43+ Unique Things to Do in California
There is no shortage of things to do in California, but it can be hard to find a list that has things you’ve never heard of before (especially if you’re a local!).
I’m a California native and have lived in both Northern California and Southern California. Living in California my whole life has led to lots of exploration of my home state!
Although the main attractions are worth a visit (Golden Gate Bridge, Disneyland, Hollywood, etc.), I’ve collected a lifetime of unique places to visit and unique things to do in California.
I hope you discover new things on this list even if you are a native Californian. Have a suggestion for something that didn’t make my list? Leave it in the comments at the bottom of this post!
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Walk Through the Cypress Tree Tunnel in Point Reyes
In Point Reyes National Seashore you’ll find two rows of Cypress trees, planted in 1930, that create a tunnel down a road. At the end of the road is an old Art Deco building that was used as a radio station. The Wes Anderson-esque building is no longer in use but is a cool spot to visit! The cypress trees make a great photo spot as well.
Admire Floating Houses in Sausalito
Sausalito is a small town across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. It has delicious seafood restaurants, stunning views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge, and a community of houseboats floating in the bay! Each one is uniquely designed, painted, and decorated — one is even painted like a Mondrian artwork!
Rock Climb in Mount Diablo State Park in Alamo
The East Bay has a decent amount of parks and hiking trails, but Mount Diablo State Park is one of the best. It takes longer to get to than other hiking trails nearby since you have to drive up the mountain, but the landscape up there is spectacular. I especially love the unique rock structures.
Walk Andy Goldsworthy's Wood Line in San Francisco
Andy Goldsworthy is a well-known installation artist who creates works from natural materials that sit within an environment. San Francisco is home to his Wood Line, which is a 1,200-ft line of eucalyptus tree trucks laid in a line along a walking path.
Find Tulips at Queen Wilhelmina Garden in San Francisco
Upon walking into Queen Wilhelmina’s Garden, you’ll be transported to Denmark with its authentic Dutch windmill and blossoming tulip gardens. The windmill was donated to San Francisco in 1902 by the Queen Wilhelmina! The tulips are in peak bloom in the spring, which draws in large crowds on weekends.
Hike the Flag Hill Trail in Sunol
After some rains, the hills of Sunol become a gorgeous, vivid green. The end of winter and early spring is my favorite time of year to hike the 3.9-mile loop trail. The last stretch is a bit steep and takes more energy, but it’s worth it to make it to the top to the amazing aerial views of the green hills! It truly looks like Ireland.
Picnic at the Pulgas Water Temple in Woodside
The Pulgas Water Temple was built as a monument to celebrate the Hetch Hetchy Project, which brought water 160 miles to the Bay Area from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The grassy area in front of the temple is a great spot to picnic on a sunny day!
The Pulgas Water Temple is open from 9am to 5pm every day. The parking lot is closed on weekends, so only pedestrians, bikers, or equestrians can enter.
Explore Filoli Historic House & Garden in Woodside
My favorite place in the Bay Area is Filoli Historic House and Garden. It’s a large property with many well-maintained gardens and a gorgeous estate. It was once a private property but is now open to the public to tour both the gardens and mansion.
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Walk Through a Cactus Garden at Stanford University
Stanford University has a large campus with many areas open to the public to explore and enjoy. The cactus garden, although small, is a lovely spot to visit and has a wide variety of cactus types. It’s also within walking distance to the Stanford Mausoleum and Stanford Sculpture Garden (where you can find the Gates of Hell!).
View Mummies at the Egyptian Museum in San Jose
If you want to travel back in time to Ancient Egypt, check out the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum! It’s a well-done museum with many Egyptian artifacts, coffins, and yes, real mummies. Aside from the real artifacts and mummies, they also have replicas of famous statues, artifacts, and an entire tomb you can walk through.
Tour the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose
Sarah Winchester, the widow of a firearms business owner, once lived in this mansion, which now hosts public tours. The Winchester Mystery House is thought to be incredibly haunted, although others disagree. So much lore surrounds the house, and it seems many tales may not be true — but they are interesting and make for an exciting tour.
Swim in a Waterfall at Rainbow Pool in Groveland
Along Highway 120 outside of Yosemite National Park is a natural pool and waterfall called Rainbow Pool. It’s a great spot to visit on a hot day to cool off, admire the waterfall, and watch people jump off the top (I don’t recommend this!). It’s a peaceful spot even on busier days and is a nice stop on the way to or from Yosemite NP.
Get Dizzy at the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz
A ball rolling upwards, people leaning sideways, and inexplicable dizziness are all part of the unique area in the Santa Cruz Mountains dubbed the Mystery Spot. While you can Google what is actually happening at the Mystery Spot, it’s much more fun to go on the tour and play along with the demonstrations!
Lounge Next to Colorful Cottages in Capitola
Capitola is a lesser-known beach town just south of Santa Cruz. It has an adorable, small downtown with some shops and restaurants, a pier (currently being repaired in 2023 after storms knocked a large part of it down in 2022), and a nice beach area.
The most identifiable area in Capitola is the iconic colorful cottages right on the beach! They’re a quaint sight to see and can even be rented for your next weekend getaway.
Ride a Steam Train at Roaring Camp in Felton
Head to Roaring Camp and hop on a steam train from 1890 for a ride through the gorgeous redwoods! There are two routes you can take: one goes to the summit of Bear Mountain and the other takes you to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I recommend the first one as you’ll also get a narrated history of Roaring Camp and the redwood forest.
Walk Through a Beach Tunnel at Sharkfin Cove in Davenport
Sat in the middle of the ocean is a giant, sharkfin-shaped rock. It’s immediately recognizable for those who have been to the beachy town of Davenport.
Park alongside the highway and take the steep trail down to Sharkfin Cove where you’ll be greeted by the giant rock. To the left is where you will find the tunnel that you can walk through when tides are low!
Walk up a Sand Dune at Lake Ct. in Marina
On a small road away from the main streets is a small parking area at the base of a sand dune. You can park here and walk up the “trail” to the top of the sand dune, where you will have ocean views. This area is also where paragliders launch off and I got to watch one during a visit to the sand dune!
Parking area coordinates: 36°40'58.7"N 121°48'34.4"W
Explore Abandoned Barracks at Fort Ord in Monterey Bay
Ford Ord in Monterey has old military barracks that are no longer in use. They’re in disrepair and the entire fort has an eerie feeling. It was interesting to walk around the fort, peek into the buildings, and read all the graffiti that has accumulated there. It’s also not far from the sand dunes mentioned above!
See Elephant Seals at the Beach in San Simeon
Stop along Highway 1 in San Simeon to spot the elephant seals who lounge along the beach! Depending on the time of year you visit, there will be varying numbers of seals and sometimes there will be babies too. Elephant seals are named for their long, squishy snouts that look like short versions of elephant snouts.
Go back to the 1930s at The Darling Hotel in Visalia
Although central California isn’t a top destination, The Darling Hotel is a hidden gem in Visalia. It is an art deco-style boutique hotel in a 1930s building that used to be the Tulare County Courthouse Annex.
The rooms are luxurious with high ceilings, giant windows, and velvet pillows. There is also a rooftop restaurant with incredible food and unique cocktails. It’s worth visiting Visalia just to stay at this hotel!
Tip: Bring earplugs as this is in the middle of downtown and the road is noisy.
Cruise the 17-mile Drive in Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea is an adorable, quaint seaside town on the Monterey Peninsula. It’s home to a mission, beaches, storybook buildings, and the 17-mile coastal drive. The drive takes you along the coast with 17 different spots to pull over, park, and get out to see the sights!
Walk Among Tufas at Mono Lake in Lee Vining
Step into another planet at Mono Lake, which is known for its Tufas — towers of limestone. These look similar to stalagmites and are made of the same material, but form in different processes.
Mono Lake is an exceptionally salty lake and consequently has salty shores instead of sand. The tufas are in a couple of different areas and are incredible to view up close!
Soak at Wild Willys Hot Springs in Mammoth Lakes
Mammoth Lakes is known for its different hot springs, but Wild Willys is a favorite! It has multiple pools of varying temperatures and is surrounded by the majestic eastern Sierra mountains.
Take Photos at Movie Road in Alabama Hills
If you’re willing to get up before sunrise, you will be rewarded with dreamy pink mountains set as the backdrop to a famous dirt road known as Movie Road in Alabama Hills.
Thanks to hundreds of movies being filmed here over the last century, this particular area of the road has become a popular destination for photographers and directors.
Feed Ostriches at Ostrichland in Solvang
I never knew how much I loved ostriches and emus until I visited Ostrichland in Solvang. While Solvang is well known for its Dutch town, Ostrichland is a less-frequented attraction where you can feed ostriches and emus! It costs less than $10 per person to enter and feed the giant birds.
Tip: Don’t feed the ones right at the front — instead, save the food and walk further into Ostrichland to feed the ostriches at the back since they don’t get as much!
More Activities in Solvang
Find the Monarchs at the Butterfly Preserve in Goleta
Take a walk through Ellwood Butterfly Preserve in Goleta between November and February to spot monarch butterflies during their migration to and from California to Mexico.
This preserve just north of Santa Barbara has multiple dirt walking paths that lead through the Eucalyptus groves where the butterflies settle.
Tip: Continue along the trail to the bluffs where you can get incredible ocean views and even access to the beach!
Discover Dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History in Santa Barbara
Natural history museums are one of my favorite types of museums to visit. The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History stands out among the others due to its incredible collection of animals (taxidermy), live butterfly exhibit, and dinosaurs!
The Prehistoric Forest is at the back of the property and has multiple giant, animatronic dinosaurs that move and make noise.
See Chumash Paintings on Painted Cave Rd. in Santa Barbara
Drive up into the mountains to find cave paintings by Chumash Native Americans along Painted Cave Road in Santa Barbara. The road up is narrow and windy, so ensure your car is reliable and has plenty of gas.
There is not a parking lot or large area to park — there is just enough room for a couple of cars to pull over. The cave paintings are protected by an iron gate, but you can easily see them!
More Activities in Santa Barbara
Meditate at The Sacred Space in Summerland
Just south of Santa Barbara is the small, peaceful town of Summerland. It has many fancy home and garden stores, both indoors and outdoors, that are nice to stroll around. The most unique thing in Summerland though, is The Sacred Space.
It is a meditation garden with Buddhist statues, a gift shop full of crystals and other spiritual items, and a few huts where you can sit and meditate. It’s completely free to enter, but you can also purchase items at the gift shop or throughout the garden as many of the statues and outdoor decor are for sale.
Watch a Movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles
Have you ever watched a movie in a cemetery? That’s exactly what you can do at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary! They have occasional showings of movies — particularly around Halloween — as well as early screenings, special movie/TV events, and musical performances.
I was lucky enough to snag tickets to the season finale viewing of Breaking Bad in 2013 where the whole cast and crew watched with us! I met Aaron Paul and got to see Bryan Cranston speak, along with other main actors from the show. It was magical!
Explore Artwork at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles
California is home to hundreds of art museums, all unique and special in their own way. The Getty Center was built on a giant piece of land that overlooks much of Los Angeles.
Its architecture is incredible and what landed it on this list of unique things to do in California, not only due to the wavy roof lines but also the manicured gardens next to the buildings. The art collection is incredible too, of course.
Go inside a Dinosaur in Cabazon
Somehow dinosaurs ended up twice on this list, and that’s probably because it’s not often you get to see giant dinosaurs! The ones in Cabazon are almost life-sized and regularly get repainted in different colors, patterns, and outfits.
You can even go inside one of the dinosaurs to shop the small gift shop. It’s much larger inside than you would expect it to be!
Become a Western Movie Star at Pioneertown
You can’t visit Joshua Tree without stopping at the old western town nearby called Pioneertown. Although it was and still is used as a movie set, Pioneertown is a real town where real people live! They have shops, a restaurant, a post office, and even a hotel that you can visit. Just be respectful of the people who live there.
Visit the World Famous Crochet Museum in Twentynine Palms
World Famous and Crochet Museum aren’t phrases you would expect to see together, but that is what you will find in the extremely eclectic town of Twentynine Palms next to Joshua Tree National Park.
The World Famous Crochet Museum is a small box filled with crochet artworks and was created by artist Shari Elf, who also has a small shop next to the museum where they sell their work. You can go inside the museum, despite its small size (it fits 1-2 people at a time).
Climb a Rock in Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is well-known, but the rocks inside the park are what makes it so unique! The entire area has an eerie vibe to it in a good way that makes the park feel that much more extraterrestrial. From a giant arch to a skull rock, Joshua Tree NP has no shortage of unique rock formations to explore.
Have Drinks at the Trixie Motel in Palm Springs
As a big fan of famous drag queen Trixie Mattel, I was delighted when she created the Trixie Motel in Palm Springs. It’s a small motel that has been fully redesigned into a Barbie-like paradise with pink paint, loud patterns, and custom furniture. You must be a motel guest to use and lounge by the pool, but anyone can visit the lounge to order drinks!
Take a Tram to San Jacinto Mountain Peak in Palm Springs
Palm Springs is known for its desert climate and scalding hot summers, but take a 10-minute tram ride up to San Jacinto Peak and you will be greeted by much cooler temperatures, and sometimes even snow!
We visited in March and although Palm Springs weather was in the high 60s, San Jacinto mountain had just received 6ft of snow. It was a winter wonderland!
Tip: Book online to avoid a long wait when you’re there (standby can take 2+ hours).
Search for Art Installations at Desert X in Palm Springs
Desert X arrives in Palm Springs every other year (odd years) with art installations scattered throughout the county. It’s like a real-life treasure hunt to track down each art installation, which ranges from giant sculptures to interactive pieces you can walk through. Every Desert X year is different, which makes it that much more fun!
Smell the Ranunculuses at the Flower Fields in Carlsbad
Spring and summer in Carlsbad bring crowds from all over to see the stunning flower fields in bloom. The ranunculuses are planted in all different colors throughout the giant fields and are a great spot for photos. Book tickets ahead of time to ensure entry and even buy some planted ranunculuses from their greenhouse shop to take home with you!
Other Unique Places in California
These are all spots that I’ve yet to visit but are still worth mentioning! Every one of these places is on my giant list of things to do in California and I plan to cross them all off.
Bodie State Historic Park
Bodie was once a thriving small town in the 1800s but has since been abandoned and transformed into a state historic park open to the public. This ghost town is located south of Lake Tahoe in eastern California and has been at the top of my list for many years. It was unfortunately closed due to snow and road conditions when we did our Highway 395 road trip in June 2023.
California National Parks
California has 9 National Parks, all unique to the Golden State. While Yosemite is the most well-known one, the other 8 are worth a visit too! Lassen Volcanic National Park and Channel Islands National Park are some of the more unique ones I’ve yet to explore.
Architecture Graveyard, San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly SLO is known for its leading architectural program. The architecture graveyard, also known as Poly Canyon, began in the 1960s when the dean of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design had students use the area to build their architectural projects. Since then, generations of students have used this area to build projects and it is now a place you can visit to see the existing structures.
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