Asonta Benetti

It’s no secret that California is home to some absolute gems. Its national parks are what dreams are made of, from Yosemite to Joshua Tree, and its cities are home to some of the best restaurants and nightlife spots around.  But don’t forget about another thing Cali does very, very well: beach life. The beach towns here are home to glistening white sands and rugged coastlines perfect for hiking, as well as cute small town communities and culture spots. Basically, California’s beach towns have it all. Here are our favourites.  RECOMMENDED:🏨 The best hotels in California🏘️ The best Airbnbs in California🥾 The best places to hike in the Bay Area🏕️ The best camping in California This guide was written by travel writer Asonta Benetti. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Phoenix has come a long way from its founding in 1881. Rapid development has been the name of the game here for a long while, but the changes in the Valley of the Sun continue to confound expectations. A city shouldn’t thrive here but thrive it does, and the best things to do in Phoenix are a thrilling ride through everything that makes Arizona amazing.Summers can be brutal, there is no getting away from that, but Phoenix knows how to stay cool. You can take that however you like, be it culturally or in terms of literal temperature, and the city is packed with fascinating indoor activities and nightlife that sizzles. Yeah, the heat puns are unavoidable. There is nowhere quite like Phoenix; long may it reign. RECOMMENDED:  🎡 The best attractions in Phoenix🍽️ The best restaurants in Phoenix