From foggy Mendocino headlands to surf-town Encinitas, these are the California coastal towns worth planning a trip around, with what to do, when to go and practical tips for each.
18 min read
Pier sunsets, beach volleyball and a walkable downtown steps from the sand. Here's how to plan a day (or a weekend) in Hermosa Beach.
12 min read
From granite valleys to cliff-top highways and alpine lakes, these are the California places that belong on every bucket list.
3 min read
Skip the crowds. These beaches, waterfalls and ghost towns show a side of California most visitors drive right past.
2 min read
It's not just the weather. Here's what makes California feel like nowhere else, and why so many people never want to leave.
2 min read
Highway 1 earns its reputation. These are the California coastal drives worth planning a whole trip around.
2 min read
The world's tallest trees, the hottest temperature ever recorded and a name borrowed from a 500-year-old novel. California is full of surprises.
2 min read
Emerald Bay at sunrise, a paddle across glassy water and a sunset drive around the lake. Here's how to spend 48 hours at Tahoe.
1 min read
Napa or Sonoma? Reservations or walk-ins? Everything you need to plan a relaxed, delicious day among the vines.
1 min read
From the Mission burrito to the fish taco and the Ferry Building, a delicious tour of the places and dishes that define California food.
1 min read
High in the eastern Sierra, a booming mining town was simply left behind. Today it's one of the best-preserved ghost towns in America.
1 min read
For years only one surfer rode it. Today Mavericks is one of the most famous and feared big waves on the planet.
1 min read
From the Colorado River to the Santa Monica Pier, California's stretch of Route 66 is full of desert ghost towns, neon and nostalgia.
1 min read
Tunnel View, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point and the Mist Trail. How to plan your first visit to one of America's greatest parks.
1 min read
Once hunted nearly to extinction, northern elephant seals now crowd California beaches every winter. Here's where to see them.
1 min read
Salt flats below sea level, golden badlands and towering dunes. Death Valley is spectacular, if you visit at the right time.
1 min read
From Hawaiian princes surfing Santa Cruz in 1885 to sunset walks on the pier, the beach is woven into California's identity.
1 min read