California Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid’s COVID-19 policy

There are a number of ways to get into California including flying to various airports both big and small such as Los Angeles International Aiport (LAX) and Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). Where you fly into largely depends on what area of California you plan to spend your time in. You can also drive into the state of California or catch public transportation such as taking a bus or catching a train. 

Read more about getting to California

California has a very Mediterranean climate with hot, relatively dry summers and mild winters. This kind of weather pattern is mostly true for the majority of areas in California but there are some exceptions such as San Francisco experiencing fog in spring, the Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges experiencing snow, and Palm Springs experiencing extreme heat. 

Read more about snow in California

What to pack for California largely depends on which area in the state you're traveling to. However, if you're traveling in summer you should pack clothing items such as dresses, shorts, and t-shirts as Californian summers can be quite warm. While the temperatures in winter are quite mild, you should still be prepared for colder weather especially in the evenings so packing pants, sweaters, and appropriate footwear is essential. 

As a state, California has a higher crime rate than the USA on average. This is largely due to the crime rates in the major cities of California being quite high. This is to be expected though and as long as you're aware of your surroundings and stick to well-populated tourist areas, it is fairly safe. Precautions should still be taken though, that of sticking to well-lit areas, avoiding going out at night by yourself, and leaving a bar/attraction if you feel uncomfortable. 

California has several theme parks in various major cities including Los Angeles and San Diego. Some of the most popular theme parks in California are below: 

• Disneyland
• Universal Studios Hollywood 
• Six Flags Magic Mountain 
• California's Great America in San Francisco 
• Pacific Park 

California has 28 national parks, all located in different regions of the state. Redwood National Park is the largest national park in California and is located on the Northern Coast. The most popular national park is Yosemite thanks to its stunning natural landscapes, gushing waterfalls, and other geological features. Some of the best national parks in California are below: 

• Yosemite National Park 
• Joshua Tree National Park 
• Death Valley National Park 
• Sequoia National Park 
• Point Reyes National Seashore 

California is a very popular state among tourists thanks to its sunny weather all year round, metropolitan cities, and impressive natural landscapes. These tourists can come from neighboring states or from across the country in a variety of ways including by car or by plane. The quickest way to travel to California is by catching a flight but you can also opt for a 'road trip' style car journey. Below is how far California is from its neighboring states by plane: 

• As Arizona is relatively close to the state of California, the flight time is roughly 1 hour, 18 minutes. 
• The journey by plane between Colorado and California is just over 2 hours. 
• To travel between Texas and California, it would take you approximately 3 hours by plane. 
• Catching a flight from New York to California will take you a little of 5 hours if you were to fly non-stop. 
• Similarly, to travel between Florida and California will take you 5 hours by plane.

There is plenty to see and do in California and these top events will occupy you for, not just hours, but days: 

• BottleRock Music Festival
• Coachella 
• Stagecoach 
• Lightning in a bottle 

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. Accessibility depends on whereabouts in California you're travelling to but in general, the state is relatively well equipped to deal with any disabilities in many areas such as mobility, transportation, and communication. However, we’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveller. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. 

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe.

Find out more or make a donation