California is one of the most popular states in the United States among travelers. It is a huge state and generally the cities are the favorite places and the vast majority of times the natural wonders that California offers are in second place or out of the way.
California has a lot of awesome places. You will not lack National parks, diverse landscapes, coasts, mountains, waterfalls, dark forests, deserts... At one moment you can be in the scorching deserts of Death Valley and at another you can be enjoying beaches, hiking trails or skiing nearby. of Lake Tahoe.
And of course California offers you the chance to enjoy its cities, have a glass of wine in the vineyards of Nappa Valley, eat an ice cream crossing the Golden Gate or have fun like a dwarf in one of its amusement parks.
On the blog you will find many articles about California, and in this particular post I will talk about the most beautiful natural places to see in California.
Honestly, it has been very difficult for me to choose the most beautiful places in California, because all of it is beautiful. Even so, I have chosen to tell you which are the places that in my opinion you should include in your itinerary or at least one of them.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO SEE IN CALIFORNIA
Salvation Mountain
This place is absolutely crazy. In the middle of the desert, Salvation Mountain is probably the most peculiar and original place that you would not expect to find in California.
This artistic place was created more than 30 years ago, making it a unique place. And although if we compare it with the other places on the list it is not the prettiest, it has earned a place on the list for its originality.
It is made with recovered materials, liters of paint, made by volunteers and constant work. To get from here you can do it from San Diego. It's 2:30 a.m. from San Diego. And if you come here, do not miss enjoying the landscapes offered by the desert and come to see the Salton Sea Lake.
Death Valley
Death Valley is one of the best places to visit in California. It is incredibly beautiful.
Drive along the miles of roads, visit Badwater Basin and Dante's View. From Dante's View you will have stunning views of the park. You can also take advantage of and get closer to the Ubehebe crater, formed thousands of years ago.
Death Valley is closer to Las Vegas (Nevada) than to Los Angeles. It is a 5 hour drive from Los Angeles and almost 2 and a half hours from Las Vegas.
Redwood National Park
This is possibly one of my favorite places. Redwood is a National Park that is home to some of the tallest trees in the world. Even so, there is much more to explore in Redwood. You can do hiking trails, simple walks and enjoy the peace and tranquility that this wonderful place offers.
If you come to know this place, also take the opportunity to visit Fern Canyon.
Redwood is very close to the city of San Francisco, just half an hour away. You can not lose this!
Big Sur
Big Sur is one of the most beautiful places to visit in California, especially if you are a lover of coastal and sea landscapes. e extends about 90 miles.
The best way to visit this area is by renting a car. It will allow you to go free and stop wherever you want to take spectacular snapshots.
Be sure to hit Point Sur Lighthouse, McWay Falls by the cove, Partington Inlet, Ragged Point, and Pfeiffer Beach. They are the most impressive places, without a doubt.
Big Sur is located between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Almost 3h from San Francisco. If you are thinking of doing a road trip, it is best to take the coastal road from San Francisco to Big Sur. The views of Monterey Bay are impressive!
Sequoia National Park
Right next to King's Canyon National Park is one of the most beautiful places in California, Sequoia National Park.
If you like natural settings, this place will impress you. Here reigns General Sherman, one of the tallest trees in the world. It is a specimen of giant Sequoia that usually measures about 84 meters in height and can weigh almost 2 million kilos. Its diameter is usually almost 8m.
It is very close to Death Valley, so you can combine your itinerary to visit this beautiful area of inland California.
Tahoe Lake
Located on the California-Nevada border is Lake Tahoe. In a beautiful and very versatile place. In the summer months there are several places to relax, enjoy a swim and do adventure sports. In winter, there are plenty of ski slopes.
I already knew Lake Tahoe in winter, I'm a bit of a geek with winter sports... but I needed to know it in summer. I loved this place! Apart from beautiful landscapes, you can do many sports; hiking, bike routes, paddle surfing on the lake, boat rides... You won't get bored!
To visit Lake Tahoe, I advise you to include it when you visit San Francisco, and to include a couple of days to visit Sacramento and spend a night in this place.
Yosemite National Park
After spending 4 days touring part of Yosemite, I can assure you that this place is not only one of the most beautiful places in California, but also in the entire country.
It is located within the Sierra Nevada mountains. And once you get to this place you have an infinite number of corners to discover. It's huge! So you will have to choose.
Go out, explore and walk its trails. I advise you to get to know Glacier Point and Yosemite Valley.
One of my favorite places is where the Bridalveil waterfall is located. It's huge, and the walk up here is tough, but absolutely worth it.
If you are interested in getting to know Yosemite National Park, I advise you to dedicate at least 3 days to this place. If you plan your trip to spend only one or two nights here, when you arrive and see this wonder you will regret not having included more time in your itinerary.
Joshua Tree National Park
In southern California is Joshua Tree National Park. Here you will find mostly desert landscapes.
Be sure to visit Hidden Valley, Cap Rock and the Kitsch Crochet museum.
It is located almost 3 hours from Los Angeles. Along the way you will also find the San Jacinto State National Park. We take the opportunity to stop and take a short tour. I hardly know him, but he looked good.
In this National Park you will find a species of cactus very characteristic of this area. They are a small trunk tree with spike leaves.
Napa Valley
Although I'm not a big fan of wine, I love vineyards. They are beautiful landscapes and in California you will have the opportunity to see several of them. Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful without a doubt.
On the route there are several vineyards and wineries. All of them offer the opportunity to buy in their store and to have wine tastings. It is an interesting experience.
If you feel like it, many agencies offer the possibility of seeing the Napa Valley from the air, with a balloon ride. We did not do it due to lack of time, but if you dare to do it, do not forget to tell me about your experience in the comments.
Napa Valley is an hour and a half from San Francisco. You can take a half-day excursion or rent a car to come and see this beautiful natural area.
Point Reyes National Park
Point Reyes National Park is located on the northern coast of California. And from here you can enjoy the sea breeze and the spectacular landscapes of the coast and the Pacific Ocean.
It's the kind of place that amazes you with its jagged coastline, hulls, and rolling hills.
Here you can watch seals, go hiking, kayaking and there are even perfect spots for surfing.
This National Park is located just over 1 hour from San Francisco. You can dedicate a morning or an afternoon to come here to enjoy this natural setting.
And here comes my list of the most beautiful natural places in California. Do not forget that in the blog I tell you what to do in various places in California; San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego…
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to California very much and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!