California’s food scene is shaped by fresh coastal seafood, fertile farmland, and diverse local influences. Paired with dramatic landscapes, iconic coastlines, and countless ways to explore outdoors, it’s a place that’s just as rewarding to discover as it is to savor.
A hula hoop contest breaks out in the middle of a classic car show, right next to a…
A chef who once ran a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant now rolls fresh pasta at a station right…
The empanadas here measure about six inches across, and the menu lists over a dozen fillings. That’s a…
One farm market in the California foothills is open 363 days a year. That means it takes only…
The walls here were hand-plastered in waves meant to look like pasta shapes or wedges of Parmigiano. Even…
A shuttle can drop you near a mountaintop, and one trail then carries you down roughly 3,500 to…
Georgian khachapuri comes shaped like a little boat, filled with molten cheese, and often topped with an egg…
One waterfall on this list lets you stroll right behind the falling water and into a little cave….
A neon sign that simply says GRILLED CHEESE hangs outside a little shop that used to sell rocks…
Some schools are known for their music programs. Others stand out for challenging academics, specialized STEM classes, or…
Green plantains hold down the napkin stacks here. Not plastic decorations, actual plantains doing a desk job. I…
Every single day, one kitchen roasts 200 pounds of fresh turkey. Not just in November. Every day of…
A desert garden that opened in 1938 still has giant tortoises roaming among its cactus. The entry fee…
One California farm bakery packs up to three pounds of hand-selected apples into a single pie. I keep…
Tecolote is the Spanish word for owl, and one quiet San Diego canyon carries that name like a…
A coffee roaster, a pottery studio, and a farm supply shop all share one big barn. That lineup…
A corrugated metal restaurant with no traditional walls has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand three years running. The…
Retirement sounds a lot more appealing when your biggest morning decision is whether to visit a farmers market…
One California date farm has been screening a short film about the love life of the date palm…
More than 500,000 lights cover one waterfront plaza here, and the whole thing costs exactly nothing to enjoy….
One old-school California counter will give you cranberry sauce with your turkey dinner. The catch? You have to…
One California model train shop sat at the same address from 1984 until recently. Then it packed up…
Sangak, a classic Persian flatbread, is traditionally baked on a bed of hot stones. Its name even comes…
A wildlife camera caught a river otter on this coastal land in July. Then it happened again in…
One designer consignment shop on this list says sellers can earn up to 85 percent commission on their…
Somewhere in Southern California, a bakery imports its flour all the way from Hokkaido, Japan. That’s a long…
One Berkeley craft shop counts knitting needles, dolls, and painting supplies among its donated stock. Another spot in…
A new restaurant cooks over a Josper Mangal charcoal grill while digital artwork from a gallery shares the…
A footbridge over the Sacramento River doubles as a giant sundial. Its 217-foot tilted pylon throws a shadow…
One California pie shop bakes its classic Southern pecan pie in a gluten-free crust. It also makes that…
A good antique store can make you question why anyone pays full price for furniture, decor, or collectibles….
Some of the best pastries in Northern California come from places you could easily drive past without noticing….
One small family farm grows a persimmon that tastes like a date with a hint of apple. It’s…
The building on this strip-mall corner is tied to the birth of L.A. Galbi, the thin cross-cut short…
One town on this list is literally sinking into the ground after decades of heavy groundwater pumping. Its…
A Native American Tribe grows, mills, and bottles its own extra virgin olive oil here. It’s the only…
A wooden ladder bolted into a fern-filled canyon is the most famous feature of this hike. Beat poets…
One barbecue spot on this list hands out smoked beef bones to dogs on its patio. I love…
Some California farms have a fall tradition that takes weeks of patience. They peel persimmons, hang them up…
In 1849, a man pitched a blue denim tent so gold miners had somewhere to rest. That humble…
Someone hollowed out an 80-pound wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano and decided it makes a perfect mixing bowl. Then…
One senior park on this list was set up specifically as affordable housing for people 55 and older….
One pizza counter on this list lives inside an old-school Italian market that also sells groceries and cookware….
A school in California’s Sierra foothills has earned the state’s highest elementary school ranking, and its classrooms have…
One Italian dinner spot near the state capitol sits inside a train station building that dates back to…
A grocery store roughly the size of a soccer field became the biggest of its kind in California….
A herd of African elephants can wade through a 240,000-gallon watering hole while you butter your cornbread. That’s…
Thanksgiving leftovers might be the best part of the entire holiday. Especially when somebody else handles the cooking…
One of the best fabric sources near the state capital won’t sell you a single yard unless you…
A refurbished rickshaw from India sits inside this dining room, wrapped in colorful fabrics. Above the central tables,…
A teenage girl named Mary is said to still wander the halls of an old Gold Rush hotel….
Walnuts can be red. Not dyed or painted, but grown with a deep burgundy skin in orchards across…
More than 10 million lights cover one historic hotel every holiday season. That count alone makes my electric…
Acorn squash and a sweet hit of honey are landing on pizza in California, and some shops sell…
A life-size giraffe, a herd of buffalo, and a dinosaur all share the same two acres of yard….
A baby grand piano sits in the bar of this new spot, and the live music starts once…
The best pies from this little operation leave the kitchen frozen and unbaked. You finish the job in…
Most high school students spend four years preparing for college. At one California school, they’re already taking university…
One pizza oven in the mountains spins in a slow circle while the pies bake. Another pizzeria cooks…
Rockets here don’t head east like most people expect. They roar south over open ocean, chasing orbits that…
One sandwich here stacks 16 slices of deli meat on rye, and it’s meant for two or three…
California isn’t exactly known for affordable housing, but the picture changes once you head into the mountains. Some…
Dinner now happens under original stained glass windows and a soaring vaulted ceiling. The old chapel even kept…
Thousands of sandhill cranes fly in each fall, and one town throws them a whole weekend party. Those…
One Sacramento kitchen grills its skewers over binchotan charcoal from Japan. Across town, another spot hands you the…
Somewhere in California, you can buy a bag of rice, then head upstairs for sushi gliding past on…
A real space shuttle is standing upright in Los Angeles, bolted to a real fuel tank and real…
A 120-foot buffet line exists in California, and nobody seems to think that’s strange. Another spot on my…
A full-size F/A-18 cockpit, once used to train real military pilots, now waits for regular folks to take…
One shop on this list has been selling bonbons and truffles since 1942. Another has won four Good…
Zombies on bicycles are rolling through a college town this Halloween, and costumed skydivers will drop from the…
From 1957 to 1967, this steakhouse served exactly one dinner. You got steak, fries, salad, ice cream, and…
The tennis courts here are painted a shade called Pro Purple. It was picked because it sits directly…
Most cafés serve breakfast and send you on your way. This San Diego spot does something a little…
One bakery on a mountain highway has been making the same sheepherder bread since 1938. Another little shop…