The Best Vacation Spots in California

Palm Springs is located at the base of the Mount San Jacinto Mountains. The city has more than 130 hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and resorts. Outdoor activities include hiking and camping in the Indian Canyons, horseback riding in the Coachella Valley, and mountain biking in the Colorado and Mojave deserts. Palm Springs is a family-friendly city that features an Air Museum, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, Boomer's Park, and the Children's Museum and Knott's Soak City Water Park. A walk around Palm Springs will take you to the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, the Walk of Stars, and Moorten Botanical Gardens. If you'd prefer not to walk, you can rent a Segway or take a bus tour.

Redwood National and State Parks is one of the best vacation spots in California for those who love the outdoors. The temperature is a constant 40 to 60 degrees year-round along the redwood coastline. Summers are milder inland, with warmer temperatures. Winters are cool and wet. Campgrounds at Redwood National and State Parks do not have RV hook-ups, but RVS are allowed. The four campgrounds have a total of 332 sites, some of which are open year-round. The park also offers hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, Indian dance demonstrations, kayaking and whale watching.

Santa Monica is a city in Los Angeles County, with Santa Monica Pier for entertainment, shopping and dining; Pacific Park amusement park; a historic 1922 carousel; and an aquarium. The city has four beach parks: Chess Park with 24 chess tables, 10 of which can accommodate four games at a time; Beach Park No. 1 with a children's playground, 1,493 beach parking spaces and two beach restroom buildings; Muscle Beach with gymnastic equipment; and South Beach Park. The Santa Monica beaches are open year-round for swimming and surfing.