11 UNIQUE CITIES IN CALIFORNIA TO VISIT

When you think of traveling to California, what are the first places that come to mind? Los Angeles? San Diego? San Francisco? You aren’t alone in this thinking. California has so many iconic cities. But there is so much more to this massive state than just these major cities. California has 9 National Parks, and nearly 20 more National and State Monuments, Preserves, and Historic Sites. The coastline spans roughly 880 miles and is full of small coastal towns. So if you’re looking for things to do, or places to see outside these major cities, then you’re in the right place. Here’s 11 unique cities in california to visit that you probably haven’t heard of.

First, many of the places we’ll cover in this post are along the coast, so they share many of the same qualities: beautiful beaches and coastal views, great surf, fishing wharfs, shops and endless ocean-view restaurants. So we will focus on what’s unique about each of these places and why you should visit them!

11 UNIQUE CITIES IN CALIFORNIA TO VISIT

POINT REYES & INVERNESS

POINT REYES

A 1 hours drive north from San Francisco, are Point Reyes and Inverness. If you’re a sucker for incredibly photogenic spots, then these should be your first stop.

Point Reyes is considered a National Seashore, and for great reasons. Visiting Point Reyes will bring you to a shoreline full of cliffs and beaches that will make you feel like you’re along the shores of the U.K. or France. If you like to work for your beautiful views, then you’re also in luck as Point Reyes has over 20 hiking trails ranging from as short as half a mile, all the way to 13+ miles. Ye be warned though. The gusts of winds along this seashore can be so strong, reaching speeds of 70 miles per hour, that they sometimes close the roads leading up to the shore to ensure the safety of those visiting. So when visiting, make sure you check the weather conditions ahead of time to make sure you don’t drive up only to find the roads closed.

Want to visit one of the top ten most enchanting tree tunnels in the world? Did you say yes? You should say yes. Just east of the Point Reyes Seashore, is the KPH Maritime Radio Receiving Station and Cypress Tree Tunnel. This station was one of the first of its kind allowing wireless transmission from mainland facilities like this one to ships out to sea. This was especially important as the weather around The Bay can quite often be foggy. So this allowed the mainland to provide real-time updates to ships coming in to port. Before you reach the station though, is an incredible tree tunnel. One tip though: if you plan to visit this tunnel and are hoping to get photos, our recommendation is to visit early in the morning right around sunrise. Any later and the tunnel can get quite packed with onlookers and photographers.

INVERNESS

Inverness is a small unincorporated town with less than 2,000 people living there. The downtown area is quite small consisting only of a post office, library, a couple of restaurants and a gift shop. What you will also find, is the Point Reyes shipwreck. This ships owner had intended on restoring, but ended up abandoning it on the shore. Locals and visitors eventually petitioned to have this shipwreck left as-is when the area was taken over by a wetlands restoration firm. The ship still remains on private property, but the owners welcome visitors and even have a sign posted guiding visitors to the ship.

BIG BASIN REDWOODS STATE PARK

One of the staples of California are its redwood trees. So much so that they have a National Park and a State Park named after them. Big Basin is a perfect place to see this giants as the park is not only the oldest State Park in California, but it’s also only 1-1.5 hours from San Jose and San Francisco. Compare that to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks which are each 3+ hours, and Redwoods National Park which is 6+ hours! In addition to seeing these massive trees, Big Basin also has 83 miles of hiking trails. So if you like the outdoors and immersing yourself in nature, then Big Basin is a perfect place

MOUNT UMUNHUM & SIERRA AZUL PRESERVE

If you’ve never heard of either of these places, you wouldn’t be alone. We live 20 minutes away and had no idea what these places were when we first heard their names, despite us seeing both of them every single day.

The Sierra Azul Preserve is a large range of land spanning 18,000 acres near the Santa Cruz Mountains. Here you’ll find some of the best hiking trails leading up in to incredible views of the valley and Bay Area. Within this range is the Almaden Quicksilver County Park which is known for, can you guess?… Mercury! Mercury was used during the gold rush in the late 1800s to extract the gold from ore. You can see explore some of these old mines when hiking the trails.

But the star of this show, is Mount Umunhum (um-un-um). Mount Umunhum is a mountain peak with an elevation of just under 4,000ft. At the top of this mountain, is this giant cement box. And that’s all we have to say about that… Ok, that’s not all we have to say. This box was an old radar tower that was used in the 1960s to watch for enemy aircraft during the Cold War. Although you cannot access the inside of the tower, it’s a super interesting thing to see. And what better way to see than to hike a few miles up through the mountains and see it up close!

SANTA CRUZ & CAPITOLA

SANTA CRUZ

People often differentiate Southern California from Northern California based on the culture and environment. Thinking of SoCal, it’s L.A., Venice Beach, Huntington Beach, surf and skate, etc. NorCal is tree huggers, environmentalists, forests and tech. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are a number of towns and cities in NorCal that are more similar to Venice and Huntington Beach, and if two were the epicenter, these two would be them.

Santa Cruz and Capitola are only separated by about 6 miles, and are the epitome of small surf towns. To the locals, Santa Cruz is known for it’s chill laid back culture, great surf, a fun downtown area and the Beach Boardwalk. Arcades, games, roller coasters, rides, and all the fair food you can imagine. Visit during the summer, and you can experience a live concert series that they do right on the beach. Nothing like live music on the beach.

CAPITOLA

If you’re looking for a place to surf, walk local shops, or drink margaritas facing the ocean, then Capitola is your place.Capitola is the oldest beach resort along the West Coast. The town is quite small, but it’s perfect for a day drive to get your ocean fix.

MONTEREY

Monterey is one of the larger towns on this list, with nearly 30,000 people living there. But it’s not the people you’re coming here for (not that there’s anything wrong with them), it’s the marine life you’re coming for. Two of the most notable things to do and see in Monterey, are the Monterey Bay Aquarium and whale watching. No matter what time of year you visit, there are dolphins and whales to be seen. But if you’re particular about which type of whales you get to see (blue, humpback, killer), go here to find out the best time to visit.

Even if you’re not coming specifically for marine life, there is till a ton to do and see in Monterey. From shops, restaurants, wine tasting, hiking, surfing, golf at Pebble Beach or even watch some racing at the Laguna Seca Raceway. And when you get to Monterey, the place you’ll find most of this is Cannery Row. We’re halfway through our 11 unique cities in California to visit. Sold yet? Ok keep reading.

BIG SUR

Nearly every commercial or video showing incredible California coastal shots and views, was filmed in or around Big Sur. The drive along this coast is truly spectacular. This coastline has been called the “longest and most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States,” and “one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere in the world, an isolated stretch of road, mythic in reputation”. Although Big Sur doesn’t have any specific boundaries, it spans roughly 70 miles from Carmel to San Simeon. So there is a lot to see!

Whether you want to simply visit for the drive down the coast, hiking and exploring waterfalls, or finding a beach to spend some quality relaxation at, there is no shortage of things to do in Big Sur. There’s 4 major state parks (Andrew Molera, Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, and Limekiln) in Big Sur. All of them have extensive hiking trails and unique views, like McWay Cove shown above in Julia Pfeiffer Burn State Park. If you’re visiting California and you want to go back home feeling like you really soaked up all that California has to offer, Big Sur and this coastal drive are a must.

MORRO BAY

As we continue to head down the coast, our next stop is Morro Bay. Morro Bay, is another coastal seaside town, which is most known for its giant volcanic rock (Morro Rock) which is a remnant of some extinct volcanoes which once resided here. Easily one of the most unique cities in California. But the rock is only a portion of the State Park which it resides in (Morro Bay State Park). There are also plenty of beaches to walk, and hiking trails to explore. Downtown, you’ll find the Embarcadero, a waterfront street with shops and restaurants to find all the seaside food and views you could ever want.

SAN LUIS OBISPO (SLO), AVILA & PISMO BEACHES

SAN LUIS OBISPO

Our last stops, and only a short drive from Morro Bay, are San Luis Obispo, Avila Beach and Pismo Beach. San Luis Obispo is a small city just inland, most known for being the home of Cal Poly State University, its wine country, Madonna Inn (you need to see it for yourself), and Bubblegum Alley. There’s actually a lot to experience here in SLO, but from us to you, a day in the wine country is the way to go.

AVILA & PISMO BEACHES

Avila Beach and Pismo Beach both share many of the same qualities and activities. Beautiful beaches, great surf, hiking trails, restaurants and shops galore. In Avila Beach, you’ll find numerous piers where you can visit places like Whaler’s Island and Point San Luis Lighthouse. And in Pismo Beach you’ll find the Pismo Beach Pier which is right on the Promenade where you’ll find, resorts, restaurants, and endless beaches with volleyball courts and all the outdoor beach activities you can imagine. You’ve made it through 11 unique cities in California to visit!

THE JOURNEY

11 UNIQUE CITIES IN CALIFORNIA TO VISIT

If you hadn’t picked up on it, we actually just took you on a nice little 400 mile journey from Northern California to Southern California showing you 11 unique cities in California to visit . With no stops, you could make this journey in a single day. Our recommendation, book yourself two weeks, take the time to spend a couple days in each of these places, and you will find yourself never wanting to go home. Trust me, it happened to me.

Have you been to any of these places already? Have other recommendations? Let us know below!

And if you’re looking for some other California inspiration, check out some of our other California articles: 

• 12 TOWNS TO VISIT ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST
• 9 WAYS TO VIEW GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE
• 10 THINGS TO DO NEAR SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA
• 10 NATIONAL PARKS IN THE U.S. YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW EXISTED

If you aren’t following us on Instagram, then check us out there as this will be the best place to follow our van life journey and adventure!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ryan & Katy