Rain or shine: California fun for every forecast

The temperature might be cooler, but when the mercury dips, the fun in California heats up. Regardless of the weather, the Golden State dazzles with indoor experiences that match its iconic outdoor adventures.

Museums and art & cultural experiences

California is a place of storytellers and its museums prove it, showcasing everything from the ancestral traditions of the Karuk and Cahuilla peoples to the comic strips, films and digital art that shaped popular culture. The Golden State’s museums are full of surprises. 

Karuk People’s Center Museum

Siskiyou is known for its epic outdoor adventures, but it’s also home to the rich cultural legacy of the Karuk people. At the Karuk Tribe People’s Center Museum, visitors can dive into the art and traditions of the Karuk, one of California’s largest Native American tribes.

Charles M. Schulz Museum

Good Grief, Charlie Brown, it’s an entire museum devoted to you and the beloved Peanuts. At the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, go back to your childhood and immerse yourself in the world of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. Step into Lucy’s Psychiatric Booth, follow Schulz’s creative process, see his studio and finally walk the Snoopy Labyrinth.

San Jose Art Museum

From March to June 2027, the San Jose Art Museum will join more than 80 nonprofit visual arts organizations to stage the first Further Triennial. This massive, region-wide contemporary art project celebrates the art history and counterculture of Northern California. Located in the heart of downtown San Jose, the museum will present Beta Space: Kang Seung Lee and Ed Aulerich-Sugai as its contribution.

Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing Museum

See history take flight at the Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing Museum at the Camarillo Airport in Camarillo. Open Thursday to Sunday, the free museum showcases artifacts and displays that tell the story of WWII. 

The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum

The Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in Palm Springs shares the rich history of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Its permanent exhibitions tell their story with exhibits focused on Our Home; Creation and Migration; Our Land; Change, Adaptation and Self-Determination; and Into the Future. 

Los Angeles museums

George Lucas was a film visionary and his new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Exposition Park explores visual storytelling through illustration, comics, cinema, murals and fine art. At downtown Los Angeles’ DATALAND, the world’s first museum of AI art, a multisensory experience invites visitors to step into the intersection of human interaction and machine intelligence.

Pretend City Children’s Museum

Irvine’s Pretend City Children’s Museum imagines a world designed just for kids. Built as an interconnected city, it teaches children how the real world works by engaging their curiosity and imagination. Kids can try on careers from banking to construction or get creative in the art studio or amphitheater.

Indoor entertainment & family fun

Sweet treats, secret passages and sky-high thrills await at California’s best spots for family fun. Pack your curiosity and get ready for a day the whole crew will love.

Skunk Train

All aboard for a trip back in time on Mendocino County’s famous Skunk Train. Since 1885, the train has chugged its way through iconic redwood groves, over scenic trestle bridges and through tunnels to emerge into the heart of the Noyo River Canyon. Visitors can choose from several itineraries and seasonally-themed rides.

Black Chasm Cavern

Have your own Gold Country adventures with a walking tour of Black Chasm Cavern in Amador County. Discovered in 1854 and declared a National Natural Landmark in 1976, the cavern is known for the helictites that grow throughout the cave. Only five percent of known caves contain these crystal formations, yet they grow in every chamber of Black Chasm. 

High Altitude Fitness

It’s always perfect climbing weather at High Altitude Fitness in Truckee. The indoor climbing gym features 12,000 sq. ft. of climbing space, including more than 100 climbs, 15 feet of bouldering and gear rental. 

Jelly Belly Factory

Whether you’re a fan of strawberry cheesecake, glazed blueberry cake or Thai milk tea, your sweet tooth will give a cheer when you take it on a tour of the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield. Whether you choose the self-guided or docent-led tour, you’ll see more than 1680 jelly belly’s crafted per second, enjoy interactive exhibits and watch videos explaining the candy-making process.

Hearst Castle

Built for newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, Hearst Castle in San Simeon was the place to see and be seen during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Cary Grant, Greta Garbo and Charlie Chaplin flocked to the castle and its iconic Neptune and Roman pools. Today, visitors can choose from an array of tours that explore the grounds, art and history of this Central Coast landmark. 

Professor Pennypickle’s Workshop

Children in Temecula Valley are invited to enter the lab of mad scientist Professor Pennypickle Workshop. The interactive museum encourages children and families to uncover scientific principles through play. The learning facility features interactive rooms like a library with a secret passage, a music room with a magic piano and a workshop full of quirky gadgets.

iFly Oceanside

Take flight in Oceanside at iFly Oceanside. The indoor skydiving center features a wind tunnel that simulates the free-fall experience. A variety of packages are available for first-time flyers.

Somewhere in California right now, a kid is playing a magic piano, a history buff is admiring a WWII warplane and someone is very bravely trying a Thai milk tea jelly bean. While the Golden State’s natural beauty and outdoor adventures are well-known, these experiences prove that California’s indoor side is just as wonderful.