California's top six tourism destinations

One of the most populated and touristic states in North America is California. California is one of the most important in the country, and the vast majority of travelers want to know. It is the third-largest state in the USA, with an approximate population of just over 39 million people and several of the world's most modern and touristic cities.

California has a huge range of options to offer, and it is no coincidence that millions of people a year visit it to see its great cities, enormous national parks, its extensive coastline with several of the best beaches in the United States, and its countless tourist attractions.

Such being the fame and popularity of California, it is essential to know in advance what to see in California before traveling there to make the best of your stay. To make work easier for you, we have compiled the essential cities and places to see in California so that your next trip is a success. That is why at Auto Europe, we help you provide all the information you may need when it comes to knowing all the important places in this state; in turn, you can visit all these sites with the comfort of a rented car. To do this, use our booking engine at the top of this page and thus save 30% if you rent a car now!.

Zuma Beach in Los Angeles

One of the most touristic places in California is located in Los Angeles and is Zuma Beach. It is an incredible beach with 6.4 kilometers of coastline to surf and enjoy the waves.

At Zuma Beach, you will be able to visit Point Dume, a famous rocky promontory that at the same time is a spectacular natural viewpoint to observe the entire coast that is part of Santa Catalina Island and the incredible Palos Verdes peninsula.

This beautiful place is very famous for the various filming of television series and movies that have been made there. Despite the huge size and the intense hangover, it is usually a bustling place on weekends.

If you are a surf lover, you will definitely love Zuma Beach since it is the main activity on this beach, where various tournaments are usually held every year. It is also widespread to observe people practicing beach volleyball or kitesurfing.

The sunsets are incredible, and the route to get there runs along the coastline along the highway, making the journey also spectacular. The beach is not only beautiful, but it is also quite safe as it has more than 12 guard towers 24 hours a day, with experienced lifeguards from the County Fire Department.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

One of the most outstanding natural beauties in California is the Sequoia and Kings Canyon, National Park. If you think you have seen huge trees in your life, the huge trees that you will see in this national park will outnumber you, which will undoubtedly leave you speechless.

The park itself is a land of giants, home to huge sequoias over 2000 years old, and appears as you go along the way. One of the most famous sequoias in the park is General Sherman, 84 meters high and 11 meters in diameter. Despite everything, it is not the tallest nor the widest sequoia, but it has the greatest volume.

The walk through the national park is a natural museum of trees like those you have never seen before. You will also find other specimens of sequoias in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Muir Woods National Monument, and in the Redwood National & State Parks.

Yosemite National Park

Although Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is one of the most impressive, it is not the most famous in California. The national park considered by many to be the most beautiful in the United States is Yosemite.

We really lack reasons to think about it, since the natural beauty you can see in this park is amazing. The main feature of the place is its huge waterfalls, steep granite cliffs, and enormous variety of flora and fauna.

Yosemite National Park is located east of the city of San Francisco in the Sierra Nevada, and its area reaches about 3081 square kilometers. It had its foundation in 1890, being the first national park decreed by the US government.

The huge granite gorges that you will be able to appreciate were sculpted over hundreds of years by the force of the glaciers, and today the park owes its fame to its high and numerous waterfalls.

Lush forests, extensive valleys, meadows, and nature, where you will find a huge variety of trails to breathe fresh air, are just some of the things you can see in Yosemite.

If you want to visit the park and spend the night in one of the accommodations that the place offers, it is highly recommended that you make this reservation well in advance due to the high demand for accommodations.

The city of Los Angeles

We have already mentioned some of the places in this city, but we think it is necessary to make a small section for the city itself. Although it is a huge and difficult city to cover, it has several interesting places to see in California.

Among the most prominent places to see in Los Angeles is Hollywood and some of its studios. Of course, visiting the walk of fame and looking for the star of your favorite actor or actress or going through the exclusive areas of Beverly Hills and Bel Air are just some of the attractions of Los Angeles.

A fascinating idea that will allow you to contemplate the city from above is to go up to the impressive Griffith Observatory, where you will feel that you will have the city at your feet.

The city of stars also has huge skyscrapers, which you can see in Downtown Los Angeles, where you can take a walk in the middle of the tallest skyscrapers. Very close to there, you can also visit the civic center, which has emblematic buildings such as the town hall, and visit the Walt Disney Concert Hall if you are a lover of contemporary architecture.

Enjoy the beaches of Santa Monica

Santa Monica's beaches are some of the most beautiful in California and are perfect for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. In Santa Monica, you can have kilometers of sand at your disposal so that you can enjoy it at your leisure and contemplate beautiful views of the sea.

The fun is not lacking on the beaches of Santa Monica, where you will also find the famous theme park famous Pier de Santa Monica, with dizzying rides, included Ferris wheel and roller coaster, that light up the coast every night.

A good recommendation is to go south to get to Venice Beach, where in addition to enjoying its incredible beaches, you can also immerse yourself in an environment different from Santa Monica with a huge variety of beautiful tourist-level offers.

Napa Valley

Napa Valley is a very touristy place with a curious history. The fame of the valley was catapulted in 1976 at the prestigious Paris Tasting event.

In that year, the glamorous world of wine suffered a shock when Steven Spurrier and Patricia Gallagher decided to create a small wine shop and organized a blind tasting of Californian and French wines to celebrate the bicentennial of the independence of the United States.

The promoters of the event got the participation of the most refined palates of the country. At this event, Napa Valley wines garnered all the attention for their exquisite taste and quality, humiliating the most famous French wine brands in Bordeaux and Burgundy.

This event was a before and after for the Californian wine industry, where the Napa Valley became world-famous for the quality of its wines.

Currently, the valley is one of the most touristic places in California, where there are hundreds of vineyards in the 48 kilometers of the valley. In this place, you will find impressive hotels, spas, high-end restaurants, and a huge tourist infrastructure that has created a synergy around the valley and that is worth visiting.

In addition to the valley, there are many more things to do and see in California, such as seeing the beautiful city of San Diego, taking a ride on the San Francisco cable car, and even visiting Alcatraz Island and Jail.

Of course, to know the state of California, we must have the necessary documentation to enter the country. So let's see the easiest way to enter California and discover the attractions and emblematic places of this state.

"ESTA" authorization to enter California

Currently, it is not strictly necessary to obtain a visa to travel to California, as long as you are part of the 39 countries in which the ESTA permit is available.

The US ESTA authorization is nothing more than a permit granted by the State Department for those who wish to enter the United States for tourism or business and is valid for 90 days, with a total duration of two years.

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization, better known as the ESTA permit, is mandatory to enter California and available for Chile, Andorra, or Spain.

You can consult the complete list of 39 countries where the ESTA permit is available: https://esta.click/en/

To apply for the ESTA permit, you just have to go to the official page: https://www.esta.click/

Once you have entered, you will be able to locate the section called: ESTA Form, which you can fill out from the comfort of your home via the Internet. Generally, the approval of the permit will be in just a few minutes. Still, to avoid inconveniences, it is recommended to request it at least 72 hours before making it to California.

Once you have the approval of the ESTA authorization to enter California, you will be able to enjoy everything the state has to offer, making the most of the days in the "Sunny California."