Best USA West Day Trips & Things to Do

The West Coast is a land of dramatic verticality and forward-thinking spirit, where the edge of the continent meets the world’s largest ocean. California dominates the landscape, offering a surreal progression from the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to the cinematic palm trees and surf culture of Los Angeles. Heading north, the scenery turns lush and moody; the tech-savvy hubs of Seattle and Portland are cradled by the temperate rainforests and jagged peaks of Olympic National Park. This coastline is famous for the Pacific Coast Highway, a winding asphalt ribbon that hugs the cliffs of Big Sur, providing front-row seats to the crashing Pacific surf. Inland, the giants take over - from the ancient, towering redwoods to the granite cathedrals of Yosemite Valley.