Beyond the beaches — what the Golden State is really known for
What Is California Known For? 13 Reasons to Visit in 2026
Dreaming of your next getaway? California is the ultimate destination for travelers craving stunning landscapes, world-class cuisine, and unforgettable adventures.
Whether you’re sipping wine in Napa, chasing sunsets along Highway 1, or soaking up the vibrant energy of cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Golden State offers something for everyone. In this post, I’m sharing 13 incredible reasons why 2024 is the year you have to experience California for yourself. From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, get ready to be inspired to book that ticket and start planning your West Coast adventure!
So, what is California known for? (13 reasons to visit in 2026)
The Ferry Building is a historic place that has seen a ton of maritime travel around the Bay Area – especially before the Golden Gate Bridge and as built. It has upscale restaurants inside and really cute farmers’ markets on Saturdays!
Silicon Valley & self-driving Waymo rides
Silicon Valley is ground zero for innovation. And when new and amazing technological breakthroughs come about, people in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area are often the first people to experience them. This is one of the first Waymo autonomous vehicle rides.
Hiking Desolation Wilderness in Lake Tahoe
Located in Desolation Wilderness (I know) – this is an all-day, not-super-easy hike but the views from the top are worth it and with chipmunks and yellow-bellied marmots all over, the company is top-notch.
Oceanside & the San Diego coast
Oceanside is the northernmost city in San Diego County and while prices are much lower than the rest of the city, the sunsets are just as rich.
The Beverly Hilton & Beverly Hills
The Beverly Hilton is a Hollywood-retro-famous hotel and events venue. Priced quite reasonably for Beverly Hills, the hotel has a mid-century style pool area and restaurant complete with a large movie projector over the pool – often playing old surfing videos and other classics. And if you squint you’re likely to see a celebrity or two.
Ski and swim the same day in Lake Tahoe
There’s nothing like being in the sun, on the beach, and by the pool, all whilst enjoying a beautiful backdrop of snow-capped mountains. This isn’t uncommon in Lake Tahoe toward the end of ski season. One of the best things to do is ski in the AM and hit the beach in the PM.
Golden Gate Park: skating, gardens & museums
Golden Gate Park is full of life. You can spend your entire day rollerblading, walking, enjoying the Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden, the beer garden, the California Academy of Sciences, or just people-watching. Golden Gate Park also hosts some of the most famous concerts and events, such as Outside Lands.
Indian Canyons & the Palm Springs desert
Indian Canyons is a desert oasis. If you’re in the Palm Springs area this shaded trek is a must. With rivers flowing through it and waterfalls at the end, it’s one of the most beautiful (and comfortable) hikes in California.
Mission Rock: San Francisco’s new waterfront
Even San Franciscans still don’t know about it. On April 4, 2024, the San Francisco Giants, the Port of San Francisco, and Tishman Speyer brought down the fence and officially opened China Basin Park – San Francisco’s newest neighborhood’s beautiful 5-acre green space, for the public to use and for events. This video is of the 2 principal landscape designers from Scape Studio, enjoying opening day of both the park and the SF Giants – from the new beach that overlooks Oracle Park
San Francisco Giants fans have a tradition – when the weather is nice and we have a lot of left-hand hitters up – we outfield the game from McCovey Cove. It’s a medley of yachts, kayaks, standup paddle boards, hotdog grilling, beer drinking, and good ol’ fashion baseball fandom.
See baby sharks & California wildlife
There are so many reasons to get in the water in San Francisco, but one of my favorite (as you know) is for the Giants games. This is a floating home community in the channel next to the Giants stadium and this is a baby shark. Enjoy.
San Francisco’s epic foodie bike ride
San Francisco is basically an endless hit list of food, drink, and things to do. But contrary to popular belief, we also have the weather. The most epic-yet-leisurely 10-mile, 10-stop bike ride in the world is in San Francisco. It’s super scenic – and safest!
California’s oldest historic restaurants
We’ve got Hollywood sets-turned-tiki bars, seafood haunts that corral 2-hour long lines (but you won’t go during rush hour), and cable-car feeling joints where Italian dishes cioppino may or may not have been invented.
As always, if you have any questions or want specific recommendations leave them in the comments and I’ll respond.
If you want to message me privately, I’ll respond on Instagram @the.hautebohemian
California travel FAQ
Is California worth visiting?
Honestly, yes. You can drive the entire California coast and hit a world-class city almost every hour. And where else do you get beaches, redwoods, wine country, ski slopes, and desert in a single state? It's less a destination and more a whole continent pretending to be one place.
What’s the best time to visit California?
September and October are my sweet spot — warm, uncrowded, and the light is unreal. Spring's lovely too. I'd avoid summer: kids are out of school, so everywhere is packed, pricier, and hotels get hard to book.
How many days do you need in California?
Think of California in three chunks — Northern, Central, and Southern — and give each about a week. You can totally do one week and cover just one region. But if you don't have at least a week, don't try to cover more than one area — the drives are long and you'll spend the whole trip in the car.
Is California expensive?
Yes. It's expensive. No sugarcoating that one.
Do you need a car in California?
Yes — you need a car pretty much anywhere in America except maybe New York. The best of California (the coast drives, Tahoe, the little beach towns) you just can't reach without one.
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