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1) San Diego – Surf and Nightlife
The central coast of California really has my heart. Places like Big Sur and the entire drive north from here to San Francisco are the reason why. You’ll see jagged, rocky coastline, chances of whale spouts in the distance, and beautiful hiking trails along coastal buffs and in Redwood forests. A few of my favorites around here are McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park as well as Pfeiffer Beach with its purple sand.
I was born and raised in the greater Los Angeles area and although such a huge, sprawling Metropolitan can be intimidating, I think it all comes down to picking the right place to enjoy it from.
Stay: These are some of my favorite boutique hotels in South Lake Tahoe and Lake Tahoe in general.
2) Anza Borrego – Desert Solitude
Lake Tahoe is where I now call home, and for a girl who grew up loving the ocean, this stunning lake is enough to make up for being farther from the coast. As North America’s largest alpine lake, It’s a huge area with nearly half of the lake in Nevada and the other half in California. In the winter, this is a skiing Mecca with ski resorts all around the lake.
Stay: I loved the night I spent at the Hyatt Carmel Highlands. We had a gorgeous view and saw whale spouts as we watched the sunset.
Death Valley is known for its diverse land formations, including the salty Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the US, the Artist’s Palette pictured above, the sunrise at Zabriskie point, the Golden Canyon hike, and Mesquite Dunes, among many other beautiful areas. See more here:
One of my favorites is Anza Borrego. It’s accessed via the small town of Borrego Springs, which has plenty of motels, campsites, and boutique hotels and restaurants. You can also free camp in some of the public land surrounding Borrego Springs.
3) Joshua Tree – Funky Airbnbs
Although California is among my favorite places to travel alone, there are also some important things to know about staying safe. In the big cities, particularly Los Angeles and especially San Francisco (and the entire Bay Area), car break-ins can be common and it’s important never to leave anything of value in your vehicle. I’ve even had a break-in at a somewhat remote beach near Santa Cruz.
Stay: Hotel del Coronado is a famous luxury hotel in the area located on Coronado island with a gorgeous beach. Tower 23 is a great choice in Pacific Beach if you want something more affordable and with a social vibe.
Head to Redwood National Park and walk to Big Tree, camp or hike in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and enjoy the many beautiful beaches including Moonstone, Trinidad, Mad River, and up to Crescent City.
4) Orange County – Sun and Disney
Welcome to my home state of California. I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, have lived all over the southern coast, am now based near Lake Tahoe up north, and have made it my mission to explore almost every corner of the Golden state – it’s my favorite for a reason.
Stay: Read more about all the wonderful things to do in Joshua Tree and where to stay here.
Stay: The Montage in Laguna Beach is one of the loveliest hotels I’ve ever stayed at and is the most famous luxury hotel in the area. The views are out of this world. The Lido House is one of few hotels on the Newport Beach Peninsula. It’s a quaint boutique hotel walking distance from the water, which is a huge perk since parking can be a nightmare near the beach.
5) Santa Monica – City Vibes
Stay: If you want something walkable, a rarity in LA, stay at one of these beachfront hotels in Venice Beach or Santa Monica.
The Golden State has so much diversity from the beautiful beaches to the incredible trees, deserts with so much life and color, and cities with personalities each their own. I hope you love it as much as I do!
6) Santa Barbara – Charm and Shopping
Stay: These are some of my favorite boutique hotels in Mendocino and the surrounding area, a region known for its high-end BnBs, as well as the stunning Inn at Newport Ranch that I can’t recommend enough if you want to really get away from it all.
But even if you don’t ski, there are plenty of things to do in Lake Tahoe in the winter, and if you are a summertime visitor, there’s even more to enjoy. Here are some of my favorite photography places in the area as well as my favorite hike, Mt Tallac.
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Before leaving California with a one-way ticket to Bangkok 10 years ago, I lived in Newport Beach for four years. I also grew up 15 minutes away from Disney and can confirm, it’s tons of fun as an adult and even by yourself.
7) Death Valley – Unique Landscapes
Stay: in the video, you’ll see that I free camped in the National Forest nearby. A high-clearance vehicle is a good idea for most of these campsites, and they do not have any services. However the National Park has several campgrounds with paved lots and bathrooms.
Stay: If you have a tent, check out my camping recommendations or for a great hotel option, stay in the park at the 1920s-themed Ranch at Death Valley – I truly enjoyed my stay there, plus the proximity to Zabriskie point was perfect for sunrise.
Stay: The Borrego Valley Inn is an adults-only boutique hotel with a pool that comes out on top for me, but I’ve also stayed at the western-themed Palm Canyon and Borrego Springs Resort and Spa and both were good. I could hear a little too much noise from my neighbors at Palm Canyon though the room was nice and the location was great. Borrego Springs Resort and Spa is a bit out of town but was nice and quiet with a big pool.
9) Mammoth Lakes – Hot Springs and Mountains
Otherwise my typical advice of staying aware and not getting too intoxicated all apply. You can read more about my top safety tips for solo female travelers here.
Stay: When I was a student in the area, the Bacara, now owned by the Ritz Carlton, was known as being on one of the best and least crowded beaches and for being a celebrity escape. For something more affordable, family would often stay here when they visited. Also consider the Palihouse boutique hotel downtown, one of the best areas to visit as a tourist.
Additionally, be careful about walking around the big cities alone at night. I would give you the same advice for just about anywhere in the world. Camping-wise, I tend to feel fine solo camping in the middle of nowhere, but if you’re worried about it, you can stay in established campgrounds instead.
8) Big Sur – Indescribable Beauty
Located in the far north of the state, the Humboldt area, famous for Redwoods, is another spot I’ve returned to at least eight times. It can be cloudy, moody, and it’s a far cry from the warm and crowded beaches of Southern California, but to me that is what makes it so magical. It’s a more remote, rural area where you’ll find some of the biggest Redwood trees – the tallest trees in the world!
10) Monterey – Seaside Escape
I also highly recommend heading south to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks while you’re in the area.
Stay: I highly recommend camping in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods if you have the gear, or the View Crest Lodge in Trinidad, one of my favorite areas.
11) Yosemite – Dramatic Glacial-Carved Valley
It’s also an area full of state parks with hikes, waterfalls, and lovely beaches. You can read more about the bed things to do in Mendocino here. I’m also partial to the more working class Fort Bragg where Glass Beach, pictured above, features glittering sea glass at low tide at sunset.
Although I could not possibly pick a favorite place in California, Mendocino would certainly make my top five. I’ve been out here five times and each time I love it a little bit more. This isn’t the type of place where you are going to lay out on the sand and catch a tan, but for those who love Redwoods, moody and dramatic coastline, and wild nature, it’s a peaceful escape I suspect you’ll find intoxicating.
12) Lake Tahoe – Blue Beyond Words
Santa Barbara is one of my favorite places in California. I admit to being biased since I went to undergrad at UCSB, but nobody doesn’t love Santa Barbara.
Pick a beach town if you want the opportunity to go out and meet people and surf, stay downtown for the historic areas, Little Italy, the Zoo, and to be close to the airport, or head to Ocean Beach or Encinitas for more of a laid back vibe.
The lakes in the area are crystal clear and though frigid, a nice way to cool off after a day of hiking in the summer.
13) Mendocino – Redwoods and Sunsets
In contrast to Yosemite and Joshua tree, two of the most popular national parks in the system, Lassen Volcanic is one of the least-visited. It may be due to the remote location, or perhaps it just hasn’t become Instagram famous, but I loved the solitude of hiking and truck camping in the area. You’ll find bubbling, baby blue landscape on the Bumpass Hell trail (its real name, yes), and gorgeous views from Brokeoff and Lassen Peak trails.
Joshua tree is another desert stop that I love visiting alone. The nearest town is Twentynine Palms and for some reason it’s become a haven for unique places to stay, including the Airbnb with the rock tub hot spring pictured in the video below.
It’s a perfect stop on your Pacific coast highway road trip.
14) Humboldt – BIGGER Redwoods
Stay: If you’re keen to hot spring hop, staying in the Convict Lake area is perfect. If you want to be close to the slopes and hiking, stay in Mammoth Lakes, either camping in the warmer months or in the Mammoth Village, which has a hot tub and lots of restaurants onsite.
15) Lassen National Park – Solitude and Hiking
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Staying Safe
Orange County is certainly a bit more approachable than Los Angeles if you still want that greater Los Angeles vibe and the best beaches, which are some of the most beautiful in the state. I love Laguna Beach for the artsiness and the truly beautiful coastline, Newport Beach has some of the best surf and wide-open sandy beaches, and Huntington Beach’s downtown has a lively bar scene and is a bit more laid-back.
Back toward the east side of the state, Yosemite may be one of the most popular national parks in the system, but it’s for a good reason. I grew up coming here with my family, and some of my favorites are all of the waterfalls, including the tallest waterfall in the US – Yosemite falls. The hike to Half Dome is legendary, though you will need a permit, and I love the hike up to Nevada and Vernal falls, specifically from Glacier Point rather than the valley. It’s less strenuous and much less crowded.
For me, solo travel sometimes means embracing being on my own. Many overlook the California desert, but it’s one of my favorite parts of the state! I have been to all of the deserts on this list by myself multiple times and am always wowed by the quiet, the stargazing, and the colorful sunrises and sunsets.
It’s also important to note that the big cities are not generally walkable and their public transportation isn’t great either. Although San Francisco has the BART, it’s seedy at night. Since you will most likely have to rent a car for your California adventure, as California is tough to travel through without one, I would rely on your vehicle or Uber/Lyft to get around after dark.
I’ve taken more solo trips than I can count in California, and over the past 30+ years, some really stand out. From Southern to Northern California, here’s where to go and how to stay safe on your California adventure: