The best free things to do in California
Lonely Planet Editors
15 March 2021
Sprawling California may be that state that gave us the Gold Rush and home to some of the most expensive cities in the United States, but you don t have to blow your vacation budget to visit. Some of the best sites in California are free to experience, from the towering redwoods of NorCal to the surf breaks of SoCal and dozens of wineries, museums, gardens, and cultural touchstones in between.
Whether you re looking for stunning state parks or museums that cover subjects from the avant garde to cryptozoology, Italian grapes or California cuisine, marine wildlife or towering man-made infrastructure, there s a lot to see in the Golden State. We narrowed your list down to the top 32 free attractions in California you don t want to miss, organized from north to south.
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The Golden State has it all, from snow-covered mountains to majestic forests to metropolises and miles and miles of ocean views and there s no better way to see it than on a California road trip.
Dreaming of a California road trip? Of course, you are because who wouldn’t want to hit the open road to explore unbeatable beaches, matchless mountains, divine deserts, national parks, bustling big cities, quaint seaside villages, lush lakes, historic sites, artist colonies, and wonderful wine countries? A number of iconic drives start or end there, including historic Route 66.
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