The California Bucket List

While I’ve explored so much of California (click here for those recommendations), it’s a large state with a lot to do! Check out my bucket list of places to see, things to do, restaurants to dine at, and hotels to stay in.

Jump To:

Big Sur/Carmel Valley

Bridgeport

Death Valley

Fish Camp (Yosemite)

Los Angeles Area

Napa/Sonoma

Nipton

Palm Springs

San Diego

San Francisco

Solvang/Santa Ynez

Twentynine Palms/Joshua Tree

Big Sur/Carmel Valley

Kind of Visit: Outdoor adventures - so much natural beauty in this area. Note that The Hearst Castle is 1 1/2 hours away.

Note: Check out our previous post on this area for more to see and do, dine at, and stay in.

where to stay

• Bernardus Lodge & Spa

• Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn

• Glen Oaks Big Sur - Their spa is under the redwoods.

• Hyatt Residence Club Carmel, Highlands Inn, Carmel Highlands

• L'Auberge Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea

• Post Ranch Inn

• Treebones Resort

• Ventana Big Sur, An Alila Resort

where to dine & drink

• Aubergine (Carmell)

• Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant

• Big Sur Roadhouse

• Cafe Guarani (Carmel)

• Cultura Comida y Bebida (Carmel)

• Nepenthe (Big Sur)- Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton have filmed scenes here.

• Seventh & Dolores (Carmel)

• Sierra Mar (Big Sur)

• The Savvy (speakeasy - Monterey)

• Ventana Big Sur

Things to See & Do

• Andrew Molera State Park

• California Sea Otter Game Refuge

• McWay Falls and Waterfall House Ruins

• Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo

• Old Coast Road

• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

• Point Sur State Historic Park

• Take the 1.5 hour drive to Hearst Castle

• Tor House and Hank Tower

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Bridgeport

Note: Since Bridgeport is mainly a historic site (mining town), hotel options will be limited.

where to stay

• Big Meadow Lodge

• Ruby Inn Bridgeport

• Virginia Creek Settlement

where to dine & drink

• Jolly Kone

• Off The Hook Deli

• Rhino’s Bar and Grill

• The Burger Barn

• Virginia Creek Settlement Restaurant

Things to See & Do

• Bodie State Historic Park - Haunted/Abandoned Mining Town

• Travertine Hot Springs - Bring a swimsuit!

• Twin Lakes

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Death Valley

Kind of Visit: Outdoor adventures

where to stay

• The Inn at Death Valley - Both Clark Gable and George Lucas (while he was filming Star Wars) stayed there.

• The Oasis - Home to the lowest golf course in the world and our top pick!

• The Ranch at Death Valley - Death Valley National Park Visitor’s Center is right next door.

where to dine & drink

• 1849 Restaurant - In the Oasis

• Amargosa Hotel Opera House (Amargosa) - Dinner and a show

• Badwater Saloon

• Coffee & Cream - In the Oasis

• Last Kind Words Saloon & Steakhouse - in the Oasis

• The 19th Hole - Off the Oasis Golf Course

Things to See & Do

• Artist’s Palette

• Badwater Basin - 282 ft. below sea level!

• Charcoal Kilns

• Dante’s View

• Darwin Falls

• Devil’s Golf Course - Make sure to wear durable shoes, the salt crystals are sharp!

• Eureka Dunes - They “sing” when you walk on them.

• Ibex Dunes

• Less Flat Joshua Tree Forest

• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

• Natural Bridge

• Racetrack Playa

• Scotty’s Castle

• Ubehebe Crater

• Zabriskie Point - 6 minute drive from The Inn at Death Valley

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Fish Camp (Yosemite)

Kind of Visit: Outdoor adventures

where to stay

• Firefall Lodge

• Southgate Gateway

• Tenaya at Yosemite

• Yosemite Lodging at Big Creek Inn

• Yosemite’s Chalet in the Pines

where to dine & drink

• Aroma Tavern & Buffalo Bar

• Fish Camp General Store

• Jackalope’s Bar and Grill

Things to See & Do

• Ascent Spa

• Faithful Couple

• Goat Meadow Trailhead & Snow Play

• Grizzly Giant

• Lewis Creek Trail South Trailhead

• Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

• Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad

• Yosemite Trails Horseback Adventures

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Los Angeles Area

Looking for Los Angeles? Click here.

Napa/Sonoma

Looking for Napa/Sonoma? Click here.

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Nipton

Kind of Visit: Historical (old mining town) stop-over

where to stay

Since Nipton is day stop to view the ghost town, all hotels will be located outside of Nipton, anywhere from 13-40 miles (South Las Vegas). I’ve posted the closest two below.:

• M Resort Spa Casino

• Residence Inn Las Vegas South/Henderson

• Tiny House

• Tipi in the Mojave Desert

where to dine & drink

• Cima Mining Company

• Whistlestop Oasis Cafe

Things to See & Do

• Nipton Trading Post - A ghost town, one hour over the Nevada border and just 30 minutes from Las Vegas.

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Palm Springs

Kind of Visit: Outdoor adventures, Historical - Who knew there was such thing as an International Banana Museum?

where to stay

• Avalon Hotel and Bungalows Palm Springs

• Dome House

• Korakia Pensione

• L'Horizon Hotel and Spa

• La Serena Villas, A Kirkwood Collection Hotel

• Miramonte Resort and Spa

• Parker

• The Paloma

• The Rossi Hotel

where to dine & drink

• Azucar

• 4 Saints - Best for brunch

• Birba

• Counter Reformation - (Speakeasy)

• Kreem

• Norma’s at Parker Palm Springs

• PS Air Club (Speakeasy inside Bouchet)

• PS Underground (Speakeasy/supper club)

• Seymour’s (Speakeasy)

• The Pink Cabana

• Workshop Kitchen + Bar

Things to See & Do

• Aerial Tramway

• Andreas Canyon Trailhead

• International Banana Museum

• Joshua Tree

• Palm Springs Art Museum

• Tahquitz Canyon

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San Diego

Looking for san diego? Click here.

San Francisco

Looking for san Francisco? Click here.

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Solvang/Santa Yñez

Kind of Visit: Historical - I’m still geeking out over this Danish town!

where to stay

• Atterdag Inn

• Hotel Corque

• Hotel Ynez

• Mirabelle Inn

• The Landsby

• The M Solvang

• The Winston

• Vinland Hotel and Lounge

• Wine Valley Inn

where to dine & drink

• Bit O’ Denmark

• Bob’s Well Bread

• First & Oak

• Good Seed Coffee Boutique

• Mad & Vin

• Mortensen’s Danish Bakery

• Olsen Danish Village Bakery

• Solvang Bakery

• SY Kitchen

Things to See & Do

• Blackjack Ranch Vineyards and Winery

• Elverhoj Museum of History and Art

• Hans Christian Andersen Museum

• Hans Christian Andersen Park

• Jule Hus

• Old Mission Santa Inés

• Solvang Festival Theater

• Sunstone Vineyards

• Tour the town of Solvang (also home to a copy of Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid)

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Twentynine Palms/Joshua Tree

Kind of Visit: Outdoor adventures, Historical

where to stay

• 28 Palms Ranch

• AutoCamp Joshua Tree

• Cactus Adobe

• Campbell House

• Frank Sinatra House (Twentynine Palms)

• Hicksville Trailer Palace (Pee Wee’s Big Top Trailer is available to stay in)

• Joshua Tree House (Yucca Valley)

• Mojave Sands

• Pioneertown Motel

• Sacred Sands - Most exclusive

• Shack Attack Joshua Tree - Hint: It’s a tiny house!

• Sky House

• The Bungalows by Homestead Modern

• The Castle House Estate

• The Habibi House

• The Joshua Tree Inn

where to dine & drink

• Frontier Cafe

• Giant Rock Meeting Room

• Joshua Tree Coffee

• Joshua Tree Saloon

• Kitchen in the Desert

• La Copine

• Natural Sister’s Cafe

• Pappy & Harriet’s - Some of the most famous Western movies were filmed on this site and now it’s a live music venue, saloon, and restaurant.

• The Dez

Things to See & Do

• Arch Rock (Twentynine Palms)

• Brooklyn Mine (Twentynine Palms)

• Integratron (Joshua Tree). -If you have trouble getting in, sign up for one of their Sound Bath experiences.

• Keys Ranch (Joshua Tree) - They only let in 25 people a day. so book well in advance!

• Krblin Jihn Kabin (Joshua Tree)

• Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum (Joshua Tree)

• Pioneertown (Joshua Tree)

• Simi Dabah Sculpture Garden (Joshua Tree) - It’s sitting on private land but you can clearly see it from the road.

• Sky’s the Limit Observatory (Twentynine Palms)- Go at night to see one of the most amazing starry skies!

• Sunvale Village (Twentynine Palms)

• The Art Queen and the World Famous Crochet Museum (Joshua Tree)

• The Giant Rock (Joshua Tree) - Rumor has it, this is a magnet for vortexes and UFOs

• Wonderland Ranch and Wall Street Mill (Twentynine Palms)

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