9 Of The Most Captivating Small Towns In California
Already one of the most captivating states, California has many small towns that are extra enticing. What they lack in grandeur, they make up for in pristine beaches, ravishing wineries, quaint shops, historic sites, and quirky attractions ranging from an absence of addresses to a preponderance of pooch politicians. Learn where you can find these gold nuggets, and then mark them on your calendar for your next Golden State vacation.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Expect a place called Carmel-by-the-Sea to be sweet and salty. This beach town has some of the prettiest sites but the strangest laws in Cali. A tourist can go from the Treehouse Café to La Bicyclette Restaurant to the Carmel Bakery as long as they have GPS. Numerical addresses are banned in Carmel thanks to a 1929 ordinance protecting the quaint character of the community. However, the City Council recently voted to add street numbers, which made longtime residents, for lack of a better synonym, salty. The issue remains unsettled. Ironically, Carmel also had a soft ban on ice cream (ice cream was allowed, but unpackaged takeout food, like ice cream in a cone, was prohibited) until then-mayor Clint Eastwood helped reverse it in 1986. Now you can enjoy an ice cream cone at Café Carmel—if you can find it.
Julian
Julian is as captivating as apple pie. Not coincidentally, this census-designated place is an unlikely pie producer in the Cuyamaca Mountains. The smell of pies, wafting from such shops as the Julian Pie Company and Apple Alley Bakery, mixes with brisk mountain air to stimulate the senses of lucky residents and tourists. "A Gold Rush town saved by apples" is how SFGate described Julian, which also offers tours of the Julian Pioneer Museum and The Eagle Mining Co. Julian's apple core was formed in the 1870s via prescient planting by James Madison and Thomas Brady. The fruits of their labor were so scrumptious that orchards replaced mines around the turn of the century, and the Apple Day festival debuted several years later. Modern Julian Apple Days run for months on end at various venues.
Trinidad
Trinidad is the northernmost community on this list—but it sure doesn't look like it. After bushwhacking around the redwoods and "bigfoots" of Humboldt County, you can find yourself in Trinidad's oceanfront clearing and mistake it for a mirage. Endless blue water backdrops a picturesque, 300ish-person "city" perched on a cliff. Thus, breathtaking vistas abound from virtually anywhere in town, whether it is the Trinidad Bay Eatery & Gallery or the Trinidad Head Light. Though Trinidad may resemble its tropical name twin, don't treat its seas the same way. North California's climate and ruggedness also apply to coastal water, meaning it is more conducive to boating and fishing than swimming.
Ojai
Ojai captivates with three words: "chain store ban." Since 2007, this Ventura County "city" (as you should now realize, many small Cali towns are classified as cities) has banned businesses with a certain number of locations, first limited to 10 and later to five. As such, mom-and-pop shops thrive in Ojai like nowhere else in the state. Its indie icons include Bart's Books, which is the "world’s largest outdoor bookstore," and The Dutchess, which is a bakery, café, and restaurant that blends Burmese and Californian cuisine. After perusing non-corporate shops, tourists can explore non-corporate nature at the Sespe Condor Sanctuary and Ojai Meadows Preserve. See stars and bucks instead of Starbucks.
Calistoga
We know you'd whine if we didn't include a place in Wine Country, so behold Calistoga, one of the smaller but prettier towns in the Napa Valley. Just over 5,000 people have year-round access to a multitude of wineries. Chief among them are Sterling Vineyards, the Tank Garage Winery, the Clos Pegase Winery, and the medieval-style Castello di Amorosa. However, there is another way to get warm and bubbly in Calistoga: soaking in the Calistoga Spa Hot Springs. This resort has been running for over 70 years and offers mineral pools, spa treatments, and volcanic ash mudbaths.
Avalon
A city on an island is always captivating. Add a mythical name and remove vehicles, and you have the oasis of Avalon. "Autoettes" are the most common modes of motorized transport in this King Arthur-inspired isle-town, which has strict limits on full-sized vehicles. You can take one of those quasi-golf carts around town, stopping for seafood at The Lobster Trap or sightseeing at the Catalina Museum for Art & History, and then explore the rest of Santa Catalina Island, particularly the Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Garden. If visiting in June, make sure to check out the annual Catalina Wine Mixer, which the movie Step Brothers joked into existence.
Mariposa
Mariposa means butterfly in Spanish. Mariposa means beauty in California. Sure, one can find stunning butterflies in and around this Sierra Nevada settlement, especially during May's Mariposa Butterfly Festival, but one can also see stunning landmarks and businesses. In the former camp are prodigious peaks from nearby Yosemite National Park. In the latter camp are the Hideout Saloon Pub & Grub, 1850 Restaurant + Brewing Company, Little Shop of Ramen, Grove House, Fredrick's of Savourys, Mariposa Castillo's Mexican Restaurant, and Chocolate Soup. The last of those is the sweetest sight of all.
Idyllwild-Pine Cove
Idyllwild-Pine Cove has a dog for a mayor. That should be captivating enough, but this census-designated place throws many more bones to tourists. These include the Idyllwild Nature Center, Idyllwild Brewpub, Rustic Theater & Entertainment Center, Middle Ridge Winery, Silver Pines Lodge, and Pacific Crest Trail. Such sites are visited by Mayor Max III and his councilmutts Meadow, Mikey, and Mitzi throughout the year. Follow his tour schedule or book your own meet-and-greet to learn (from Max's human handlers) how a golden retriever became the mayor of a SoCal mountain town. Hint: Idyllwild-Pine Cove is unincorporated.
Solvang
You don't have to fly to Denmark for a Danish vacation. Rather, just drive to Solvang, the "Danish Capital of America." This 6,000ish-person city has windmills, clogs, Danishes, æbleskiver, Hans Christian Andersen artifacts, and festivals like Danish Days and Julefest, which recur in September and December/January, respectively. Solvang has even welcomed Danish royals, including then-prince consort Henrik for the city's Centennial in 2011. Henrik toured downtown shops and Solvang Park before dining at Rusack Vineyards. It doesn't seem like he visited OstrichLand USA, a captivating but decidedly non-Danish attraction just outside of town.
Though you might feel drawn to the glamor of Los Angeles or San Francisco, Cali's small towns can waylay you with unique charm. Instead of corporate skyscrapers, admire non-corporate shops. Instead of Lamborghinis, drive autoettes. Instead of celebrities, pet pawiticians. Visit Carmel-by-the-Sea, Julian, Trinidad, Ojai, Calistoga, Avalon, Mariposa, Idyllwild-Pine Cove, and Solvang to be captivated in mini-Cali-style.
