Southern California

California's sunny south, made up of Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara and more, offering beaches, theme parks and desert national parks.

Southern California (SoCal) is a general name for about ten counties in the south of the state. It is not an administrative region, and its population and tourism resources are highly concentrated. It roughly stretches from Santa Barbara in the north to the Mexican border in the south, and east to the Colorado Desert. Highlights: Los Angeles (Hollywood, Griffith Observatory, the Getty Center, Universal Studios, Santa Monica and Venice Beach); Disneyland in Anaheim; Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach in Orange County; San Diego (Balboa Park, SeaWorld, Legoland, the seals and sea lions of La Jolla, Coronado); Santa Barbara's Spanish mission and wine country; and in the inland desert, the resorts of Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert, which has wildflowers in spring. A classic plan: Los Angeles 4–5 days (including theme parks) + San Diego 2–3 days + Palm Springs/Joshua Tree 1–2 days, 7–10 days in all, well suited to families and beach holidays. Cities are spread out and public transportation is weak, so driving is strongly recommended. Traffic in Los Angeles at peak times is severe, so plan your itinerary by area. Between San Diego and Los Angeles you can take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner coastal train.

Destinations

Itineraries