Things to Do in California
By Betsy Malloy, About.com Guide
- Top Things to Do in California: Most Popular Places
- Things to Do in the Rest of California
- Best Beaches
- Free Attractions in California
- Things for the Whole Family to Do in California
- California Activities by Month
- Holidays and Festivals in California
- Worth Planning Ahead For
- Indulge Your Personal Interests
- Fabulous Places Off the Beaten Path
Top Things to Do in California: Most Popular Places
We've been there and done it. Our readers have given their opinion in polls and we've looked at what's most popular. It takes all of that to create a really useful list of the best things to do in California. Take a look at these lists of top things to do in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.
- California's 12 Best Attractions
- Disneyland: Top Things to Do
- Disneyland: Complete Guide
- Hollywood: Top Sights
- Hollywood: Complete Guide
- Los Angeles: Top Sights
- Los Angeles Attractions A to Z
- San Diego: Top Sights
- San Diego Sights A to Z
- San Francisco: Top Sights
- San Francisco Sights A to Z
Things to Do in the Rest of California
Maybe you've been to California before or live here. Maybe you're a contrarian vacationer who'd rather see things others miss. Or maybe you're looking for a specific place to see or thing to do in California. No matter what your motivation, there are plenty of things to see and do, no matter where you go. Check out these indexes to find some places besides the most popular ones listed above.
- California Coast
- Catalina Island
- Lake Tahoe
- Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur
- Napa Valley Wine Country
- Palm Springs
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Cruz
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
- Sonoma County Wine Country
- Things to Do at Yosemite National Park
Best Beaches
California is famous for its beaches, but they're not all like the ones you see on television. Use these guides to find the best places to surf, stroll, play and stay, no matter where you go.
- California's Most Unusual Beaches
- Best Los Angeles Beaches
- Mendocino's Best Beaches
- Orange County's Best Beaches
- San Diego's Best Beaches
- San Francisco's Best Beaches
- Santa Barbara's Best Beaches
- Santa Cruz's Best Beaches
- Best Beaches in the Rest of California
Free Attractions in California
We don't know about you, but we think free is a pretty great price. Did you know you can watch the Rose Parade for free? Or that San Francisco has free things to do among its top sights than any other California city?
- Free Attractions in San Francisco
- Free Attractions in Hollywood
- Free Attractions in San Diego
- Free Attractions in Los Angeles
Things for the Whole Family to Do in California
If your trip includes children (or if you never grew up yourself), these are some of the really fun things you can do in California. Our family travel guides include the places where we've seen families having the most fun, places our readers vote tops for family travel.
- Los Angeles with Kids
- Napa with Kids
- San Diego with Kids
- San Francisco with Kids
- California for Kids and the Young at Heart
California Activities by Month
This month-by-month guide includes all the most interesting and fun races, festivals, tours, celebrations and other fun events that happen every year. We even know when the meteors are going to fall and tell you where to see them.
- Activities in January
- Activities in February
- Activities in March
- Activities in April
- Activities in May
- Activities in June
- Activities in July
- Activities in August
- Activities in September
- Activities in October
- Activities in November
- Activities in December
Holidays and Festivals in California
All year round, there's something going on in California. These guides will help you make the most of any holiday.
Worth Planning Ahead For
These annual events require advance planning for a good reason. They sell out early, but they're all fantastic things to do and well worth the trouble.
- Bracebridge Dinner, Yosemite
- Hollywood Bowl
- Monterey Jazz Festival
- Pageant of the Masters, Laguna Beach
Indulge Your Personal Interests
No matter what your passion, you'll find a way to indulge it in California.
- Active Travelers
- California Classics
- California and the Old West
- City Lovers
- Culture Lovers
- Factory Tours
- Film Fans
- Food and Wine Lovers
- Ghosts' Favorite Haunts
- High-Tech Troppers
- Kids and the Young at Heart
- Lighthouses
- Nature Lovers
- Spas, Resorts, Romantic Getaways
Fabulous Places Off the Beaten Path
Frankly, we're baffled about why so few people visit these places, and we're ambivalent about telling you about them. We like them a lot, but we secretly hope that you'll stay away so we can have them to ourselves.