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Top Things to Do in California

We compared all 782 experiences in California so you can choose in minutes — real prices, verified reviews and our editorial picks.

4.7 782 experiences from US$ 5 Free cancellation on most experiences
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Joshua Tree: Driving Tour with Scenic Stops & Guide
Joshua Tree: Driving Tour with Scenic Stops & Guide★★★★★★★★★★ 4.88 (302)5hYou’ll ride through Joshua Tree’s wild landscape with a local guide who knows every turn. Expect scenic stops for photos, a short nature walk to stretch your legs, snacks and water included, plus stories that bring the Mojave desert alive. It’s less about rushing and more about soaking up that strange quiet beauty.Free cancellationLikely to sell outMost bookedfromUS$ 249View ›
Santa Rosa: Lake Sonoma Horseback Riding & Wine Country Views
Santa Rosa: Lake Sonoma Horseback Riding & Wine Country Views★★★★★★★★★★ 4.92 (302)1h 10m–1h 30mYou ride 90 minutes through mountain trails above Lake Sonoma with views into Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma's oldest wine region. The guide handles pacing and safety while you take in the terrain from horseback — a vantage point you can't get any other way. Helmet, water, parking and on-ride photos are included; you leave bags behind and wear closed-toed shoes. Groups stay small, and the whole outing fits into a morning or afternoon without eating your whole day.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Wine Country from a perspective you can't get from a car, and you're comfortable spending 90 minutes on horseback at a steady pace. The small-group format and included photos mean you experience the ride instead of managing logistics.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 129View ›
Santa Barbara: Private Family Wineries Tour & Organic Lunch
Santa Barbara: Private Family Wineries Tour & Organic Lunch★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (300)7hYou’ll join a tiny group for a day trip from Santa Barbara into real family vineyards — not commercial tasting rooms — meeting winemakers over small-batch wines and homemade lunch. Expect laughter around farmhouse tables, quiet vineyard walks, and time to just breathe in those California hills.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 235View ›
Los Angeles: Battleship IOWA Self-Guided Tour & Mobile App
Los Angeles: Battleship IOWA Self-Guided Tour & Mobile App★★★★★★★★★★ 4.76 (295)1h–2hYou’ll walk real steel decks where sailors once stood, listen to their voices through your phone as you look out over today’s bustling port, and maybe catch yourself imagining life aboard this massive ship. Includes self-guided entry, free award-winning mobile app content on your own device, and easy access for all ages.Free cancellationBest valueInfants freefromUS$ 30View ›
Avenida Revolución Tours & Tickets San Diego Walking Guide
Avenida Revolución Tours & Tickets San Diego Walking Guide★★★★★★★★★★ 4.72 (295)4h 30mYou walk Avenida Revolución and the Tijuana Arch with a local guide who stops for food, shopping, and drinks when the group wants them. The pace is set by the group, not a clock. You see the Mexican market and Art Alley where local artists work. Bring your passport and plan for a half-day commitment; the guide handles the route and the context.Is it for me?Right for travelers based in San Diego with a few hours free and a passport, who want to see Tijuana through a local's eyes instead of a tour bus window. The walking pace is flexible and stops for food and shopping are built in, which means you're not rushing—and you'll need your passport to cross the border.Free cancellationfromUS$ 53View ›
Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: 5 tastings in 3 hours
Gaslamp Quarter Food Tour: 5 tastings in 3 hours★★★★★★★★★★ 4.75 (292)3hYou taste five dishes across three hours in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, walking between spots with a guide who knows the owners and the neighborhood's food history. Lunch is included, and the portions are large enough that you're eating real meals, not samples. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and you're back downtown by early afternoon.Is it for me?A good fit if you want to eat your way through the Gaslamp Quarter without researching restaurants or negotiating portions yourself—the guide's relationships with the owners and the fixed three-hour pace are what make five real stops fit into one afternoon.Free cancellationKids −20%fromUS$ 99View ›
Los Angeles: Mulholland Trail Horseback Ride & Hollywood Sign Views
Los Angeles: Mulholland Trail Horseback Ride & Hollywood Sign Views★★★★★★★★★★ 4.74 (292)1hYou mount a horse at Griffith Park and ride the Mulholland Trail for an hour, gaining views of the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, downtown LA, and the Pacific Ocean from the Hollywood Hills. The guide leads the pace, the route is stable and scenic, and you return with the helmet and a perspective on Los Angeles most visitors never get. Book if you want the city's most recognizable landmarks framed from above, without arranging transport or hiking on foot.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Los Angeles's most famous landmarks from the Hollywood Hills without hiking or driving yourself—the horseback ride does the work of getting you to the vantage point, and the guide handles the route.Instant confirmationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 75View ›
San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods & Sausalito Day Trip
San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods & Sausalito Day Trip★★★★★★★★★★ 4.06 (291)9hYou ride a luxury coach through San Francisco's major neighborhoods and landmarks—Union Square to Fisherman's Wharf—with four photo stops and narrated commentary. Then you switch buses and head across the Golden Gate Bridge to spend 90 minutes walking among the giant redwoods of Muir Woods (entry included), followed by an hour in Sausalito's waterfront shops and restaurants. The whole day runs from morning departure at Union Square through late afternoon return.Is it for me?Choose this tour if you want to see San Francisco's main neighborhoods, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the redwoods of Muir Woods in a single day without arranging separate transportation, park tickets, or timing—the fixed schedule and included coach handle all three.Free cancellationLikely to sell outKids −25%fromUS$ 155View ›
Sonoma Hot Air Balloon Flight: Award-Winning Wine Country Views
Sonoma Hot Air Balloon Flight: Award-Winning Wine Country Views★★★★★★★★★★ 4.83 (290)4hA hot air balloon flight over Sonoma and Napa wine country, launching at dawn from an airport to catch unobstructed views of the Mayacamas Mountains, vineyards, and San Francisco skyline. The flight lasts about an hour, drifting with the winds; you'll return to the airport for a champagne toast and stories from your pilot. Pre-flight snacks, coffee, and champagne are included, with no hidden fees.Is it for me?You're airborne before sunrise, when the valley is still quiet—giving you unobstructed views across Sonoma and Napa's full expanse before other balloons launch.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 325View ›
San Francisco: Small Group City Tour & Alcatraz Ferry Ticket
San Francisco: Small Group City Tour & Alcatraz Ferry Ticket★★★★★★★★★★ 4.93 (285)7hYou’ll ride through San Francisco’s neighborhoods in an open-air vehicle with a local guide who knows every odd corner, stop for photos at landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Painted Ladies, taste fresh fortune cookies in Chinatown, then take your included ferry ticket to explore Alcatraz at your own pace. There’s space for surprises—and moments that stick with you.Free cancellationKids −32%fromUS$ 196View ›
La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour: Single Kayak & Wildlife
La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour: Single Kayak & Wildlife★★★★★★★★★★ 4.77 (283)2hYou paddle a single kayak through La Jolla's sea caves and a protected marine reserve, guided by a naturalist who points out sea lions, dolphins, and migrating grey whales. Helmet and PFD are included. You'll get wet and work hard, but the caves and wildlife are only accessible from the water — and the reserve keeps them undisturbed.Is it for me?Book this if you're a confident paddler who wants to see La Jolla's sea caves and wildlife from the water — the caves are only accessible by kayak, and the marine reserve keeps the animals undisturbed, which is why you'll actually see them.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 69View ›
Redwoods Railbike Along Pudding Creek: Electric pedal tour
Redwoods Railbike Along Pudding Creek: Electric pedal tour★★★★★★★★★★ 4.66 (283)2hPedal electric-assisted railbikes along historic California Western Railroad tracks through the Pudding Creek Estuary for two hours, spotting wildlife among towering redwoods. You pedal 3.5 miles to Glen Blair Junction, then have 50 minutes to explore hiking trails and a redwood deck before pedaling back to the depot. Helmets and water are provided; the minimum age is 6.Is it for me?Glide through redwood canopy on gentle rails without steering—your hands stay free to spot herons, otters, deer, and the occasional bear while electric assist handles the hills.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfrom · per groupUS$ 286View ›
San Francisco: Muir Woods & Napa Wine Tasting Day Trip
San Francisco: Muir Woods & Napa Wine Tasting Day Trip★★★★★★★★★★ 4.57 (283)10hYou cross the Golden Gate Bridge, spend over an hour walking among old-growth redwoods at Muir Woods, stop for lunch in Sonoma, and taste wines at three different wineries in Napa and Sonoma valleys. Transport, guide, and all tastings are included, and you're back in San Francisco by evening.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the redwoods and taste wine country in a single day without driving or navigating between stops yourself — the fixed itinerary and included tastings mean you focus on the experience instead of logistics.Free cancellationKids −15%fromUS$ 189View ›
Palm Springs: Merlin’s Magic School Escape Room for Groups
Palm Springs: Merlin’s Magic School Escape Room for Groups★★★★★★★★★★ 4.99 (279)1hYou’ll jump straight into Merlin’s Magic School escape room in Palm Springs with your own private group—no strangers, just laughter, puzzles, and teamwork. Solve magical riddles, interact with clever props (and maybe a dragon), all guided by staff who stay in character. It’s fun for families or friends—and you might leave feeling closer than when you arrived.Free cancellationfromUS$ 42View ›
Palm Springs: Self-Driving Windmill Tour & Audio Guide
Palm Springs: Self-Driving Windmill Tour & Audio Guide★★★★★★★★★★ 4.66 (278)1m–30mYou drive yourself through Palm Springs' historic wind farm using a downloaded app and audio guide, stopping at a display yard, an operating turbine, and a retired power plant. The route takes about an hour at your own pace and includes two adults per booking. Bring your car and follow the marked stops; the app and audio handle the rest.Is it for me?This works well if you have a car, want to learn about renewable energy without a group, and prefer to explore at your own speed—the app and audio handle the navigation and context, so you just drive and stop when something catches your eye.Free cancellationfrom · per groupUS$ 60View ›
Beverly Hills Bus Tour: See Celebrity Homes from Open-Air Deck
Beverly Hills Bus Tour: See Celebrity Homes from Open-Air Deck★★★★★★★★★★ 4.65 (272)2hYou ride an open-air bus for two hours through five neighborhoods—Hollywood, the Hills, Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills, and Rodeo Drive—passing the TCL Chinese Theatre, Dolby Theatre, and the Hollywood Sign, with a photo stop at the Beverly Hills Sign. An audio guide in your language narrates the route, and your guide points out celebrity homes as you move. No driving, no planning, no guessing where to go next.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want to see Hollywood's main landmarks and celebrity neighborhoods without renting a car or navigating LA traffic themselves. The two-hour length fits a morning or afternoon slot without consuming your whole day.Free cancellationTravelers' pickKids −25%fromUS$ 39View ›
Palm Springs: San Andreas Fault Downhill Bike Tour
Palm Springs: San Andreas Fault Downhill Bike Tour★★★★★★★★★★ 4.91 (271)4hYou ride downhill on a paved road through the San Andreas Fault Wilderness, descend through a badlands canyon, then coast into views of the Salton Sea and the Santa Rosa Mountains before finishing in the Coachella Valley. The tour includes your bike, helmet, water, snacks and a professional guide who handles the route while you ride. Groups stay small and the descent means no climbing—just gravity and scenery for a few hours.Is it for me?A good choice if you want to see the San Andreas Fault and the Salton Sea from a bike without arranging your own transport or equipment—the downhill route and paved road mean the ride itself stays manageable while the guide handles navigation and the geology.Free cancellationLikely to sell outfromUS$ 169View ›
3 Ziplines near Santa Barbara: California's Longest
3 Ziplines near Santa Barbara: California's Longest★★★★★★★★★★ 4.99 (270)2hRide three of California's longest and fastest ziplines across 1,200+ acres of ranchland near Santa Barbara, with all safety equipment and a trained guide. The tour lasts roughly 1 to 2 hours depending on group size. Guides speak English and Spanish. You'll ascend over 1,000 feet in a Highline Hummer 4x4 through protea flower fields, then launch from the top with sweeping views of the Santa Ynez Valley before descending via all three ziplines.Is it for me?You show up, the guides handle the climb and timing, and you fly California's longest and fastest ziplines over the Santa Ynez Valley—no logistics to manage.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 155View ›
Hollywood Ghost Hunting Tour with Real Paranormal Tools
Hollywood Ghost Hunting Tour with Real Paranormal Tools★★★★★★★★★★ 4.90 (270)1h 30mYou'll use real paranormal equipment—EMF meters, dowsing rods, and a spirit box—to investigate haunted Hollywood landmarks including the TCL Chinese Theatre, Magic Castle, and Pantages Theatre. The guide shares the dark histories tied to each location while you search for signs of activity. You leave with a post-tour email of recommendations and the kind of story most visitors to Hollywood never get.Is it for me?Choose this if you want to move beyond the standard Hollywood tour and actually investigate the city's haunted history with real paranormal tools—the hands-on equipment and dark storytelling are what separate this from a walking history lesson.Free cancellationfromUS$ 55View ›
Hidden Stairways of San Francisco: Mosaic Steps & City Views
Hidden Stairways of San Francisco: Mosaic Steps & City Views★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (269)2hA 2-mile guided walking tour of San Francisco's hidden stairways takes you through mosaic-tiled steps, quiet neighborhoods and gardens, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park and downtown. The pace is leisurely and suitable for almost everyone, including children from age 1. A certified guide provides commentary and history along the way.Is it for me?Join from any downtown location or transit stop—no car needed—and move at a pace that lets you absorb the mosaic tiles and hidden gardens rather than rush past them.Free cancellationTop ratedInfants freefromUS$ 37View ›
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