12 Offbeat California Towns To Visit In 2026
Nobody wants a vacation that looks like everybody else's. California offers visitors and residents towns unlike any others in the country. Take Solvang, for example. This town models itself after Denmark, with architecture and museums that embrace that Danish heritage. Boonville is another offbeat town that developed its own homegrown language. The dozen California towns ahead each deliver a trip you will actually remember.
Solvang
Solvang is a town that looks unlike anywhere else in America, because it is meant to evoke Denmark, not America. The town came to prominence in the early 20th Century when Danish settlers built up the place and began creating architecture that evoked their homeland. Today, the "Danish Capital of America" is a major tourist destination.
The town continues to celebrate its Danish heritage through museums and restaurants that bring a Scandinavian flavor to Southern California. The Elverhøj Museum of History & Art offers a look at Solvang's history and its connection to Danish culture. Fans of Hans Christian Andersen's books won't want to miss the Hans Christian Andersen Museum in town, with exhibits about the author's life and work. End the day at the Copenhagen Sausage Garden, with sausages and beers, plus vegan options available as well.
Sonoma
Sonoma is best known for wine, but it also offers one of California's most distinctive experiences in a NASCAR racetrack. Sonoma Raceway is a road course that hosts a NASCAR race in the summer, along with several other circuits throughout the year. The mixture of desert terrain and greenery makes it a unique track and a must-visit for any race fan.
When the engines go quiet at the racetrack, there's still plenty to do in Sonoma, including visiting the wineries. The Buena Vista Winery & Chateau Buena Vista is one of the best-looking chateaus in the state, with a rustic and upscale feel and wines to sample. The Gundlach Bundschu Winery offers outdoor seating and a laid-back atmosphere. Whichever winery you choose, you won't go wrong in Sonoma.
Felton
Felton is an offbeat town in the Santa Cruz Mountains with a thriving culture of folklore and cryptid-hunting. Townsfolk and visitors enjoy the rustic feel and the strong tradition of searching for cryptids like Bigfoot through the redwood canyons. The town hosts the Roaring Camp Train Depot, which runs heritage steam trains around the area to see redwood trees and learn more about the region's history.
After the train ride, spend some time in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park to enjoy the old-growth forest and hunt for Bigfoot yourself. Come during one of the many festivals, like the BREWGRASS Festival, with live bluegrass music throughout the first weekend of August.
Boonville
Few California towns can claim that they have a distinct language, but Boonville can. Boonville was an isolated Anderson Valley community that developed a unique language called Boontling, a mix of jargon and slang that is one of the few homegrown languages in the United States. While Boontling is less commonly spoken today, you'll still find Anderson Valley natives and long-time residents who know a fair bit of the slang, making Boonville an unforgettable visit.
While in town, you'll have the chance to check out several popular wineries and breweries. Pennyroyal Farm is a winery, creamery, and farmstead with wine and cheese tastings and quirky events on some weekends. If you prefer beer to wine, the Anderson Valley Brewing Company offers small-batch craft brews and a disc golf course on its grounds. For more beer than you can shake a stick at, the Boonville Beer Festival gives you a chance to try as many local brews as you want.
Baker
Some like it hot, as the classic Marilyn Monroe film told us, and that adage is especially true in Baker. The town sits in one of the hottest places in California, in the middle of the Mojave Desert with daily temperatures well above 100 degrees throughout the summer. The few hundred residents celebrate this heat with the town's most famous attraction, the World's Tallest Thermometer. Architects designed the thermometer to be 134 feet tall to commemorate the record 134-degree temperature recorded in Death Valley. It is a working device, accurately reading the temperatures throughout the day.
The other main attraction in Baker is Alien Fresh Jerky. This novelty store sells beef jerky, of course, but also contains many alien-themed gifts and souvenirs as part of the desert-roadside tradition.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
When you're looking for an eccentric town to visit in California, why not start with one that has an offbeat name. Carmel-by-the-Sea, or Carmel to locals, is a historic town that appeals to art lovers looking for something truly unique. You'll find countless art galleries on 6th Avenue, Ocean Avenue, and Seventh Avenue. The Carmel Art Association is a nonprofit that hosts local artists and promotes their work. Nearby is the Aaron Chang Ocean Art Gallery, highlighting his seascapes and landscapes.
Of course, Carmel has more than just art galleries. The town sits on Carmel Bay and has many beaches to visit to enjoy the water. The best is Carmel River State Beach, which gives you places to relax in the sand near the Carmel River or the bay.
Sutter Creek
Sutter Creek is a town that finds perfect harmony between the past and present. The town saw a major boom during the Gold Rush, and it still retains much of that architecture today. The streets look like they are straight out of a town in the Old West, making it a unique destination. That's the past, but the present is also alive and well in Sutter Creek with numerous wineries and tasting rooms celebrating the area's newfound wine business. La Mesa Vineyards offers locally made wines and pleasant countryside to enjoy while sipping them. For a small local tasting, try Yorba Wine Tasting, which offers small-batch wines made only from local grapes.
To see the past come alive, visit in August for the Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival. This weekend event brings the classic art of ragtime back to life with live performances and local merchants.
Slab City
Slab City is an off-the-grid community that styles itself "the last free place on Earth." Needless to say, it is one of the more memorable places in California. Built on the concrete slabs left behind by a World War II-era U.S. Marines training base in the Sonoran Desert, Slab City now hosts those who want to live outside the modern world and go off the grid. It doesn't have the same kind of formal attractions other towns offer, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth checking out.
Near Slab City, you'll find Salvation Mountain. It is an art installation built into the hillside, blending folk art and religious messages. For more outsider art, visit East Jesus in Slab City to see experimental and outsider sculptures made entirely from discarded materials.
Ferndale
Ferndale feels like walking into a Victorian time machine. Redwood forests surround the town, and once you make your way inside, you'll find rows of well-preserved Victorian-style homes and businesses.
Ferndale is a community that loves the arts and celebrates the town's heritage. The Ferndale Repertory Theatre is a performing arts theater that features local artists honing their craft and presenting shows enjoyable for all ages. Across the road on Main Street, you'll find the Ferndale Arts Gallery, with a collection of visual art from locals that showcases the town's artistic flair and offbeat side. If you make the trek in August, you'll be right on time for the Humboldt County Fair in town. There you'll find rides, food, and crafts from local artisans. It's the best way to end the summer in style.
Julian
Julian is an offbeat town best known for two very different things, gold and apple pie. The gold represents Julian's past, as the town was one of many boom towns throughout California during the 19th Century. You can explore that history at the Eagle Mining Co., which offers tours of tunnels and a chance to pan for gold.
Apple pie represents the present of Julian, and you'll see why at the Julian Pie Company. The company bakes well-known apple pies, so you can either grab a slice there or order a whole pie to take home as a souvenir of the trip. For something a little bit offbeat, visit in the late summer to attend the Julian Grape Stomp Festa, where you can stomp grapes to your heart's content and try out local wines.
Los Alamos
Not to be confused with the more famous place in New Mexico, Los Alamos in California is a town that looks like it's straight out of the past. The town contains old general stores and has an Old West feel that's hard to find in our modern world. This historic feel is best seen in September during Los Alamos Old Days. The festival has everything you could want out of a small-town gathering, including food, a car show, bingo, and live music.
When you come to Los Alamos, stay at Skyview Los Alamos, a motel that retains the classic 1950s style while offering modern amenities. Los Alamos is also a wine town, so stop by some of the local wineries like Bedford Winery. The building has an intimate setting for tastings that's perfect for a quiet evening out.
Avalon
Avalon is like no other experience in California. The town sits on Santa Catalina Island, the only incorporated city on the island, and takes its name from a legendary place in the story of King Arthur. The town has a unique mix of beachside attractions, art, and culture. The Catalina Museum for Art & History gives you a look at the history of the island, as well as a chance to see artifacts more than 8,000 years old. The Catalina Casino has nothing to do with gambling but contains art deco architecture, a movie theater, and a ballroom that make it a must-see when you're in town.
Finish your trip off with a pulse-pounding experience on the Catalina Zip Line Eco Tour, where you can zip line across the island, giving you a bird's-eye view of the natural scenery.
Take a Trip to the Wild Side of California
California's ecology is wide and varied, just like the many towns it contains. If you're looking for an experience unlike anywhere else, California has plenty to offer you on your next vacation to the Golden State.
