In California, it's the in-between places that are often the most beguiling. There's incredible beauty at almost every turn here, with gorgeous towns and cities tucked in valleys, perched atop mountains and overlooking sweeps of golden sand. From colourful beach towns that seem to have hopped straight from a postcard to enclaves nestled by the lakeshore, we’ve narrowed down the state's 30 most beautiful towns and cities.

This ranking is based on the opinions of our well-travelled experts and, as is always the case with such things, deeply subjective. Read on to see the best of California's lesser-known gems...