{"id":68478,"date":"2024-01-30T09:14:10","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T22:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=68478"},"modified":"2025-02-27T03:27:05","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T16:27:05","slug":"california-or-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/california-or-florida\/","title":{"rendered":"California or Florida? Which US state should you travel to?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On the one hand, there\u2019s \u2018The Golden State,\u2019 and on the other, \u2018The Sunshine State.\u2019 Easy, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States<\/a> may boast a whopping 50 of them, each one bursting with things you want to see, do and eat, but it\u2019s little surprise you\u2019ve settled on either California<\/a> or Florida as your next holiday destination. As someone who\u2019s been to both, I think you\u2019ve made a good choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the hard part is choosing which one you actually want to travel to. Deciding between these two sun-drenched states might seem surface-level simple, but you\u2019ll have to look beyond their respective fantastic weather conditions if you want to book your North American<\/a> getaway with the confidence of a Hollywood starlet strutting down Sunset Boulevard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s where this comparison blog comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From California\u2019s cities to Florida\u2019s national parks and fast-food restaurants, these two states pack an adventurous punch. But which one comes out on top? Put the kettle on and keep your glasses handy; it\u2019s time for some serious reading (followed by some equally serious deciding).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cities in California<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Concrete jungles are where dreams are made (and also make up part of the criteria determining your next holiday destination).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Palm<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Los Angeles<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

California\u2019s \u2018City of Angels\u2019 is one of those destinations you simply have to go to. Yes, it might be slightly overhyped, but a city this iconic<\/a> needs to be seen, if only for a couple of days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hollywood Walk of Fame, Santa Monic Pier and shopping at Rodeo Drive are all must-do\u2019s when visiting this glitzy city but if you want to swap the touristy stuff for something that feels a little more cultural (there are no celebrity house bus tours on this recommendation list), opt for a hike to Runyon Canyon or visits to the Hollywood Bowl, Grand Central Market and Griffith Observatory.<\/p>\n\n\n

Top trips starting in Los Angeles<\/h2>
Tamang Heritage & Langtang Valley Trek<\/a><\/div>
15 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Premium Morocco Highlights<\/a><\/div>
9 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Java & Bali Explorer<\/a><\/div>
22 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

San Francisco<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

San Francisco might also be called the \u2018Golden Gate\u2019 city, which immediately makes me think of its iconic and extremely Instagramable bridge of the same name, but the beauty of this urban jungle lies in its spooky island prison<\/a>, its undulating streets and its coastal scenery. Packed with a history so fascinating that learning about it doesn\u2019t feel like you\u2019re back in high school, San Francisco<\/a> deserves its hype. Truly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the twisting, turning and colourful Lombard Street to Fisherman\u2019s Wharf and the mystical Muir Woods, you can spend weeks in this part of California and still not see everything it has to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, anyone keen for a The Princess Diaries <\/em>filming location tour?<\/p>\n\n\n

Top trips that visit San Francisco<\/h2>
Complete Scandinavia<\/a><\/div>
21 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
New Zealand Northern Trail (Northbound)<\/a><\/div>
10 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Svalbard Explorer: Best of High Arctic Norway<\/a><\/div>
11 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

San Diego<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This might be the second-famous \u2018San\u2019 in California but it\u2019s certainly not the least. Often overlooked for its flashier neighbours, San Diego is a \u201824 degrees and always sunny\u2019 kinda place, boasting coastlines, cultural attractions and sporting stadiums perfect for a few days of exploring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From marvelling at surfy scenery along seaside Coast Boulevard in La Jolla Cove (a 20-minute drive from downtown San Diego) to wandering through the lush Balboa Park where there\u2019s a museum or restaurant around every corner (including its world-famous zoo), you can try but you\u2019ll never get bored in this spectacular city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: San Fran to LA, exploring California’s epic coast<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast Food in California<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can\u2019t go to the United States and not have fast food. Like you literally just can\u2019t. I think the flight attendants can sniff it out when you\u2019re boarding the plane home and will force you to turn around in search of the nearest food court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Juicy<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In & Out<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If your TikTok feed is anything like mine, you watch roughly 268 videos a day of people eating a \u2018double double animal style, add chopped chillis and extra spread\u2019 with a side of \u2018animal style fries\u2019. It might sound like gibberish but it\u2019s actually a popular order from one of California\u2019s biggest fast-food restaurants, In & Out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prone to ridiculously long lines at each of the store\u2019s 272 Californian locations, this iconic smash burger joint has a relatively simple menu featuring burgers, fries, soft drinks and shakes and a \u2018secret\u2019 menu that\u2019s not that<\/em> secret featuring protein-style burgers (burgers wrapped in lettuce), the flying dutchman (burger patties sandwiched between onion) and the previously mentioned \u2018animal style\u2019 burgers (a combination of additional spread, cheese and grilled onions).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Crispy<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mcdonald\u2019s<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here in Australia, we might know it (and love it) as Maccas, but this iconic burger-centric fast foodery was first created in 1940 in San Bernadino, California. While it\u2019s not the most sophisticated of cuisines, a Mcdonald\u2019s Cheeseburger\/Quarter Pounder\/Big Mac\/McChicken will always hit the spot and is still worth trying, even if you eat it once a fortnight back home (but who\u2019s counting?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why, you ask? Because there are some items you simply can\u2019t get in Oz. Like biscuits and gravy, a southern-style breakfast that consists of a biscuit (more like a British scone) with thick, sausage-flavoured gravy. And the McRib, filled with a tender pork patty that\u2019s slathered in tangy BBQ sauce and sandwiched between a \u2018special\u2019 bun. Need I say more?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: The top foods you must try in LA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Parks in California<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure><\/div>
\"A<\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yosemite<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

California truly has some of the best national parks in the United States, and Yosemite<\/a> proudly leads that charge. It might be hard to pronounce, but it\u2019s not hard to explore with giant waterfalls, dramatic mountain ranges, and crystal-clear lakes guaranteed to keep you and your camera occupied for hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether your feet are itching to get out onto the national park\u2019s many hiking trails (the Mist Trail, Hetchy Hetchy Reservoir Walk and the Tuolomne Hike just to name a few), take in the monolithic sequoia trees littered throughout the park, try your hand at rock climbing up the famous El Capital or even simply watch the sky as it turns a spectacular shade of orangey pink above the park\u2019s Glacier Point, there\u2019s more than enough adventure to be had in Yosemite.<\/p>\n\n\n

Explore Yosemite<\/h2>
Hiking in Yosemite National Park<\/a><\/div>
6 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Western USA Encompassed<\/a><\/div>
21 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Southwest USA Canyons & Cultures<\/a><\/div>
8 days<\/span><\/div>
View trip<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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