In times as stressful as these, there is a desire to get away and escape from reality. Whether that escape takes you to the sandy beaches on the coast or to the sky-high buildings of big cities, there lie a few cities that pop up quite often: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sacramento, the Golden State’s most iconic cities. However, with this list of cities, there lies a question: Which is the best? Here is the Clog’s take on the best cities here in sunny California.

4. Sacramento

Now, to clarify, Sacramento did not do anything wrong. However, compared to the sandy beaches of San Diego or the quirkiness of Los Angeles, California’s capital leaves something to be desired. It does have the sky-high buildings of a big city (and the traffic too), but it still strays a bit too far from the coast. However, not to be overlooked, the city does have good food and some beautiful history, making it especially appealing to travelers.

3. San Diego

In our opinion, San Diego should be near the top of this list, but the competition is rough, so San Diego gets stuck in third place. With wide roads and sandy beaches, San Diego is the perfect getaway beach vacation. It’s constantly sunny, with the right amount of breeze and some killer sunsets. San Diego is the perfect travel destination for you and your family, and it has some pretty amazing food as well.

2. Los Angeles

Los Angeles, the city of angels, obviously had to come near the top of the list. LA is iconic in our favorite shows and blockbusters — it’s definitely a point of pride to all Californians that it’s always just a drive away. With its tall architecture and sunny skies, the city stands at the intersection of so many cultures and so much creativity. If you want to explore your passions and stay inspired (and can handle a lot of traffic), LA is the place for you.

1. San Francisco

Without any bias, San Francisco is undoubtedly the best city in California. It’s home to California’s best boba shops, the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. In sunny San Francisco, there is always something to do, whether it’s exploring the city, taking a hike or just grabbing some lunch from an amazing restaurant — you want it, San Francisco has it. San Francisco is truly the best of both worlds, the ocean paired with a big city feel and home to some Golden Bears as well.

We hope that this list gave you a good indicator of where to go on your next road trip. Happy traveling!