Experience a simulated earthquake at Universal Studios or stroll along Main Street in Walt Disney's original Magic Kingdom. Travel to Palm Springs for a round of golf or drive through Death Valley. Whether travelers are looking for an adventure vacation in the desert or mountains or a seaside resort, this guide gives all the best recommendations.

Whether you want to get a glimpse of the Hollywood sign, hike in Joshua Tree National Park, or visit San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter, the local Fodor's travel experts in Southern California are here to help! Fodor's Southern California guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully-redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos. Fodor's Southern California travel guide includes: AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time MORE THAN 25 DETAILED MAPS and a FREE PULL-OUT MAP to help you navigate confidently COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust! HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, performing arts, activities, and more PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “Best Beaches in San Diego,” “Best Celebrity Hangouts in L.A.,” and more TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, politics, art, architecture, cuisine, music, geography and more SPECIAL FEATURES on the “San Diego Zoo,” “What to Eat and Drink,” and “What to Watch and Read Before Your Trip” LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: Los Angeles, San Diego, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, the Pacific Coast Highway, Route 66, Big Sur, Santa Barbara, the Mojave Desert, Palm Springs, and more. Planning on visiting other destinations in the southwest? Check out Fodor's Arizona, Fodor's Fodor's Las Vegas, Fodor's Utah, and Fodor's InFocus Santa Fe. *Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition. ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor's has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!

Beautiful beaches, perfect weather, movie-star glamour...there are so many reasons to visit Southern California that deciding where to go and what to do can be a bit overwhelming. Fodor's Southern California 2013 takes the guesswork out of choosing the perfect SoCal experiences—from picking the perfect Santa Barbara bistro to finding the best studio tour in Hollywood. This guide is filled with advice and tips from our team of local writers, making it as indispensable as a tube of SPF 30. Competitive Advantage: The only annually updated guidebook to Southern California. Discerning Recommendations: Fodor’s Southern California offers savvy advice and recommendations from local writers to help travelers make the most of their time. Fodor’s Choice designates our best picks, from hotels to nightlife. “Word of Mouth” quotes from fellow travelers provide valuable insights. TripAdvisor Reviews: Our experts’ hotel selections are reinforced by the latest customer feedback from TripAdvisor. Travelers can book their California stay with confidence, as only the best properties make the cut.

Beautiful beaches, perfect weather, movie-star glamour...there are so many reasons to visit Southern California that deciding where to go and what to do can be a bit overwhelming. Fodor's Southern California 2014 ebook edition takes the guesswork out of choosing the perfect SoCal experience---from picking the finest Santa Barbara bistro to finding the best studio tour in Hollywood. This guide is filled with awe-inspiring photography, in-depth cultural features, and advice and tips from our team of local writers, making it as indispensable as a tube of SPF 30. Competitive Advantage: The only annually updated guidebook to Southern California. Discerning Recommendations: Fodor's Southern California ebook edition offers savvy advice and recommendations from local writers to help travelers make the most of their time. Fodor's Choice designates our best picks, from hotels to nightlife. "Word of Mouth" quotes from fellow travelers provide valuable insights. ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts.

Written by locals, Fodor's travel guides have been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for 80 years. Beautiful beaches, perfect weather, movie-star glamour...there are so many reasons to visit Southern California that deciding where to go and what to do can be a bit overwhelming. Fodor's Southern California takes the guesswork out of choosing the perfect SoCal experience---from picking the finest Santa Barbara bistro to finding the best studio tour in Hollywood. This travel guide includes: · Dozens of full-color maps · Hundreds of hotel and restaurant recommendations, with Fodor's Choice designating our top picks · Multiple itineraries to explore the top attractions and what’s off the beaten path · Coverage of San Diego; Orange County and Catalina Island; Los Angeles; The Central Coast; Channel Islands National Park; The Monterey Bay Area; The Inland Empire; Palm Springs; Joshua Tree National Park; The Mojave Desert; Death Valley National Park; The Central Valley; The Southern Sierra; Yosemite National Park; Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Planning to focus on Los Angeles? Check out Fodor's travel guides to Los Angeles.

Written by locals, Fodor's travel guides have been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for 80 years. Planning to visit more of California or focus your trip? Check out Fodor's travel guides to California, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Beautiful beaches, perfect weather, movie-star glamour...there are so many reasons to visit Southern California that deciding where to go and what to do can be a bit overwhelming. Fodor's Southern California takes the guesswork out of choosing the perfect SoCal experience---from picking the finest Santa Barbara bistro to finding the best studio tour in Hollywood. This travel guide includes: · Dozens of full-color maps · An 8-page color insert with a brief introduction and spectacular photos that capture the top experiences and attractions throughout Southern California. · Hundreds of hotel and restaurant recommendations, with Fodor's Choice designating our top picks · Multiple itineraries to explore the top attractions and what’s off the beaten path · Major sights such as Disneyworld, San Diego Zoo, and Santa Barbara · Side Trips from San Diego to North County · Coverage of San Diego, Orange County and Catalina Island, Los Angeles, The Central Coast, The Monterey Bay Area, The Inland Empire, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, The Mojave Desert, Death Valley National Park, The Central Valley, The Southern Sierra, Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Written by locals, Fodor's travel guides have been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. California is one of America's most popular vacation destinations--its diversity draws every type of traveler, from foodies to families. Fodor's full-color California guide covers all corners of the state, from the northern coast to Wine Country and from Los Angeles to Yosemite National Park. Fodor's California includes: UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE: Travelers can road trip with ease with a chapter dedicated to California's quintessential drives, now with even more destinations covered. From advice on how many days to stay at each destination to must-see stops along the way, this is an essential trip-planning tool. New hotels and restaurants are also included throughout. ILLUSTRATED FEATURES: In-depth features detail popular attractions such as the San Diego Zoo, as well as Cable Cars and Chinatown in San Francisco. A must-have for wine buffs is the Wine Tasting in Napa and Sonoma feature, which suggests a tasting itinerary, teaches the proper wine tasting technique, and describes how grapes are grown, harvested, and pressed. INDISPENSABLE TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS: Top ¬Attractions and Top Experiences help readers choose activities based on their interests. For outdoorsy types, dedicated national parks chapters include planning tips and highlights. DISCERNING RECOMMENDATIONS: Fodor's California offers savvy advice and recommendations from local writers to help travelers make the most of their visit. Fodor's Choice designates our best picks in every category. COVERS: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs, Yosemite National Park, Big Sur, Napa and Sonoma, Monterey Bay, Lake Tahoe, Mendocino, and more.

Written by locals, Fodor's travel guides have been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for more than 80 years. Fodor's Los Angeles keeps pace with this fast-changing cultural capital. With more than 45 million visitors each year, the City of Angels has it all, including unbeatable beaches, iconic theme parks and studios, stunning architecture, and world-class museums and concert halls. This travel guide includes: · Dozens of full-color maps · Hundreds of hotel and restaurant recommendations, with Fodor's Choice designating our top picks · Multiple itineraries to explore the top attractions and what's off the beaten path · Coverage of Downtown, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venic Beach, Orange County, Sunset Boulevard, Malibu and Pasadena Planning to visit more of California? Check our Fodor's state-wide travel guide to California and also Fodor's San Francisco, Napa & Sonoma, and San Diego guides.

This new series is perfect for travelers who want to understand local history and culture before they arrive. Overflowing with photography, it includes restaurant and hotel reviews with exact prices for lodging and dining, exact admission prices to key sights, and notes on Rkid-friendlyS attractions.