California has always been a magnet for artists, dreamers, and performers — and the arts and entertainment experiences here range from Hollywood’s glittering movie industry to world-class symphony halls, legendary concert venues, and the historic theaters of downtown Monterey.
156. See the Hollywood Sign from Griffith Observatory
The Hollywood Sign — nine 45-foot letters perched on the slopes of Mount Lee in Griffith Park — is arguably the most recognizable human-made landmark in California, a symbol of the movie industry’s century-old promise that dreams can become reality. Griffith Observatory, just below the sign, offers the most accessible and dramatic views of the letters against the hills, along with stunning panoramas of the Los Angeles Basin and free admission to its planetarium exhibits. A sunset visit here, with the city spreading to the horizon in every direction, is a quintessential LA experience. Learn More →
157. Walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame
More than 2,700 stars embedded in the Hollywood Boulevard sidewalk honor the entertainers, directors, musicians, and fictional characters who have shaped American popular culture over the past century — from Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe to Michael Jackson and the cast of the Muppets. Finding your favorite star is a genuine treasure hunt through one of LA’s most energetic and eclectic streets, lined with historic theaters, souvenir shops, and street performers. It’s free, it’s chaotic, and it’s absolutely Hollywood. Learn More →
158. Tour the Getty Center
The Getty Center in Brentwood — a gleaming Richard Meier-designed campus perched above the 405 freeway with views stretching from the mountains to the Pacific — houses one of the finest collections of European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and decorative arts in the Western Hemisphere, all with free admission. The gardens, designed by artist Robert Irwin, are a living artwork in their own right, and the arrival experience — riding the electric tram up from the valley — sets the tone for a genuinely elevated afternoon. Learn More →
159. Attend a Concert at the Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl — the world’s largest natural outdoor amphitheater, nestled in a canyon in the Hollywood Hills since 1922 — is one of those venues where the experience of being there transcends whatever is on the stage. From the LA Philharmonic’s summer season to jazz festivals, classic rock legends, and film music nights, the Bowl’s program covers every musical genre, and bringing a picnic to spread on the lawn seats while the music floats through the warm LA night is one of California’s great pleasures. Learn More →
160. Explore Live Performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall
Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles — its gleaming stainless steel curves erupting from Grand Avenue like a crumpled flower — is one of the great architectural achievements of the 21st century, and the acoustic perfection of its auditorium makes it one of the finest concert halls in the world. Home to the LA Philharmonic and its superstar conductor, the hall’s free outdoor performance series and remarkable lunchtime concert program make world-class music accessible to all. Learn More →
161. Tour Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Burbank takes guests behind the gates of one of Hollywood’s great working studios — through backlot streets used in countless films and TV shows, into prop warehouses and costume departments, and through the Friends Central Perk set and the DC Universe exhibit. Unlike the theme park experiences at Universal, this is an authentic working studio tour where production is actually happening around you. For film and TV fans of any age, it’s a genuinely thrilling peek behind the curtain. Learn More →
162. Visit the de Young Museum in San Francisco
The de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park — housed in a striking copper-clad building designed by Herzog & de Meuron — is San Francisco’s premier fine arts museum, with a collection spanning American art from the 17th century to today alongside textile arts, African art, and a remarkable collection of Oceanic and pre-Columbian works. The observation tower offers free 360-degree views across Golden Gate Park to the bay and Pacific, and the museum’s calendar of blockbuster exhibitions rivals any major art institution in the country. Learn More →
163. Explore the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
SFMOMA — reopened in 2016 after a transformative expansion that doubled its gallery space — is now one of the largest modern art museums in the world, with a permanent collection of over 33,000 works by Matisse, Calder, Warhol, Cindy Sherman, and Richard Serra, among many others. The seven floors of galleries are endlessly rewarding, the photography collection is world-class, and the free admission to the first floor makes it accessible to every San Francisco family. The outdoor sculpture garden is a neighborhood gem. Learn More →
164. Visit the Oakland Museum of California
The Oakland Museum of California is a genuinely unique institution — the only museum in the state dedicated entirely to the art, history, and natural science of California itself. Three interlocking wings explore the state’s natural diversity, its human history from Indigenous cultures through the present, and its rich tradition of visual art, with all three disciplines brought together in a unified narrative about what it means to be Californian. The rooftop gardens and free admission on the second Sunday of each month make it especially welcoming to families. Learn More →
165. Attend the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella — held across two April weekends in the desert outside Indio — has become one of the most influential music and arts festivals in the world, setting global trends in music, fashion, and art installation. The combination of world-class headliners, discovery stages featuring emerging artists, and monumental outdoor sculptures scattered across the Empire Polo Club grounds creates a complete sensory experience unlike any other California event. Weekend 2 tickets typically remain available longer than Weekend 1; book early either way. Learn More →
166. Hear the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall
The San Francisco Symphony — one of the finest orchestras in North America — performs at Davies Symphony Hall in the Civic Center, a world-class venue with near-perfect acoustics and a varied program spanning classical masterworks, contemporary premieres, film music, and family concerts designed specifically for young audiences. The Symphony’s “Adventures in Music” school program is world-famous, and the family concert series offers accessible introductions to orchestral music for children of all ages. Learn More →
167. Explore the Cultural Exhibits at The Broad
The Broad — Eli and Edythe Broad’s stunning contemporary art museum on Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, opened in 2015 — houses one of the world’s foremost collections of postwar and contemporary art, with iconic works by Jeff Koons, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cindy Sherman, and a beloved permanent installation of Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Mirrored Room.” Free general admission (timed entry required) makes this extraordinary collection accessible to all LA families, and the line for the Kusama infinity room is always worth the wait. Learn More →
168. Visit the Hammer Museum in Westwood
The Hammer Museum — affiliated with UCLA and located in Westwood Village — is one of Los Angeles’s most dynamic and intellectually adventurous art museums, presenting cutting-edge contemporary and modern art with a commitment to artists of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Admission is always free, making it an accessible and low-pressure introduction to contemporary art for families and young people. The museum’s “Made in LA” biennial is one of the most important showcases of emerging Los Angeles artists. Learn More →
169. Tour the Palm Springs Art Museum
The Palm Springs Art Museum — a beautifully designed institution at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains — houses a superb collection of modern and contemporary art, Native American art and artifacts, and a significant glass art collection, all displayed in galleries that open onto stunning mountain views. The museum’s outdoor sculpture garden and the adjacent Architecture and Design Center in the historic H3K bank building make it a full cultural destination. Free admission every Thursday evening from 4–8pm. Learn More →
170. See a Film at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre — rebranded as the TCL Chinese Theatre but forever “Grauman’s” to Angelenos — is Hollywood’s most storied movie palace, home since 1927 to the celebrity handprint and footprint ceremony in the forecourt that has created one of the most beloved interactive tourist attractions in California. Seeing a movie in the grand main auditorium, with its ornate dragon columns and red lacquer décor, is an experience quite unlike seeing a film anywhere else in America. Learn More →
171. Watch Outdoor Shakespeare in the Park
California’s tradition of free, open-air Shakespeare performances stretches back decades — from San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s performances in Golden Gate Park to Shakespeare by the Sea in Los Angeles’s Point Fermin Park overlooking the Pacific. Bringing a blanket, a picnic, and a family to an outdoor Shakespeare performance on a warm California evening is a cultural experience that is both accessible and genuinely magical, especially for young people encountering the plays for the first time under the stars. Learn More →
172. Tour the Gamble House in Pasadena
The Gamble House — designed by Greene & Greene and built in 1908 for the Procter & Gamble heir David Gamble — is universally regarded as the masterpiece of the American Arts & Crafts movement, a perfect integration of architecture, landscape, and hand-crafted furniture that influenced design around the world. Every inch of the house — from the sleeping porches to the Tiffany-glass entry door to the hand-rubbed mahogany woodwork — was designed with meticulous care. A genuinely inspiring and beautiful historic house tour. Learn More →
173. Visit the Watts Towers Arts Center
The Watts Towers — 17 interconnected sculptures built entirely by hand over 33 years by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia, using steel rods, wire mesh, and over 100,000 pieces of found glass, tile, pottery, and shells — are one of the most extraordinary works of outsider art in the world and a California Cultural Landmark. The adjacent Watts Towers Arts Center hosts exhibitions, performances, and community events that honor the creative spirit of Watts and the diversity of Los Angeles. A profound and moving Los Angeles experience. Learn More →
174. Explore the Autry Museum of the American West
The Autry Museum in Griffith Park — named for singing cowboy Gene Autry, who founded it in 1988 — is dedicated to the history, art, and cultures of the American West, with a remarkable collection of over 500,000 pieces including the Southwest Museum of the American Indian Collection, one of the most significant Native American collections in the country. The museum’s exhibitions challenge comfortable assumptions about the West’s history while celebrating its diversity, artistry, and enduring mythology. A must for families who love California’s deep roots. Learn More →
175. Take In Live Music at the Historic Golden State Theatre in Downtown Monterey
Built in 1926 in the ornate Spanish Colonial Revival style, the Golden State Theatre on Alvarado Street in Old Monterey is one of the most beautiful historic theaters in California — recently restored to its original grandeur with plush velvet seating, an Old World lobby, and state-of-the-art sound. The venue brings nationally touring comedians, musicians, and performers to the heart of downtown Monterey, making a night out here one of the best cultural experiences on the Peninsula. Check the calendar and go — you won’t be disappointed. Learn More →
Download the Complete Guide
Want all 250 experiences in one place? Download our printable PDF guide — perfect for road trips, planning sessions, or keeping on the fridge as a reminder of everything California has to offer.
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