Planning a vacation in san francisco
California is one of the most beautiful places in the world. From its beaches to its mountains, from its deserts to its cities, it offers something for everyone who visits. California has been a popular vacation destination for decades, and there are many reasons why.
The weather is usually mild and pleasant with little variation throughout the year. California has plenty of activities for visitors of all ages and interests, including beaches and theme parks, fine dining and nightlife, museums and historical sites, and much more.
Tips to plan a vacation in california
Best Time to Visit California
When planning a trip to California, one of the first things you’ll want to decide is when to go. The weather in California is quite nice throughout the year but can vary depending on the terrain where you are visiting (coast, inland, mountains). There really isn’t a time that you shouldn’t visit California…but knowing what you want to see and do can help you plan for the most ideal time for you.
Summer is, of course, one of the most popular months. It is classic California at its best if you want to experience all the beachside excitement and soak up the sun. But with everyone on summer vacation from school, this also means it’s one of the most crowded times of year…so you’ll be jostling with a lot of other people to enjoy all that California has to offer. Plus, prices for anything from flights to car rentals to hotels can become quite high during this season.
Fall, meanwhile, is one of my favorite times to be in California. The weather is usually still quite warm and perfect for the beach for much of the autumn months, but with schools and colleges starting back up in the early fall there are far fewer people milling around. Prices for flights, etc., are likely to have dropped some, and you’ll find that our shoulder season is quite enchanting. This is one of my most highly recommended times to visit!
Winters can be cold and rainy or snowy in the mountains, but you can still likely enjoy some time on the beach (although you’ll likely not wish to brave the water most days unless you’re very committed to swimming or surfing or have an excellent wetsuit!) But winter brings its own delights, with lots of holiday cheer (and in some places, even skating on the beach!) The later winter months also make an excellent time to go whale watching along the coast and there are plenty of good places to go skiing in the mountains, so you will still find plenty to enjoy during this season.
Lastly, spring is another of my favorite times to be in California as the weather begins to warm again. This makes it an excellent time, like fall, to enjoy all of the benefits of California without dealing with the summer crowds. You’ll find it’s also a particularly lovely time to visit places like Joshua Tree National Park, where the desert comes to life with beautiful blooms!
As you can see, every season in California brings something to be desired and each one has a unique reason you might wish to visit. Ultimately, it comes down to when is convenient for you and what particular activities you wish to partake in (although I do still strongly recommend fall and spring as excellent times to visit!)
How Long To Spend in California
Now that you’ve decided when to come to California, it’s time to decide how long you should stay. California is quite a big place (did you know it takes nearly 13 hours to drive from one end to the other without traffic and without stopping anywhere?) Plus there are so many amazing places to explore! You really could spend years here. But that’s a very long vacation and quite impractical.
Luckily, depending on what you want to see and where you’re coming from, your vacation could easily be as short as a weekend if you don’t have much time and just want to visit one city like San Diego, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. Or, if you want to see a little more of California or do the ionic coastal road trip then you may wish to plan for 1-2 weeks. And of course, if you wish to see big cities and also go hiking around and exploring some of California’s most beautiful destinations, then you may wish to plan for a month or so if you can swing it. You’ll simply have to prioritize what you wish to see the most if you have limited time!
California Destinations You Should Visit
Next in the planning stage is deciding where you want to visit! With so many places to go, it may be hard to decide…but I’ve compiled a quick list of some of my favorite places in California to help you out.
If you like cities, then San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco should be high on your list. There’s no shortage of things to do in these cities and they also have reasonably good public transportation (by American standards) so if you can’t or don’t want to drive then these could be good choices.
Nature wise, there are so many beautiful national and state parks! Some of the highlights are Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Muir Woods. Whether you like short or long hikes or simply driving through beautiful scenery, the great outdoors in California is sure to take your breath away.
I’m also partial to the central coast of California (Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Paso Robles for wine country). And if you’re interested in seeing this part of California alongside some of the larger cities, you may wish to take all or part of the Pacific Coast/Highway 101 road trip from San Diego to San Francisco.
At this stage in your planning, continue to do a little exploration and think about what you wish to see the most. But once you know how long you plan to spend in California and know some of your options of where to go, you can start to narrow down your itinerary.
Getting to California
Now that you know when to visit, how long you’re visiting, and some of the things you may want to see, it’s time to start making the practical arrangements. Like…how to get to California?
The arrangements, of course, depend on where you are. Within the US, you can consider driving to California on an extended road trip (like my Texas to California road trip earlier this year!) or you can fly. If you’re flying domestically, you may want to monitor Kayak or Skyscanner for good deals…and you may also want to check out Southwest. Southwest is one of my favorite airlines to fly within the US, as they are quite comfortable and have excellent luggage allowances. They also offer deals for low cost fare quite frequently! The only downside is that they don’t allow their deals to be seen on flight aggregators like Kayak, Skyscanner, etc. so you have to search their website manually.
If you’re traveling internationally, your best bet is to keep an eye on sites like Kayak and Skyscanner and pounce when you see a good deal. You’ll want to fly into one of the major California airports for the best deals, which likely means Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO). A few other major airport possibilities you can check include San Diego (SAN), San Jose (SJC), and Sacramento (SMF). And if you can keep your dates flexible you’ll have an even greater chance of scoring an excellent deal!
Transportation in California
It’s no secret that public transportation in the US leaves a lot to be desired. But saying that, there’s still no reason to worry if you want to visit California’s larger cities. Some have fairly reliable bus, trolley, etc. systems, while others like San Diego may even have free ride systems in place. If all else fails, you should be okay doing some walking combined with taking an Uber every now and then. But this non-car method is only if you plan to stay within the city.
If you plan to leave the city, want to travel to multiple cities, want to explore more out-of-the-way places, or want to explore the famous Pacific Coast Highway, then you’re absolutely Kake your booking.
Be sure to play around with the dates you want the car for, as sometimes renting for longer (like a week at a time) can be cheaper than renting for just a few days. However, you’ll also have to factor in the cost of parking the car if you have it rented while in one of the big California cities. It can be quite expensive to park a car in the city, even when you’re staying at a hotel!
Note that if you’re visiting from outside the US or even out of state, then you may wish to give a quick look over the laws and rules of the road in the California Driver Handbook. Also, according to the California DMV, you do not need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in California but may simply use your valid license from home. However, some other states have different requirements so if you plan to explore other areas of the US you may still require one.
Activities in California
Once you have your general itinerary set and are booking your transportation, don’t forget about booking any activities you may want to do! There are so many awesome things to do in California and you won’t want to miss out.
You could take surf lessons in San Diego, go whale watching in Newport Beach, visit a castle and go wine tasting in Napa, take a cruise near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francsico, or any number of other exciting adventures! If you’re looking to search for and book activities, both Get Your Guide and Viator offer some excellent options to make your trip a blast.
What to Pack for California
Finally, you may be wondering what you should pack for your California vacation. California style is quite laid back, but depending on the season you visit and the activities you plan you will have to adjust your wardrobe accordingly.
I’ve written up a full packing guide that you can check out here, but there are a few essentials I should note here as well. California weather always gets chillier in the evening, so you will want a jacket just in case even if it is summer. You’ll also want to have a reusable water bottle with you, some good sunscreen, and sunglasses. Be sure to check out my California packing list to see all the other essentials you’ll want to have on hand!
If you’re traveling from somewhere outside of the United States, you’ll also want to make sure you get and bring a visitor visa or ESTA as may be required. It’s also a good idea to have a credit card with you on your vacation, as you’ll find it’s the most prevalent method of payment in California, as well as exchanging for/withdrawing some cash to have on hand in case. And of course don’t forget other essentials like a plug adapter for your electronic devices!
Best places to visit in california
Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach is an ultimate beach getaway if you’re looking for a sunny coastal town vacation. It’s about 45 minutes from the northern part of San Diego, so it’s possible to squeeze both of these destinations into a week-long trip.
Laguna Beach isn’t as overdeveloped as many other parts of Orange County, which gives it a relaxing and artsy vibe. In fact, there are some exciting art festivals to check out here in the summer and galleries in town to check out.
Carlsbad
Carlsbad is a town in the San Diego region of California and home to lots of attractions the whole family can enjoy. Plan a vacation here to visit the LEGOLAND California Resort, SEA LIFE Aquarium and even take rides in historic biplanes. Air and walking tours are popular here, as well as paddleboard lessons, go-kart racing, and the Flower Fields with their 50 acres of colorful flowers on the coastline’s hillside.
Lake Tahoe
There’s truly nothing like a Lake Tahoe vacation, regardless of when you visit during the year. This is an epic place to plan a week of skiing, but it’s also fun for a summer vacation filled with white-sand beaches and views of the Sierra Nevada mountains. There are lots of quaint towns to visit around the lake, although must of the activity and accommodations are in the town of South Lake Tahoe.
San Diego
San Diego is famous for its year-around perfect weather, so there’s no bad time to plan a vacation here. Lots of people from cold climates visit in the winter to get some fun in the sun. There are lots of microbreweries here to give you a locals-only vibe during your trip and also plenty of beach opportunities nearby. Top ways to spend a family vacation in San Diego include the USS Midway Museum, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, and SeaWorld San Diego.
Mammoth Lakes
The Eastern Sierras are a magical and underrated California vacation destination that are filled with endless adventure. One of the biggest reasons that people travel here is because of the epic ski resort, but Mammoth offers plenty of adventure all year long.
You can ski and snowboard at Mammoth Mountain, one of the top resorts in the country, hike around the impressive Devil’s Postpile National Monument, go fishing in the region’s many lakes, and never find a bad view on the hiking trails. Summer activities include boating, camping, golfing, and paddleboarding, and Mammoth Brewing Company is worth a stop after your adventures.
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is a fun and laid-back beach destination that’s perfect for a couple’s or family vacation. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is always a fun stop, and the Mystery Spot is another popular destination. Don’t miss the tide pools at Natural Bridges and spend your weekend with plenty of beach time and good food. While on vacation in Santa Cruz, check out West Cliff Drive, Roaring Camp Railroads, Wilder Ranch State Park, and the Seymour Marine Discovery Center.
Big Bear Lake
For a Southern California vacation that is far from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, head to Big Bear Lake. Here you can go boating in the summer and go skiing or snowboarding the winter. It’s a wonderful change of scenery if you are used to big-city life a breath of fresh air from the cities’ crowds and smog.
Paso Robles
Wine country regions always make excellent California vacations, but one of our ultimate favorites is Paso Robles. Here you’ll find lots of vineyards and also the Firestone Walker Brewing Company for beer lovers. This area is near San Luis Obispo, and arts and nature-loving mid-sized town that it worth visiting during your Paso Robles vacation too. The famous Hearst Castle isn’t’ far away and worth a drive if you’re interested in taking a tour to learn about this famous local family and be impressed with architecture and décor.