Ride a Bus Rental in California and Enjoy Everything the State Has to Offer!

California's many theme parks are best described as iconic and fun. Check out Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, the first theme park in the country. California is also home to the first Disneyland. There is also California's Great America in Santa Clara, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, and Gilroy Gardens, the newest kid-friendly park in the northern part of the state.

Also check out the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, where you could get some old school theme park fun and ride the Mystery Sport.

If you love thrill rides, then go to Six Flags Magic Mountain with its 18 roller coasters, to Walley World, or to Hurricane Harbor.

Universal Studios Hollywood might be half a century old but it still gives you the best behind-the-scenes experience with its Tram Tour. You can also go to the Knott's Southern California Resort and the state's second Disney park, Disney California Adventure.

Furthermore, you can visit LEGOLAND Resort in Carlbad or SeaWorld San Diego in Mission Bay.

Other theme parks here include:

• Adventure City
• Balboa Fun Zone
• Belmont Park
• Castle Amusement Park
• Children's Fairyland
• Fairytale Town
• Funderland
• Gilroy Gardens Theme Park
• Mountasia Family Fun Center
• Nut Tree Family Park
• Pacific Park
• Pharaohs Lost Kingdom
• Pier 39
• Pixie Woods
• Pixieland Amusement Park
• Rotary Storyland & Playland
• Scandia Amusement Park
• Sonoma Traintown
• Studio Park Hollywood
• Trees of Mystery

California is known to attract artistic minds and personalities and it shows by the variety of arts and culture venues and attractions you can find throughout the entire state. From large world-renowned museums to small art galleries, to places that showcase the area's culture and subculture, to fantastic music and performance venues, to everything else in between, you can find them in California.

You could visit the many art communities here, including those in Carmel, Laguna Beach and Mendocino. You could hit the Backstreet Art District, where you could find the Dezart One Gallery and attend a poetry reading session, watch a film or a play, or see the best new paintings on exhibit. You should also not miss Sacramento, with its growing number of art galleries, and Chico, where you can find Satava Art Glass.

The state is home to dozens of art museums. Some of the notable ones you should consider visiting include:

• De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park are both in San Francisco and have some of the finest art pieces in the world.
• Asian Art Museum has more than 10,000 artifacts and art from the Far East and Near East.
• The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose brings you the latest wonders out of Silicon Valley. Here, you could see the many breakthroughs and technological advancements such as robots cooking your food and other displays on biotechnology, microelectronics, space exploration and materials science.
• The American Museum of Ceramic Art shows you just how beautiful clay can be. Here you will find various ceramics, archaeological finds, pottery and other similar exhibits.

Other museums worth checking out are:

• Anaheim Museum
• Bakersfield Museum of Art
• Carnegie Art Museum
• Getty Center in Los Angeles
• Laguna Art Museum
• Mingei International Museum
• Monterey's State Historic Park
• Old Sacramento
• Page Museum
• San Diego Museum of Art
• San Luis Obispo Museum of Art
• The J. Paul Getty Museum
• The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

There are also art museums in most cities and localities here, and there is a great set of university museums you can go to, including:

• Art, Design & Architecture Museum at UC Santa Barbara
• Beall Center for Art + Technology
• California State University Art Museum
• Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
• Contemporary Jewish Museum
• Fisher Gallery
• Fowler Art Museum
• Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery
• San Francisco State University Fine Arts Gallery
• The Hammer Museum at UCLA
• University of California, Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive

And to prove that California has a museum for everything, you can visit the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, which is housed inside an old lighthouse. Other surfing museums here include the California Surf Museum and the International Surfing Museum.

Or you can see the works of Charles M. Schulz at the Schulz Museum, where more than 6,000 Peanuts strips are on display. Lastly, check out the Cartoon Art Museum.

Performance arts and music. There is always the Los Angeles Philharmonic to give you a splendid performance. A bonus point is that the orchestra performs at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, which was designed by Frank Gehry and furnished with stainless steel. You can also go to the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco and catch the San Francisco Opera perform. You could also catch a performance from the San Francisco Ballet here. Then there's the American Conservatory Theater, which is one of the most renowned regional theaters in the country. Plus there's the Balboa Park in San Diego, with its concentration of more than a dozen arts organizations such as the Old Globe Theater. And, mind you, these are just some of the biggest performance and music groups in the state.

What's more, you should attend the Inland Empire Jazz and Blues Festival or the Mammoth Lakes Jazz Jubilee. And there's the free summer concerts done by Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, and the San Francisco Free Folk Festival.

Arts and culture is so prevalent and pervasive in California that the variety of venues you can go to can be overwhelming. If you opt to have a truly unique experience, you can go and enjoy a performance at Death Valley, or go on the Mission Trail, where you can immerse yourself in the architecture of the old Spanish missions and learn more about their history. You can also see how movies are made when you take a studio backlot tour and visit the homes of notable authors and poets such as Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, Mark Twain, John Steinbeck and Eugene O'Neill.

Shopping, like a lot of things in the state, takes on an art form. You can find anything in one of California's quaint little shops or inside the great malls in the state. You can also go to one of the many farmers markets or to an artist enclave, or you can save from the bargains you find at outlet centers. Designer clothing? There are high-end shops where you can splurge.

Visit the state's best shopping neighborhoods and meet the locals as you shop for great items. Carmel and Monterey are two of the best towns to explore when shopping. Both are very lovely and quaint. Monterey has great art galleries, antique shops, and jewelry stores, while Carmel has a great collection of unique boutiques. You could also go down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills for some of the best couture. On this street, you would find the world's top designers: Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and Cartier.

If you want the brand name but you are not willing to pay the price, then head to the outlets. Check out the South Coast Plaza in Orange County or the outlets in Central Valley, the Vacaville Premium Outlets, and Preferred Outlets at Tulare. There are also great local shops that offer unique items and artisan merchandise. From here, you can get handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, musical instruments and other items that you could not find elsewhere. You should also patronize fair trade objects, unusual handicrafts and native plants.

Dining options abound in California as well. Be sure to check out some of the best. And when we say the best, that list usually includes The Bazaar in Los Angeles, which is known for its Spanish food, Animal for its meaty dishes, or Osteria Mozza for its Italian fare. San Francisco has Zuni Cafe, Bar Tartine, La Taqueria, and Mission Chinese Food. You should also try Bouchon Bistro in Yountville and Chez Panisse in Berkeley. But if you could only fit one restaurant into your day's itinerary, then make it the French Laundry in Yountville, where you could dine inside a stone building and feast on the delicious food it is known for. The restaurant is an AAA Five Diamond Awardee.

Other restaurants you should not miss include:

• Ad Hoc, Yountville
• Boulevard, San Francisco
• Coi, San Francisco
• Father's Office, Los Angeles
• Fig, Los Angeles
• Flour + Water, San Francisco
• Gjelina, Venice
• Jitlada, Los Angeles
• Lucques, Los Angeles
• Michael Mina, San Francisco
• Mustards Grill, Napa
• Slanted Door, San Francisco
• Son of a Gun, Los Angeles
• Spago, Los Angeles
• The Hitching Post II, Buellton
• Valentino, Santa Monica

Golfers love California's great weather all year round. It gives them the chance to putt no matter what season it is. Plus, the state has several tournaments that draw golf lovers from all over the country. In fact, there are hundreds of golf courses that dot California. If you want to go for the place with the most number of golf courses, then head on to San Diego. The city has close to 100 courses. Or you could go to Pebble Beach, which probably has the most beautiful cluster of golf courses in the state. The golf courses in Pebble Beach have been lauded as environmentally friendly and top-notch. Go to Pebble Beach Golf Links, the greatest public course in the country, while spyglass Hill Golf Course is rated as one of the most challenging courses among championship courses. The Links at Spanish Bay gives you beautiful views to go with your golf game and the Del Monte Golf Course is the oldest among the lot while the Peter Hay Golf Course allows you to play a short golf game. Other courses in Pebble Beach include Poppy Hills Golf Course, Cypress Point Golf Course, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

Other notable golf courses in the state include:

• Pasatiempo Golf Club, located in Santa Cruz, is a regular fixture of the Top 100 golf courses list collated by Golfweek. It was designed by Alister Mackenzie, who lived on the course until his death.
• Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort is actually located 214 feet below sea level, making it one of the 50 toughest golf courses in the country. On the other hand, there are golf courses here that are located high up in the mountains, such as courses at the Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, the Sierra Star Golf Course and the Golf Club at Whitehawk Ranch.
• Half Moon Bay Golf Links gives you beautiful ocean views just South of San Francisco. Trump National in Los Angeles is another golf course that boasts ocean views that are to-die-for. This golf course was designed by Pete Dye.
• Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club gives you a combination of top-notch golfing experience with great resort experience. The same with Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Palm Springs.

Other golf courses you can visit are:

• Torrey Pines Golf Course
• La Quinta Resort
• CordeValle Golf Club
• Rustic Canyon Golf Course
• Pelican Hill Golf Club
• Indian Wells Golf Resort
• TPC Harding Park
• Desert Willow Golf Resort
• Bayonet Black Horse Golf Course
• Barona Creek Golf Club
• Saddle Creek Resort
• Old Greenwood
• Indian Wells Golf Resort
• Coyote Moon Golf Course
• Park Hyatt Aviara Resort
• Whitehawk Ranch Golf Club
• Maderas Golf Club
• Marriott's Shadow Ridge
• Journey at Pechanga
• Dark Horse Golf Club

Sports. California is also a great place to catch some professional sports action.

American football teams such as the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers, and the San Diego Chargers play at the Levi's Stadium and the Qualcomm Stadium.

Professional basketball teams such as Los Angeles' Clippers and Lakers play their home games at the Staples Center, while the Golden State Warriors play at the Oracle Arena. There is also the Sacramento Kings.

Baseball's San Francisco Giants play at the AT&T Park, while the Dodgers, the Angels and the San Diego Padres play at the Petco Park, near the Gaslamp Quarter. For minor league teams, you can catch them play at Chukchansi Park or at Raley Field.

Soccer sees the epic battles between the San Jose Earthquakes and the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Ice hockey takes you to the SAP Center to see the San Jose Sharks and the Ducks in Anaheim.

On top of team sports, you also have annual sporting events that you should not miss, including:

• Amgen Tour of California
• AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
• BNP Paribas Open
• Breeders' Cup at the Santa Anita Park
• Mavericks Invitational
• NASCAR Sprint Cup
• US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach

There are also skiing and snowboarding events held at the Mammoth Mountain, Squaw Valley, Northstar California, and Heavenly Resort.

There are several iconic landmarks in the state that will tell you that you are truly in California and nowhere else. Landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is well known because of its suspension system that was cutting edge when it was opened in the 1930. The Hollywood sign is yet another recognizable landmark. Other sites that you could visit include the Pasadena City Hall, Aircraft Carrier Museum, the Colton Hall, Maidu Interpretive Center and Historic Site, Southern Pacific Depot, and Tallac Historic Site

What's more, California is home to more than 2,600 places that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, you should probably plan on getting a bus rental in California and visiting these sites. Be forewarned, however, that it can be a lot of places for some cities. There are close to 200 historic sites and landmarks in San Francisco alone, while Los Angeles city proper has more than 220, and Alameda has 150.

Beaches abound in California. With more than 1,100 miles of coastline, you can find a beach that is very near you. From having the southern coasts' wide open expanses of sand for you to enjoy to dramatic cliffs of the northern coasts, you can find the best beaches in the country here. You can catch the sea lions and other underwater animals at San Carlos Beach, where you could get individual underwater diving lessons. Or you can go to Gold Bluffs Beach, where you can hike, fish, camp and see wildlife.

The biggest thing you can do at the beaches is to surf and there are a lot of options to choose from if you want to go boogie boarding, body surfing or surfing. For the locals' favorite surfing spots, check out the Silver Shoals, and the Orange County Newport Beach. And then there are the beaches that you see in Hollywood movies: fine white sand, gentle surfs, great sun, and, of course, buff lifeguards. Go to Malibu, where you have 27 miles of great Pacific beaches, including Paradise Cove. Then there's Laguna Beach in Orange County, where you could people-watch on top of enjoying the beach. The Stinson Beach in Marin County also offers the classic California Beach experience.

And while you are at it, be sure to stroll down the Oceanside Pier, the longest wooden pier in the West Coast. Close to 2,000 feet, you can fish here and you do not even need a fishing license. You should also whale watch with the experts at Rancho Palos Verdes, watch the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas in San Simeron, and go biking at the Pacific Palisades.

Other notable beaches you should go to include the Manhattan Beach, the Crescent City Beach, the Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, Venice Beach, Big Sur State Park, and Shasta Lake.

And then there are the parks and the wilderness area all around the state. Do check out the best state parks here, including:

• Death Valley National Park, which is best visited during the winter when you can get moderate temperatures rather than hot desert climates. You would love the colors here, as well as the great campsite and the Furnace Creek Inn.
• Devils Postpile National Monument
• John Muir Wilderness
• Joshua Tree National Park, where you could appreciate surreal rock formations in the desert setting.
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
• Kings Canyon National Park, where you could see the most picturesque rivers in the state: the San Joaquin and Kings River.
• Kings Range National Conservation Area
• Lassen Volcanic National Park, which compares to the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming due to its geysers, mud springs, fumaroles and other volcanic features.
• Pinnacles National Park.
• Point Reyes National Seashore, where you could see more than a thousand species of birds, animals and plants.
• Redwood National and State Parks
• Redwood National and State Parks
• Sequoia National Park, where you could find the largest tree in the world.
• Yosemite National Park, which is probably the best known park in the state and is the best place to watch the sun set.

Biking. California offers you the chance to bike and see some hawks, dolphins, whales and deer along the way. You can bike through trails that take you through forests and along the shorelines. Go mountain biking on Mt. Tamalpais, the birthplace of the sport. You can also go to Mt. Shasta, Death Valley and Mammoth Mountain's Bike Park to get some great biking action.

Camping. Camp among the gigantic trees of Sequoia National Park or amidst the cacti in Joshua Tree National Park. You can also go to Half Dome at Yosemite, on the shores of Lake Tahoe, to Los Padres National Forest, to the Channel Islands National Park.

Fishing. You can go to the Smith River for a chance to get the biggest steelhead strikes, or wade through the Sacramento River, the San Joaquin River, the Lake Casitas, Clear Lake, or Catalina Island for some great fishing opportunities. You can also fish at the many piers or from boats at Oxnard, Crescent City, and Monterey.

Hiking. The state gives you a chance to hike on any terrain. Go through desert lands, oases, lava moonscapes, beaches, and estuaries. You can even combine hiking with bird watching. Hike up Mt. Shasta, Sierra Nevada, or Mt. Whitney or any one of the many peaks in the state. You can even hike through the entire state on the Pacific Coast Trail.

Sailing. Sailing is legendary in California, where you can sail off San Francisco Bay's March winds or get into Santa Cruz Island. You can even go sailing on California's many lakes such as Bass Lake. There are a lot of marinas where you can rent a sailboat, too!

If you love animals, there are a lot of zoos and aquariums that you could visit in California. Check out the close to 700 animals at the Fresno Chaffee zoo, or the more than 2,600 animals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. You can also enjoy a day at the Santa Ana zoo, the California Academy of Science, the Orange County Zoo, the Safari West, and the Santa Barbara Zoo.

Other zoos you can go to include:

• Big Bear Alpine Zoo
• California Living Museum
• Charles Paddock Zoo
• CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point
• Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
• Living Coast Discovery Center
• Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
• Los Angeles Zoo
• Micke Grove Zoo
• Oakland Zoo
• Sacramento Zoo
• San Diego Zoo
• San Francisco Zoo
• Sequoia Park Zoo
• Shambala Preserve
• The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary
• The Living Desert
• Wildlife WayStation

If you are looking for aquariums, you can go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Other aquariums you should not miss are:

• Aquarium of the Bay
• Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
• Morro Bay Aquarium
• Ocean World
• Roundhouse Marine Studies Lab & Aquarium
• Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
• Seymour Marine Discovery Center
• Steinhart Aquarium at California Academy of Sciences