go to one of the wine tasting places in town and try... 

 See All 29 Favorites in Solvang

20.

Winter Activities   Mammoth Lakes

Winter Activities, Mammoth Lakes

 10 Reviews  SKI! Mammoth is a superb ski resort! The mountain is HUGE. There is almost always good snow and it's mostly reasonably mild. I've skiied in Colorado and the Alps and I would say that purely for... 

 See All 18 Favorites in Mammoth Lakes

21.

Flora / Fauna   Joshua Tree National Park

Flora / Fauna, Joshua Tree National Park

 44 Reviews  The Rock formations are really nice to look at and take pictures and they have some pretty nice camp sites......Jumbo Rocks. There were very few flowers in bloom in the month of March i suppose... 

 See All 83 Favorites in Joshua Tree National Park

22.

The Hotel Del Coronado   Coronado

The Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado

 5 Reviews  While organizing your time in San Diego or Coronado, include a stop at the Palm Court just off the lobby of the Hotel Del for an afternoon cocktail, soda or coffee with delicate pastries. It is a... 

 See All 15 Favorites in Coronado

23.

Harbor / Beach   Oceanside

Harbor / Beach, Oceanside

 8 Reviews  There is a really wonderful walkway that takes you safely from the beach area to the downtown area under the railroad tracks. They accented with some lovely art work and decorated the walkway with a... 

 See All 13 Favorites in Oceanside

24.

Marin County Info   San Rafael

Marin County Info, San Rafael

 4 Reviews  San Rafael began flourishing as a city in the mid 1800's. The late 1800's attracted a lot of new residents, and many Victorian houses from that era have remained. Here in California, we think this is... 

 See All 11 Favorites in San Rafael

25.

Tide Pools/ Sea Lions / Harbor Seals   La Jolla

Tide Pools/ Sea Lions / Harbor Seals, La Jolla

 5 Reviews  You will often come across beach coves here and there as you drive around La Jolla La Jolla Caves. Seven natural inlets in the cliffs, accessible to strong swimmers only. Access from land is limited... 

 See All 25 Favorites in La Jolla

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

CALIFORNIA, I LIVE HERE.

by travelgourmet

California, here I come, right back where I started from. So true. Around the world , around the corner, there is no place is like home. To list every place I have seen in California would be either boring or braggatorial. I desire to do neither. What I have done, is list the towns and cities I feel have something to give to you that says California. You can find them in my Virtual Tourist Tip pages for the United States of America, under California. There are a total of 38 locations listed. If you desire to know something about a particular city or area of California, feel free to ask. I will try to give you the answer or direct you to someone or place that will. If you want to see the "Golden State" , then there are many places to go , and things to see. You would need a whole month to see most of it, but to highlight a few I say; "see the San Francisco bay area, the San Diego beach...

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Traveler Discount Guide - Very Handy

by Yaqui

Similiar booklets to this one, you can pick up just about every where in most hotels, shops or you can find this one at IHOP or Denny's restaurants. It contains loads of hotel discount coupons for hotels all over California and Neveda. It has very helpful maps too to locate where each hotel is located at that has an advertisement in it. It has a internet site to check out information and there is another one that you can print out Room Saver Coupons.Hotel CouponsorRoom Saver

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weather and water temperatures in california

by rkearns

hi there, i can speak for california since i have lived here almost my entire life. the temperatures are very different from north to south (it's a long state:)san francisco is going to be from 50-65 degrees in june, probably foggy, maybe even a bit rainy. the central coast will be warmer and sunny, a mild 75-85 degrees, unless you go inland, in which case it will be a lot warmer. if you stay on the coast, you will be comfortable in a t-shirt and jeans, but at night, you need a sweater.l.a. is where you will find the warmest weather, especially at night. yes, you should be able to wear shorts at night. you're from canada, so your cold is different than our cold, etc.the water in s.f. is bone chilling cold. on the central coast, as well. you will need a wetsuit to go in the water and not freeze your a** off. l.a. water is significantly warmer. you can actually go in with a bathing suit. i...

Traveling to select cities in the West of the US

by gkitzmil

I believe you are correct to select 2-3 cities or areas. Even Las Vegas + San Francisco + Los Angeles might be a bit much. Yet, for cities only that will do nicely. However, most in the U.S. will rent a car IF you plan to leave the cities. LV and SF do not require a car to enjoy their city. In LA, you will find getting around by public transport much more difficult.

Blue Sea, Fresh Air, Perfect Summer in Carmel

by lisabel_smith

We stayed at the Monte Verde Inn. Excellent staff. We were a group of three families that stayed at the Monte Verde Inn. It was a great experience and we enjoyed every bit of it. Enjoyed the delicious breakfast and hung out at the small coffee shops in the town. Because its a budget hotel, and for the price it is a very good deal. We recommend Monte Verde Inn to anyone who is planning a trip to Carmel-by-the-sea.

Drive Big Sur

by richiecdisc

In a state full of highlights, the drive along the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur has to be tops. It is coastal scenery as good as any in the world and a lot less developed than you might imagine. Thanks to much of it being designated state parks it will hopefully remain that way forever. My first time in California was 1994. I was about three quarters through a four month trip around the US and had done a lot of hiking around the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest states. Yosemite was up next and the climb of Half Dome high on my list. It was a long day hike but at the time, I had not done any backpacking so it was my only option. It was also October and the days were short so an early start was essential and thankfully I was in great shape after a summer of hiking.It was quite a trail, climbing close to 5000 feet over its 8 mile length but when I arrived at Half Dome,...

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STOP for Groceries

by marinarena

If you are taking an extended trip in California and you have access to a stove or microwave, you may want to cook in your hotel instead of eating out. So, you want to go to the grocery store. Here's my lowdown of major California stores (most I know are in southern California but northern/central California ones I know are included) :Safeway/Vons- has about everything you want productwise. The deli and salad bars is very good. Can be expensive, especially without savings card which local shoppers would have. Similar to Albertsons and Ralphs, tends to have more customer service from what I have experienced. Two names but same company. Safeway is in Northern California. Vons is in southern California.Ralphs- big general supermarket that's part of the national Kroger company. Similar to Vons. Found mostly in S Cal.Albertsons- a general supermarket with about everything you want. Tends to...

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Rent a car and take route 101...

by corey07

Rent a car and take route 101 all the way either from north to south or the other way round which I did.. My first visit in L.A. more than 10 years ago... I was visiting a pen pal of mine whom I never had seen personally before... that was a great experience.. unfortunately we lost contact along the way since then.. picture is taken in his garden having a relaxing conversation on a sunny late afternoon... seems like yesterday... P.S. ... thanks to Internet we finally found each other again ... and it's WONDERFUL .... so i'm looking forward to the next garden pic ... might be different, but that's what time is about, right? ... i loooooooooooooooooooove INTERNET .......

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News about Entering the US

by Kakapo2

Very good article from the New Zealand Herald (25 Nov 2008) about Immigration into the US. Title: Easing Pain of US TravelA lot of travellers still try to avoid going to - or through - the United States in order to avoid being caught up in the tougher security controls introduced in the wake of 9/11.Partly that's to do with the ramshackle facilities at Los Angeles International Airport, still the main gateway to the US for New Zealanders, which make the immigration process a tedious business whatever happens.But it's also related to the arbitrary way the new rules seem to be applied, with travellers singled out for special attention and sometimes even refused entry, without any prior warning.The situation is, however, improving. The last few times I've been through LA the process was slightly more welcoming. And work is well under way on a much needed new international terminal.In...

14 days in CA

by yozza2005

So i'm back in the UK.The itinerary was as follows:Day 1 & 2: Hermosa Beach, LA. Accommodation: Surf City Hostel ($30 a night, 4 bed dorm)Bars worth giving a look: Sharkeez (expect to queue)Things to see/do: Cycle the broadwalk, early morning surf (1-2ft)Cafes: Mao's Kitchen (see review), Venice Beach, Pacific Avenue.Catch the 232 bus south to Long Beach, then the Orange County Bus Network Bus 1 down the PHW to reach...Day 2: Huntington BeachAccommodation: Couch Surfing (www.couchsurfing.com)Cafes: The Sugar Shack - very cheap and popular with locals.Things to do: Surf! It's the surf capital! Stroll along the broadwalk and admire the surfing. Fish on the pier.Bus 1 OCTA on PHW to;Day 3: Laguna BeachAccommodation: Couchsurfing. due to expense of area.Cafes: The chain Johnny Rocket's Things to do: Art galleries, take lots of photos, History museum, barbecue on beach.Bus 1 OCTA on PHW...

Related California Favorites Tips

Top 3 Hotels in California

Argonaut Hotel - A Kimpton Hotel  San Francisco

 4 Reviews and 1834 Opinions  There's no doubt this hotel, provides a level of luxury and convenience, that many travellers will... 

 Hotels in San Francisco

Magic Castle Hotel  Los Angeles

 4 Reviews and 1008 Opinions  This place is invite only! You have to know someone who is a member of the venue which costs a lot... 

 Hotels in Los Angeles

Hotel Solamar - A Kimpton Hotel  San Diego

 4 Reviews and 708 Opinions  I booked this hotel as part of a weekend getaway to San Diego with my fiancee. We were quite happy... 

 Hotels in San Diego

7,372 Hotels in California
 
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Reviews and photos of California attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for California sightseeing.

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Favorites: Cities in California
  1. San Francisco Favorites
  2. Los Angeles Favorites
  3. San Diego Favorites
  4. Anaheim Favorites
  5. Yosemite National Park Favorites
  6. Palm Springs Favorites
  7. Hollywood Favorites
  8. Monterey Favorites
  9. Death Valley National Park Favorites
  10. Santa Barbara Favorites
  11. Santa Monica Favorites
  12. Long Beach Favorites
  13. Carmel-by-the-Sea Favorites
  14. San Jose Favorites
  15. South Lake Tahoe Favorites
  16. Manhattan Beach Favorites
  17. Sacramento Favorites
  18. Napa Favorites
  19. Laguna Beach Favorites
  20. Pasadena Favorites
  21. Big Sur Favorites
  22. Sequoia National Park Favorites
  23. Solvang Favorites
  24. San Luis Obispo Favorites
  25. Mammoth Lakes Favorites
  26. Malibu Favorites
  27. Carlsbad Favorites
  28. Joshua Tree National Park Favorites
  29. Santa Cruz Favorites
  30. Oakland Favorites
  31. San Juan Capistrano Favorites
  32. Bakersfield Favorites
  33. Palm Desert Favorites
  34. Ventura Favorites
  35. Coronado Favorites
  36. Oceanside Favorites
  37. Beverly Hills Favorites
  38. Sonoma Favorites
  39. San Rafael Favorites
  40. Santa Catalina Island Favorites
  41. La Jolla Favorites
  42. Alcatraz Island Favorites
  43. Fresno Favorites
  44. Pismo Beach Favorites
  45. Huntington Beach Favorites
  46. Santa Rosa Favorites
  47. Big Bear Lake Favorites
  48. Venice Favorites
  49. Berkeley Favorites
  50. Newport Beach Favorites
  51. Marina del Rey Favorites
  52. Palo Alto Favorites
  53. Desert Hot Springs Favorites
  54. Morro Bay Favorites
  55. Pacific Grove Favorites
  56. Sausalito Favorites
  57. Redondo Beach Favorites
  58. Tehachapi Favorites
  59. West Hollywood Favorites
  60. Buena Park Favorites
  61. Temecula Favorites
  62. Pebble Beach Favorites
  63. Fullerton Favorites
  64. Avalon Favorites
  65. Costa Mesa Favorites
  66. Redwood National Park Favorites
  67. Cambria Favorites
  68. Hermosa Beach Favorites
  69. Santa Ana Favorites
  70. Chula Vista Favorites
  71. Imperial Beach Favorites
  72. Oxnard Favorites
  73. San Clemente Favorites
  74. Westlake Village Favorites
  75. Orange Favorites
  76. Twentynine Palms Favorites
  77. Ojai Favorites
  78. Calistoga Favorites
  79. San Bernardino Favorites
  80. Stockton Favorites
  81. El Segundo Favorites
  82. Lancaster Favorites
  83. San Simeon Favorites
  84. Lone Pine Favorites
  85. Healdsburg Favorites
  86. Universal City Favorites
  87. Chico Favorites
  88. Barstow Favorites
  89. Garden Grove Favorites
  90. Redding Favorites
  91. Fort Bragg Favorites
  92. Torrance Favorites
  93. Eureka Favorites
  94. Del Mar Favorites
  95. Tahoe City Favorites
  96. Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument Favorites
  97. Nevada City Favorites

More Cities in California

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  My friend and I have 10 days to do a road trip up the US west coast and back. We are starting in San Diego and will probably go as... 

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A: Be sure to drive up Highway 1 through Big Sur for a look at the Redwood forest. Stop at Nepenthe for a meal and have a look through the amazing Phoenix Shop there. If... 

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