California

The Yosemite National Park is located in the Sierra Nevada in California, about 300 km east of San Francisco. You go there for the Yosemite Valley with its steep rock faces, high waterfalls, and the giant sequoias in the south of the park.Above the valley, El Capitan rises about 914 m, and the Yosemite Falls plunge 739 m in total over three tiers. Near the south entrance, the Mariposa Grove hosts over 500 mature giant sequoias; a shuttle connects the parking lot and the grove. The park has existed since 1890 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984.Admission costs 35 US dollars per car for 7 days. Visitors not residing in the USA pay an additional 100 US dollars per person from age 16, unless they have the America the Beautiful annual pass (250 US dollars). An entry reservation is not required in 2026. Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are usually closed from November until the end of May or early June.

San Francisco lies in Northern California at the northern tip of a peninsula between the Pacific and San Francisco Bay. The city, founded in 1776 with around 874,000 residents, is known for its steep hills, the Cable Cars, and the Golden Gate Bridge.Opened in 1937, the 2.7-kilometer-long Golden Gate Bridge connects the city with Marin County. The Cable Cars, a National Historic Landmark since 1964, operate on three lines, the two Powell lines running from Market Street to Fisherman's Wharf. Chinatown is considered North America's oldest Chinatown. Ferries to the former prison island Alcatraz depart from Pier 33; day tickets for adults cost 47.95 dollars and can be booked up to 90 days in advance.BART, Caltrain, light rail, and buses serve the city and region. Expect fog and cool winds from the Golden Gate: In summer, San Francisco is one of the coolest major cities in the USA; a jacket is advisable even in July.

Malibu is not a city with a central core, but rather a 34-kilometer-long stretch of coastline along the Pacific Coast Highway, nestled between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Officially, Malibu lies outside the city of Los Angeles, only establishing itself as its own municipality in 1991. It is known for its surf beaches, rocky coves, and rugged cliffs.The fires of December 2024 and January 2025 hit Malibu hard; the Palisades Fire destroyed a large portion of the beach houses in the eastern part of the area. The Pacific Coast Highway has been open to all traffic again since May 2025, reconstruction is ongoing, and many restaurants have only gradually reopened.On the eastern edge of the coastline lies the Getty Villa, a recreation of the Roman Villa dei Papiri from Herculaneum, housing around 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities. Further west, Point Dume juts into the sea, a headland at the northern end of Santa Monica Bay. From February into spring, you can often spot gray whales and humpback whales on their migration from here. Approximately 16 kilometers west of the center, paths and stairs lead down to El Matador State Beach, a small cove nestled beneath the cliffs.For Malibu, you'll need a full day and preferably a car. The beaches are emptier in the mornings, and a sunset at El Matador or on Point Dume makes for a perfect end to the day.

Hollywood is less about glamour and more of a pilgrimage site: On Hollywood Boulevard, visitors jostle over the Walk of Fame stars, costumed characters pose for tips, amidst souvenir shops and old movie palaces. Film history lies in the details, such as the hand and footprints in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre or in bars where Frank Sinatra and Charles Bukowski once sat.The Walk of Fame spans 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street. The first permanent stars were laid in 1960; there are now around 2,850. The Chinese Theatre opened in 1927 and is currently an IMAX cinema. Right next door is the Ovation Hollywood complex, home to the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars have been presented since 2002. From 2029, the gala will move to the Peacock Theater in Downtown.The Hollywood Sign has stood on Mount Lee since 1923, originally an advertisement for the "Hollywoodland" settlement. You cannot get close to the letters; the steep terrain is cordoned off and monitored. Two viewpoints are officially recommended: the terraces of Ovation Hollywood and the Griffith Observatory in neighboring Griffith Park, reachable by bus or car in under half an hour.It's best to come in the morning before the boulevard fills, and return in the evening for a drink at the Frolic Room or a steak at Musso & Frank. Then the neon signs glow, and the day visitors have disappeared.

Two distinct cities within the Los Angeles urban area, two distinct personalities: Beverly Hills stands for villas, palm-lined avenues, and luxury boutiques, while West Hollywood, founded only in 1984, is synonymous with rock history, comedy, and nightlife.The most famous section of Rodeo Drive comprises approximately three blocks between Wilshire Boulevard and Little Santa Monica Boulevard. The Beverly Wilshire hotel stands at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard. At the intersection with Dayton Way, the “Torso” sculpture marks the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style, where commemorative plaques honor fashion icons. This is where the scene in “Pretty Woman” (1990) takes place, where Julia Roberts is complimented out of a boutique. Worth a detour is Greystone Mansion, a 1928 Tudor estate, now a city park and a backdrop for films like “There Will Be Blood” and “The Big Lebowski.” For a photo with the iconic lettering, head to the Beverly Hills Sign in Beverly Gardens Park.The Sunset Strip, approximately 2.7 kilometers of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, was the stage for rock in the 1960s. At the Whisky a Go Go, opened in 1964, The Doors played as the house band, and The Comedy Store has been around since 1972. Huge billboards still line the street today.Beverly Hills is best explored on foot during the day, while the Strip comes alive from late evening, when concerts and comedy shows begin.