Garrick Ramirez

California is a gem of a state, luring in visitors from neighboring states, across America and the entire rest of the world all year round. California is home to some of the most jaw-dropping National Parks around, from Yosemite to Joshua Tree, as well as tons of incredible camping and hiking trails.  Plus, it’s got bustling city living, famous attractions and some of the best tacos around. But if you’re headed to California for a break, you’d be a fool not to check out one of its crowning jewels—its hot springs. Here you’ll find natural and human-made pools, steaming baths and magical waterfalls. Hot springs rich in healing minerals and luxury stays up in Californian hills. Whatever you need a break from, there’s hot springs for you. Read on for the best hot springs in California.  RECOMMENDED: 🏞 The best hot springs in the US🥾 The best hikes in the Bay Area🏕 The best camping in California🏖️ The best beaches in the US🏨 The best hotels in California

Let’s not beat around the bush; the Bay Area changed the world. Don’t believe us? Start with Silicon Valley and decades of technological innovation. Mainstream movie-making was jolted back into life here, and the wine is perfect. The best things to do in the Bay Area touch on all this and more, with stunning nature surrounding it all. A day of hiking and exploring before a night of wining and dining? Where do we sign?  Where to begin? The choice is yours because you can’t go wrong here. Whether you are looking for high-end Michelin dining or cheap eats, wildflower walks or imposing hikes, world-famous attractions or secret gems, the Bay Area has it in spades. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Francisco

For good music, food, and all round good vibes, it’s got to be San Diego. There’s a whole lot to do in this beachy city, but you’re very much permitted to just chill out and enjoy yourself. That’s an order. This laid-back Californian hotspot is loved for its wide open beaches, great foodie spots, incredibly cool nightlife scene, and more. The best bit? Some seriously nice bars, with a seriously good view. Spend the whole day at the beach and then drink your evening away in a cocktail bar. Sample a rooftop bar looking out over the water, or start early for happy hour oysters. Fill yourself up with shareable small plates with perfect wine pairings. All you’ve got to do is enjoy it. Here are the best bars in San Diego.  RECOMMENDED:🍸 The best winter rum cocktails in San Diego🍷 The best rooftop bars in San Diego🍺 The best breweries in San Diego🍽️ The best restaurants in San Diego📍 The best things to do in San Diego

Sought by Spanish explorers, immortalized in John Steinbeck novels and fictionalized by Pixar animators in “Finding Dory,” Monterey enjoys a celebrity larger than its quiet coastal setting might imply. Yet, much of the town’s allure is courtesy of is its enchanting, namesake bay. Exceptionally rich in nutrients, Monterey Bay hosts scores of marine life, from cute furry sea otters to ferocious killer whales, within clear, turquoise waters strewn with giant strands of swaying kelp. Whether you kayak over it, bike alongside it or simply gaze upon it with a sunset drink, the Monterey Bay radiates hypnotizing beauty. Some say the best way to experience is it is submerged with air tanks strapped to your back, but for those without a scuba license—or with little desire to meet a shark—the following spots should do nicely. Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. Find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world. RECOMMENDED: The best hotels in Monterey Bay

Given its spectacular bayfront setting, world-famous aquarium, plethora of things to do and immediate access off Highway 1, Monterey hosts its fair share of travelers. Lodging leans toward cozy inns—some of which are getting a 21st century refresh—while a handful of larger properties flex their waterfront muscle. Properties tend to be clustered around Cannery Row, a touristy, waterfront thoroughfare lined with former sardine factories that was immortalized in John Steinbeck novels. Disregard the sea otter plushy-filled shops and head straight for the shore. Whether you dive, kayak, or simply peer into its sealife-filled waters, the Monterey Bay casts a spell. Here are the best hotels in Monterey Bay.  This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

In a state completely full of incredible hiking destinations, Big Sur cowers above the rest, and for good reason. California natives and beyond make long journeys to discover the fantastic area, with never-ending views of redwood groves and the Pacific.  Luckily, whether you’re headed there for a one-time stay, or you’re popping over to Big Sur as part of a mega road trip, it’s got a whole host of fantastic hotels to stay at. Whether you’re looking for rustic peaceful bliss in a little cabin, or you’re looking to splash out on a luxurious hotel with a pool, there is something for every kind of trip. We’ve picked the best of the best right here. So whether you’re at Big Sur for a week away from the hustle and bustle of the city, or you’re just there for a hardcore walking weekend, look no further than these hotels.  This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

While beach towns are often regarded more for their surf and sun than their savvy dining, the best restaurants in San Diego prove to be an exception—from stylish dining rooms to casual beachside eats, the coastal city bursts with creativity and bonafide kitchen chops.While it once sat in the shadows of Los Angeles' flashy dining scene, San Diego has attracted several big-name chefs in recent years, including Richard Blais, Brian Malarkey and Claudette Zepeda (of Top Chef fame). Now, San Diego stands firmly on its own culinary reputation, popular enough that dinner reservations are recommended in bustling areas such as Little Italy, La Jolla, and the Gaslamp Quarter. Looking for a signature dish? If there’s a staple order, it’s Baja-style fish tacos paired with local craft beer (likely a hoppy IPA from one of San Diego’s many craft breweries), a bright combo that’s perfect in the city’s gloriously sunny climate where dining al fresco (or inside chic, open-air spaces along its best beaches) is possible year-round. So if you’re headed to this coastal hot spot, check out our list of the best restaurants in San Diego—and don’t forget to bring a healthy appetite. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Diego

Enchanting Carmel-by-the-Sea exudes romance, from its cobblestone streets to its storybook architecture. Already a beneficiary of the Monterey Peninsula’s dramatic coastal scenery, the forest-set village doubles down with secret gardens and window boxes brimming with picture-perfect blooms. It is so exceedingly charming. Cozy inns are the lodging of choice, with warming fireplaces and filling breakfasts. Thankfully, innkeepers have recently begun modernizing interiors, upping thread counts, and assembling a quality spread worth getting out of bed for in the morning.Head east, further inland, and you'll find Carmel-by-the-Sea's rural cousin, Carmel Valley: think large ranches, sweeping vineyards, a row of small, independent businesses — and not to mention some of the most luxurious hotels in the area. Oooh fancy. We've compiled the best places to stay in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Carmel Valley. Enjoy! This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

More than a place to crash for the night, the best California hotels have for decades now offered a chance to revel in the state’s sunshine, style, and natural splendor. A famed diversity of landscapes means you can spread out amidst Napa vineyards, cozy up at a Tahoe mountain retreat, or stow your surfboard at a modern surf shack—there are as many types of lodging in this state as there are amazing things to do. Even roadside motels – a California creation from the 1920s – are experiencing second lives with hip, reimagined designs. Because thread counts alone do not a good hotel make, the following spots offer loads of personality and a taste (sometimes literally, in adjoining restaurants) of the enviable California lifestyle. They take in an alpine-inspired bolthole, a Technicolor fantasy land, a resort set in striking 1905 military buildings and yes, of course the most storied of all Tinseltown’s hotels, the Chateau Marmont. RECOMMENDED: the best Airbnbs in California This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

With perfect weather, gorgeous beaches, trendsetting culture and some of the best restaurants in the world, you'll never lack for fun things to do in California. For its entire history, the Golden State has generated innumerable cultural shifts, from the Gold Rush to gangsta rap. Plus, its diversity of landscapes—from beaches to mountains, vineyards to deserts—allow the ambitious pull off a surf and ski session in the same day. Can it get any better?  Below, we’ve gathered the destinations and activities that capture the best of California in all its iterations—past and present, highbrow and kitschy—from sipping tiki drinks at Disneyland to exploring a redwood forest featured in Star Wars. As Tupac and Dr. Dre proclaimed, it’s all good from Diego to the Bay, because California knows how to party. RECOMMENDED: the best Airbnbs in California Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also learn more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now.

Once famed for its namesake citrus, Orange County today offers contemporary delights that are just as juicy. Nestled between San Diego and Los Angeles, Orange County spans from San Clemente in the south to Seal Beach in the north. Anaheim, Irvine, and Santa Ana are the county's largest cities, but the pristine beach towns of Laguna, Newport, and Huntington often draw a huge draw. Disneyland looms large, literally, with its snow-capped Matterhorn poking above the sprawling seaside suburbia. Prominent shopping centers, which serve as popular gathering places, take cues from the theme park with elaborate, compelling designs—frequently set outdoors to enjoy a blissfully sunny climate. An increasingly diverse population means more enticing and sophisticated dining options. And then there are the dreamy, tropical-like beaches, arguably the most alluring in Southern California. Peek behind the Orange Curtain, and you’ll discover numerous noteworthy destinations—mouse ears optional.

Boasting a whopping 300 days of sunshine every year and 29 miles of pristine sandy shore, it’s no wonder Santa Cruz has a rep for being one of the USA’s finest surf spots. But Surf City has much more to its name than just all those people looking cool atop towering waves: from its iconic boardwalk to nearby redwood forests, SC boasts some of the most fascinating and naturally spectacular sights in northern California. Once you’re exploring all the stuff that Santa Cruz has to offer, the trick to a successful trip is to have a comfortable, luxurious place to stay. Fortunately, SC has fabulous hotels by the bucketload. From beachfront inns and swish hotels to sleek Airstream trailer resorts, here are our top 10 best hotels in Santa Cruz.   This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

If San Francisco’s chilly marine layer is putting a damper on your summer fun, we suggest a day trip. Sacramento may not be on your short list of weekend escapes, but a stylish new rooftop infinity pool and cocktail bar is certain to change that. The Kimpton Sawyer Hotel is part of a new downtown, state-capital–invigorating hub centered around the Golden 1 Center, an open-air concert and sports arena that’s home to the Sacramento Kings. In addition to a dreamy rooftop pool terrace, this one-stop, warm-weather retreat has reliable Sacramento sun and a collection of hip bars and restaurants. Plus, the hotel is a breezy, five-minute stroll from the historic Amtrak station, which means you can ditch your car and enjoy a scenic, traffic-free trip out of town. The design-forward hotel features a sky-high lobby that brims with greenery and 250 guest rooms awash in natural finishes and gold accents. Perks include Atelier Bloem body products, an evening wine tasting and public bikes for quick jaunts to the buzzy Midtown neighborhood. Yet the property’s most compelling amenity is the infinity pool—a first for Sacramento— surrounded by a lushly landscaped rooftop and flanked by cabanas, fire pits and the glam indoor-outdoor cocktail lounge, Revival. The Sawyer is also home to the excellent Echo & Rig, a swanky Las Vegas–style steakhouse beloved for its red-oak–grilled steaks and popular sides, such as the portobello mushroom fries and the grain-and-veggie–fueled Over the Rainbow Salad.