Best Places To Go In California
California has some of the very best places to visit. If you are planning your next vacation for any time of year, California is the perfect state for that. You will find all climates there and see the effects of micro climates as well
I’ve got a few ideas for you. Travel with a plan, and let someone else help you with the work. Then you can decide for yourself if The West Coast Is the Best Coast.
It was pretty amazing and everyone should go out there and see for themselves the beauty of the west coast.
We made a trip to California the first week of October. Now October, in some areas would be a terrible idea, but if you are not planning on going to the mountains on this trip it will not be a problem.
Weather In California
A lot of California has dry arid type of weather. The region you choose to visit will largely determine the weather. Inland around the capital, Sacramento it is dry and has very low humidity. The day time temperatures can be scorching and even very warm up till winter. As you travel closer to the coast it becomes more humid and increasingly windy. The wind and humidity give a feeling of cooling off.
The coast is often covered by fog during the morning and will disappear by midday. As you travel south, they say you will find the best skies in the US. San Diego is supposed to be warm and lovely all year long.
Dressing in layers is always the best thing to do in California. The nights are cooler and as the sun rises in the sky temperatures also rise. Being from South Carolina I am always cool in the evenings just about anywhere in Cali.
So dress accordingly and peal the layers off as needed.
The Best Way To Get There
Getting to the best places in California is easy these days. How you get there is purely up to you. If taking a long drive is the way you want to go, then do it. I don’t think you will regret a road trip. I usually prefer to get there as quickly as possible.
If you live near the Charlotte, NC area, flying American Airlines is the way to go. We fly Delta most of the time, but American Airlines has a direct flight to Sacramento, California everyday. Seriously, they fly to and from there every single day and the best part of the flight is that it is NON-STOP. I know, that is crazy isn’t it. We actually love this flight.
Charlotte is at least 2 hours from our house, but it is so worth it when you can board a plane and fly non-stop to California. No worries about lost luggage or delays. You can sit down, read a book and never have to worry about the connecting flight.
The flight that leaves from Charlotte is usually a five o’clock flight or six o’clock flight. The return flight is a red eye. Now the red eye flight back might seem like a bummer, but my husband and I have found it to be really pleasant. If the drive home seems risky after a red eye that lands at 6 am, then maybe a nap in the car might be in order. We have decided both times that the drive home was not bad and the nap we were waiting for was better at home. I have been told that other areas across the US, like Florida and Raleigh also offer direct flights to Sacramento. They are with other airlines but something to seriously consider if you are going from the East to the West. The 3 hour time change is a drag and flying just makes it easier to get used to it.
Sacramento is a small airport and easy to navigate. The city is a great starting point for your next adventure.
OLD SAC
So where do you start? Well Old Sac is right there in Sacramento. It is a remnant of the old cowboy towns that used to exist here. The old saloons are now filled with candy stores and other shops where you can go ahead and by a t shirt!
There are a few restaurants there as well. My fish and chips were fantastic and everyone else’s food was good also.
It is a good place to start and get your adventure started.
Now I know that Lake Tahoe is not
Apple Season
We decided to head towards the Lake Tahoe area our first few days in Sacramento, California. If you go the time of year we went, late September early October it is apple season. There are several apple farms on the way to Lake Tahoe. We stopped at one called Apple Hill, but there are several of them. There are so many varieties of apples to eat there. Of course they have apple fritters and apple cider and, well you get the idea.
Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Resort
South Lake Tahoe is a resort area. Probably best know for its skiing, but during the summer and fall months there are plenty of things to do there. If you want to gamble, well as soon as you past the Cali-Nevada border there is a casino. If the gambling is not your thing then the great outdoors is everywhere. Oh my goodness it is beautiful. I have never seen water so blue and beautiful.
We rode this Gondola up to Heavenly Mountain Resort. I was so enthralled with the ride that I forgot to take pictures, but the picture of us at the rail is at the top of the resort ride. Of course this is the chair lift used during skiing season but it just a ride during the summer months. I will say it is pricey, 95$ per person, but it was worth it. I can imagine it being too cold later on in the season before the snow hits the ground so be sure and wear good outerwear.
Big Sur
My husband and I had different things we really wanted to see when we got there. To drive down the coast and see Big Sur was first on Joey’s list. Big Sur did not disappoint. You will have to rent a car to see Big Sur. Highway 1 will take you down south of the California coast to see all of the views. The view is what we went for. You have seen this view in so many movies and commercials. It is amazing, but before I show you the pictures I want to mention a few things along the way.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
If hiking is the thing you want to do then don’t miss this park. It offers the views of the Pacific Ocean with the redwoods near by. They have several trails to choose from that lead you to rivers, the ocean and the redwoods. The state parks are always one of our favorite places to go. Now I can not vouch for the trails, but I can vouch for the gift store :). I have grandchildren and I can not go home without something for them. State parks have things that are pure novelty and when I take something home to them, that is exactly what I am looking for. Even if my daughter isn’t!.
There are camp grounds and picnic spots. None of which I can speak of in this park, but if you are a state park person then the camp grounds will be familiar to you in some ways.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
This park is 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The drive to this park is worth every minute. It also has easy trails to walk. It cost 10$ to get in and you can not go to the beach this way, but there is plenty to see and the beauty of the redwoods is breath taking.
There are many restaurants along the way. We did not stop to eat until Monterey.
Bixby Creek Bridge
Going to or leaving Big Sur there are noteworthy bridges you will go over. The Bixby Creek Bridge is something everyone stops to see. I am sure it was an architectural wonder in it’s day. The concrete arches that allow the Pacific Ocean to be view through are amazing. It was completed in 1932. Both sides are worth standing on a taking pictures. I would recommend stopping on the way to Big Sur AND on the way back.
Pigeon Point Light Station State Park
Now this little gem we ALMOST passed by. I actually had to go to the bathroom so that is why we stopped. Do not miss this. It is a slice of history as well as an iconic photo opportunity. The station in itself is in bad need of repair. The lighthouse has not been functional in quite awhile. You can not go in the lighthouse because it is literally falling apart. Yet she still stands. Reading of how many prisms are in the lighthouse and how many people it took to keep the fires going is interesting.
The picturesque coast line there is amazing. Just the drive offers a lot of views and if you hike there are plenty of state parks along the way to stop and do just that as well. By the way, I am very much an amateur photographer, but when the view is perfect it makes my photo look a lot better. Just look at the Pigeon Point Light Station.
Bixby Creek Bridge
Falls Near Big Sur
Just Me and My Sweetie
Pigeon Point Lighthouse
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is an interesting town to visit. We decided to stay the night there. There are many really good restaurants to eat and at and I enjoyed the view while we were eating our seafood. You can catch a few seals to watch and the seagulls are always around to entertain. I think that the Monterey Aquarium was one of my highlights. It is probably the largest aquarium I have ever been too. Full of all kinds of aquatic life. They are known for their activity in conservation movement and you can see that at the aquarium as well.
Mill Valley
Some of the best places to go in California are off the beaten path. That is exactly what I would say about this little town. Leaving Monterey we headed towards the San Francisco Bay area. Now there is so much to see in this area. You could stay around here for a week and still not see everything you may want to. We did not want to stay directly in the city. So we stayed in a village call Mill Valley.
Oh my gosh it was the prettiest place ever. It had coffee shops and boutiques as well as a local market. Not far from the Mill Valley area is a restaurant called Fish, in Salsalito, CA. They offer their catch of the day, it is on the water and the food was really good.
Mill Valley is north of San Francisco. It is an artistic village. There are several art galleries there along the main road as well. The old saw mill was turned into a shopping area recently. One shop I particularly loved was called, FarmHouse Urban. She had well crafted items for the home that also had an artistic touch to them.
Muir Woods
Staying in Mill Valley made it easy to go in and out of the city. I am not going to talk to much about San Francisco because it is so easy to find places to go and things to do there. We actually took a hop on and hop off tour bus that we caught in Salsalito. The company was called, City Tour San Francisco. For me it is the easiest and safest way to see the city without having to find parking. They stop at 24 places, including Little Italy, China Town and many more.
The one site I wanted to see was Muir Woods. Joe wanted to see Big Sur, the redwoods were my big request. Many of the trees in Muir Woods are many years old. I love the majesty and beauty of this park. You can not appreciate their size until you stand beside one of them.
California Has So Much To Offer
I enjoy this trip every time I make it. I have lived all over the world and have seen many beautiful landscapes, but California has some of the most beautiful. The redwoods and sequoias are unmatched in their graceful reach to the sky. The rocky coastal shorelines, and farmlands that often reach the shore. The big cities that are there to explore. The southern California beaches and the northern mountain ranges to hike upon. The variety is amazing, something for everyone is the truth.
I can not wait to go back and if you are thinking about going on a trip, California would not disappoint. We found the people to be very friendly and the weather was a constant pleasure.
Plan a trip and find the best places for you and your family to enjoy in California.
Hopefully our adventure will give you some encouragement to visit this state. ALWAYS be flexible in all of your travels. Don’t plan every moment out. You may stumble upon something you have always wanted to do.
If I had more time, whale watching would have been on my list of things to do. There is just so much. The best things to do in California are up to you. Be a tourist and enjoy. Honestly, Janet
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