Hollywood is one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world and an essential part of any California vacation. Wherever you're staying, plan the drive through Southern California to the Los Angeles metro area. Visitors to Hollywood will find historic movie palaces, the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood sign and several operational movie studios, not to mention world-class shopping and dining. Hotels throughout the Los Angeles area are conveniently located to Hollywood with many offering shuttles and tours to popular sites.
Located in the center of the state, California's Yosemite National Park is among the crown jewels of the National Parks system. Most of the park is undeveloped and the vast Sierra Nevada Mountains are home to wildlife that can be hard to find elsewhere, including mule deer and black bears. The park is open year-round so visitors can see it with the effects of the seasons. The National Parks Service operates a fee shuttle bus through the park making it easy to move from one point of interest to another.
About 100 miles east of Los Angeles, the city of Palm Springs is an oasis in the Southern California desert. For decades Palm Springs has served as a weekend getaway for the show business elite, offering a warm climate during winter months. Its many resorts offer sports like tennis, golf and horseback riding along with full-service spas and mountain hiking expeditions. Palm Springs also boasts shopping and dining options that far outweigh its relatively small size.
The city of San Francisco is one of the most beautiful on the West Coast. Located just north of California's central coast, the sheltered San Francisco Bay is home to Alcatraz prison, which is now an historic monument. Fishermen's Wharf features shopping and dining with a focus on fresh local seafood. The city is also home to a vibrant arts scene with many boutique galleries and live theater companies. Golden Gate Park and Chinatown round out the list of things to do on a weekend in San Francisco.
The Redwood National Parks area in California's extreme northern region is one of the state's most beautiful natural settings. Besides some of the tallest trees in the country, Redwood National Parks offer coastal shorelines to explore, hiking trails and diverse wildlife. There are no hotels within the park but several neighboring towns have places to stay that are a short drive from the parks themselves. Visiting Redwood National Parks is a great weekend stopover between a California vacation and other out-of-state destinations like Portland and Seattle.
