Top Things to do in California
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What to do and see in California, United States: The Best Educational sites
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. Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By karimexicogdl - Guadalajara, Mexico
It’s such a beautiful collection inside the public library, there’s thousands of books, albums, documents, art, etc. The paradise of Beethoven’s world in America. Must visit when in California!
2. Studios on the Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 102 reviews
Studios on the Park is a nonprofit gallery and open studios art center in a prestigious location in downtown Paso Robles, Ca. Studios’ arts access and education services to more than 100,000 students, families and visitors each year help to make the Central Coast region a leader in creative culture, education and innovation. Among our many essential program and outreach efforts is Kids Art Smart. We believe all children should have access to creative learning opportunities through the arts. With arts education cut from local schools, Studios on the Park provides free visual arts programming for thousands of K-12 grade students.
Reviewed By JohnInItaly - Santa Cruz, United States
This interesting gallery has something for everyone and is a great asset to the local community by allowing local artists to work in front of clients, and it also has class space for local adults and children to develop their interests and talents. After a wonderful dinner on the square, we walked the perimeter streets and enjoyed our visit, buying a little something to voice our support for the local artists. Car art is a 1950-1953 Hudson, like the ones our family owned in those years! :-)
3. The Marine Mammal Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 339 reviews
The largest of six centers that rescue and rehabilitate seals and sea lions found along the California coast.
Reviewed By cyndiv2014 - Portland, United States
The Marine Mammal Center is a hospital for injured animals. They house and rehabilitate any number of marine mammals including sea lions and sea otters. There are several stations where visitors can learn about tagging and how biologists track animals, fishing nets and the dangers they pose to sea life, and how they care for their patients. I visited with my boisterous son on a Thursday afternoon. If you have an active child, this may not be the best place to come if there isn't a tour. It is a hospital, and they try to keep it quiet for the animals' comfort. My son was anything but quiet. We're looking forward to visiting again when a tour is happening; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The gift shop is also A+.
4. Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 200 reviews
This spectacular Sierra ski resort has a base elevation at 7,800 feet that is open for great skiing during the winter season, and great hiking trails in the summer.
Reviewed By Alilu007 - Menlo Park, United States
While out of the way from South Lake Tahoe, would definitely recommend the trip for a full day of skiing on the weekend. Kirkwood is the most challenging out of the three on the Epic pass and is great for getting you out of your comfort zone. The terrain is definitely unique compared to Northstar and Heavenly. It is exposed, not a lot of trees or folds in the mountains, and so you can see people skiing from very far away, which makes the lifts more entertaining! Solitude lift gets crowded with intermediate skiiers as it only services blues, but the line is shorter on the Reut lift, and some of those blacks are pretty comparable to other blues on the mountain. On days when it’s not icy, my favorite run is Conestoga, off the Reut. Lower Monte Wolfe off Solitude is also not too crowded. Lifts opened with staggered times, so the back side can get crowded in the late mornings. There also are no single riders lines.
5. Palm Springs Air Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,004 reviews
Rated by CNN as one of the top 14 Air Museums in the World. This facility Gives visitors an up-close look at the legendary fighters and bombers of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
Reviewed By geoffreyh551 - Phoenix, United States
Everywhere we went in Palm Springs people told us to go here. You need to go here as soon as it opens ( open 7 days a week 10 Am until 5 PM). The Air Museum is very well set up . Airplanes are located in two hangars to the left as you enter and two hangars to the right. There are 9 people fully employed and 400 volunteers ( docents). All of the docents are veterans and have extensive information that they are ready to personally share with you. Plenty of on site parking. Admission is either $18 or $16 Senior/Military persons. You need to plan on spending many hours going from hangar to hanger-exhibitions of World War 2 and Vietnam. Many hands on exhibits that detail what specifics of the war was happening. Docents all over the area to assist and explain details as to what you are looking at. Don't forget to save time to go upstairs to the very extensive library. We looked up in the large collection of Life Magazines specific issues in our life time that were of interest to us. There is also a docent who will personally assist you on a Flight Simulator ' actually help you simulate a flight. Last visit an actual plane B-17 before you exit ( donation $5.00), but you can board it and walk through the entire plane. Highly recommend We spent 3 hours there .
6. University of California at Santa Cruz
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 251 reviews
The Santa Cruz campus offers an attractive blend of notable architecture and panoramic views.
Reviewed By K9183SOcynthiag
Very beautiful campus full of wildlife and unique students. Parking sucks though and getting around is hard, but makes you appreciate trees more
7. University of California, Berkeley
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 924 reviews
California's most prestigious public university is the home of liberalism and revolution.
Reviewed By Kittygal - Los Angeles, United States
I've loved this campus since I first visited for football and basketball games against my alma mater, UCLA. And during my law school days across the bay, I'd escape to study at the Boalt library on occasion. I returned for a visit during my first post Covid trip to the Bay Area. It was great to see the timeless beauty of the campus and marvel at all the new construction. Glad the old stand bys are still there, too (Rasputin's, Bear's Lair, Golden Bear, Smokehouse). During my grad school days, we often said that you could see the bell tower from SF on an exceptionally fine, clear day. And I'm here to say that during my recent visit, I could see clear to the Golden Gate Bridge from my vantage point at the base of the bell tower. Happily, some things only get better with time.
8. Lawrence Hall of Science
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 179 reviews
The Lawrence Hall of Science is UC Berkeley's Public Science Center. Join us and discover your inner scientist through fun and hands-on explorations in engineering, physics, astronomy, and more! Visit the Hall's Science on a Sphere® and take control of a planet on a 6-ft diameter globe, meet an animal friend in the Animal Discovery Room, and design, build, and test your own creations in Design Quest. Looking for even more ways to explore science? Add a Planetarium or National Geographic 3D Theater show to your visit (Planetarium and 3D Theater admission is extra).
Reviewed By Oaklandmom222
Maybe you have to be inclined towards math and science, but my 6 & 9yo truly love it here, and would live here if we let them. It’s all very hands-on, no kid-unfriendly read-only exhibits. Science and math concepts presented as games, experiments, and crafts/building. Thousands and thousands of those little keva plank blocks to build structures higher than you. Outdoor play area (water play, life-sized whale, super-sized DNA climbing structure). Build and shoot off paper rockets. Hefty supply of Legos. Stop-motion animation. 3-D documentaries. Family-friendly cafeteria (and outside grounds) with arguably the best views in the Bay Area. Temporary exhibit changes every few months, but always enjoyed. Ample parking lot next door is $1/hr.
9. Santa Clara University
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 101 reviews
The oldest private institution for higher learning in the state boasts modern and historic architecture.
Reviewed By mini - Fremont, United States
We visited with friends at the very nice Santa Clara University Campus. Its a very pretty campus with a Jesuit Mission. There is the academic buildings, museums, sports fields, and visitor programs. Students enjoy going there.
10. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 678 reviews
Reviewed By ideamanmsk
It's an unassuming border to the main campus, but Westwood if chock full of wonderful shops, restaurants, and coffee stops in the shadow of a big city urban scape. As you traverse the streets and pathways of Westwood, you start to discover a beautiful campus setting with all the trappings of a "Southern California" environment. Student pedestrian and cycling traffic reflect the academic dedication that is required for success on this campus. The diversions of play spaces, grassy quadrants, party establishments and suburban style entertainment options color the campus with a unique blend of academia, suburbia, and college frivolity. Once you've walked a mile through the streets and college spaces that characterize Westwood, you may find yourself chanting the iconic: "U -- C -- L -- A -- UCLA fight, fight fight" (or "enjoy, enjoy, enjoy")
