California

Map top sights

1. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, is famed for its giant, ancient sequoia trees, and for Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome. With incredible hiking trails that take you to the tops of mountain peaks and to famous landmark sites.

2. Golden Gate Bridge

The iconic Golden Gate Bridge, has been declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World. The splendor of this bridge can be experienced by driving, walking, cycling or on foot. Often shrouded in flog, the red-orange colour was chosen so it would stand out.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Disneyland Park

The must do, theme park to keep both kids and adults amused. This park which opened in 1955 was designed and built under the direct supervision of Walt Disney.

6. Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park straddles eastern California and Nevada. It’s known for Titus Canyon, with a ghost town and colorful rocks, and Badwater Basin’s salt flats, North America's lowest point. Above, Telescope Peak Trail weaves past pine trees. North of the spiky salt mounds known as the Devil’s Golf Course, rattlesnakes live in Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

7. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

These parks are next to each other and are on mountains with majestic granite peaks, deep gorges, lakes, rivers, and forests. The sequoias here are the largest living things in the world, and many of them are more than 2,000 years old, with some even over 3,000 years old.

8. Redwood National and State Parks

Redwood National and State Parks are a string of protected forests, beaches and grasslands along Northern California’s coast. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park has trails through dense old-growth woods. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is home to Fern Canyon, with its high, plant-covered walls. Roosevelt elk frequent nearby Elk Prairie. Giant redwood clusters include Redwood National Park’s Lady Bird Johnson Grove.

9. Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is a vast protected area in southern California. It's characterized by rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. Named for the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler. Keys View looks out over the Coachella Valley. Hiking trails weave through the boulders of Hidden Valley.

10. Universal Studios Hollywood

This amusement park is also one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood film studios still in use. Some of the most popular experiences in the park are The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Fast and Furious - Supercharged, and The Walking Dead Attraction.

11. Venice Beach

Known for its bohemian spirit, Venice is a buzzing beach town with upscale commercial and residential pockets. Free-spirited Venice Boardwalk is the site of funky shops, street performers and colorful murals. There’s also a skate park and Muscle Beach outdoor gym. Abbot Kinney Boulevard features foodie hot spots, stylish boutiques and coffee bars. A picturesque enclave of canals is surrounded by modernist homes.

12. Santa Catalina Island

Santa Catalina, one of California’s Channel Islands, lies southwest of Los Angeles. It's known for its wildlife, dive sites and Mt. Orizaba, its highest peak. The resort town of Two Harbors lies to the north. To the south, in the city of Avalon, palm trees and cabanas line Descanso Beach. Avalon’s circular, art deco Catalina Casino is a cultural center with a movie theater, ballroom and museum.

13. Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle is a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark mansion located on the Central Coast of California