Find the best California Hotels

As the most populous and one of the biggest of the United States, California is an impressive tourist destination in its own right. Tourists who come to southern California can expect perpetually sunny weather, beaches filled with surfers, and even a few Hollywood celebrities. Northern California's highlights include foggy San Francisco and towering redwood forests. Direct flights from Bangkok to Los Angeles, California's biggest city, travel 13,295 km and last at least 16 hours.

Sunny, hot, and dry are the best words to describe stereotypical southern California weather throughout the year. Inland desert regions like Palm Springs are hotter than coastal cities such as San Diego and Los Angeles. San Francisco is cooler and foggier than the rest of the state. There is no bad time to visit California, but the autumn months between October and early December are when crowds are at their lowest.

Los Angeles is the home of Hollywood, but California's most popular theme park, Disneyland, is located in neighbouring Orange County. It takes just an hour to drive north to Napa Valley's picturesque vineyards from San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Balboa Park and its San Diego Zoo are situated in California's third biggest city near Sea World, Legoland, and some of the state's outstanding beaches. Lake Tahoe, located close to California's border with Nevada, is a world class winter ski resort.

California is especially famous for high quality Mexican and Asian cuisine. Some of California's best food and wine is served in Napa Valley. Rock fans can not only see, but perhaps rub shoulders with, some of the world's most legendary musicians at West Hollywood Sunset Strip nightclubs like the Viper Room, the Roxy, and Whisky a Go-Go.

Taking a road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the best ways to hit most of California's highlights. California's longest state road travels 1,055 km across some of the state's most breath-taking coastal scenery. The Pacific Coast Highway begins at Dana Point in Orange County and ends north of San Francisco in Mendocino County. San Francisco's Outside Lands and Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival are two of California's most famous music festivals.

California shopping can be very costly, especially on Rodeo Drive on Beverly Hills, Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade, and San Francisco's Union Square. Better bargains, however, can be found at the farmer's markets filled with locally grown produce and flea markets found in nearly every Californian city. Muir Woods redwood growing kits, Disneyland mouse ears, and Santa Cruz saltwater taffy are some unique California souvenirs.