Places to Visit in Southern California

Dana Point has everything you need for a wonderful nautical-themed getaway in California. Dana Point has a solid reputation for offering some of the best dolphin and whale watching in the region, but the attractions of the Harbor take your coastal experience to another level. You can enjoy a wide selection of water sports in Dana Point Harbor including kayaking, SUP, charter cruises and fishing expeditions. If you prefer to keep your feet firmly on the ground you can spend your days visiting the Ocean Institute, browsing all the interesting boutique shops, joining a yoga class or sipping a coffee or cocktail at one of several restaurants and bars.

Located just southwest of Los Angeles in the California Channel Islands, Catalina Island is an idyllic location for an action-packed island holiday. If you are looking to try your hand at a variety of adrenalin-boosting activities, this island destination offers the thrilling Catalina Island Zip Line Eco Tour, the Ocean Runner Ribcraft Dolphin Tour, or an extreme off-road Cape Canyon Expedition.

If you prefer a more sedate pace, you can play it safe on a Skyline Tour of the island. Other great activities include the Catalina Island Undersea Expedition, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding as well as snorkeling, sunbathing, swimming, horseback riding, boating, and camping. For a break from the beach, you can visit the Catalina Island Museum and the Catalina Art Gallery.

Sequoia National Park lies adjacent to Kings Canyon National Park in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the southern Sierra Nevada. Together, the two parks comprise towering mountains, deep canyons, stunning forests, enormous caves as well as some of the largest trees in the world. The highlight of any visit is exploring a few of the remaining extensive groves of giant sequoias (video). It is a good idea to start out at the Giant Forest Museum for an introduction and to then set off by foot, car, or shuttle bus. (Some of the paths are accessible for wheel chairs). Hikers and nature lovers can select from dozens of hiking trails for all abilities, drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, go rock climbing, cave touring, or join a variety of ranger-led activities.

Long Beach is a favorite Southern California ocean-side playground where you can enjoy just about any adventure activity you can imagine. On the cultural side, the Long Beach Museum of Art will wow art lovers with not only brilliant visual arts but also the extravagant views over the Pacific.

Music lovers can visit the Long Beach Performing Arts Center to attend the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra or the Long Beach Opera. Family activities include fun on the beach, exploring the Aquarium of the Pacific, and visiting the USS Battleship Iowa at nearby San Pedro. Don't forget to leave plenty of time to relax on the beach. Disneyland, Disneyland Parks, LEGOLAND, and many other family attractions are just an hour away.

Santa Barbara truly has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for idyllic beaches and coves, wonderful restaurants, good weather, arts, culture and history, or an activity-packed outdoor adventure with kids, you will find it in Santa Barbara.

On the cultural side, you can admire the city’s striking legacy of Spanish architecture at Casa Del Herrero, the Granada Theatre and the Old Mission Santa Barbara, watch a show at the Lobero Theatre, and visit the Museum of Contemporary Art. The many miles of beaches tempt bathers and surfers, and you can try stand-up paddleboarding at Butterfly Bay. Other great activities include rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, cycling, fishing, and touring the expansive wine growing area.

Death Valley National Park is unique in that it lies below sea level, making it the hottest, lowest, and driest national park in America. Despite its morbid-sounding name, the park is surrounded by towering snow-capped mountains, huge desert sand dunes, and small but verdant oases that provide a wide diversity of habitats.

A good place to start your visit is the Furnace Creek Visitors’ Center (video), where you can watch an orientation movie and get maps and info. You can go on a ranger-guided tour or set off to explore the 3.4-million-acre area on foot, by bicycle, car, or Jeep. Scenic drives include the Twenty Mule Team Canyon and two of the best viewpoints are at Dante’s View and Zabriskie Point.

Santa Monica is situated just west of downtown Los Angeles and is an ideal base for exploring all the attractions of LA and its environs. One of Santa Monica’s prime landmarks is the Santa Monica Pier where you will find Pacific Park amusement park, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, numerous restaurants with great Pacific Ocean views, and the historic Looff Hippodrome Carousel. Art lovers can visit the 18th Street Art Complex, or Bergamot Station, which houses over 20 art galleries. Cyclists can try the 22-mile Marvin Braude Bike Trail, while surfing and paddleboarding is great at Bay St. There is a wide variety of options for evening dining and entertainment.

Vibrant and bustling Los Angeles offers visitors an eclectic mix of world-class cultural attractions, thrill-a-minute theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios, and miles and miles of hiking and biking trails and sundrenched beaches.

Your cultural itinerary could include attending the LA Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, catching a concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl, or visiting the County Museum of Art on Museum Row. For family fun in the sun, you can spend time on fabulous Malibu Beach, go hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains or Griffith Park (video), or cycle along the network of bike paths that cross the city. Foodies can get even a taste of Los Angeles on a Melting Pot Food Tour.

Anaheim is situated on the Southern California coastline between Los Angeles and San Diego and is famously home to Disneyland Resort as well as a host of other family theme parks. If you enjoy beach activities, you have several outstanding options to choose from, including Huntington Beach (aka Surf City USA), the premier surfing beach in Orange County. Knott’s Berry Farm is located nearby in Buena Park. Some of the interesting museums you can visit include USS Battleship Iowa, the Discovery Cube, and the Marconi Automotive Museum. You can feast your eyes on the art on display at the Bowers Museum and the MUZEO Museum and Cultural Center, or stroll through the Anaheim Packing District and Center Street Promenade to discover the foodie heart of the city.

Pasadena lies northeast of Los Angeles and is best known as the host city for the Rose Bowl Game, a legendary college football match held annually on New Year’s Day. Less well-known is the fact that Pasadena has an interesting historic area, Old Pasadena, where you can stroll through many lovely Victorian and art deco buildings.

The city is just packed with art and culture attractions, including the Amory Center for the Arts, the Norton Simon Museum, the Pacific Asia Museum, and the Kidspace Children’s Museum, to name but a few. You can also get out of town and back to nature at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden.