Read our guide for why San Francisco is the best place to go for fresh seafood, world-class art, thrilling wildlife experiences, and so much more.

California

10 Reasons Why You Should Visit San Francisco

From history and art, to music, theater, hiking and food – here are 16 reasons why you need to visit LA.

16 Reasons Why You Should Visit Los Angeles at Least Once in Your Lifetime

A rare view from a helipad, a beam of light illuminates a lava tube, and who says SoCal has no seasons?

23 Shots of Southern California Like You've Never Seen It

From mountain retreats to peaceful coastal gems, discover California’s many picturesque towns and villages.

The 10 Most Beautiful Towns and Villages in California

It’s no secret that Northern California has some of the best wines in the country and even in the world. Here's your guide.

The Best Wineries To Visit In Northern California

Foggy and progressive, San Francisco is the crown jewel of Northern California. This compact, hilly city at the center of the wider San Francisco Bay Area has witnessed many of America’s most influential cultural moments, from hippie counterculture in the ’60s to the dot-com revolution at the turn of the last century and today’s tech boom.  

Though characterized by its history of resistance, San Francisco is struggling against the pull of a tech-driven future. The impact of gentrification can be seen in the city’s soaring house prices and the rapid transformation of neighborhoods like SoMa and the Mission, where the friction between old-school San Franciscans and the influx of young professionals is palpable.

Introducing San Francisco

Even with all its hills, San Francisco’s small size makes it a walkable city. Those with calves of steel are rewarded with a showcase of its architectural splendor; the view from Alamo Square – brightly colored Victorian houses against a backdrop of Downtown skyscrapers – is particularly iconic. Of course, taking in the Art Deco masterpiece that is the Golden Gate Bridge is a must on any San Francisco trip, as is a visit to the former prison on Alcatraz Island. 

Every neighborhood has a story to tell. The heart of the ’60s hippie revolution, Haight-Ashbury, is the place to go to relive the Summer of Love all year round, while the nearby Castro district is one of America’s first gay neighborhoods and a magnet for LGBTQ+ travellers to this day. North Beach, the birthplace of the Beatnik movement and home of the City Lights bookstore, is equally historic. SF also boasts the oldest and largest Chinatown in North America, which explains the city’s reputation for great dim sum.

San Francisco attractions and sightseeing

San Francisco neighborhoods

From the Hollywood hills to the Venice Beach boardwalk, Los Angeles is a cinematic city of dreams, where every sunset feels like a scene from a movie. The center of the entertainment world, La La Land may be home to countless celebrities, television studios and film sets, but it’s not all about star-spotting and brunching in Beverly Hills. 

LA is a sprawling county with myriad different cultures and communities: the coastal enclaves of Long Beach and Santa Monica; the built-up, bustling Downtown and Arts District; Compton, birthplace of some of rap’s biggest names; bohemian Venice; and the trendy neighborhoods of Silver Lake and Echo Park. Attracting the world’s most ambitious and extravagant characters, every neighborhood in this eclectic, showy city is prime for people watching.

Introducing Los Angeles

A must-visit on any LA trip is Hollywood Boulevard, home to the legendary Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre. Movie fans will also enjoy the rides at Universal Studios and the resting place of the stars, Hollywood Forever Cemetery; art lovers should make a beeline for the Getty Center, a hilltop gallery that houses an impressive permanent collection of European and American works. LA’s urban sprawl is flanked by golden beaches and spectacular hills and canyons, making surfing and hiking popular pastimes among Angelenos. Try Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park for relatively easy trails that take in views of the Hollywood Sign and the Griffith Observatory. There are plenty of great beaches to catch a wave, but first-time visitors should hit the sands in Malibu, where LA’s surf culture began.

Best of LA tourism

Los Angeles neighborhoods

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For millennia, the boomerang was an Indigenous hunting tool — but discover how the souvenir trade turned it into an international icon of Australia.

Pacific

Australia

Why the Boomerang is Australia’s Iconic Symbol

Read our guide to decide where to visit in Australia, depending on whether you like snow, surf, sun or remote destinations.

Where To Go in Australia Based on Your Personality

Thought to be one of the last major landmasses settled by humans, New Zealand offers a plethora of breathing taking sights across its two main islands. We look at the top 10 art and culture hotels that revel in the natural and cultural splendour of this southern nation.  

New Zealand

The 10 Best Art And Culture Hotels In New Zealand

From the ricotta hotcakes at Top Paddock to Heston's meat fruit - these are 14 of the most popular foods you need to try in Melbourne.

The 14 Dishes You Must Eat in Melbourne

The Culture Trip explores 10 of the best places to eat in Australia's culture capital.

The 10 Best Restaurants In Melbourne

Discover the best places in Fiji to scuba dive with some of the most feared marine species in the world.

Fiji

The Best Places to Dive with Sharks in Fiji

First time travelling to New Zealand? Make sure to follow these 14 practical tips about the Kiwi way of doing things.

14 New Zealand Travel Tips That Might Save Your Life

Read our guide to the top 10 Fijian festivals that showcase the archipelago's vibrant, multi-cultural heritage.

The Top 10 Festivals You Don't Want To Miss In Fiji

Australia's culinary love affair with desserts is much more than pavlova and lamingtons. Discover the sugary, delicious foods you are missing out on!

Australia's 10 Most Loved Desserts

Visiting Australia is a bit like visiting another planet for many people. Here's our list of things tourists should not do when visiting Oz.

10 Things All Tourists Should Never Do in Australia

From diverse landscapes to native animals and indigenous cultural heritage here are 16 reasons why you should visit Australia.

16 Reasons Everyone Should Visit Australia Once in Their Lifetime

New Zealand's top 10 best photographers capture nature and locals with simplistic beauty.

The Top 10 New Zealand Photographers You Must Not Miss

Discover the most beautiful spots in the Fiji Islands with our guide to the locations every travel photographer dreams of visiting.

The Most Beautiful Spots in Fiji

Surprise, surprise, there are some rather breathtaking views to be seen in Australia; from snow covered summits to dense forests, you cant miss these!

A Tour Of Australia's Greatest Mountains

Explore Culture Trip's guide to finding the best ways to enjoy an ecotourism holiday in New Zealand.

The 10 Best Ecotourism Experiences in New Zealand

Discover hidden stairwells, breathtaking views and fascinating secrets, all while exploring San Francisco on foot.

Why You Need To Go Urban Hiking in San Francisco

Beautiful and fascinating natural treasures can be found throughout the great state of California, if adventurers know where to look.

10 Beautiful Places in California You Didn't Know Existed

Los Angeles's top attractions include a cemetery-cinema, unconventional museums, a mega-shopping destination and outstanding urban hiking.

20 Must-See Los Angeles Attractions

The Best Travel, Food and Culture Guides for California, USA - Local News & Top Things to Do