There are many destinations to choose from if you are visiting California, but if you are in the Golden State for the first time, you may want to start in Southern California. The area is home to some of the best cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara. And this is even before mentioning the areas of natural beauty. The sunny state offers iconic car trips, beautiful nature and famous sights.
The best way to explore Southern California is to rent a car so you can see all its little nooks and crannies. Southern California offers outdoor adventures where you can visit islands, explore sea caves and watch seals. Or you can go to the hot springs of the desert, visit theme parks and do wine tastings. The region has a serious versatility.
A bucket list for Southern California is a must. There is so much to do and see in the area; it will take you at least a week to appreciate it. People spend months traveling only to the west coast – and without heading inland to places like Death Valley.
The best things to do in Southern California
Now you have a brief idea of how to spend your time in Southern California. As you can see, the area offers the ideal opportunity to experience urban life and adventures in nature. He has the best of both worlds.
However, it’s time for a definitive List. So what are the best things to do in SoCal? Let’s see which Top 23 made the final cut.
1. San Diego, California
First of all, we have San Diego. Visiting this city is easily one of the best things to do in Southern California. This big city has the reputation of having fantastic weather with about 252 sunny days a year. It is the ideal place to walk in the cafe through beautiful green areas such as Balboa Park and many days at the beach. You can read our guide to the best beaches in San Diego here.
Downtown San Diego is home to the iconic Gaslamp Quarter, with all its nightlife and pubs. While the wider county of San Diego offers many nature reserves for hiking and beaches to make the most of the good weather.
2. Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is one of the best national parks in the United States. It got its unique name from the bizarre-looking Joshua trees-they have tinny wooden trunks and branches that look like overgrown cacti. The trees were named in the mid-nineteenth century by Mormon immigrants who named the strange flora after Joshua in the Bible.
Visiting this park is easily one of the best things to do in Southern California. The novelty of the trees, the number of trails and the beautiful dark sky make it the perfect addition to an itinerary.
3. Death Valley National Park
We can’t discuss activities in Southern California without mentioning Death Valley National Park. Although this park has a rather morbid name, it is one of the most extreme and fascinating places of natural beauty in the region.
It has already reached the highest recorded temperature on earth – imagine that you are experiencing 134 degrees Fahrenheit – and is the hottest, driest and lowest national park in the United States.
