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Locations REAL Californians Visit
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items Californian locals would highly recommend any of these locations that are sometimes overlooked for places like the Hollywood sign and the Hollywood Bowl.
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Locations REAL Californians Visit and Recommend
Locations REAL Californians Feel is NOT Worth the Hype
Locations REAL Californians Visit and Recommend
It's a beautiful zoo you can easily navigate in 1 day and about 90 minutes from Los Angeles. It's right next to the beach and has cooler temperatures than the Los Angeles Zoo.
Santa Barbara Zoo
Mendocino beach is about 500 miles from Los Angeles in a quaint little town but has the hands-down best beach views in California. My favorite was Sea Rock Inn with delivered and customizable lovely breakfasts. It has a beautiful view of the ocean.
Visit Mendocino County
Monterey Bay Aquarium is the absolute best aquarium ever. It's absolutely stunning in Monterey Bay with an amazing glow in the dark jellyfish and a surprisingly great cafeteria. My falafel waffles are highly recommended!
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Lake Tahoe is a beautiful lake that is surprisingly large and fun for everyone. There are casinos on the Nevada side, along with gondolas to take you up the mountains. They have activities up top all year long such as gem mining, snow, playground, hi...
Visit Lake Tahoe
The San Diego Zoo is actually my favorite zoo in California. It's really large and has very special needs friendly perks, such as a sensory friendly bag they give out to those who ask. There are many different restaurants, free gondola rides over the...
San Diego Zoo
Real Californians visit San Francisco, but love to see more than the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street (crooked street). Take the tram (don't wait for hours at Hyde and Beach Street to get on, just hop on along Hyde Street like the locals do. The...
San Francisco
Yosemite National Park is definitely a MUST visit location for Californians. It's absolutely stunning and everyone has photos in front of the Half Dome and video of entering the park through the tunnel. It can get very popular, so try to visit in the...
Yosemite National Park
Big Bear Lake is a more local favorite than driving all the way out to Lake Tahoe. Tahoe is absolutely breathtaking and larger, but Big Bear is a great place to visit in the summer or winter. Just be careful with traffic into and out of Big Bear beca...
Big Bear Lake
Solvang is a charming little town for a quick visit for maybe a one-night stay. The windmills, tram, horse-drawn carriages, and Dutch architecture are adorable. The little shops, restaurants, and bakeries are just as you would imagine. It's a very sm...
Visit Solvang
One of the most beautiful places I've stayed in California. The ocean views are absolutely stunning, making it a perfect stop along Highway 1. I loved it so much that I recommended it to friends, and they ultimately chose it as their wedding venue.
E...
Ragged Point Inn & Resort
Locations REAL Californians Feel is NOT Worth the Hype
Six Flags Magic Mountain is not what it used to be a few decades ago and usually the ride you want is down for the day. There are currently a lot of renovations taking place, so maybe my recommendation will change in a few years, but for now not so m...
Six Flags Magic Mountain
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is definitely overrated by local resident standards. It is in downtown Los Angeles and has very little parking or is very expensive. It is very dirty with many homeless people, making it not the best visit for families. Vis...
Hollywood Walk of Fame
I loved staying at Ragged Point Inn for its incredible ocean views, but Hearst Castle wasn't my favorite stop. The tour was interesting, but I personally preferred spending more time enjoying the coastline and scenic overlooks.
Hearst Castle