Best time to visit
California works almost any time, but spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) give you the best all-round experience.
California round trips: Los Angeles, Yosemite and Highway 1
Top offers for California
California Adventure: Where Movie Sets Meet Nature’s Power
California belongs on every bucket list – and the best way to experience the Golden State is by road trip. Between the Pacific and Sierra Nevada, nature meets icons, and freedom meets film sets. In San Francisco, the famous Golden Gate Bridge comes to life before your eyes. Venice Beach, Hollywood, Malibu – Los Angeles pulses with energy, while San Diego basks in endless sunshine. Between the iconic cities that make you feel like you’re living in a movie, breathtaking nature unfolds: The legendary Highway 1 winds dramatically along the coast, and in Yosemite National Park and the vast expanse of Death Valley’s desert, you feel the purest freedom.
Tips and info for your California trip
Currency
In California, you pay with the US dollar (USD).
Flight time
A direct flight from London to California usually takes around 11 hours to Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Language
The official language is English, but California is multicultural. Spanish is also widely spoken in many regions.
What are the must-sees in California?
California is full of highlights, but these must-sees belong on your bucket list:
San Francisco and San José – Cable Car meets Silicon Valley
San Francisco pulses between hills and bay – with Cable Cars that take you right through history and up to the Golden Gate Bridge. Lombard Street looks like a film set, Victorian houses shine in Downtown, and Chinatown instantly captivates you. Just a stone’s throw away lies Alcatraz – the notorious prison, filled with countless tales of escape and freedom. South of the city begins Silicon Valley: In San José, start-up energy blends with Mexican heritage, while Cupertino and Mountain View are home to the beating hearts of Apple and Google. And when your mind is full: Head to Napa Valley. Vineyards, sunsets, a glass of Chardonnay – this is California, unfiltered.
Highway 1: From Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara
Highway 1 is California at its most breathable, where every mile creates space in your head. In Santa Cruz, life pulses between rolling waves and laid-back beach vibes, while Monterey serves up a soundtrack of sea lions and ocean views with breakfast. Beyond Carmel-by-the-Sea, the coast turns dramatic as Big Sur emerges in mist and rugged cliffs, with the Bixby Bridge stretching across the void like a piece of living art. Pfeiffer Beach delivers purple sand and golden-hour light that sends a shiver down your spine. Then you roll into Santa Barbara, where red-tiled roofs glow, palm trees sway in the breeze and one last look at the Pacific feels like the finale of a series you never want to end.
Los Angeles: Venice, Malibu & Hollywood
In Venice, vibrant life meets graffiti-covered walls. The sunset at Santa Monica Pier? It burns itself into your memory! In Malibu, the rugged sea and luxury merge into a unique symbiosis. Surfers wait for the perfect wave, while the stars live their dream here. Right in the middle: the Hollywood Sign, a silent witness to all the stories written here. On the Walk of Fame, every step is part of the legend. And between palm-lined avenues and luxury boutiques, Beverly Hills dreams of more than you’d ever dare to imagine. Then the contrast: Palm Springs, a place that feels like it’s frozen in time. Retro signs, pink motels, endless desert. Palms rustle in front of poolside villas, and the sun shimmers on the asphalt.
San Diego: Latino culture and pure zest for life
San Diego blends Californian lifestyle with Latino culture. Sun-drenched, salty air and endless possibilities – California's southernmost coastal metropolis grabs you immediately. At La Jolla Cove, seals splash right beside you in crystal-clear water, and at Coronado Beach, the sun sinks blood-red into the Pacific. Oceanside and Carlsbad are paradise for surfers. Surfboards at the ready, everything revolves around the perfect wave. Then the stark contrast: the Salton Sea – a salt-crusted desert lake that transports you into a post-apocalyptic dreamscape. Whales off the coast, tacos on every corner, adventure without end – San Diego is pure joie de vivre.
California’s national parks: from Yosemite to Death Valley
Yosemite is not just beautiful – it completely floors you, with granite giants, thundering waterfalls and endless forests stretching across the Sierra Nevada. In Death Valley National Park, heat shimmers in the air as sand dunes meet salt flats and the horizon looks almost painted. Joshua Tree National Park feels entirely different, with a surreal, almost otherworldly atmosphere where cacti rise from rugged rock and the desert opens out into pure space. Even more wow moments unfold in Sequoia National Park, where trees tower like skyscrapers, while deep canyons and lonely trails wait in Kings Canyon. From ancient redwood forests to Lake Tahoe in the far north, California’s nature feels wild, raw and far bigger than anything your imagination could have prepared you for.
