Countless films, TV series, books and songs have been devoted to California, which over the years has become the ideal setting for the American dream of sun, surf and a slightly hippy way of life.

It is precisely this laid-back “mood” that has helped to build, in the popular imagination, the idea of a state where you can breathe an air of freedom.

Surfers roam the state’s beaches, chasing the highest waves; Berkeley students frequent the places that gave rise to the student revolution of ’68; the most modern hi-tech companies set up in Palo Alto; health enthusiasts and sports lovers find in Los Angeles a lifestyle in line with their expectations; street artists bring the Venice Beach boardwalk to life; party-goers from all over the country visit, at least once in their lives, San Diego to enjoy the sea, the sun and the fun.

The list could go on and on… what is certain is that anyone lucky enough to visit California can not only admire enchanting landscapes but also soak up the typically Californian atmosphere, relaxed and alternative.

Anyone about to set off is spoilt for choice when it comes to getting into the right travelling mood: the hours in the air fly by in the company of the book “Los Angeles” by A. M. Homes, the film Big Wednesday or the songs of the Beach Boys.

San Diego: sun, sea and surf

The famous opening line of the Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ U.S.A.” sums up the spirit of this city. Sunshine almost all year round, warmth, surf, beautiful beaches and fun… all of this is part of San Diego.

Tourists appreciate its surroundings, made up of enchanting beaches, cliffs plunging into the sea and inhabited by sea lions, viewpoints and charming Victorian-style houses.

A visit to Coronado Beach is an absolute must: it is no coincidence that it is known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States; after a walk on the beach and a visit to the historic Hotel del Coronado, you can stroll down Orange Avenue, the avenue lined with shops and restaurants, from which you can admire a splendid view of San Diego.

The city “centre” has plenty to offer in terms of shopping, bars and entertainment of all kinds; the zoo and the aquarium, famous throughout the country, are the ideal destination for families.

Balboa Park is one of the main attractions: the city’s green lung caters for every taste; numerous gardens alternate with Spanish colonial-style buildings housing museums and exhibitions. As you walk along the park’s tree-lined avenues, it feels like being in a “city within the city” where you can relax, stop for a coffee or enjoy the beauty of nature.

There really are plenty of alternatives: indeed, this place attracts tourists and locals alike, who appreciate its botanical variety and its wide cultural offering.

Los Angeles, the city of opportunity

It can take hours to cross the whole city, which is made up of many urban centres, very different from one another and connected by veritable motorways. What immediately strikes anyone visiting Los Angeles is the enormous size of the city and its contradictions; the transition from delightful, well-kept neighbourhoods to more run-down areas is immediate.

Los Angeles really does offer everything; some, in fact, call it the city of opportunity because its attractions are many and satisfy lovers of cinema, art, architecture, entertainment, surfing, nature, fitness and so on.

A stroll along the Walk of Fame and a visit to Universal Studios are not to be missed: visitors can rediscover the settings of films and series that have made cinema history. You can then climb the hill up to Griffith Park and meet the famous Hollywood sign, immortalising yourself in a movie-style photo. At the end of the day, why not enter the Getty Center complex and enjoy the boundless panorama of the city stretching to the horizon? This spectacular view is particularly recommended at sunset, when a light haze blends with the red glow of the sky.

Downtown, with the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Beverly Hills, with the famous Rodeo Drive, are certainly worth a visit; and afterwards, why not drive along the world-famous Sunset Boulevard and arrive in Santa Monica in time for an aperitif? It is the ideal place to sip a cocktail, stroll along the Pier among kiosks and stalls and stop for dinner in one of the restaurants serving crab and lobster.

The surroundings of Los Angeles are spectacular too: the beaches of Malibu, the canyons of Topanga State Park, the Santa Monica Mountains… driving along the roads that climb into the hills of these areas, you sense that, hidden behind gates and vegetation, lie the enormous villas of California’s celebrities.

San Francisco, the cosmopolitan metropolis

In the ups and downs of the city you breathe a different air from that of other big American cities: San Francisco, cosmopolitan and open, has felt a more marked European influence.

Historically, numerous communities live side by side in the city, having settled here and developed their own culture and traditions: just think of Little Italy, Chinatown or Japantown. A tour of these neighbourhoods allows visitors to immerse themselves in cultures that may be very distant, taste typical foods and buy unusual objects.

The hills of San Francisco are famous the world over: tourists and locals climb them on foot or by taking, even just for a few stops, the cable cars that over the years have become one of the city’s symbols. One of the cable car lines stops right at the top of the much-photographed Lombard Street, the most crooked street in the world.

From there you can push on to Fisherman’s Wharf, the waterfront overlooking San Francisco Bay, where you simply must try a crab-meat sandwich. Pier 39 attracts tourists from all over the world, who lose themselves among shops and bars before reaching the Sea Lion Viewing Area, the busiest spot on the pier thanks to the sea lions that gather there at certain times of the year.

From this area depart the ferries that offer the chance to take a trip around the bay, stopping at Alcatraz prison for a guided tour.

For architecture enthusiasts we recommend a tour of the Alamo Square and Haight-Ashbury neighbourhoods to discover and photograph the many Victorian houses painted in bright colours. As soon as you come across one, memories of famous films and old TV series from the ’80s and ’90s spring to mind.

The surroundings of San Francisco also deserve a visit: driving across the Golden Gate Bridge and leaving the city behind you is a genuine thrill. Not infrequently, when you reach the other side of the bay, the city or part of the bridge is wrapped in a thick, fast-moving fog; on such occasions the photos you can take from the Golden Gate View Point are unique. Once on the other side of the bay, it is worth continuing to Sausalito, a picturesque fishing village where you can admire the view of the San Francisco skyline, sample the local fish or stop for a coffee.

Choose the Guiness Travel Tours

For Guiness Travel, travel is an enriching experience to be savoured in every pleasant moment, and it means being pampered with every kind of comfort; the only way to guarantee the well-being of participants and respect for the places visited is to open our tours only to a limited number of selected participants.

All the itineraries in the catalogue are 100% independently planned and are carefully designed and tested, allowing our product to evolve constantly and reach a high and wide-ranging cultural standard.

That is why we created the Guiness Exclusive Tour, a unique travel experience with an eye to sustainability, which gives you significant advantages:

  • organisation;
  • attention to detail;
  • a search for excellent services on the ground (designed to give you maximum comfort, leaving you free to think of nothing but enjoying the moment).

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