California Travel 2026 Offers Mega-Events Theme Parks and Luxury Stays for Every Visitor

Published on November 19, 2025

California is set to welcome 2026 with an impressive lineup of attractions, hotel openings, milestone celebrations, and mega-events that promise to put the state’s world-renowned cities firmly in the global spotlight. From historic anniversaries to groundbreaking theme park experiences, sports spectacles, and luxury accommodations, the Golden State is offering travelers and residents a year packed with excitement and discovery.

Major Events and Landmark Celebrations

California’s 2026 calendar is packed with historic milestones and sporting events. One of the year’s standout celebrations is the centennial of Route 66. Stretching from San Bernardino County to the Santa Monica Pier, the legendary highway will be honored with retro-themed roadside attractions, cultural exhibits, updated visitor centers, and immersive experiences that highlight the road’s rich American history.

Sports fans will also have plenty to cheer for, as the San Francisco Bay Area hosts Super Bowl LX. The city will come alive with fan festivals, community events, and large-scale celebrations across the Bay Area, offering visitors an unforgettable experience during one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles.

California is also playing a key role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosting 14 matches across the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will welcome global audiences, showcasing California’s unmatched capacity to host international events and vibrant fan experiences.

Adding to the state’s high-octane offerings, San Diego will host its first-ever NASCAR weekend on an active military base in June. Featuring the Craftsman Truck Series, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series, the event coincides with the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy, combining motorsport thrills with a unique historical celebration.

Arts and Cultural Attractions

California continues to expand its cultural and artistic landscape with a series of major openings. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles’ Exposition Park is scheduled to debut in 2026, offering 100,000 square feet of exhibition space that celebrates storytelling through visual arts, film, sculpture, and photography. The museum campus will include 11 acres of landscaped parkland, blending art and nature seamlessly.

Theme park enthusiasts can look forward to an exciting year. LEGOLAND® California Resort will open the Galacticoaster, its first new roller coaster in over 20 years. The indoor, space-themed attraction spans 30,000 square feet and features nearly 1,500 feet of track with custom ride vehicles for a fully immersive LEGO® adventure.

Universal Studios Hollywood will unveil its first high-speed outdoor roller coaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, reaching speeds up to 72 mph with a 360-degree rotation that simulates the thrilling drifting from the blockbuster films. Meanwhile, Disneyland Resort continues its 70th Celebration through summer 2026, with exclusive entertainment, themed cuisine, collectible merchandise, and colorful décor enhancing the park experience.

SeaWorld San Diego is set to reimagine its iconic Shark Encounter exhibit in spring 2026. The renovation features cutting-edge multimedia, revitalized habitats, and an exclusive VIP Shark Tour, providing guests with immersive and educational ocean encounters.

Palm Desert will debut DSRT Surf in summer 2026, a resort featuring luxury accommodations and a 5.5-acre surf park with adjustable waves suitable for all ages. Designed with sustainability in mind, the resort combines world-class leisure with environmental responsibility.

Animal lovers will enjoy the San Diego Zoo’s new Danny Sanford Elephant Valley, opening in early 2026. The exhibit, spanning over 350 native savanna plants, offers visitors an immersive safari-like experience while highlighting wildlife conservation efforts. Meow Wolf Los Angeles, opening the same year, will introduce its sixth permanent interactive art installation, blending technology, storytelling, and immersive experiences.

Entertainment Districts and Urban Experiences

California’s urban entertainment offerings are evolving rapidly. West Harbor, a 42-acre waterfront district in Los Angeles, will open in summer 2026, offering dining, retail, recreation, and a 6,200-seat amphitheater. Visitors can also embark on Harbor Breeze Cruises for tours, private charters, and whale watching.

OCVIBE in Orange County will unveil the first phase of its immersive entertainment district in 2026. Covering over 100 acres, the project features a Market Hall with 21 chef-driven concepts, a flexible working space, a 5,700-person Concert Hall, and Urban Park at its core.

ONT Field in Ontario, a 190-acre sports and entertainment district, will debut as the home of the Ontario Tower Buzzers, the new Los Angeles Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate team, opening in April 2026 for baseball season.

New Hotels and Luxury Stays

California’s accommodation offerings continue to expand, with dozens of hotels and resorts set to debut in 2026. Outbound Yosemite Resorts will provide modern amenities in the Yosemite region, while The Baby Grand brings boutique sophistication to Coronado. The Kali Hotel & Rooftop in Inglewood, conveniently located near SoFi Stadium, and The Elene in Napa Valley will offer luxury stays with exceptional dining.

Other notable openings include the Hard Rock Casino Tejon, Under Canvas Yosemite for upscale glamping, Limelight Hotel Mammoth, Hotel Solea near LEGOLAND, Six Senses Napa Valley, Rosewood San Francisco, Appellation Petaluma, Pan Am Hotel by Hilton, The Oasis RV Resort, and the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara following a major restoration. Additionally, Beverly Hills’ iconic hotels, including The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Wilshire, and L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, are undergoing renovations to deliver refreshed luxury experiences.

Conclusion

From historic celebrations and international sporting spectacles to immersive cultural experiences, thrilling theme park attractions, and new luxury accommodations, California is set to offer an extraordinary year in 2026. Visitors can expect a seamless blend of heritage, innovation, entertainment, and relaxation, ensuring unforgettable memories at every turn in the Golden State.