California Adventures Go Far Beyond the Coast
Curious about what you'll do when you live in California? If you like the idea of surfing along iconic breaks, spending time hiking among ancient redwoods, and checking out murals in arts districts, California is calling your name! This list of fun things to do will take you from Pacific sunsets to Sierra summits and everything in between! It’ll give you a vivid sampling of California's landscapes, culture, and innovation.
Jessica, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Jessica is a born and raised Angeleno who has spent 30 years bouncing between East LA, the Westside, and the Valley, usually with a trunk full of boxes and a strong opinion about neighborhoods. She moved eight times between 2013 and 2023 and genuinely loves it, especially the decluttering part and the chance to reinvent herself with each new move. A former teacher of eight years, she has taught everyone from pre K kids learning their ABCs to high schoolers stressing over college essays. She loves California for the beaches, sunshine, hidden lakes, and hikes that feel like they belong in another state entirely. Her guilty pleasure is the Custard Front Drive donut from Donut Friend, she road trips whenever possible, and she is slowly working through a bucket list of every national park. She lives with two bonded cats, Marty the black cat and Jelly the tabby. At Snappy Scout, Jessica edits California guides with deep local instincts built over decades of real CA living.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Will You Do in California?
From weekend adventures to iconic road trips, here's how locals spend their time off.
This is the iconic road trip to take
Drive Big Sur's Highway 1 from Monterey to San Simeon
This is the scenic ride for you
San Francisco, cycle Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, ferry back
Go outside & hike
Hike Yosemite's Mist Trail past Vernal and Nevada Falls
Spend time on the water cooling off
Kayak Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay from South Lake Tahoe marinas
This is what locals do on the weekends
Los Angeles is bento boxes at Grand Central Market, golden hour selfies at Griffith
For the Sports Fans
Catch a Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium in Echo Park
When you're tired of crowds and need to get away
Escape to Channel Islands National Park from Ventura Harbor for solitude and backcountry camping
Stargaze in desolate dark nights
Where to stargaze? Death Valley's Mesquite Flat Dunes in eastern California
Underground adventure
Crawl lava tubes at Lava Beds National Monument near Tulelake
Just when you think you've seen it all, this roadside oddity will leave you in awe and confusion
Pose with Cabazon Dinosaurs off I-10 near Palm Springs
Hidden Gem Spotlight
The South Coast Botanic Garden is gorgeous, albeit a bit of a drive from LA. They have dog walking hours, a butterfly pavilion, and after-hours immersive experiences like Astra Lumina. If you can snag them, SCBG offers free admission tickets every third Tuesday of the month. These go live on the first of each month, so keep your alarms ready.
— Jessica Montes
California Local Expert
Ready to See If California Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full California guide for the bigger picture.