Captivating  California holidays

The City by the Bay is one of America’s most laid-back big cities, whose iconic sights are so well-known, you’ll feel right at home. Spot the Golden Gate bridge and weave down winding Lombard Street, often called the ‘crookedest street in the world’. Head down to the waterfront to Fisherman’s Wharf to spot the sunbathing sealions and taste some clam chowder, or take a cruise out into the bay to see notorious island prison, Alcatraz. You’ll find museums galore, many tucked away in the green expanse of Golden Gate Park, or discover the vibe of San Francisco’s different neighbourhoods.

Hooray for Hollywood! While there’s more to Los Angeles than the silver screen, a visit will be a highlight of your California tour. See the handprints at the TCL Chinese Theatre, spy the iconic Hollywood sign in the hills, soak up the views from the Griffith Observatory, cruise along Sunset Boulevard and practise your own Oscar acceptance speech at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Or join the beautiful people at the beach in Santa Monica with its historic pier, plus art galleries good enough to tempt you away from the sand.

California’s second biggest city can be overshadowed by its more famous neighbours, but there’s plenty to discover here. You could spend all day in the immense Balboa Park, home to San Diego Zoo as well as a string of art galleries and museums scattered across its 1,200 acres. Or explore US history at the harbour, where the USS Midway aircraft carrier has been transformed into a museum, housing a collection of aircraft. Discover some of San Diego’s natural treasures too, from the beach and marine reserve at La Jolla to Torrey Pines State natural reserve on a California tour.

Among the oldest national parks in the whole US, Yosemite is one of the country’s great wildernesses. Stretching for almost 760,000 acres in the Sierra Nevada mountains, it’s famous for its groves of giant sequoias, dramatic waterfalls, granite cliffs and rock formations and for the breath-taking views as you discover them. Carved out by glaciers, the park’s most famous sights are Bridalveil Fall and the cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome, which glow at sunset, as well as the 3,000-year-old giant sequoia trees and the astonishing Yosemite Falls, which cascade 2,425 feet in a torrent of white water.

After gold was discovered in California, around 300,000 prospectors flocked to the state in the mid 19th century to make their fortune. But after the Gold Rush boom, many left the settlements which had sprung up around the mines, with these ‘ghost towns’ preserved today. Some of the best known include Bodie in the east of the state, as well as Calico in southern California, famous for its own silver rush. Near the Mojave Desert, its old buildings have been restored and you can visit on our California escorted tour to transport yourself back to Frontier country.

Name the most famous wine-producing region in the US, and most people will think instantly of California. While Napa Valley is perhaps the best-known area in California wine country there are 150 grape-growing areas in the state, and more vineyards and wineries than you can shake a corkscrew at. On our California holidays travelling up the west coast to Alaska, you can explore Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, to learn more about the region’s top wines and enjoy a tasting, as well as finding out about its impressive craft beer scene.