Best lookout points in California
Visit any given lookout point near you on a Saturday afternoon, and you're likely to be joined by several other people angling to get a glimpse of the view. Humans have always been drawn to vista points, whether for practical reasons such as surveying a large swath for scouting or simply to enjoy the natural (or human-made) landscape.
This has led to local and federal governments investing in parking, platforms, and public binoculars to better manage crowds gathering at lookout points across the United States. Arizona's Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River snakes around sandstone rock, gets 2 million visitors per year. The city of Page, Arizona, where Horseshoe Bend is located, has spent more than $5 million in parking and safety improvements due to the growing crowds.
More than 2 million people visit 30 Rockefeller Plaza to get a panoramic view of a landscape that's a little different than Horseshoe Bend: the concrete-laden skyline of New York City. Since visitors get an 850-foot-high-up view on the building's observation deck named Top of the Rock, it attracts everyone from out-of-town visitors to people ready to propose a wedding engagement.
There are thousands of lookout points across the United States that offer special views like these, which means there are beautiful vistas near you. Stacker compiled a list of the best lookout points in California using April 2024 data from Tripadvisor to help you find your next great view.
Tripadvisor ranks businesses using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a business with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5.
#30. Mono Lake Vista Point
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#29. Butler Peak
- Rating: 5/5 (13 reviews)
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#28. Anchor Memorial Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 898 Embarcadero Morro Bay, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#27. Golden Gate overlook
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: Langdon Court San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#26. High Bluff Overlook
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#25. Seal Beach Scenic Overlook
- Rating: 4.5/5 (15 reviews)
- Address: 49654-49938 Cabrillo Hwy Big Sur, California
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#24. Washburn Point
- Rating: 5/5 (22 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#23. Hippie Tree
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: Fire Road Tiburon, California
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#22. Carpinteria Bluffs Nature Preserve
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 5905 Carpinteria Ave. Carpinteria, California
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#21. Eleven53 Interpretive Center
- Rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#20. Top of the World
- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: Alta Laguna Blvd. Laguna Beach, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#19. Buena Vista Park
- Rating: 4/5 (85 reviews)
- Address: Haight St. San Francisco, California
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#18. Aguereberry Point
- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
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#17. Rocky Creek Bridge
- Rating: 4.5/5 (68 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#16. Point Fermin Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 807 West Paseo Del Mar Los Angeles, California
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#15. Coachella Valley Vista Point
- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Address: Pines to Palms Hwy Palm Desert, California
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#14. Father Crowley Vista Point
- Rating: 4/5 (222 reviews)
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#13. Minaret Vista
- Rating: 4.5/5 (127 reviews)
- Address: Lookout Point Road Mammoth Lakes, California
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#12. Valley View
- Rating: 5/5 (169 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#11. Muir Beach Overlook
- Rating: 4.5/5 (223 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#10. Golden Gate View Point
- Rating: 4.5/5 (172 reviews)
- Address: Old Conzelman Road Photo is from southeast end of bridge. This viewpoint is to the Northwest of the bridge. Mill Valley, California
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#9. Bishop Peak
- Rating: 4.5/5 (241 reviews)
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#8. Telegraph Hill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (286 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#7. Ragged Point
- Rating: 4.5/5 (362 reviews)
- Address: 19019 Highway 1 Big Sur, California
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#6. Battery Spencer
- Rating: 4.5/5 (217 reviews)
- Address: Conzelman Road Sausalito, California
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#5. Vista Point
- Rating: 4.5/5 (784 reviews)
- Address: Us-101 Golden Gate Bridge Sausalito, California
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#4. Half Dome
- Rating: 5/5 (1,490 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#3. Dante's View
- Rating: 5/5 (2,299 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#2. Tunnel View
- Rating: 5/5 (3,099 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor
#1. Twin Peaks
- Rating: 4.5/5 (6,429 reviews)
- Address: 501 Twin Peaks Blvd. San Francisco, California
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Sheeka Sanahori, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 37 states.
