Most people love saving travel checklists, but almost nobody finishes them. We bookmark the articles, dog-ear the magazines, and tell ourselves that one day we'll see it all. Then life gets in the way.
But early in 2024, a Los Angeles couple named Paul Preston and Susan Huckle decided to actually do it. They looked at the L.A. Times’ massive master class of Golden State travel—the 101 Best California Experiences, meticulously curated by long-time travel writer Christopher Reynolds—and chose to treat it like a mission. By mid-2026, they officially checked off the final item.
Crossing the finish line of a 101-item statewide list takes more than just a car and some free weekends. It requires a level of scheduling discipline and financial commitment that would make most casual vacationers throw up their hands. Their journey began with a weekend trip to Paso Robles to see the illuminated hillsides, and it mushroomed into a two-year odyssey spanning from the Mexican border up to the Oregon state line.
If you've ever looked at a massive travel bucket list and wondered what it actually takes to finish it, the reality is far more complicated, exhausting, and rewarding than a glossy feature article lets on.
The Massive Scale of the Ultimate California Checklist
The L.A. Times list isn't just a collection of standard tourist traps. Christopher Reynolds built the guide to capture the culture, weirdness, and staggering geographic diversity of the state. You aren't just sitting on a beach in Malibu or standing in line at Disneyland. The checklist demands that you explore hidden architectural gems, eat regional street food, hike through ancient forests, and drive down highways that feel completely disconnected from modern society.
To put this in perspective, California is larger than many European countries. Driving from San Diego to the northern redwood forests takes roughly 12 hours of straight highway time, and that doesn't account for the winding mountain roads or the horrific traffic bottlenecks of the major metro areas. Completing 101 specific experiences across this kind of territory means you aren't just taking vacations. You're effectively operating a second job as a logistics manager.
When Paul and Susan started their journey in early 2024 with that first trip to see the glowing orbs of the Sensorio light installation in Paso Robles, they probably didn't realize how much asphalt they were about to burn. To survive a project like this, you have to chunk the state into manageable regions. You have to accept that your weekends belong to the highway.
Urban Gritty Wonders Versus Natural Giants
A huge chunk of the checklist focuses heavily on Downtown Los Angeles, which offers a stark contrast to the high-altitude mountain escapes on the list. The guide forces travelers to confront the architectural history of the city. You find yourself walking through the light-flooded Victorian atrium of the Bradbury Building, a structure that feels more like a movie set than an office building. From there, you're hitting the chaotic food stalls of Grand Central Market to grab a pupusa or a gourmet egg sandwich, then walking up the hill to look at the striking stainless-steel curves of the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The urban experiences require a completely different energy than the natural landmarks. In the city, you're dealing with parking structures, crowds, and the constant hum of traffic.
Then, the list yanks you out of the concrete and drops you into places like the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains or the foggy coastlines of the north. You go from navigating the cultural pockets of Metro Los Angeles to staring up at the sheer granite walls of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park or driving through the giant tree tunnels of Humboldt County.
This whiplash is exactly what makes the challenge so grueling. One weekend you need your city walking shoes and an appetite for street food; the next, you need broken-in hiking boots, bear-proof canisters, and a vehicle that can handle steep alpine grades.
The Financial and Psychological Toll of the Checklist Lifestyle
Let's talk about the aspect of this journey that travel writers usually gloss over: the cost. Driving thousands of miles across California isn't cheap. The state consistently has some of the highest fuel prices in the nation. Combine that with hotel rooms, state and national park entry fees, dining out multiple times a day, and the occasional high-end ticketed event, and you're looking at a major financial investment.
Even if you opt for camping or budget motels, a 101-item statewide list will easily drain thousands of dollars over a two-year period. Paul and Susan's ability to sustain this pace from 2024 to 2026 suggests a massive commitment of both liquid cash and personal time.
There's also the psychological element of checklist fatigue. When you transform travel into a series of boxes to check, you risk losing the magic of the destination. You start worrying about whether you're spending enough time at a location to say you "did" it, or you find yourself rushing through a beautiful museum because you need to drive three hours down the coast to hit the next spot before it closes.
To successfully knock out a massive list without losing your sanity, you have to learn to slow down even when your schedule tells you to hurry. The goal shouldn't be to collect the badge; the goal is to let the destination change you a little bit.
How to Build Your Own Modified California Challenge
If you don't have the time or the bank account to mimic Paul and Susan's two-year sprint across all 101 items, you can still steal their strategy to shake up your typical travel routine. You don't need to conquer the entire state all at once to get the value out of a curated regional guide.
Group by Geographic Hubs
Don't drive north to south and back again. Pick a specific hub—like the Central Coast or the San Francisco Bay Area—and knock out every single item within a fifty-mile radius over a single four-day weekend. This saves money on gas and prevents the soul-crushing highway burnout that stops most travelers in their tracks.
Balance High Cost with Free Gems
Mix the expensive meals and ticketed exhibitions with the public spaces. For every pricey dinner at a legendary culinary institution, balance your itinerary with a free architectural walk, a public beach hike, or a visit to a historic state park.
Ditch the Clout and Focus on the Weird
The best parts of any comprehensive state list are rarely the famous landmarks everyone already knows about. Look for the quirky cultural oddities, the legacy businesses that have survived for eighty years, and the bizarre roadside attractions that make California weird. That's where the real soul of the state lives.
Paul Preston and Susan Huckle proved that these massive travel lists aren't just aspirational media fluff—they're executable blueprints for an incredible adventure. It takes a lot of gas, plenty of patience, and a willingness to keep driving even when you're exhausted.
Grab a copy of the list, pick a single region, map out your route, and start driving.
