Explore California's Best Travel Destinations

🌊 Hidden-ish Gems Along the Coast

Cambria: Coastal Calm with Zero Ego

Cambria is like Big Sur’s quieter, artsy cousin. Here’s how to do it right:

Moonstone Beach Boardwalk – Driftwood, tide pools, and the kind of sunsets that make you forget your phone exists.

Fiscalini Ranch Preserve – Locals walk here, and you should too. Oceanfront bluffs, wildflowers, and zen levels off the charts.

Hidden Tip: Book one of the many tours at Hearst Castle.

San Diego: Chill in Every Direction

SoCal’s laid-back superstar, San Diego is all flip-flops and fish tacos—don’t fight it.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park – It’s in the name. Go for the golden hour, stay for the dolphins.

North Park – For hipster breweries, thrift finds, and people walking dogs that definitely have Instagram accounts.

Tijuana Day Trip – Yes, it’s worth it. Come for the street food, stay for the cultural mind-bend.

Pacific Coast Highway: Road Trip Royalty

Don’t Miss Stops:

Bixby Bridge (Big Sur) – Obligatory photo op.

McWay Falls – A waterfall into the ocean. Enough said.

Elephant Seal Vista Point (San Simeon) – Hundreds of honking, sunbathing sea sausages. Delightful.

Hidden Tip: Stop in tiny Harmony, CA (population: 18) for ceramics and goat cheese. It's bizarre and perfect.

Big Sur: Mother Nature’s Flex

You haven’t truly felt feelings until you’ve stood on a Big Sur cliff with wind in your hair and ocean in your soul.

Pfeiffer Beach – Look for the purple sand (yes, purple), and good luck finding it—there are no signs.

Henry Miller Library – Books, poetry, and outdoor concerts under redwoods. Your inner moody artist will thank you.

Hidden Tip: Bring snacks. There are no fast food chains here, and gas station jerky doesn’t count as dinner.

🌺 Santa Barbara: Bougie Meets Beach Bum

Santa Barbara is like if Napa and Malibu had a chill, beachy baby who surfs in the morning and sips rosé by 3 p.m. Nestled between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific, this spot is all Spanish-style charm and sun-drenched everything.

Funk Zone – Art studios, wine tasting rooms, and the type of cafes where avocado toast comes with edible flowers.

Butterfly Beach – Less crowded, extra romantic, and bonus: it faces west, so sunsets here are next-level.

Santa Barbara Courthouse – Weirdly one of the most beautiful buildings you'll ever step inside. Climb the clock tower for panoramic views (and very Instagrammable tiles).

Hidden Tip: Grab a taco at La Super-Rica Taqueria (Julia Child was a fan—if it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for your mouth).

🌴 Rhodes Traveled Tips: Cruisin’ California, Our Way

California isn’t just a state—it’s a mood. And if you really want to experience it like a seasoned traveler, you’ve got to get off the beaten path... just a little. We’re talking beach towns where time forgot, scenic drives that make you cry a little, and hidden tacos that might change your entire belief system.

Also, quick fashion PSA: to blend in, dress like you just rolled out of bed but might run into a celebrity or a surfboard at any moment.

🌞 Most Recommended Rhodes Traveled Tips for Visiting California

Whether you're cruising the coast or city-hopping through the chaos, here’s your cheat sheet to surviving—and thriving—in the Golden State:

🗺️ 1. Drive the Coast, Not the Freeway

The PCH (Highway 1) is slow, dramatic, and totally worth the extra gas money. Yes, it’ll take longer—but you’ll actually see California. Pro tip: download maps offline. Cell service disappears somewhere between scenic overlook #47 and the herd of roadside zebras (not kidding, near San Simeon).

Let’s Talk Freeways—Yes, “The” Freeways

If you're in Southern California and you say take "Interstate 10," congratulations—you've just outed yourself as not from around here. Out West, we don’t just drive on freeways—we christen them. It’s not “Interstate 5,” it’s THE 5. Not “Highway 101,” but THE 101. You’ll hear things like, “Take the 10 to the 405, then merge onto the 5,” as if we’re mapping out some epic freeway quest.

And no, we don’t really say “highway”—it’s “freeway” around these parts. Highways are for cowboys and country songs. Freeways are for traffic, existential dread, and In-N-Out detours.

Why the “the”? Nobody knows for sure, but the best guess is that it dates back to when these roads were referred to by their full names—like “the Santa Monica Freeway”—and the “the” just stuck when we switched to numbers. So when in LA, drive like a local: slap a “the” in front of your freeway number and embrace the strange, beautiful grammar of the road.

🍴 2. If There’s a Line, It’s Probably Worth It

Whether it’s tacos in LA, brunch in San Diego, or a random ice cream shack in Big Sur—Californians love to queue for good food. Follow their lead.

🥾 3. Pack Layers Like a Fashionable Onion

Morning fog, midday heat, and evening chills? That’s just Tuesday. Coastal California can’t decide what season it is, so bring a hoodie, sunglasses, and maybe... a light down jacket? (We don’t make the rules.)

💧 4. Hydrate or Hibernate

California = dry air + sunshine + hikes you didn’t plan on. Always carry water, even if it’s in a pastel-colored bottle the size of a fire extinguisher.

There you have it: from swanky Santa Barbara to roadside burritos and zigzagging cliff roads, California is pure magic—best enjoyed slowly, with sunscreen, and maybe with a car trunk full of sand.

Catch you on the coast. 🌊