Explore this map, I made as the ultimate California guide, to get inspired and discover the places that will become the highlight of your next trip. Many of the places in this map will have helpful booking links and/or links to social media posts with more inside information.
I see all my Guide Maps as perpetual works in progress and will do my best to add to and update them as my knowledge expands.
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Fisherman’s Wharf, on the northern waterfront, is one of the city's busiest tourist areas. Souvenir shops and stalls selling crab and clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls appear at every turn, as do postcard views of the bay, Golden Gate and Alcatraz. There’s also a colony of sea lions to see and historic ships to tour. At Ghirardelli Square, boutiques and eateries reside in the famed former chocolate factory.
Japantown, also known as Nihonmachi, is a compact historic enclave in the Western Addition. Large indoor/outdoor complexes house an assortment of sushi, ramen and shabu-shabu restaurants, plus specialty grocery stores, kitschy gift shops, karaoke bars and Asian-style day spas.
Contemporary, family-style outlet serving Cantonese-style dishes with panoramic harbor views.
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Mill Valley
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States, located about 14 miles north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge and 52 miles from Napa Valley.
Charming creamery in a bucolic landscape, offering cheese tastings & tours by appointment only.
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Oakland
Oakland is a city on the east side of San Francisco Bay, in California. Jack London Square has a statue of the writer, who frequented the area. Nearby, Old Oakland features restored Victorian architecture and boutiques. Near Chinatown, the Oakland Museum of California covers state history, nature and art. Uptown contains the art deco Fox and Paramount theaters, restaurants, bars and galleries.
San Jose is a large city surrounded by rolling hills in Silicon Valley, a major technology hub in California's Bay Area. Architectural landmarks, from the 1883 Italianate-style Oddfellows building to Spanish Colonial Revival structures, make up the downtown historic district. The downtown area is also home to the Tech Museum of Innovation, devoted to the exploration of science and technology.
Monterey is a city on California’s rugged central coast. Its Cannery Row, one-time center of the sardine-packing industry, was immortalized by novelist John Steinbeck. Today, it's a popular strip of gift shops, seafood restaurants and bars in converted factories. Also famous is Monterey Bay Aquarium, with thousands of marine animals and plants on display in underwater and interactive exhibits.
This high-end beach resort set amid sand dunes on 19 acres adjacent to a National Marine Sanctuary is 10.7 miles from Monterey and 13.7 miles from Carmel.
The San Francisco Bay Area is a region in Northern California spanning the city of San Francisco and surrounding counties. On a peninsula, hilly San Francisco is known for its cable cars, Victorian houses and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. North, the Sonoma and Napa valleys are renowned wine-producing regions with hundreds of hillside vineyards. Gourmet food is showcased in Oxbow Public Market in the city of Napa.
Napa Valley is a renowned Californian wine-producing region north of San Francisco, with hundreds of vineyards set amid rolling hills. Its wineries range from small, family-run estates to landmarks such as Robert Mondavi Winery, offering summertime concerts and year-round tastings. The region is also famed for its gourmet food, showcased in the stalls of Oxbow Public Market in the city of Napa.
Santa Cruz is a city on central California’s coast. Its long wharf, with eateries and shops, stretches into Monterey Bay. Nearby, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s vintage rides include the 1911 Looff Carousel and the Giant Dipper roller coaster. Downtown, Pacific Avenue has vintage clothing stores, cafes and galleries. Along West Cliff Drive, Natural Bridges State Beach is known for its bridge-shaped rock formation.
$$$ Quirky dining rooms & views of Soquel Creek come alongside California cuisine & a wine list.
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Big Sur
Big Sur is a rugged stretch of California’s central coast between Carmel and San Simeon. Bordered to the east by the Santa Lucia Mountains and the west by the Pacific Ocean, it’s traversed by narrow, 2-lane State Route 1, known for winding turns, seaside cliffs and views of the often-misty coastline. The sparsely populated region has numerous state parks for hiking, camping and beachcombing.
Featuring views of the Pacific Ocean, this woodsy-chic adults-only resort on 243 acres off the Pacific Coast Highway is 0.5 miles from Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and 30 miles from Monterey.
Railroad tours on a historic train leading through meadows, canyons & redwood forest.
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The Sierra
South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe is a California resort city on Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s known for nearby ski resorts and beaches, like El Dorado Beach, with its picnic areas. The city’s restaurants and bars merge with the casinos of adjacent Stateline, Nevada. Van Sickle Bi-State Park has wooded trails and lake views. West of the city, Emerald Bay State Park includes Vikingsholm, a 1929 Nordic-style mansion.
"A boutique hotel in South Tahoe, The Landing sits on the waterfront and offers upscale comforts, a fantastic hotel restaurant and a luxe spa with Eminence products." -OOO
This all-you-can-eat grill lets patron pick their meal with Latin, Italian & Asian-inspired options.
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Carson City
Carson City is an independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the 6th most populous city in the state.
Yosemite Valley is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California, United States. It consists of the developed area of Yosemite Village and the other areas of the Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park.
Los Angeles is a sprawling Southern California city and the center of the nation’s film and television industry. Near its iconic Hollywood sign, studios such as Paramount Pictures, Universal and Warner Brothers offer behind-the-scenes tours. On Hollywood Boulevard, TCL Chinese Theatre displays celebrities’ hand- and footprints, the Walk of Fame honors thousands of luminaries and vendors sell maps to stars’ homes.
Featuring a whimsical, colorful facade, this upscale art deco hotel dating from 1933 is a 9-minute walk from the Santa Monica Pier and across from the oceanfront Palisades Park.
This 1923 beaux arts-inspired hotel is a 10-minute walk from both the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and 2 blocks from the Pershing Square rail station.
Santa Monica is a coastal city west of downtown Los Angeles. Santa Monica Beach is fringed by Palisades Park, with views over the Pacific Ocean. Santa Monica Pier is home to the Pacific Park amusement park, historic Looff Hippodrome Carousel and Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Next to the pier is Muscle Beach, an outdoor gym established in the 1930s. In the city center, Bergamot Station houses several art galleries.
Beverly Hills is a city in California's Los Angeles County. Home to many Hollywood stars, it features the upscale shopping street of Rodeo Drive. The expansive Beverly Gardens Park has fountains and rose gardens, plus an illuminated Beverly Hills sign. The 1920s Greystone Mansion is the backdrop for many films. Known as a celebrity haunt, The Beverly Hills Hotel is set in tropical gardens and has a poolside cafe.
Pasadena is a city in California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. In the center, Old Pasadena is a shopping and dining district known for its Victorian and art deco buildings. The strikingly modern Norton Simon Museum houses notable European and Asian art, plus a sculpture garden. The Rose Bowl is a sports stadium known for hosting the Rose Bowl Game, an annual college football clash usually held on January 1.
Long Beach is a coastal city and port in Southern California. Moored in its Queensway Bay, RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner and museum ship. The waterfront Aquarium of the Pacific features touch tanks and a shark lagoon. Modern and contemporary works are on display at the Museum of Latin American Art. Rancho Los Cerritos is a 19th-century adobe home and museum set in expansive gardens.
Orange County is a region in Southern California. It's known for Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort, a huge complex of rides, restaurants and shops. Nearby, in Buena Park, is Knott's Berry Farm, a large theme park. Cities with surf beaches include Huntington Beach, with its surfing museum. Newport Beach's boat-filled harbor sits opposite Balboa Peninsula. Laguna Beach has tide pools and oceanfront Crystal Cove State Park.
Newport Beach, a coastal city in southern California, is known for its large, boat-filled harbor. Balboa Peninsula has 2 piers, Newport Beach Pier and Balboa Pier, plus the Balboa Fun Zone, an old-school amusement park with a Ferris wheel and ocean views. Local beaches include the Wedge, known for its big waves, and Corona del Mar State Beach. The Orange County Museum of Art exhibits modern and contemporary works.
Irvine is a city in Orange County, California. To the east, Orange County Great Park features an antique carousel and a giant, anchored helium balloon. Visitors can ride the balloon up for aerial views. Trails wind past ancient sycamore trees in Bommer Canyon. The Pretend City Children’s Museum has a kid-size post office, cafe and farm. Impressionist art from around California is displayed at the Irvine Museum.
Huntington Beach is a California city southeast of Los Angeles. It's known for surf beaches, such as Huntington City Beach, with its long Huntington Beach Pier. The International Surfing Museum displays longboards and other memorabilia. Sprawling Huntington Central Park features fields, gardens and lakes, plus an equestrian center. Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve's wetlands and dunes shelter hundreds of bird species.
Anaheim is a city outside Los Angeles, in Southern California. It's home to the Disneyland Resort, a massive complex of family-friendly, Disney-themed rides, restaurants, hotels and shops. The city's also home to pro sports teams. The Honda Center is the indoor arena where the Anaheim Ducks hockey team plays, and Angel Stadium is the home field of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team.
Venerable stop for Cuban & Pan-Latin cuisine in a stylish, lush setting with a patio.
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San Bernardino
San Bernardino is a city in California, east of Los Angeles. Ancient Egyptian relics are on display at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art, at California State University, San Bernardino. In the city center, Seccombe Lake Park offers playgrounds and fishing. Silverwood Lake, backed by mountains, is to the north. The resort town of Big Bear Lake, in San Bernardino National Forest, is northeast of the city.
Carlsbad is a city near San Diego, in California. It's known for Tamarack Surf Beach, backed by the Carlsbad Sea Wall, and secluded South Carlsbad State Beach. The Legoland California theme park includes rides, a water park and the SEA LIFE Aquarium. The Flower Fields is a seasonal attraction, with acres of flowers. Set in a canyon, the Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park is home to free-roaming peacocks.
San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of California known for its beaches, parks and warm climate. Immense Balboa Park is the site of the renowned San Diego Zoo, as well as numerous art galleries, artist studios, museums and gardens. A deep harbor is home to a large active naval fleet, with the USS Midway, an aircraft-carrier-turned-museum, open to the public.