What are the best places to visit in California?

I might be going in the summer is Jun vs July vs August any better than the other? I am thinking of going to Hollywood, LA, Beverly Hills and San Diego. Recommend any good places to stay, eat, see?

Public Comments

1. No significant difference, Jun.-Aug is the height of the tourist season in California. There will be crowds, higher prices...and heat. Southern and Interior California usually sees temperatures of 90s-100s F. The coast itself generally remains mild and cool if there's wind (60s-70s), but all bets are off during heat wave days when the entire state becomes an oven. A short, and by no means comprehensive, list of what to do in Southern California: Best Attractions: - Balboa Park (including the San Diego Zoo) - San Diego Wild Animal Park - Getty Center and Villa (LA) - Griffith Observatory (LA) - Studio Tours (the ones offered by the WB and Paramount are less touristy than Disney, NBC, and Universal). Locations vary. Best Theme Parks: - Disneyland Resort (Anaheim) - Universal Studios Hollywood (Universal City) - Knotts Berry Farm (Anaheim) - Six Flags Magic Mountain (Santa Clarita) Best Beach Towns: - Venice - Huntington - Malibu - Laguna - La Jolla Best Other Natural/Outdoors: - Santa Catalina Island - San Gabriel Mountains and Big Bear Lake - Palm Springs - Baja Peninsula (Mexico) Best (relatively safe) Nightclubs, Music: - West Hollywood - Los Felix/Silver Lake (LA) - Long Beach - Gaslamp Quarter (SD) Best Drinking: (Forget it, SoCal's car culture means less drinking... you should've gone to Northern California if you cared about high quality booze) Best Shopping: - Universal City Walk (Burbank) - Rodeo Drive (Beverly Hills) - 3rd Street Promenade (Santa Monica) - Orange County's malls