This idyllic oceanfront city, bounded by a 3.5-mile/5.6-km-long beach, feels more like a weekend getaway spot than a city just a few minutes west of central Los Angeles. Relax on the city’s broad beach or lively Pacific Pier (complete with its own amusement park). Or hire bikes to follow the Marvin Braude Coastal Bike Trail, aka 'The Strand'. The paved, multi-use path follows the oceanfront for roughly 22 miles/35 kilometres, from Santa Monica south to Torrance.

Santa Monica is also a place for serious shopping. Pedestrian only Third Street Promenade is lined with big name brands, galleries, cinemas and comedy shows, including the open-air Santa Monica Place. Or visit one of Santa Monica’s outstanding farmers’ markets, which pop up weekly on the city's streets.

If you’re never one to miss the latest blockbuster or an episode of the hottest new TV series, an exploratory stop in the capital of the entertainment industry is a must. Hollywood is the place to bask in the presence of film and TV legends both past and present, whether it’s through a stroll along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a behind-the-scenes studio tour or a recording of your favourite chat show. Head to iconic Hollywood Boulevard, where you'll find film and movie star focused museums, cinemas and attractions, including the world-famous TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman's Chinese Theatre). Built in 1927, the big-screen mecca remains a venue for star-studded premieres. Catch a flick in the largest IMAX auditorium in the world and then take a tour of the famed film palace.

This classy area north-east of central LA has long been a favoured retreat of the well heeled. Drive through the leafy streets, lined with elegant mansions of every shape and style, to enjoy a spa treatment at the 1907 The Langham Huntington, an iconic hotel with ballrooms and terraced gardens. Nearby is Gamble House, one of the world’s finest examples of American Arts & Crafts architecture (volunteer-led tours take place noon to 3, Thursday to Sunday). At The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, walk through exquisite gardens and view priceless art treasures. Also visit the impressive collection of European paintings at the Norton Simon Museum. Shop and dine in handsomely restored Old Pasadena, as well as at the outdoor Paseo Colorado complex, or along South Lake Avenue. Time your visit to catch a UCLA Bruins American football game at the landmark Rose Bowl (also home to one of the best flea markets in the state; usually held on the second Sunday of the month).

Witness some of the world’s best racing drivers at this legendary Fontana speedway. Whether you’re into NASCAR, INDYCAR or drag racing, Auto Club Speedway delivers all kinds of thrills for fans of high-speed action. The 3.2 kilometre, D-shaped oval draws top drivers for spring's Auto Club 400, one of NASCAR’s premier events. INDYCAR events include the season-closer MAVTV 500. To get the full experience and see cars (and sometimes drivers) up close, pick up pre-race pit passes for both NASCAR and INDYCAR events. And while the races are the main attraction, there are also live performances, stunt shows and infield camping.

The speedway’s Auto Club Dragway also hosts National Hot Rod Association events, and if you want to try speed for yourself, attend one of the racing schools held at the speedway throughout the year. Check the race schedule to know what is going on when you are on your road trip.

Two museums offer a peaceful and interesting interlude in this Inland Empire City. The San Bernardino County Museum offers a look at the area’s past, with exhibits of Native American crafts, and displays of mining equipment, timber wagons and a steam train that helped build the Inland Empire. The museum also commemorates the area’s citrus heritage and celebrates its natural environment with desert gardens and The Exploration Station, a gallery with live animals.

At Cal State University San Bernardino, the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art spans the millennia. It boasts more than 500 artefacts tracing 4,000 years of Egyptian history, as well impressive collections of ancient Mediterranean ceramics and contemporary art.

This remote desert town is the place to be for some of the best remnants from the migration west. Plus, there’s some good outlet shopping too. First up is the wacky store cupboard of the region’s memorabilia, the Route 66 Mother Road Museum. Period road signs, photos and other mid-century oddities will take you down the memory lane of the 20th-century pioneers who were searching for the Californian dream. Just west of Barstow is the eccentric but oddly beautiful Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch, the work of a local artist, with welded metal 'trees' festooned with discarded bottles, vintage toys and other waste items. It's a colourful example of the region’s still strong folk art tradition.

For more ideas on what to do in the area, visit the California Welcome Center, at the Tanger Outlets complex, where you can hunt for bargains on favourite labels and brands, including Calvin Klein, Skechers and Michael Kors.

Protecting an astounding 1.6 million acres/647,497 hectares of pristine desert wilderness, the Mojave National Preserve lets you hear singing sand dunes, explore weirdly contorted Joshua trees and hike up volcanic cinder cones. Take time to explore, and let the desert’s magic unfold.

Don’t miss nearby Kelso Dunes, the second largest dune system in California, covering 45 square miles/72 square kilometres and soaring to more than 600 feet/183 metres. In spring, desert wildflowers dapple the sands with colour.

Elsewhere, a popular walk is the 3-mile/5-km roundtrip trek to the summit of 5,775-foot/1,754-metre Teutonia Peak, the highest point on Cima Dome and an almost perfectly symmetrical formation.

This is no lifeless wasteland: wait and watch (especially at dusk and dawn) to see surprising wildlife, including the rare desert tortoise. Spring rains can carpet the desert with wild flowers. And there are people here too: call in at Kelso Depot, a restored train station housing the reserve’s visitor centre, for exhibits and information (open 9 to 5, Friday to Tuesday).