Top Things to do in California
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10 Things to do Good for Adrenaline Seekers in California That You Shouldn't Miss
California is a fertile, peaceful place where you’ll find a near-equal balance of vineyards and deserts, beaches and mountains, hippies and traditionalists. Catch an epic wave in Big Sur or swirl a glass in Napa Valley. Be dazzled by the Joshua Tree night sky or just star-gaze in Hollywood. Swish down the slopes of a Tahoe ski resort, or cruise across the Golden Gate Bridge with the top down and the music blasting. Above all, don’t forget to soak up some Golden State sunshine.
Restaurants in California
1. Glacier Point
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4,561 reviews
This rustic geological formation is most famous for the magnificent sunsets that can be viewed from its top.
Reviewed By W6633PYpauls - Costa Mesa, United States
It's been probably 20 years since I was last at Glacier Point and it's as amazing as I remember it. I was last here "pre-kids" with my wife when we were first married and finally got around to bringing the boys to see Yosemite National and, of course, Glacier Point. This is a well reviewed attraction so, instead, here's some logistical items that might make the visit more enjoyable: 1. Depending upon where you're coming from, this will be a long drive - check your GPS and plan accordingly. 2. Services are minimal. Get gas for your car before you start. Bring snacks and drinks. I would turn this into a picnic location. 3. Take your time and make the journey part of the adventure. Yosemite has much to see and don't race around from point to point. Stop along the way and enjoy this trip. FWIW, I would use this as your first stop and then work your way through other stops on your way back to your base camp. 4. Camera/Phone is a MUST. Definitely take panoramic photos. The view here is awesome.
2. Moro Rock Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,545 reviews
A challenging walk up 400 steps to a spectacular view.
Reviewed By TravelingMerm - Monrovia, United States
You'll earn the view...it's 350 steps and takes you to 6725 feet elevation! It's sooo worth it! The climb up is relatively easy, even if you're moderately out of shape like me! There are sections of gradual inclines in between stairs so you get a break. There are plenty of points climbing up where you'll want to stop and take pictures also, so you can catch your breath. There were several families with babies even climbing up. Your reward is an amazing view of the national park and the Great Western Divide! It's a short hike, we were only here about 30-40 minutes. But a definite must-see while you're here!
3. Pacific Coast Highway
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,643 reviews
Running along the northern California coast, this highway has some of the best views of any in the United States.
Reviewed By WaitForIttttt - Hazlet, United States
My husband and I drove the Pacific Coast Highway while making our way down the West Coast from Seattle to San Diego. This was the most beautiful drive we have ever taken. The views of the coast and the Pacific are absolutely stunning. There are tons of vistas and beaches to stop at, and sometimes even the road itself is a sight to see. There was also so much to see along the way! We stopped at: * Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park * Shelter Cove * Glass Beach * Bowling Ball Beach * San Francisco * Point Arena Lighthouse * Davenport Pier * Monterey * 17- Mile Drive * Bixby Bridge * Big Sur * Santa Barbara I'd recommend trying to take in all of them because we enjoyed every single place we visited. Also, make sure to check for closures. We were fortunate in that the entire stretch was open when we visited. There were some minor areas of construction where we had to wait a bit before passing, but it wasn't a long wait. I think everyone should experience this beautiful highway and every breathtaking mile it has to offer!
4. Emerald Bay State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 883 reviews
This spectacular bay in Lake Tahoe is best approached by hiking trails.
Reviewed By Alacrout - Los Angeles, United States
You really can’t go wrong with any part of Lake Tahoe, as the whole thing is surrounded by stunning mountain views. The views can get a little hazy during bad fire seasons, but still a beautiful area. Hard to pick a definitive “best” part of the Lake, but Emerald Bay is certainly up there as one of the best parts. The color of the water lives up to the name of “Emerald.” In the middle of the Bay, there’s a cute little island that is the ONLY island in Lake Tahoe. You can kayak, canoe, or boat to the island (NOT swim) and see the ruins of “Tea House,” where a quirky captain lived in the 1800s. Inspiration Point is a necessary stop on your way through the park—it gives you one of the best views of the entire Bay. Be sure to check out Vikingsholm too! :)
5. Mount Shasta
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 472 reviews
Reviewed By 451dennisy - Belmont, United States
Wow! What a majestic mountain! The snowcaps, cloud and cloudless covers (depending on the time of year, the weather & time of day), views are all majestic! The drive from north-south has the more impressive sights from I-5...especially when you come around the curve in the road!
6. Dante's View
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,237 reviews
Reviewed By lkbashor - Carson City, United States
High atop Dante's View above Death Valley you will see what I can only describe as breathtaking, spectacular views. This is a MUST drive that is about located above Badwater Basin, looking out over all of Death Valley, into Panamint Valley and on the clearest of days you will see Mount Whitney - WOW just WOW beautiful! Making the drive 16 miles south of Furnace Creek was well worth it, with even getting a reprieve in temperature from the valley floor in Death Valley, seeing a significant drop of 10 to 20 degrees. On the particular day we went we even had wind gusts of upwards of 40 mph that had us cautious of getting close to the edge. Grab your binoculars to spot out different places at 5575 feet above it all - you will want to photograph your smiling faces with the colors of the desert landscape below and the panaromic views all around. Well worth IT!!
7. Radiator Springs Racers
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 229 reviews
Reviewed By jeepncolo - Denver, United States
This ride is unlike any other ride in both Disney parks!! The physical experience is unlike any other ride. The ride immersion is like any other ride in both parks. The ride vehicles are unlike any other in the park! A great ride for a wide variety of ages. FastPass recommended.
8. Disneyland Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 27,350 reviews
Welcome to the place where imagination is the destination. For young and old, big and small — it's the happiest place on earth! Come build memories with your family that last a lifetime as you discover the wonder of this magical, fantastical world. When you enter the lands that comprise Disneyland Park, stories come to life around you, immersing you in tales from some of your favorite Disney films.
Reviewed By silvia_martins - Katy, United States
We had a wonderful time there! It was not supposed to be crowded, according to crowd calendars, but I did think it was quite busy and some lines were long, which makes it difficult with two very young kids. It is natural to compare with Orlando and the possibility of getting Fastpass for almost everything (which does not happen at Disneyland!), so in that sense we could not go to all the rides we wanted to as it would be too tiring for the kids, but we definitely enjoyed it a lot and we were able to go to many. Since a lot of the rides do not have a minimum height limit, we really enjoyed a lot of options! We really enjoyed Buzz Lightyear (it is definitely one of our favorite ones - we got to go twice on the same day!) and the classicals like Small worls, Dumbo, Storybook Canal, Finding Nemo, Space Mountain (single rider line was really helpful as only my husband and I could go and we needed to go separately!) Highlight for the kids was Toontown!!! They loved every bit of it and had major fun to greeting the characters (including Goofy and Pluto that were just walking around!!!!)
9. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9,203 reviews
World's largest rotating Tram car. Opened in 1963, the Tram's 80-passenger cars travel along the beautiful cliffs of Chino Canyon from the Valley Station (elevation 2,643 ft.) to the Mountain Station (elevation 8,516 ft.) in approximately 10 minutes. At the top enjoy breathtaking views, Peaks Restaurant, Pines Cafe, a gift shop, nature exhibits, educational documentary theaters, and over 50 miles of hiking trails in the Mt. San Jacinto State Park Wilderness.
Reviewed By robinb42018 - Seattle, United States
No surprise...Palm Springs is hot, hot, hot in August! The bummer is that many things are closed except on the weekends, but The Aerial Tramway and national park is not. It was an amazing experience and one I would highly recommend. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes (uh--not flip flops), and bring water. Even though the temp is up to 30 degrees cooler than down below, it is still plenty hot and dry. The ride up is a bit of a thrill, and if you are afraid of heights, I recommend sitting in the center section. At a minimum, take the Nature or Desert Trail hike at the top. It is only 1.5-2 miles and so beautiful. There are many viewpoints along the way. Tram starts at 10 a.m. and departs about every 10 minutes until 8:30 p.m. It is not cheap, but well worth it. Food, gift shop, and awesome viewpoints at the top!
10. Golden Gate Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 49,332 reviews
Stretching 4,200 feet and towering as high as a 65-story building, this well-known bridge is the gateway to San Francisco.
Reviewed By SandeeHoff - Villas, United States
Crossed this iconic bridge and wish I had time to walk or bike over it, simply put it an amazing bit of history and is phenomenal engineering. Lives up to all photos I've seen, if time and health allow I'd get out of car and experience it!
