10 Events in California That You Shouldn't Miss

Music, food, and booze are all given equal representation at this five-day festival in the heart of Napa Valley. Music fans can enjoy acts ranging from Robert Plant to Snoop Dogg, while foodies and winos can indulge their palates on some of the finest food and beverages that Napa Valley has to offer. In addition to concerts, the festival features a lineup of celebrity chef and sommelier demos and competitions, making it a feast for all of the senses. California sunshine and consistently high temperatures don’t hurt either.

Sustaining a resonate note since its inception in 1958, the Monterey Jazz Festival is the longest running jazz festival on earth, bringing hundreds of top rated jazz, blues and rock musicians – not to mention tens of thousands of their fans – to the California coast for a weekend featuring dozens of concerts at the Monterey County Fairgrounds.

The most well-known and heavily attended music festival in the US, the Coachella Music and Arts festival has been luring music lovers to Indio, CA since 1999. Celebrity sightings, non-stop sunshine, and bohemian chic summer fashions are as much a signifier of the festival as the eclectic lineup of music itself, making it the perfect homage to the golden state. Coachella has become so popular with fans that it has extended from one two-day weekend to two successive three-day weekends. Throw camping, dancing, and lots of eating and drinking into the mix, and you've got the ultimate taste of California summer.

Everyone is a super geek at this mother-of-all Comic Con festivals at the San Diego Convention Center. Launched in 1970 as a straightforward comic book convention, today over 100,000 enthusiastic fans (many in elaborate outfits) come to mingle with their favorite graphic novelist or get an autograph from a TV or movie star. Other events include panel discussions, exclusive film previews and interactive workshops. Bringing together such an eclectic fan base is a mighty entertaining sight to behold with gurus of fantasy, comics, movies, animation, science fiction and more convening under one roof. Squeezing into your favorite superhero costume is highly encouraged!

The annual San Francisco Pride event is a celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities and their allies. The crowned jewel of the weekend, which has been held annually since 1970, is a festive parade running through Downtown San Francisco. Vibrant rainbow clothing, beaded necklaces, homemade signs, and fetishized outfits are commonplace among attendees and add to the celebratory feel. When your feet need a rest, there are plenty of music, dining, and shopping options to be enjoyed. Be sure to stay hydrated and wear comfy shoes because dancing and cheering are part of the deal here!

This series of championship street races is the biggest annual event in Long Beach, seeing more than 200,000 IndyCar fans come to town for a spring weekend brimming with fast paced action. The Grand Prix’s original start of its engines took place back in 1975, making it the longest running street race in North America. Alongside the competition zipping through a downtown circuit are multiple concerts, a Family Fun Zone, and all sorts of racecar-related happenings throughout the weekend.