California Holidays

Yosemite brings together sheer granite cliffs, waterfalls, forests and high-country landscapes in the Sierra Nevada. Trails range from straightforward valley walks to demanding mountain routes, while viewpoints around Yosemite Valley reveal landmarks including Half Dome, El Capitan and Yosemite Falls.

Channel Islands National Park protects five islands off Southern California, where sea caves, rugged coastlines and largely undeveloped landscapes feel far removed from the mainland. Kayaking and hiking are among the main ways to explore, with boat services departing from Ventura and Oxnard.

Lake Tahoe works across the seasons. Summer brings kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking and cycling around its mountain-framed shoreline, while winter transforms the surrounding Sierra Nevada into a major skiing and snowboarding region.

Northern California protects extraordinary forests of coast redwoods, some reaching more than 300 feet in height. Trails through Redwood National and State Parks pass beneath immense trees before opening towards rivers, prairies and sections of wild Pacific coastline.

Surfing is woven deeply into the coastal culture of Southern California. San Diego, Orange County and parts of Los Angeles County offer a mixture of beginner-friendly beaches and more challenging breaks, with lessons widely available for visitors trying the sport for the first time.

Alcatraz has served several very different purposes. The island was once a military fort and military prison before becoming a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963. It later became an important site in Native American civil rights history when Indians of All Tribes occupied the island from 1969 to 1971.

Gold found near Coloma in 1848 triggered the California Gold Rush and transformed the region within only a few years. Today, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park preserves the discovery site alongside reconstructed mining-era buildings and exhibits explaining the communities drawn to the area.

Old Sacramento preserves part of the city that grew rapidly during the Gold Rush. Sacramento became an important transport and commercial centre and later the state capital, while the historic district retains buildings connected with riverboats, railways and nineteenth-century trade.

Publisher William Randolph Hearst worked with architect Julia Morgan to create the vast hilltop estate now known as Hearst Castle at San Simeon. By the 1940s, the property contained more than 160 rooms alongside terraces, gardens, pools and an extensive art collection.

Manzanar preserves one of the sites where Japanese Americans were forcibly incarcerated during the Second World War. The National Historic Site documents the experiences of the people held there and places their stories within the longer history of the Owens Valley.

The Getty Center sits above Los Angeles with art galleries, gardens and modern architecture designed around broad views across the city. Its collections span European painting, sculpture, decorative arts, photography and manuscripts, while the surrounding gardens are an attraction in their own right.

San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in the United States and remains an important centre of Chinese American history and culture. Restaurants, bakeries, temples, markets and community institutions extend well beyond the tourist shops along Grant Avenue.

Balboa Park in San Diego combines museums, gardens, cultural institutions and distinctive Spanish Colonial Revival architecture across a large urban park. Its museums cover subjects ranging from fine art and photography to natural history, aviation and science.

Palm Springs has one of America's strongest collections of mid-century modern architecture. Buildings by architects including Albert Frey, Richard Neutra and Donald Wexler helped create the clean-lined desert style that remains closely associated with the city.

Napa and Sonoma are California's best-known wine regions, but vineyards extend far beyond them into areas including Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County and the Central Coast. Wine tasting is often paired with farm-led dining and journeys through smaller countryside communities.

Pasadena's Rose Parade takes place around New Year and traces its history back to 1890. Elaborately decorated floral floats, marching bands and equestrian groups travel along Colorado Boulevard in one of California's longest-running public celebrations.

Coachella brings major international artists, large-scale art installations and festival crowds to the Empire Polo Club in Indio. The first festival was held in 1999, and it has since become an established annual event in the Coachella Valley.

San Francisco's annual Pride celebration grew from events held in the early 1970s and now combines a large parade with performances, community spaces and cultural programmes. The celebration normally takes place during Pride Month, although annual dates and programmes vary.

Founded in 1958, the Monterey Jazz Festival is held annually at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. Its stages have hosted generations of major jazz musicians, while education and emerging artists remain part of the wider festival programme.

Held at Cal Expo in Sacramento, the California State Fair celebrates the state's agriculture, food, industries, communities and entertainment. The programme changes from year to year, but the fair remains an established part of California's annual calendar.

Disneyland Resort in Anaheim has welcomed visitors since 1955. The resort includes the original Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park alongside hotels, restaurants and the Downtown Disney District.

Universal Studios Hollywood combines a working film and television studio with a theme park. Its long-running Studio Tour travels through sections of the production lot, while the wider park contains rides and themed areas based on major film and television properties.

Set within Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo is one of California's best-known wildlife attractions. Its large site brings together animals and habitats from around the world, making it easy to combine with the museums and gardens elsewhere in the park.

Monterey Bay Aquarium focuses strongly on the marine life and ecosystems of the California coast. Exhibits include kelp forests and other habitats associated with Monterey Bay, making it particularly rewarding alongside a wider Central Coast itinerary.

The Hollywood Bowl is one of Southern California's landmark outdoor performance venues. Set against the Hollywood Hills, its programme regularly ranges from orchestral concerts to contemporary music and large-scale summer performances.