California Travel
It’s hard not to love California. Whether you’re looking to hike and bike in national parks, shop in Los Angeles, surf in SoCal or ride a cable car in San Francisco, there are endless opportunities for fun in California. This guide introduces you to California’s array of attractions through feature articles from online newspapers and magazines, guides created by real travelers, and official tourism resources. You’ll also find California hotels, learn how to get around in California and find cheap flights to your California destination. For a Spanish-language version of the Guide, click here.
Expand All Guide SectionsWhere to Go in California
This section presents California’s varied travel opportunities. Official tourism resources ... read more »
California Hotels
A beach bungalow or a luxury hotel room can be yours in California with a bit of help from the Web. ... read more »
California Transportation
With so much space between California’s cities and attractions, there’s plenty of room for spontaneous exploring. This section includes Web sites to help you get around in California, as well as flight search tools to help you arrive as inexpensively and easily as possible.
Dulcinea's Insight
- The best way to get around is by car. For a memorable drive, cruise up and down California State Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. The National Scenic Byways Program has a guide to the highway with itineraries, maps and photos of the route.
- If you’ll be traveling between major cities on opposite ends of the state (for example, from L.A. to San Francisco), you can always hop on a plane. California flights are frequent and can be inexpensive.
Dulcinea's Picks
For flights …
Southwest Airlines
has cheap flights between Los Angeles and several California cities, including San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and San Jose. Click on “Book Travel” to plan your trip from start to finish.
For intercity rail …
Amtrak California
lines run through the Central Valley, up the Pacific Coast and between the Sierra Foothills. These trains augment Amtrak’s interstate trains, which connect California to the rest of the United States. Get route maps, station information and learn what you’ll see along the way on the Amtrak California Routes page.
For commuter rail …
Metrolink
is a commuter rail service that runs throughout Southern California. Get interactive and printable maps of rail lines and learn where stations are located. The “Trip Planner” tool (in the “Schedules” pull-down menu) is temporarily unavailable.
Caltrain
is a commuter rail service connecting 30 stations between San Francisco and Gilroy, just south of San Jose. Get schedules and maps, and use the "Trip Planner” tool for easy routing.
For San Francisco and Los Angeles transportation …
BART
is the Bay Area Rapid Transit rail system, connecting the San Francisco Peninsula with cities in the East Bay, including Oakland, Berkeley, Fremont, Walnut Creek and Dublin/Pleasanton. Even if you’re a newcomer, you should have no problem navigating this well-organized site and planning your route around the Bay area.
Muni
(San Francisco Municipal Railway) operates San Francisco’s historic streetcars, buses, cable cars and an inner city light rail system. Visit the “Routes & Schedules” page for schedules and trip planners.
Metro
(Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) provides maps, schedules and general information about the city’s subway system. Use the “Metro Trip Planner” for easy navigating.
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