california tourist guide book

CA Visitor’s Guide, Maps and Travel Brochures – 2024

Not only will a bit of advance trip planning allow you to get the most out of your visit to California, it can also help you save you money and avoid travel missteps. Below are some resources that will help you get your planning process started.

When you click here , you’ll see an option to choose either a Single or Bulk Order, and underneath that you’ll see links to access Digital versions of the Visitor’s Guide and Road Trips Guide. The digital Visitor’s Guide has been updated for 2024, but at the time of this writing the Road Trips guide is still the 2023 publication.

A 2024 addition to Visit California’s brochure page is the mention of an “Official State Map” — although this appears to only be available to people who request a mailed guide and is not available digitally. We suspect it’s the map that was included in last year’s Road Trips Guide, which frankly is of very limited use for California vacation planning purposes. California is a BIG state to fit on an 8-1/2 x 11-inch page; consequently, it’s very difficult to see any area in detail. As you’ll see in the California Tourism Maps section below, we recommend using Google Maps. Here’s a link to a Google Map of California , and you can use the +/- buttons in the lower, right-hand corner to focus on a specific area of interest.

If you live in the U.S. or Canada and need a printed tourist guide sent to you by mail — updated in 2024 — click on the Single Order option. The next screen presents choices for Language (only English is available at the time of this writing) and Country Version (U.S. or Canada are the present choices). Once you’ve made your selections, clicking the Next button takes you to a screen at which you’ll provide your name and email address and be given an option to subscribe to the state’s email list. When you’ve completed that screen, click Next and a screen for your address details will appear. Once you’ve completed that, you’ll also need to acknowledge consent for them to mail the guide to you and then click the Submit button.

In our experience, processing and delivery within the U.S. can take anywhere from two to eight weeks. If your departure date doesn’t allow for the mail option, you may want to stop at one of the state’s Tourist Information Centers when you arrive.

California Tourist Information Centers

There are California Tourist Information Centers at various locations throughout the state — click here for the list complete with physical location, email addresses and phone numbers — where you can obtain free brochures, maps, attraction offers and lodging information once you arrive in the area.

California Tourism Maps

For each of the California Tourist Guide’s areas (see the navigation buttons at the top of the page) you’ll find a map within an article that provides a general overview of what there is to see and do there. You’ll also find links to maps that have been created by other websites in many of our articles. Most of those maps — some are for self-guided walking tours, others are for wine appellations, etc. — are made available as downloadable and printable pdf files.

When it comes to mapping out a specific route to locations that you plan to visit in California, we always use Google Maps and the associated free smartphone app. One thing worth noting here is that there are areas where you may lose cell phone reception, so if you’re traveling to an off-the-beaten path location it’s a good idea to search for the map(s) you may need before your trip and either take a screenshot or otherwise save them for offline use.

The State also provides online map resources: this one is useful if you’re wondering about current road conditions (weather, accidents, etc.), and here’s a good map for an overview of California cities and highways (again, though, we think Google Maps is the best travel planning resource for all your mapping needs, including accessing information about public transportation options).

Tourism Resources in California Cities

Visitor Information for California National Parks

All of the California National Parks also have facilities to help travelers make the most of their visits. Additionally, in February 2021 the National Park Services released a new smartphone/ipad app wherein you can access maps and information about all the Parks; app details and download access can be found at the preceding link.

Photo of Elton John wax figure at SF Welcome Center by gérard via flickr (Creative Commons).

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Lonely Planet's California is our most comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the region has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. Amble down Hollywood Boulevard, hike in Yosemite National Park and take a boat to the infamous Alcatraz; all with your trusted travel companion.

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San Francisco, Marin County and the Bay Area, Napa and Sonoma Wine Country, the North Coast and Redwoods, the Central Coast, Santa Barbara County, Los Angeles, Disneyland and Orange County, San Diego and Around, Palm Springs and the Deserts, the Northern Mountains, Sacramento and the Central Valley, Gold Country, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada

ISBN:  9781838691813

Edition: 10th

Publication Date: September 2023

Writers: Averbuck, Alexis

Bing, Alison Brash, Celeste Harrell, Ashley Isalska, Anita Leon, Megan Tremaine, Julie Ver Berkmoes, Ryan Yanagihara, Wendy

672 pages, 240 maps | Dimensions: 128mm width × 197mm height

Next edition due: February 2026

Language: English