9 Hidden Gems in California You Have to See in 2024
Things to do in California from hidden beaches to underrated parks to see the redwoods.
California, the most populated state in the U.S. and now the world’s 4th largest economy, is full of standard tourist destinations like Hollywood, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.
But there are still many hidden gems in California, from the spectacular Lost Coast to skiing inside Yosemite to hidden beaches in San Diego County to off the beaten track wineries in the Russian River Valley to stunning state parks to see the giant redwood trees. We’ve spent over a year exploring California, and here are our top picks for 2023.
Hikes on the Sonoma Coast on a clear day are a wonderful hidden gem of northern California. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
1. The Sonoma Coast: California Hidden Gem only 90 minutes from San Francisco
Go if you like: Gorgeous ocean cliffs; fresh oysters, fish, and crabs; the coasts of Spain, Portugal, or Ireland; Pinot Noir; hidden beaches; outdoor adventures and hiking; wine tasting; scenic drives.
The Sonoma Coast, where we lived for over 3 months, is a beautiful area full of gorgeous beaches and cliffs, low-key, lovely seaside towns, fresh seafood restaurants, and amazing drives.
It’s also a stone’s throw from Point Reyes (maybe San Francisco’s best day hiking area), Tomales Bay (oyster heaven), and West Sonoma (Pinot Noir heaven), so you could combine one of those places on a visit.
Top things to do on the Sonoma Coast:
🏖 Explore gorgeous state parks & secret beaches. Sonoma Coast State Park is a special place, with several beaches along the coast, and many hikes along the ocean cliffs and down to the beach. Our top picks are:
Shell Beach, which is great for walks & playing on the beach.
Goat Rock State Beach, including the magical Kortum Trail.
Jenner Headlands Preserve, great for hiking & views.
🚴 🚗 Drive or bike the scenic Highway 1. You’ll want to pull over every 2 minutes along the stunning Highway 1 that goes all along the Sonoma Coast from Tomales Bay to Mendocino (either for the views or motion sickness — it’s a very windy road).
Visit Sea Ranch. Sea Ranch is a fascinating planned community with houses that blend into the natural landscape.
Dine in their high-end restaurant (or have a drink at the bar) with magnificent, sweeping ocean views.
Take a walk outside on the ocean cliffs.
🦀 Eat fresh Dungeness crabs and seafood in Bodega Bay. Bodega Bay is famous for Dungeness crabs & they’re delicious.
Our top pick is the lunch spot Spud Point, where some of the best crab sandwiches anywhere are served.
🍸 And stop for a drink at the fantastic hidden gem Bluewater Bistro and catch the sunset.
More things to do & hidden gems on the Sonoma Coast:
Visit historic Fort Ross. See a fascinating little part of American history, a 19th century fort where a small group of Russians settled for 30 years to attempt to grow food for their Alaska colony. There’s a chapel, museum, and historic wood cabins.
🍷 Taste Pinot Noir & other wines. Break up your day by tasting Pinot, Chardonnay, or other varietals at a winery along the way in Bodega Bay or Fort Ross.
Or drive a few miles inland and try the world class Russian River Pinots in Sebastopol or Occidental. See our detailed blog about wine tasting in the area here.
🔥 Hot tip: You can actually combine a visit to the Sonoma Coast with a trip to the redwoods (and even a winery, if you’re ambitious) on a single day-trip from the San Francisco Bay Area. Armstrong Redwoods State Park or the Landpaths Grove of Old Trees are only half an hour from the Sonoma Coast. We’re working on a detailed Sonoma blog now, so stay tuned.
🚗 Getting there: Bodega Bay is only 1 hour, 20 minutes from San Francisco. Start there and wind your way up the coast to Goat Rock, Jenner, Fort Ross, and Sea Ranch if you have time.
🚗 Hot tip: You need a car to explore this area.
Skiing inside Yosemite is an awesome hidden gem in California. Photo by Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
2. Skiing & snowboarding inside Yosemite: Hidden Gem for California Skiing
Go if you like: Lake Tahoe; if you’re a beginner or intermediate skier or snowboarder or want to learn; visiting a national park and going skiing on the same trip.
Everyone knows Yosemite National Park. And everyone knows skiing at Lake Tahoe. But what about skiing IN Yosemite? Yep, it’s not only possible, it’s actually very affordable and not crowded.
⛷ Badger Pass is the only ski resort inside a national park in the United States, and it’s a wonderful place to learn skiing or snowboarding or just enjoy the hills. And of course you’ll want to combine it
💲It’s very affordable. For the 2023 season it’s only $62 for a full day lift ticket, but if you’re learning, you can get a lower lift ticket for only $30. You read that right: $30. And you can switch during the day between skiing and snowboarding if you like.
⛷ Try a lesson. Our whole family learned how to snowboard through an inexpensive lesson. And it’s fun for the whole family — you can go snowtubing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Half Dome as seen from Clouds Rest in Yosemite. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
🛏 Where to stay: You can stay in a variety of places around:
In Yosemite Valley at The Ahwahnee hotel.
At one of several campgrounds in the park, e.g. Upper Pines (book via Recreation.gov), which is perfect if you have an RV or want to tent camp (only $36 a night, or $18 with a senior or access pass).
Or book a cabin or AirBnB in nearby towns such as Wawona, Fish Camp, or Oakhurst.
🔥 Hot tips:
Get a lower-lift pass and pay only $30. It’s the steal of the year.
Go in February if you can. That’s when the magical Firefall happens in Yosemite, a special once-a-year phenomenon where the sun sets on Horsetail Falls and makes them glow orange.
🚗 Getting there: from Yosemite Valley, drive 45 minutes south on Wawona Rd. From Fresno, drive 2 hours north on US-41 and then Wawona Rd. You’ll want to have some kind of higher clearance vehicle and carry chains in case of heavy snow.
Surfing in San Diego County is spectacular at sunset. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
3. San Diego County: Hidden Gem Beaches, T-shirt weather almost year-round
Remember the Arctic Polar Vortex last December that gripped almost all of the U.S. in freezing temperatures? It was 75 degrees and sunny in San Diego. Or the July 2023 heatwave? It was 78 there… San Diego has good weather almost year-round (the average high is 66 degrees in January and 76 in July).
While San Diego city is a lot of fun, the real southern California hidden gems are the beach towns, hills, and mountains (yes!) in San Diego County outside the city. We’ve lived in this area for over six months at different times and love it.
Things to do in the San Diego area:
🏄♂️ Learn to surf or go boogie boarding. Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Cardiff-by-the-Sea are awesome surf towns just north of San Diego and offer great sandy beaches to surf on.
🏄♂️ Del Mar and Oceanside are probably the best for beginner surfers — they’re long and sandy and have no rocks or hard reef.
🌮 Eat the best tacos of your life. Taco Tuesday is king in the San Diego area, and don’t forget the margaritas. Our top picks:
Visit the largest Spanish Mission in California. Oceanside is home to the “King” of Spanish Missions, San Luis Rey, which makes for a lovely visit to see history in a beautiful setting. It dates from 1798 and has a gorgeous old church and museum.
More things to do in the San Diego area:
🥾 Do a stunning hike. Here are 2 of the best:
Potato Chip Rock is a unique rock that juts out into the valley like a… Lays potato chip. Potato Chip is a 7.4 mile somewhat strenuous hike, so come prepared, but it’s very cool thing to see.
Annie’s Canyon — an amazing hidden gem of California, slot canyon that will make you think you’re in Arizona. Yet it’s only a mile from the beach & only 30 minutes from the center of San Diego! It’s short (2 miles) but awesome. Go on a weekday. There are also many other great hiking areas — we’re working on an in-depth blog about San Diego now.
🍽 Have brunch or see beautiful gardens in Tony Hawk’s hometown. Encinitas is a cool beach town with great brunch spots, Moonlight Beach, the lovely Swami Self-Realization gardens, and home to skateboarding legend Tony Hawk (yep, he still lives there). Hot tip: Some of the best ice cream we’ve ever had is at Gelato 101 in downtown Encinitas.
🔥 Hot tip: 🏖 Oceanside and Carlsbad are our top picks for hidden gems in San Diego County. They have a relaxed vibe and are the least crowded and most affordable beach towns in the area, Oceanside especially.
Think, long beaches that are great for chilling, surfing, family beach time, or boogie boarding; excellent restaurants and coffee shops, and many fun bars. Stay tuned for our detailed blog on this area.
🚗 Getting there: The beach towns are a short drive up Interstate 5 from San Diego (Oceanside being the furthest at 45 minutes in non-rush hour). We recommend getting off Interstate 5 in Encinitas and driving up Highway 1 along the beach to take in the views and explore each town one by one.
4. A Big Sur Getaway: One of the Best Things to do in California
It’s amazes us that Big Sur still exists in the most crowded state in the country — a stunning 90 mile stretch of gorgeous, essentially unspoiled coastline that offers some the best driving scenery in the world, has long stretches of stunning cliffs overlooking the ocean, and has redwood forests to hike, rent a cabin, or camp in.
It’s a wonderful getaway from the San Francisco Bay Area or really anywhere — the first time we went was in February from DC, and it was magical (and warm).
Best things to do in Big Sur:
🥾 Hike among the giant redwoods at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, e.g. the Pfeiffer Falls Trail (1.3 miles, easy) or the Buzzard’s Roost Trail (2.6 miles, moderate), which takes you to the top of a small mountain that overlooks the ocean.
🏖 See a waterfall pouring out onto the beach and into the ocean at McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (check current conditions to see if it’s accessible due to rockslides).
Stop and gaze in awe at the Bixby Creek Bridge (the one in the photo above), an iconic & gorgeous spot.
🍽 Eat at Nepenthe restaurant (see Hot Tip below). And for a charming and delicious alternative, try Deetjen’s restaurant just down the road.
Incredible views on Highway 1 driving through Big Sur, a wonder of California’s central coast. Photo by Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
More things to do in Big Sur:
🚗 Do the famous 17 mile drive at Pebble Beach in Carmel by the Sea before or after you head down to Big Sur.
See giant elephant seals. Stop at the Elephant Seal Vista Point in San Simeon, a magical place to see these sea giants.
🔥 Hot tip: Stop for lunch or dinner (make sure there’s still daylight) at Nepenthe, a world class restaurant that sits atop a high cliff overlooking the ocean. It’s a bit pricey but 100% worth it for a special experience. The wine, especially the house Pinot Noir called Lucia, is world class (& we’re wine snobs), and they keep it affordable because of a relationship with the owners.
No reservations: Nepenthe doesn’t take reservations, so come earlier than usual, and sit in a spot where you can soak up the ocean views. It’s magical.
🚗 Getting there: You need a car to access Big Sur. It’s a 2, 2 1/2 hour drive south from San Francisco in non-rush hour conditions to the north side of Big Sur. The south end of Big Sur is currently closed due to rockslides but may reopen soon.
Bohème Winery is a hidden gem of Sonoma, California. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
5. West Sonoma: California Hidden Gem for Wine Tasting
Go if you like: Wine tasting, Tuscany, redwoods, Pinot Noir, scenic drives, south of France, Napa Valley.
Sonoma County, 1 to 1 1/2 hours north of San Francisco, has spectacular farm fresh food, some of the country’s best wineries, redwood forests, and beaches. It’s one of our all-time favorite off the beaten travel places in this world — we’ve lived there on two different occasions. It reminds us of Tuscany or the south of France. We’re focusing on West Sonoma County, which is the more relaxed and down-to-earth side of Sonoma, centered around the Sebastopol, Occidental, and the surrounding areas.
Top things to do in West Sonoma:
🍷 Go wine tasting in the Russian River Valley: If you like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Syrah, this is your heaven. Our top picks are (see our full blog for the detailed info on each of them):
Bohème (Occidental, some of the best single vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays),
Paul Mathew (Graton, also delicious Pinots and Chardonnays),
Region Wine Bar (Sebastopol, phenomenal wine bar),
Pax (Sebastopol, great Syrahs),
Scherrer (Sebastopol, some of the world’s best wines).
🌲 Explore the redwoods: There are two special parks with very old redwoods (1,400 years+):
The Landpaths Grove of Old Trees. Armstrong is bigger, Landpaths is more off the beaten track.
More things to do in West Sonoma
🍽 Eat at phenomenal farm to table restaurants: The dining in West Sonoma is especially delicious because, in part because the ingredients are grown all around you in Sonoma County. We like the restaurants here as much or more than those in San Francisco. Our top picks:
🍺 Have a pint of “America’s best beer” at the brewery: Pliny the Elder beer was rated as such, and you can drink it and other well crafted beers at the place where they make it, Russian River Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa.
We love this place, and after all, it’s on the “Don’t Kick the Bucket Before You Visit These Bucket List Breweries.”
🌅 Enjoy sunset over the ocean: After a day of exploring Sonoma, it’s only a 20-30 minute drive to the coast, and it’s so refreshing to watch the sunset at
🔥 Hot tip: Drive the beautiful Bohemian Highway through the redwood forest and then take the scenic Coleman Valley Road down to the coast. Bumpy but stunning views.
🚗 Getting there: It’s an easy 1 to 1 1/2 hour drive up the Highway 101 from the San Francisco Bay Area, and then you take windy roads to Sebastopol or surrounding towns.
Unique “Candelabra redwood” tree in the Lost Coast. Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash
6. The Lost Coast: Amazing Off the Beaten Path Hiking
Hike in one of America’s most remote areas with wonderful ocean views and cliffs.
Go if you like: Hikes with stunning ocean cliffs, off the beaten path nature areas, adventure travel, going off the grid.
There are great hikes all around California, but many hiking aficionados point to the Lost Coast in Mendocino County, Northern California as the mother of them all. It’s got stunning ocean cliffs, very remote beaches, and because it’s difficult to access, you can have them almost to yourself.
There are 4,000-foot mountains that drop quickly down to remote black sand ocean beaches. It’s remote in part because California gave up on building Highway 1 here — they had to bypass it because of the rugged terrain. The hiking is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G here. You really feel like you get away from it all.
🔥 Hot tip: ⛺ Importantly, you need a permit to camp overnight, which you’ll need to book in advance. They’re only $6. Some are booked well in advance, but others are available just before, so check the website.
Some of the best coastal views in the state are on the Lost Coast, a hidden gem California hiking area. Photo by Mick Kirchman on Unsplash
Top tips for hiking the Lost Coast:
🥾 The classic "Lost Coast Trail Hike" is the section from Mattole Beach to Shelter Cove. That is a point-to-point, 2 to 4 day hike (normally 3). It’s 25.5 miles, but the terrain slows you down. There are paid shuttles you can use if you do it north to south.
🥾 There are other great trails in the area, called the King Range Wilderness Area, such as the King Peak Trail or shorter sections of the Lost Coast Trail. Most are best suited to camping overnight, but there are some day hike options as well.
🌊 Be sure to check tide times when you plan your hike, because it significantly affects your ability to cross certain sections.
🔥 Hot tip: This is often a rainy area, so be sure to bring all of your rain gear. There’s also little to no cell phone coverage — it’s a proper remote area.
🚗 Getting there: This is a 4 hour drive from the San Francisco Bay Area. You’ll likely want to park at the trailhead at Shelter Cove.
It’s advisable to have a lifted vehicle, but you can do it in a normal car if you go very slowly.
Exploring the redwoods in Jedidiah Smith State Park is quite an experience. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
7. Jedidiah Smith State Park: California Hidden Gem of the Redwoods
Go if you like: redwoods, outdoor adventures, national parks, hiking, beautiful forests, family trips, hidden gems.
Seeing the redwoods is simply one of those things "you have to do before you die.” They’re the world’s largest trees, towering up to 380 feet (115 meters) high, and some of the world’s oldest (some are over 3,000 years old).
🌲 The only trees older are a Patagonian Cypress in Chile (recently estimated to be up to 5,400 years old) and a Bristlecone Pine called Methuselah in eastern California (4,800 years old). Seeing & walking among them is something you can do with the whole family — many of the walks can be done with the young and old.
Top tips for seeing the redwoods:
🌲 There are several redwood parks and groves along the Northern California coast, but you really want to see them where you can enjoy them with some solitude to get the kind of spiritual experience of the cathedral of trees.
🌲 We’ve visited many of the redwood parks up and down the coast, and our favorite is Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park near Crescent City. It’s not crowded, there are absolutely wonderful walking and hiking areas for all levels, the redwoods are ginormous and old, and the gorgeous old growth forests feel barely touched. Even the drive through the park is amazing. It’s real off the beaten travel.
🥾 Our top tips for hikes in Jedidiah Smith are:
Grove of Titans (1.7 miles, family friendly)
Simpson-Reed trail (1 mile, family friendly)
Fern Falls (magnificent waterfall, 7.8 miles, moderate).
🌲 You can pay to drive through a couple of giant redwood trees. Just make sure your car fits (some have gotten stuck). There is:
Shrine Tree near Eureka
Chandelier Tree near Leggett, and
Klamath Tree an hour north of Eureka.
🚗 Drive the magnificent Howland Hill Road, maybe the best redwood drive in the world. It’s a 10 mile stretch that goes through the heart of park. Allow an hour to 90 minutes.
Jedidiah Smith is a wonderful hidden gem park to see the redwoods. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
🔥 Hot tip: If you’re pressed for time, visit Muir Woods near San Francisco. It’s normally very crowded though. Permits are now required.
🔥 Hot tip 2: Other redwood parks are connected to Jedidiah Smith to the south, including Redwood National Park.
We recommend Avenue of the Giants, a 31 mile stretch where you can marvel at the trees and stop multiple times for picnics or walks.
🚗 Getting there: Jedidiah Smith is about a 6 hour drive from San Francisco or a 5 hour drive from Portland, Oregon. While a bit of a trek, it’s worth it. Its remoteness makes it more special.
Zabriskie Point offers phenomenal views and is an easy drive up. Photo by Karthik Sreenivas on Unsplash
8. Death Valley National Park: Magical Landscapes
Go if you like: hiking, national parks, Grand Canyon, Badlands, outdoor adventures, national parks, hiking, beautiful forests, family trips, hidden gems California.
With the words death and valley in its name, Death Valley brings to mind hellish temperatures and an extremely low elevation. But you know what? It’s actually a fantastic park to visit, with high mountains, great hikes, moderate temperatures outside of summer (really!), and magnificent sunrises and sunsets.
Top things to do in Death Valley:
🌅 Sunrise at Zabriskie Point (pictured above): a classic and gorgeous spot amid the mountains to hike and see the sunrise. It’s an easy 0.4 mile walk, but there are longer hikes all around.
🚗 🥾 Titus Canyon: absolutely amazing experience either driving or hiking through a narrow canyon. 27 mile drive overall. It’s also good to have a high clearance vehicle here.
The “Racetrack” is where rocks mysteriously move. Or has the mystery been solved? Photo by Urip Dunker on Unsplash
More things to do in Death Valley & hidden gems:
🪨 The Racetrack (pictured): a totally unique place where rocks roll slowly (but surely) along the sand and create tracks as they go. Some have moved up to 1,500 feet. It’s completely fascinating!
Keep in mind this area is remote — it’s about a 3 hour drive from Furnace Creek — and you should have a high clearance vehicle to get there.
Ubehebe Crater: magnificent views and great hikes, including along the crater rim, more solitude than other areas of the park, and jumping off point to see the Racetrack.
🌅 Dante’s View: breathtaking view that many people prefer to the famous Zabriskie Point. It’s only a 1 mile hike roundtrip.
🔥 Hot tip: You’ll want to bring many layers to Death Valley, since the mountain areas can get quite cold (Dante’s View is 5,475 feet, for example) but the valley can be very hot. Also — don’t go in the summer when it really it scorching. Try fall, winter, or spring instead.
🚗 Getting there & where to stay: Furnace Creek is the main area to stay, with hotels and camping, and the only area that has reservable camping spots.
That said, there are several other campgrounds in the park with first come, first serve camping.
Sunset at Morro Rock in Morro Bay, a lovely spot for watching sea life. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
9. The Central Coast: America’s Happiest City & Sea Life
Go if you like: Wine tasting; seeing sea life such as seals, sea otters, etc; family trips; Napa Valley; charming small cities like Ann Arbor or Palo Alto; hiking along the Pacific Ocean; beach towns like Encinitas; tide pools.
“I want to move to SLO some time,” is a refrain we often hear among Californians. San Luis Obispo, known locally as SLO, and the surrounding Central California Coast is indeed a lovely area with long beaches, charming towns, world class wineries, and beautiful nature.
Relaxed vibe. The best part about it is that it’s far enough away from major cities to still be low-key, have a relaxed vibe, and not be as uber expensive as Santa Barbara. We lived here for a month and have visited several other times, and here are our top picks.
Top things to do on California’s Central Coast, including hidden gems:
🏖 Pismo Beach: fantastic, long beach to swim at or surf, and beach town that resembles Southern California. Walk along the wonderful pier and people watch (there’s plenty to be had).
See the fantastic Monarch butterfly grove.
Kayaking in Morro Bay is a great thing to do on the Central Coast. Photo: Sasha Lezhnev, all rights reserved
More things to do on California’s Central Coast:
🛶 Kayak & explore sea life in Morro Bay: Stroll around the fishing town of Morro Bay or kayak around the bay. You’re almost guaranteed to see seals, sea otters, and maybe a leopard shark (harmless) if you’re lucky.
Morro Rock is 100% worth seeing, too.
Stroll around and dine in charming San Luis Obispo: SLO, as its known to locals, was rated as America’s happiest place to live a few years ago. It’s very charming, with gorgeous tree-lined streets and great restaurants and bars.
Amble along the creekwalk and see the old Spanish Mission from 1772.
🥾 Explore stunning Montaña de Oro state park: Wonderful walks & hikes for all levels along the coast, with tide pools to explore for kids and adults, seals, and endless ocean views.
Hidden gem: check out the Monarch Grove and sled down the giant sand dune.
🍷 Go wine tasting: Two wine regions are just next to SLO - Paso Robles and Edna Valley. Paso is home to full bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, and Edna specializes lighter bodied wines like Pinot Noir.
🍷 Our top picks for wine tasting:
🍷 RN Estate (Burgundian style wines)
🍷 Écluse (personal experience)
🍷 Turley (top Zinfandel)
🍷 Kynsi (great Pinot Noir)
Dine at Il Cortile.
🍽 Our top restaurant & bar picks in SLO:
Neapolitan pizza or pasta at the Flour House
The Wine bar Region, which showcases locally made wines.
🦭 See the elephant seals: It’s endlessly entertaining to see the giant elephant seals who stop for the winter to breed and relax at San Simeon (we’ve been 4 times). It’s very special to see them take care of newborn babies, grunt, do battle, and more.
🔥 Hot tip: Catch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean on the cliffs at Shell Beach, just north of Pismo. It’s spectacular.
🚗 Getting there: SLO is roughly halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, approximately 4 hours from each, depending on traffic.
Did we miss any hidden travel gems? Send in yours & get featured.
Hi! We’re Sasha & Megnote
We’ve traveled to 50 countries on 5 continents & have been full-time travelers for the past 2 years with our now 5-year-old son. He now teaches us how to skateboard…
We got engaged in Bolivia, started a nonprofit in Uganda, and love outdoor adventures (& a good pisco sour).
We’re writing the book Travel More, Spend Less to help people get to full-time travel.
We’re passionate about finding hidden travel gems & off the beaten path destinations, and we want to share our tips with you. Come explore with us!