Do you think California is all about incredible beaches, Hollywood, and the Golden Gate Bridge? You are partly right and partly wrong, as this sunny state has so much more to offer travelers!
Located next to the Pacific Ocean, its iconic cities feature a variety of architectural forms. Fantastic museums, authentic bars, and historic neighborhoods also offer you something special.
If you are planning to visit California but haven’t yet decided where to go, we have prepared for you a small but informative overview of its most amazing cities!
Long Beach
This is a charming coastal city with an excellent harbor and original streets. Each of its communities, one way or another, influenced the city. Thanks to the sheer size, Long Beach has everything you need for a great vacation, from exclusive neighborhoods to quiet suburban green spaces.
Also, there are many tourist attractions. For example, head to a floating museum – the Queen Mary transatlantic liner. And don’t forget to taste local cuisine at the first-class restaurants and cafes.
Fresno
The city of Fresno occupies the central part of the California valley in the midst of a mesmerizing desert landscape and next to four famous US national parks. Many tourists make a stop here on their way to Yosemite or the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains.
In recent years, the once-fertile agricultural local land was destroyed by drought, but even that has served Fresno well. This helped stimulate the resurgence of its culinary scene. Diverse communities, fun rides, and proximity to nature reserves make Fresno a must-visit Californian city.
Monterey
Monterey is a charming Pacific Coast resort, where the characters in the award-winning miniseries Big Little Lies lived. The heroine Reese Witherspoon and her friends often crossed the famous bridge that appeared at the beginning of each episode.
Monterey’s beautiful historic center boasts iconic ancient buildings, but be sure to go to the city aquarium as well. At the same time, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is home to many unique marine mammals and fish. If you take a boat tour of the bay, you will see seals, sea lions, and possibly dolphins.
San Francisco
Charming San Francisco covers 43 hills that slope down to the water. It’s an iconic city, in part because of the famed fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge. That’s why the metropolis welcomes millions of tourists every year.
The city is quite extensive, and the list of its attractions is impressive. Thus, it’s a great idea to rent a car for your trip. San Francisco car rental under 25 will give you an easy and cheap way to get around the city available even to young drivers.
Yes, what could be better than exploring local sights in a rental car? It’s a fascinating multicultural destination with elegant wine bars and farmers’ markets, quaint restaurants and impressive architectural delights. Plus, San Francisco’s daring locals are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, whether it’s fashion, personality, technology, or innovation.
Also, SF’s hilltops and viewpoints offer amazing panoramas. So, rent a car and check out all the most amazing places at your own pace. And don’t worry about parking in San Francisco, as it’s a lot easier than you think.
Sacramento
The amazing city rises at the confluence of two rivers, making it more accessible than many other places in the state. Its modern buildings include trendy boutiques, wonderful farmers’ markets, and magnificent mansions. On the other hand, old Sacramento breathes history and offers several museums, restaurants, and retro-style shops.
Numerous nightclubs of the city beckon in the evening, while artistic and cultural attractions won’t let you get bored during the day.
Palm Springs
Palm Springs occupies a fairly large area in the southern part of the Californian desert. This beautiful resort town attracted Hollywood celebrities in the 1950s and 1960s. A little outdated grandeur and elegance are evidence that the rich and famous settled here half a century ago.
The city is the major hub in the Coachella Valley, so it’s a great starting point for exploring the entire scenic region. By the way, many stay at local hotels during the iconic Coachella music festival.
San Diego
Stunning, huge, and fantastic, San Diego is a coastal city on the Pacific Ocean. Its long coastline offers more than six dozen beaches, each with a unique atmosphere, a variety of water attractions, and iconic beach bars.
The sun in San Diego shines most of the year. Despite being a large cosmopolitan city, San Diego is a calm and peaceful destination with interesting and distinctive neighborhoods. True, the center of the metropolis with its theme parks, an aquarium and a zoo is quite a crowded place anyway.
Anaheim
Orange County hides its own special gem called Anaheim. Yes, it’s home to Disneyland. You will find a world-famous theme park within the city, so most tourists head straight for this dreamland.
In addition, the city has baseball and hockey teams. Thus, you can always go to the match. If you want to learn more about Orange County and meet Mickey and Snow White, then welcome to Anaheim!
Los Angeles
Two words are enough for us to describe Los Angeles – it’s simply stunning! Indeed, who among us hasn’t dreamed of wandering the streets and boulevards trampled down by hundreds of celebrities?
The city’s amazing backdrop of stunning mountains, rolling hills, and lush forests make it so unique. A visit to Beverly Hills and Hollywood, and a hike around the outskirts of the City of Angels will be a real adventure. Plus, incredible movie studio sets, a range of architectural styles, many galleries, a vibrant food scene, famous beach spots in Venice Beach and Santa Monica guarantee you a fantastic trip!
As you can see, California is a real hotbed of charming cities. Whether it’s Palm Springs, Sacramento, San Francisco, or Monterey, each one has something special and makes for a great destination for your next trip!