I’ve done my fair share of traveling in my life and I thought I’d share some great things to do in the Golden State. Originally from California, I have spent a lot of time there visiting. In 2008, my boyfriend and I took a road trip on Highway 1 from Los Angeles to San Francisco. My other favorite vacation spots include New York City, the Bahamas, Mexico (the gulf and the Mexican Riviera), Florida, Hilton Head, Charleston, Israel and the Cayman Islands.

Tip: When planning a vacation to a city you have not been, it is always good to plan ahead. Buy a guide or book about the place you plan to visit. I recommend Fodor’s or Frommer’s. They come out with new tour guides to all the major cities around the world each year. They give you tips about where to stay, what to do, shopping, nightlife, attractions, etc. I have found these books to be a lifesaver when going to a new place. After all, what good is going on vacation when you don’t know how to have fun at your destination?

California: Road trip up the Pacific Coast Highway
From LA to San Francisco: Things to do city by city

Los Angeles: Walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. Here you can see the stars of celebrities. In front of the Chinese Theatre you can put your hands and feet into the prints of the stars. I always thought it was neat to see handprints of actors and actresses from the 1930’s and earlier. Be prepared to spend a lot of money if you decide to go shopping on Rodeo Drive. Visit the La Brea Tar Pits, the world’s most famous Ice Age fossil excavation site. (It is also where Veda [Anna Chulmsky] lost her mood ring in the movie My Girl). For a dollar, in Hollywood you can pick up a map of the star’s homes in Beverly Hills and Bel Air. You could try and find the house of Hollywood actor Vincent Chase. Oh wait, that’s Adrian Grenier from Entourage. You can visit the original happiest place on earth, Disneyland. Universal Studios is another great theme park, and in my opinion, better than the park in Orlando, Florida. Too bad they no longer have the Back to the Future ride!

Beaches: In Santa Monica, be sure to walk along the Santa Monica Pier. You can ride on the roller coaster, ferris wheel or play carnival games. Walking along the beach, you may notice the lifeguard stands looks pretty familiar. It is because the show Baywatch was filmed here. Santa Monica beach — where men pretend to be David Hasselhoff and women try to resemble Pamela Anderson. Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica is a great outdoor shopping area and guitar players and other music acts frequent this mall. Venice Beach is a great place to people watch. From artists to dancers, weird dressers, and acts with animals, you never know who you will find. Venice is also the site of Muscle Beach, which is known for bodybuilders working out.  While in Venice Beach, be sure to shop along the strip where outdoor vendors sell all kinds of souvenirs. Other notable beaches in southern California include Malibu and Santa Barbara.

San Simeon: Hearst Castle is one attraction you won’t want to miss. The magnificent estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways was built by William Randolph Hearst. You must buy tickets in advance and they offer several different tours. Plan to spend half a day at the castle. From the welcome center, you will take a tram up to the castle and then a tour guide will

take you on a walking tour of the grounds. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to and the outdoor pool is a sight to see. Back in the day, Hearst Castle was the site of many parties that famous movie stars attended. It certainly had the space for it!

Big Sur:This region on the central California coast is an area where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The terrain offers stunning views which makes Big Sur a big tourist attraction. We ate at a restaurant overlooking the ocean called the Nepenthe, and the view was spectacular.

Carmel: This city by the sea is a charming little town that appears to look very nautical, at least from walking around town at all the little shops and restaurants. Here you can dine, shop or have a wine tasting. Between Carmel and Monterey, venture on the famous
17 mile drive that passes through an exclusive neighborhood, past scenic beaches, golf courses and luxury hotels. Watch out! Golf courses can be kind of expensive. Pebble Beach Golf Course is known to charge $500 per round.

Monterey: Take a walk down Cannery Row, a waterfront street in Monterey that is a major tourist attraction. It has great restaurants and shops. We visited a candy shop that had quite exceptional fudge. Another attraction is watching the sea animals at the Monterey Bay Aquarium which always has special shows and exhibitions.

San Francisco: One of my favorite cities in world, there is always something to do in the

city by the bay. Visit Fisherman’s Wharf, and eat some of the delicious seafood. They sell whole crabs ready to eat and clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls. Ride a cable car. It is best to catch one on route. You may have to wait hours at the cable car station. Drive down Lombard Street, the crookedist street in the world. There is usually a long line of cars waiting for their turn to go down. Visit Golden Gate Park. See the view of the city from Coit Tower. Eat a sundae at Ghirardelli Square. Walk along the boardwalk on Pier 39. Travel over the Golden Gate Bridge. Go to Chinatown where you can find Chinese wares and some great Dim Sum restaurants. Shop near Union Square and visit the seven story Macy’s department store. Visit Napa Valley or Sonoma and tour the wineries. The possibilities are endless.

Highway 1 is a beautiful scenic route and if you are looking to take a great vacation, I highly recommend taking a road trip like the one I shared with you.

Author’s Note: All photographs in this post were taken by me or my travel companions.