February in California offers its own form of early spring: Wildflowers start to bloom in the desert, fruit and nut trees blossom all over the Central Valley, and a mysterious “firefall” lights up Yosemite’s El Capitan.
The shortest month of the year is action-packed in the Golden State. In February, you can enjoy wine-and-chocolate pairings in Lodi, watch future Olympians compete at Mammoth Mountain, and see Oscar contenders in Santa Barbara. Here are more than 20 reasons to plan a Golden State getaway.
All Month: Black History Month
Plan a trip around the museums, monuments, and events that celebrate African-American history this month. In Los Angeles, check out the current exhibits at the California African American Museum or listen to speakers at the Los Angeles Black History Month Festival (Feb. 18) at Pan Pacific Park, next door to The Grove. In San Francisco, explore the city’s African-American Freedom Trail, which includes stops at the Museum of the African Diaspora, The MLK Memorial, and a statue of Willie Mays, as well as many great Black-owned restaurants, bakeries, and shops. Support these great Black-owned businesses across California, too.
All Month: Lunar New Year Festivities
The Year of the Dragon officially begins on Feb. 10, but parties and parades will start early and keep rolling all over California. Disneyland Resort, for instance, hosts its own celebration (Jan. 23–Feb. 18) with seasonal menus, strolling characters, and live performances, while nearby Costa Mesa holds its Vietnamese Tet Festival (Feb. 9–11). San Francisco’s Chinatown starts its party with the Flower Market Fair (Feb. 3–4) followed by the red-envelope giveaway at Choy Sun Doe (Feb. 10) and then the parade itself on Feb. 24, the biggest Chinese New Year party outside of China.
All Month: San Diego Museum Month
The Southern California city has a treasure trove of museums—from the Fleet Science Center to the floating Maritime Museum of San Diego. Throughout February, pick up the Discover & Go museum pass (available at San Diego city and county libraries) to get half off entry at more than 60 museums, including the Comic-Con Museum, the Mingei International Museum, the Museum of Us, and the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
Jan. 31–Feb. 3: Toyota U.S. Snowboard & Freeski Grand Prix, Mammoth
Watch top-tier skiers and snowboarders compete at Mammoth Mountain’s Unbound Main Park for the Slopestyle and Halfpipe World Cups. The competitions are held near the resort’s Main Lodge, so you might easily catch a glimpse of Olympic champions and Mammoth regulars such as Chloe Kim and Julia Marino.
Jan. 31–Feb. 4: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Pebble Beach
Watch as an all-star lineup of top golfers and A-list celebrities take to the manicured, ocean-hugging greens of Spyglass Hill and other classic courses along the Central Coast’s Monterey Peninsula. As of press time, the roster of celebrities was still pending but in recent years has included notable amateur golfers such as Jason Bateman, Darius Rucker, and chef Thomas Keller.
Feb. 2–4: Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend, Lodi
Celebrate your love—or just your love of wine and chocolate—at this annual weekend that pairs sweets with Lodi’s big, bold Zinfandels. Choose from three days of activities: Friday’s standalone winery events, a Saturday of self-guided winery tours and treats at more than 35 participating wineries, or a Sunday Winemaker’s Toast Brunch at Wine & Roses Hotel, Restaurant and Spa. Participants include St. Amant Winery, Valensin Vineyard & Winery, and GoodMills Family Winery.
Feb. 3–4: Temecula Valley Wines Barrel Tasting Weekend, Temecula
Sample newly released wines along with the unfinished barrel and tank wines from dozens of wineries at this annual event in Temecula Valley. Each one-day ticket includes a one-time visit to each participating winery, and tastings typically include light bites as well.
Feb. 4: Surf City USA Marathon & Half Marathon, Huntington Beach
Choose from the marathon, half marathon, or 5K at this event along the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach. The marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, but you can also draw motivation from the scenic and flat route that passes by the Huntington Beach Pier and features live bands cranking out the tunes to energize the runners. To warm up, do the one-mile, soft-sand Beach Mile run on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Starting early February: Almond Blossom Cruise, Modesto
Embark on your own self-guided drive to see Modesto’s flowering almond orchards which start blooming in February, with stops at Oakdale Cheese & Specialties, Rodin Farms and Rodin Ranch (to name just a few), plus shops where you can peruse all things almond, including milkshakes, brittle, and chocolate-covered. You’ll also have the chance to snap a selfie in front of California’s oldest walnut tree. Play the audio tour to enhance your drive.
Feb. 7–17: Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Santa Barbara
Hollywood A-listers love getaways to Santa Barbara, and this 11-day festival with 200-plus films, tributes, and panels gives anyone extra incentive. This year’s honorees include Bradley Cooper, Robert Downey, Jr., Lily Gladstone, and Greta Lee. Choose from different levels of tickets and passes to attend various screenings and special events. The film lineup will be live Jan. 17.
Feb. 9–11: 56th California International Antiquarian Book Fair, San Francisco
Pier 27 on San Francisco’s Embarcadero will host this year’s festival, one of the world’s largest antiquarian book fairs. The gathering boasts nearly 200 booksellers offering up manuscripts, children’s books, ephemera, and even “incunabula” literature (meaning books printed before 1501). Note: Students with a valid ID get free admission to the book fair.
Feb. 9–11: Humboldt Marble Weekend, Eureka
Admire these tiny works of contemporary glass art—which have long had a following in Humboldt County—at this annual event for artisans, collectors, and enthusiasts. The three-day event in Eureka includes a party with live music and glassblowing, an expo showcasing glass artists from around the U.S., and two scavenger hunts on Sunday offering prizes totaling $10,000.
Feb. 9–18: SF Beer Week, San Francisco
Beer nerds will delight in these events at breweries around San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area, including Silicon Valley and the East Bay. Choose from activities that include release parties, trivia nights, pinball parties, and food pairings.
Feb. 10: Mardi Gras Parade and Street Faire, Nevada City
The charming Gold Rush town that excels at Christmas festivities also knows how to throw a good party for Fat Tuesday. There’s a parade and street fair with floats, bright costumes, and lots of beads.
Feb. 10: Sausalito's Souper Bowl, Sausalito
No matter who you root for in the NFL’s big game on Feb. 11, you can enjoy the thrill of victory during this one-day culinary adventure around Sausalito. Your ticket grants you access to a variety of downtown restaurants to taste contender soups and vote for your favorites. One to watch: Barrel House Tavern, which won the championship in 2023 with its spiced coconut butternut squash soup.
Feb. 10–25: Yosemite Firefall, Yosemite National Park
For about two weeks every February, the setting sun reflects off the waters of Yosemite National Park’s Horsetail Fall, creating the twilight illusion of fire cascading down El Capitan. This year, the national park’s experts are predicting a date range roughly from Feb. 9–25.
This phenomenon always draws crowds, so if you want to go, please do so responsibly. You’ll need reservations to enter Yosemite 24 hours a day on weekends between Feb. 9–25, as well as reservations to stay at Yosemite Valley lodgings or at the Wawona, Camp 4, and Hodgdon Meadow campgrounds (which are usually first-come, first-served in winter). The closest parking to the Firefall is in the Yosemite Falls Parking Area near Yosemite Valley Lodge. Or, park at Yosemite Village or Curry Village and use the free shuttle to reach the Yosemite Falls parking lot. From there, you’ll need to walk 1.5 miles each way to the Firefall viewing area near El Capitan Picnic Area (bundle up in extra layers, and don’t forget a headlamp or flashlight). Check out the latest updates on Yosemite’s Firefall/Horsetail Fall page.
Feb. 12–28: Laguna Beach Music Festival, Laguna Beach
Enjoy the music presented by the Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Laguna Bach Live at this two-week event in the arts-loving Orange County town. The lineup includes a variety of classical and contemporary concerts, including the Festival Prelude on Valentine’s Day with bubbly, bites, and a performance by acclaimed violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, the festival’s artistic director.
Feb. 15–25: Palm Springs Modernism Week, Palm Springs
The desert city celebrates its midcentury modern architecture during this annual festival of tours, bike rides, exhibits, and cocktail parties. This year’s home tours include the recently renovated Alexander Estate, aka the House of Tomorrow, where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon in 1967. While many of the activities are ticketed events, there are plenty of free activities too.
Starting mid-February: Fresno Blossom Trail, Fresno County
From mid-February until late March, Fresno County’s miles of fruit and nut orchards pop with a blaze of pink and white blossoms. Drive the 60-mile route yourself, or take part in festivities, such as March weekend excursions on the Blossom Trail Train.
Feb 16–19: Cloverdale Citrus Fair, Cloverdale
In the 19th century, the little Sonoma County town of Cloverdale was lined with sawmills and citrus groves. Today, it hosts a nostalgic fair that offers plenty of classic rides and food along with citrus-based treats, orange-juicing contests, and a “citrus art” contest.
Feb. 16–19: Whiskey Flat Days, Kernville
When this Kern County town was first settled during the Gold Rush, it went by the name of Whiskey Flat. It took on the more respectable name of Kernville in 1864, but the town still celebrates its wilder days at this annual festival held every Presidents Day weekend, which includes a parade, a rodeo, carnival rides, and period costume and “whiskeroo” contests.
Feb. 16–25: Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival, Indio
Festival food is accented with local dates at this Coachella Valley fair that kicks off with the annual blessing of the beloved local crop. Activities include midway rides and competitions—from monster trucks to camel races to, of course, recipes using dates. This year’s concerts include Smash Mouth and Diamond Rio.
Begins Feb. 17: CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, Los Angeles County and San Diego
Witness women’s national soccer teams compete for the Gold Cup for the first time at this tournament held mostly in Southern California. As part of CONCACAF—the FIFA-governing body for North America, Central America and the Caribbean—the teams will start playing Feb. 17 with matches at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Dignity Health Sports Park in nearby Carson, and Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego. The final will be held at Snapdragon on March 10.
Feb. 17–18: White Wine Weekend, Anderson Valley
Taste the Anderson Valley white wines that put this Mendocino County wine region on the map: Alsace-style varietals such as Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. The weekend includes panel discussions, cellar tours, library tastings, and cheese pairings featuring a long list of wineries and producers such as Domaine Anderson, Navarro Vineyards, and Pennyroyal Farm. Buy a festival passport, then book your experiences throughout the weekend—you can visit up to four wineries per day.
Feb. 23–25: Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup, Olympic Valley
Check out the men’s slalom and giant slalom competition along the Dog Leg and Red Dog Face at Palisades Tahoe—one of just four U.S. resorts featured on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Tour circuit this season. The weekend also includes concerts, parades, and fireworks.
Feb. 24–25: Riverside Dickens Festival, Jurupa Valley
Immerse yourself in Victorian culture and the work of the British author at this annual festival, held this year at Jensen Alvarado Historic Ranch and Museum outside Riverside. There are readings, discussions, fashion shows, and events such as Dickens After Dark, a music and comedy show that promises “unsavory characters” and the kinds of bawdy jokes Dickens himself might have enjoyed. Don your cosplay gear and feast on meat pies, scones, and plenty of tea. This year’s literary discussions will focus in part on Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers.
Feb. 24–25: Capay Valley Almond Parade & Festival, Yolo County
This almond-themed festival in Yolo County dates back to 1915. Check out the pink blossoms lighting up the local almond groves, watch the parade, then check out the goodies at the almond-themed bake-off.
Feb. 24–25: Clam Chowder Cook-Off, Santa Cruz
This competition of both professional chefs and amateurs boasts of being the longest-running clam chowder contest in the U.S. Admission to the boardwalk in Santa Cruz is free, and your event ticket grants you six tasting tickets and a ballot to vote in the people’s choice awards. Amateurs cook on Saturday, and pros on Sunday.
Feb. 25: Almond Blossom Run, Durham
See the almond blossoms in Butte County on this fun run through blooming orchards. Choose from a 5K or 10K, as well as a virtual run. Afterward, taste another local crop—grapes—at the nearby Durham Wine District.
