Big Sur · Highway 1
From breathtaking coastlines to vibrant cities, discover the places, stories, and experiences that make California unforgettable.
Featured Stories
From foggy Mendocino headlands to surf-town Encinitas, these are the California coastal towns worth planning a trip around, with what to do, when to go and practical tips for each.
18 min read
From granite valleys to cliff-top highways and alpine lakes, these are the California places that belong on every bucket list.
Skip the crowds. These beaches, waterfalls and ghost towns show a side of California most visitors drive right past.
It's not just the weather. Here's what makes California feel like nowhere else, and why so many people never want to leave.
Highway 1 earns its reputation. These are the California coastal drives worth planning a whole trip around.
Quick, no wrong answers
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You're a Beach Bum.
Salt in your hair, sand in your car. Forever.
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Explore California
Vacation regions filled with rugged coastline, granite peaks, vineyards, deserts and some of America's most exciting cities.
11 vacation regions
Hover or tap a region to discover its coastlines, mountains, cities and hidden gems.
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Destinations
Start with the classics. Each guide covers the highlights, the best time to visit and the stories behind the place.
California Lifestyle
Beach days, food culture, creative communities and the people who make the Golden State shine.
It's not just the weather. Here's what makes California feel like nowhere else, and why so many people never want to leave.
2 min read
Napa or Sonoma? Reservations or walk-ins? Everything you need to plan a relaxed, delicious day among the vines.
1 min read
From the Mission burrito to the fish taco and the Ferry Building, a delicious tour of the places and dishes that define California food.
1 min read
For years only one surfer rode it. Today Mavericks is one of the most famous and feared big waves on the planet.
1 min read
California Facts
9
National parks
More than any other state, from Yosemite and Redwood to Joshua Tree, Pinnacles and the Channel Islands.
134°F
Hottest temperature on Earth
Recorded at Furnace Creek in Death Valley on July 10, 1913, still the official world record.
85 mi
From highest to lowest
Mount Whitney (14,505 ft) and Badwater Basin (−282 ft), the highest and lowest points in the Lower 48, are roughly 85 miles apart.
~380 ft
The world's tallest tree
Hyperion, a coast redwood hidden in Redwood National Park, is the tallest known living tree on the planet.
4,800+
Years old
Great Basin bristlecone pines in the White Mountains are among the oldest living things on Earth.
1 in 9
Americans live here
With about 39 million residents, California is the most populous state in the country.
840 mi
Of Pacific coastline
Only Alaska and Florida have longer coastlines, and much of California's is protected public land.
1850
The 31st state
California joined the Union on September 9, 1850, just two years after gold was found at Sutter's Mill.
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The world's tallest trees, the hottest temperature ever recorded and a name borrowed from a 500-year-old novel. California is full of surprises.
2 min read
Emerald Bay at sunrise, a paddle across glassy water and a sunset drive around the lake. Here's how to spend 48 hours at Tahoe.
1 min read
Napa or Sonoma? Reservations or walk-ins? Everything you need to plan a relaxed, delicious day among the vines.
1 min read
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