Hikers on Boy Scout Trail with Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) in the Joshua Tree National Park.

©NatalieJean/Shutterstock

Southern California

Southern California (SoCal to the locals) inhabits a dreamlike otherworld – a place where breathtaking natural beauty merges with modern mythology.

Attractions

Must-see attractions for your itinerary

Griffith Observatory
Los Feliz & Griffith Park
With eyes on both the galaxy above and palm-flanked boulevards below, the Griffith Observatory hovers above LA like a hulking spacecraft. This is one of…
Death Valley National Park
The Deserts
The very name evokes all that is harsh, hot and hellish – a punishing, barren and lifeless place of Old Testament severity. Yet closer inspection reveals…
Knott’s Berry Farm
Orange County
What started as a simple berry farm is now a sprawling 160-acre operation with rides, live shows and lovable Peanuts characters roaming the grounds. Knott…
Venice Boardwalk
Venice, Marina Del Rey & Playa del Rey
Prepare for a sensory overload on Venice's Boardwalk, a one-of-a-kind experience. Buff bodybuilders brush elbows with street performers and sellers of…
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Coastal Orange County
Famous for its swallows that fly back to town every year on March 19 (though sometimes they’re just a bit early), San Juan Capistrano is home to the …
Children's Pool
La Jolla
Built in the 1930s behind a wave-cutting seawall, La Jolla’s Children’s Pool was created as a family beach but has since been invaded by herds of seals…
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
La Jolla
This state-of-the-art aquarium is a wonderous underwater world home to 5000 fish. Visitors can watch sharks dart, kelp forests sway, and even meet a…
Sunnylands
Greater Palm Springs
Palm Springs has long been famous a celebrity playground, but few destinations in the valley better exemplify that pedigree than Sunnylands, the retreat…