California — what an absolute mess. The place is filled beyond the brim with activities to do and locations to visit. I lived in California for my entire life before I moved to Oregon for college, and even I feel overwhelmed trying to figure out what to do. Maybe this list of 10 things to do while in Southern California will help you to find ideas for specific outings.

1. Eat In-N-Out.

There’s a reason why every time I come back to California from college my first meal is two double-doubles from In-N-Out, french fries and a medium Coke. Well, I guess two reasons: I’m a fatty and it is quintessential California.

2. Disneyland.

Everyone knows the anthropomorphic mouse with the round ears and white gloves. Disney is a world-famous name. Disneyland is the world-famous place. You can never just visit it once.

3. Go to Newport Dunes, NOT the beach.

I’m being completely honest when I say this: California beaches suck. After experiencing the pristine coasts of Oregon, the trash-covered mess of a coast that is California beaches is unenjoyable, irritating and just not safe. Newport Dunes, however, is a lovely location with sand surrounding a bay. It contains rentals for boats, kayaks and paddle boards. The location also offers an inflatable obstacle course on the water and debris-free sand.

4. Check out the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum in San Diego.

There’s something special about getting to walk through an aircraft carrier that has seen battle. The hulls of the ship carry the history of this country and the stories of those who served on it. This museum is a fantastic destination for anyone interested in history, engineering or unique experiences.

5. Eat In-N-Out. Again.

Seriously. Do it. Again.

6. Visit the Huntington Library.

For those who don’t know about this gem, the Huntington Library contains thousands of incredible pieces of history. From a manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales from the early 1400s to paintings by Van Gogh, the Huntington Library provides an incredible snippet of what has shaped the world into what it is today

7. Visit the Griffith Observatory.

Aside from being used in scenes for movies such as La La Land and Transformers, the Griffith Observatory awakens the awe of the unknown within us all. Here you can learn about space, studying the stars and planets and enjoying a unique presentation on the universe.

8. Travel the freeway.

Never seen a 6-lane freeway before? Ever wanted to be overwhelmed by every single person on the freeway going at least 10 mph over the speed limit? Need someone to just flip you off? The California freeway system is the place for you. Really though, it’s pretty incredible driving such a large roadway, especially when you’re used to smaller ones.

9. Walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Interestingly enough, even though I lived in California for the first 18 years of my life, I have never gone here. However, I certainly know about this famous walkway filled with the Hollywood Stars of numerous individuals in the entertainment industry. It’s a landmark for a reason.

10. Visit all the locations from La La Land.

Want ever more places to go? The hit movie La La Land presents many more great locations to visit, and this convenient article by the Los Angeles Times breaks down where each location is from the movie. (Side note: if you haven't seen this movie already, then you need to change that and watch it. If you've already seen it, watch it again!)