Did you know that the state of California is larger than countries like Italy, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Norway and Finland? And it’s about the same size as countries like Japan and Sweden? A state that large, with as many major cities and iconic places as California has, it can be a major challenge trying to decide where to visit, and what to do. Thankfully for you, we’ve explored almost every corner of the state. And we’re here to make your trip planning easier and more successful! So here are the best places to visit in California by month so you know exactly where you should visit and when!
EXPLORE THE BEST OF CALIFORNIA
While this article touches on some of the best places to visit in each month of the year, there is still a TON of information that we simply could not pack in to a single article. That’s where our epic interactive map of California comes in handy. Within this map and guide, we will find over 270 points of interest with detailed information about each location, cost, seasonality, dog-friendliness, and much much more! It also answers the question of, “what is there to do in each place?”. Not much of a planner? No worries! We also have curated itineraries to make the planning process easier for you. And if that isn’t enough, book a call with us or have us create a custom itinerary for you! We are here to help!
Before we jump in to the places, we must note. Many of these destinations have multiple months that they would be ideal to visit in. Many locations have very temperate climates that don’t change drastically from month to month. So in each month, we’ve included alternate locations that you could visit during that month. So without further ado, let’s just in to the best places to visit in California by month!
JANUARY – DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
Death Valley National Park is known as being one of THE hottest places on Earth. And that is no joke. Temperatures during the summer months can reach upwards of 130ºF. That is HOT. So it’s probably not surprising that the best time to visit a place like this, is during the cooler months of the year. And lucky for you, despite the warmer months being the hottest, they can also be the most popular months for visitors simply because of the usual summer vacation periods. But temperatures in Death Valley during the winter months are very manageable! Between the months of November and February, the average high is around 70ºF and the average low is around 42ºF. Very reasonable. Enjoy fewer crowds and cooler temps in January! Check out our ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK article for more info!
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN JANUARY:
- Mendocino County
- Big Sur
- San Francisco/Los Angeles
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
FEBRUARY – MENDOCINO COUNTY
The next two places share a lot of similarities, in many cases, could be interchangeable. Mendocino County is located about 3 hours north of San Francisco, and is one of the most beautiful coastlines in California. Ocean cliff views, towering redwood trees, fern canyons, waterfalls and a number of incredibly cute and quaint towns makes this one of our absolute favorite places in the state. And one of the best things about this place: the temperatures rarely fluctuate more than 5ºF at any given time of year. Average highs around 55ºF and average lows around 50ºF. For this reason, you could visit Mendocino just about any time of year, and have the same experience. Mendocino NEEDS to be on your California bucket list.
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN FEBRUARY
- Death Valley
- Big Sur
- San Francisco/Los Angeles
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
MARCH – BIG SUR
All the things we mentioned about Mendocino County, you’ll find in Big Sur also! While Mendocino is more of an underrated hidden gem area of the state, Big Sur is the more popular and well-known part of the California Coast. Here you’ll find iconic places like Bixby Bridge, McWay Falls, Pfieffer State Beach and much more. If you’re in to camping, glamping or van lifing, there are places like Ventana Campground, Big Sur Campground, and Kirk Creek Campground, all of which have incredible views at their campgrounds. You’ll also find SUPER LUX resorts like Alila Ventana Big Sur. Either way, this is a place you will want to drive and visit.
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN MARCH
- Death Valley
- Mendocino County
- San Francisco/Los Angeles
- Napa
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
APRIL – SAN FRANCISCO/LOS ANGELES
San Francisco and Los Angeles are the largest cities in California. They’re also the most popular. And realistically, both of these cities could be places in any month of the year. Weather is relatively temperate in both places, but San Francisco stays cooler during the hotter months whereas Los Angeles can get up in to the mid-80s. The reason we placed these places in April is due to peak tourism months. June through October are the busiest months of the year for both places, so if you can go during the cooler months, you’ll have less crowds to deal with. A win in our book! Check out our 9 WAYS TO VIEW THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE article for some San Francisco inspiration!
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN APRIL
- Death Valley
- Mendocino County
- Big Sur
- Napa
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Mt. Shasta
- Joshua Tree National Park
MAY – YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
Yosemite National Park is by far THE most popular National Park in California. In fact, it’s one of the most popular National Parks in the U.S. bringing in the 6th most visitors out of all 63 National Parks per year at around 3.7M! To say this park gets PACKED, is an understatement. So if you can avoid going between June and October, we’d highly recommend it. The weather in May is lovely with an average high of around 73ºF and an average low around 44ºF. Check out our ULTIMATE GUIDE TO YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK article for more info!
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN MAY
- Mendocino County
- Lake Tahoe
- Big Sur
- Napa
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Mt. Shasta
- Joshua Tree National Park
JUNE – MORRO BAY
For locals of California, Morro Bay is a unique and incredible place to visit along the central coast of California. But for people not from California, Morro Bay is probably a bit of an unknown. Well let us put it on your map! The town of Morro Bay is known for its “Three Stacks and a Rock” which refers to Morro Rock and three smokestacks at a nearby power plant. Morro Rock is a volcanic plug, which is essentially the solid remains of a volcano where the rock surrounding the plug has eroded away leaving the rock-like formation. Morro Bay is also a great seaside town with shops, restaurants and plenty of outdoor activities to do. A Must visit! Check out our 12 TOWNS TO VISIT ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST article for more info!
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN JUNE
- Mendocino County
- Mt. Shasta
- Big Sur
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
JULY – OCEANSIDE
July weather can be brutal in many places like Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, or even in places like Napa and Los Angeles. The best way to escape the heat? Head to the ocean! Oceanside is the quintessential California coastal town. With activities like renting bikes to ride along the shore, surfing and swimming, to fun food and beverage programs like O’Side Sips and Dine O’Side where you can earn prizes by visiting local bars, cocktail lounges, breweries, wineries and distilleries!
Stay at The Seabird or Mission Pacific hotels which are right on the water and in the heart of downtown Oceanside! Another fun little tidbit is that the house where Kelly McGillis (Charlie) lived in in the first Top Gun movie, is located on the Mission Pacific property! Oceanside has easily become one of our absolute favorite places to visit in California. Check out our O’SIDE SIPS: EXPLORING THE BEST BEVERAGES IN OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA article for more info!
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN JULY
- Mendocino County
- Mt. Shasta
- Big Sur
- Morro Bay
- Redwood National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
AUGUST – LAKE TAHOE
Lake Tahoe is one of THE most popular places to visit in California, especially during the summer months. With tons of beaches, crystal clear blue and aqua waters, it’s no wonder Lake Tahoe has become a go-to destination. But overcrowding has become a bit of a problem, so the timing of your visit can be tough as it can quickly shift from beautiful sunny summer weather, to chilly and snowy winter weather. Our recommendation would be to visit in the latter half of August if you can, just after most schools resume to help with avoiding massive crowds. By late September, you will likely not want to be spending time in the water here. Brrrrr!
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN AUGUST
- Mendocino County
- Napa
- Mt. Shasta
- Big Sur
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
SEPTEMBER – LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK
Lassen Volcanic National Park, is one of the most unique places in California. It’s home to all 4 of the different types of volcanoes that are found around the world: Shield, Plug/Lava Dome, Cinder Cone and Composite. With boiling mud pots, steam vents and dunes that are colored in ways that just simply don’t make sense, this is absolutely a must-visit place. But make sure you visit no later than early October, as this park can receive upwards of 400 inches of snowfall during the winter months, resulting in much of the park being closed. We’d recommend going in later September, or first week of October. Check out our ULTIMATE GUIDE TO LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK article for more info!
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN SEPTEMBER
- Mendocino County
- Napa
- San Francisco/Los Angeles
- Mt. Shasta
- Big Sur
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
OCTOBER – MT. SHASTA
Mt. Shasta is both a town as well as a potential active volcano located in Northern California. It’s known largely for its outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, fishing, and skiing. But there’s also some spiritual significance as well! It’s believed to be a spiritual vortex, and home to Native American legends who ascended from the physical plane. There are endless myths and legends, and whether you are a spiritual person or not, it’s hard to not be drawn to the epic beautiful of this incredible place.
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN OCTOBER
- Mendocino County
- Napa
- San Francisco/Los Angeles
- Lake Tahoe
- Big Sur
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Lassen Volcanic National Park
NOVEMBER – REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK
Redwood National Park is one of our absolute MUST-VISIT places in California. For a number of reasons. First, the towering redwood trees are simply something you need to see in person. They are so large and tall, that it’s hard to wrap your head around how they became this way. In fact, there are some that are so large you can drive through them. You learn more about that in our 5 MUST-DO ACTIVITIES IN REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK AND STATE PARKS article.
If the trees themselves aren’t unique and special enough to visit, one of the other neat things about this park, is that it is the only joint partnership in the country that combines State Parks with a National Park. Redwood National Park consists of 3 California State Parks: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. This is a majestic place you do not want to miss.
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN NOVEMBER
- Mendocino County
- Big Sur
- San Francisco/Los Angeles
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
DECEMBER – JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
Sticking with the unique theme, Joshua Tree National Park is another incredible unique place that you will absolutely want to visit. Prior to visiting, we had low expectations for this park. Desert landscapes aren’t typically our thing. But this park blew us away and made us completely rethink our view on desert places. The joshua trees themselves are not actually trees, or cacti, but instead succulents! And between these odd and interesting trees, jumping cholla cacti, and desert oasis scattered about, you will absolutely want to visit this park. If we haven’t quite sold you yet, check out our 5 MUST-DO ACTIVITIES IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK article.
ALTERNATE PLACES TO VISIT IN DECEMBER
- Mendocino County
- Big Sur
- San Francisco/Los Angeles
- Morro Bay
- Oceanside
- Redwood National Park
- Death Valley National Park
BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN CALIFORNIA BY MONTH
California has absolutely no shortage of incredible places to visit. And it would be impossible to list every single one in an article. So while we know there are many other places you could and would likely want to visit in a given month, we hope this list of best places to visit in California by month has at least given you some inspiration and jumping off points! And if you have some other recommendations or places you’d recommend, make sure to leave them in the comments below!
Looking for more California inspiration? Check out some of our other California blog articles!
- 12 TOWNS TO VISIT ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST
- 11 UNIQUE CITIES IN CALIFORNIA TO VISIT
- A WEEKEND IN MORGAN HILL CALIFORNIA
- 10 THINGS TO DO NEAR SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA
- A MIDWEEKEND GETAWAY IN SAN LUIS OBISPO: THE BEST TIME TO VISIT!
- 9 WAYS TO VIEW GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
