California
The Golden State has so many incredible places to visit that you could spend months here and barely scratch the surface. Whilst most travellers head to coast, we’ve always found ourselves drawn the stunning deserts, mountains and forests that keep bringing us back for more.
California is home to some of the world’s most famous national parks. Yosemite is one that everyone should visit in their lifetime, but you can’t miss the giant trees of Sequoia, the deserts of Joshua Tree, the mysterious Death Valley and the beautiful Redwoods.
With so much to choose from, you’ll find yourself continuously planning your next trip!
Quick Summary
Top Tip: This state is huge, you’ll have a more relaxing trip if you don’t try to cover too much in one go. We met so many people who spent the majority of their holiday in the car!
Safety: Outside the cities, California is generally very safe, you will have to be more careful of wildlife more than humans! As with any major cities certain areas can be seedy so watch where you stay.
When to go: California changes dramatically between peak and off season. We recommend visiting in the spring or autumn (outside of school holidays) when the crowds are fewer and the weather is pleasant.
Peak Season: July - September (European summer school holidays)
Off Season: November - February (excluding Christmas).
Walk My World Cost Index: $$$$$ - California is not just one of the most expensive places in the USA, it’s one of the most expensive in the world. You can find bargains if you hunt around, but it becomes almost impossible during peak season and school holidays.
National Parks & Places to visit
The best Joshua Tree hikes including our favourite track, some beautiful short walks, epic viewpoints and where you want to go for sunrise and sunset.
The best Death Valley hikes for all fitness levels! We take you through the hikes with the best views, the short and easy walks, the more challenging ones, how to plan your trip to do the best Death Valley Walks and everything you need to know for an amazing trip.
The most beautiful natural Mammoth Lakes Hot Springs for a relaxing soak with a view! We’ll tell you the best of the bunch, where to find them, how hot they are, what to expect and all the essential information you need.
Alabama Hills in California - a stunning photography location, especially if you go for sunrise. We’ll explain how to get there, the best time to go, all the best locations and a few other things you can do while visiting Movie Road in Alabama Hills.
If you have just one day to spend in Joshua Tree then you want to make the most of it. This itinerary will take you from sunrise to sunset with the best photography spots and hiking trails so you don't miss a single one of the highlights.
Death Valley is one of the most varied and unique national parks we’ve been to. You’ll find everything from deserted canyons, towering sand dunes, pristine salt flats and multi coloured mountains that don’t even look real. We’ll take you through how to plan the perfect day trip to Death Valley so you don’t miss a single one of the highlights.
Yosemite
A detailed guide to the Clouds Rest hike for one of Yosemite’s best views! We’ll tell you all about what to expect, how hard it is and all the details so you can plan for this epic hike.
The best places to visit for sunset in Yosemite. We’ll tell you where you have to go, how to get there and a gem which very few people visit!
The Upper Yosemite Falls hike is one of Yosemite’s most popular trails but it’s more challenging than we were expecting it to be! We’ll tell you exactly what you need to know before you set off, what expect on the hike and other worthwhile side trails.
There’s nowhere quite like Yosemite and the most difficult decision for hikers is likely to be how on earth to pick from all those trails? That’s where we have you covered, we hiked 16 trails in the park and have cherry picked the best you can manage on a two day trip.
The El Capitan hike is one of the best in Yosemite and few people take it on (making it even better). This is our comprehensive guide to hiking up El Cap: how hard it is, what to expect, how to plan it and everything you need to know to stand at the top of this icon.
If you’ve only got one day in Yosemite you need to follow this itinerary to make sure you don’t miss a single one of the highlights. We’ll tell you the best short trails, photography locations and sunset spot to make sure your day in one of the world’s greatest national parks is one you’ll remember forever.
The best 15 Yosemite photography spots for truly awe-inspiring views. We’ll tell you the most famous photo spots and some hidden gems, along with detailed information about how to get there, the best time to go and what to expect.
The 14 things no one will tell you before the Half Dome hike! We’ll tell you the truth about this incredible hike, how to approach it and what you have to consider before taking on this immense challenge.
16 mistakes you need to avoid when visiting Yosemite to ensure you have the best time! We’ll tell you all the problems that can happen and how you can plan a trip of a lifetime to this incredible national park.
From how far in advance you have to book to advice on which spots you need to avoid. We’ll tell you all the things you need to know to before you go camping in Yosemite.
Everything you need to know about the North Dome hike - one of Yosemite’s quietest trails! We’ll tell you what to expect, the difficulty, the distance, the views, where the hike is located and some photos to inspire you take on this hike!
Everything you need to know about Lembert Dome hike for some of the best views of the Tuolomne Meadows. We’ll tell you what to expect, how difficult it is and all the logistics to escape the crowds on this beautiful trail.
Everything you need to know about Sentinal Dome - Yosemite’s hidden gem! Why you need to go at sunset, our favourite secret viewpoint, what to expect, how to get there and all the essential information about escaping the crowds at this incredible place.
The 16 best hikes in Yosemite from two passionate hikers who have done them all. We’ll tell you exactly what to expect, where they are located, as well as great hikes for every level of fitness - hard, moderate and easy. These are the very best trails in Yosemite.
Sequoia National Park has the chance to see the biggest tree in the entire world but it offers so much more than that. The hikes in Sequoia and Kings Canyon are spectacular with magnificent views, other worldly forests and some wonderful sunset spots too. These are our favourite hikes in the park.