110 California Instagram Captions to Brighten Your Feed

California, the Golden State, is home to over 38 million people — and more than 200 million more visit the state every year. If you’re planning a trip, you’ve got some tough choices ahead of you. Beaches or Hollywood? Yosemite or Death Valley? Urban adventures or wine country lazy days?

No matter what you end up doing, you’re not just guaranteed to have a great time. You’re also sure to end up with a camera roll full of Insta-worthy snapshots. All of those will need engaging California Instagram captions to bring in the likes and comments you’re after!

Not sure where to get started? Well, right here! We’ve made you a list of great Instagram captions for California. No matter what adventures have made it onto your itinerary, you’ll find awesome caption ideas down below.

How to Write Memorable Cali Captions for Instagram

So, you want to make your trip to the Golden State come to life for your Instagram followers, and you know great captions will add a ton of context and flair to your vacay photos? At the same time, you can’t really think of anything catchy to say? These caption-writing tips should get you started!

• Use your West Coast Instagram captions to talk about all the things your followers can’t glean from your photos — so everything that isn’t strictly visual. Mention the smells and aromas, sounds, temperature, the feel of sand beneath your feet, and the overall mood. This will complete your photos and make the experience more immersive.
• Adding a touch of humor to your California captions for Instagram is another easy way to make your captions more interesting and encourage your followers to be generous with their likes and comments. Silly puns and hilarious stories make for winning captions!
• Don’t be afraid to use popular caption formats and add your own unique twist. This is a great way to create creative messages that your followers will enjoy without spending too much time thinking about great captions when you’re on vacation.
• Really don’t know what to say? Borrow someone else’s words! Quotes and song lyrics about California are plentiful, and they can instantly add a dash of sophistication to your California Instagram captions.

Still need help? Don’t worry! We’ve got an abundance of California captions Instagram users will relate to, so just scroll down to pick the best caption for your next Instagram post!

California Instagram Captions for Selfies

1. Golden State of mind.
2. Flip flops, sunscreen, and Cali vibes.
3. Beach? I was born ready.
4. Everything’s sunny in California.
5. Chasing sunsets and good vibes in sunny California.
6. Sun, surfing, and golden selfies.
7. Life’s a beach.
8. Never too old to play in the sand.
9. Making waves and catching them, too.
10. California magic, plain and simple.

Funny California Instagram Captions

11. Sand in my hair, don’t care. Stay salty, California!
12. I’m off to the beach. Sea you later!
13. Keep palm and go surfing.
14. Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my kombucha.
15. When life gives you lemons, make strawberry lemon smash.
16. I am a Big Sur and I cannot lie.
17. If you think I’m too hot to handle, try Death Valley.
18. Resting beach face, but I can still manage a smile.
19. Today’s smile? Sponsored by Cali’s sunny beaches.
20. Still CA-n’t believe I’m here!

Cute California Captions for Instagram

21. Cali vibes and high tides. Everything is golden.
22. Tickled pink about these beautiful sunsets!
23. You had me at “California.”
24. You’re the avocado to my toast, Cali!
25. Gone surfing. Cali if you need me.
26. Meet me where the waves touch my feet.
27. Lost. If found, return to the beach.
28. New suntan, who dis?
29. Chasing golden memories and making waves.
30. Sparkling beaches and chill nights. I’m a golden girl.

Cali Captions for Instagram About Nature

31. They told me to go take a hike, so I did. Nothing beats Yosemite!
32. Catching waves, ‘cause I’m in a Big Sur kind of mood.
33. Death Valley is just like me — too hot to handle.
34. Waterfalling in love with Yosemite.
35. Go where the wild things are, California edition.
36. Living on the edge — because the best views are worth the rest.
37. Sea you later! Gone hiking.
38. Star gazing at Yosemite beats star spotting in Hollywood.
39. Go where the sky is red and the silence is loud.
40. Wind in my hair, adventure in my heart — and that’s just the start.

Chill West Coast Instagram Captions

41. ‘Cause the West Coast is the best coast, baby.
42. I followed my heart, and it led me to the beach.
43. West Coast days and endless nights on the beach.
44. Meanwhile, on the West Coast…
45. Sunny beaches are my love language, and I belong on the West Coast.
46. Beach, please. I was born to make waves.
47. Hella heart eyes for you, West Coast.
48. Wind in my hair, sand between my toes, adventure in my heart.
49. Chill vibes and lazy beach days.
50. Just coastin’ along, soaking up the sun rays.

Wine Country Instagram Captions for California

51. California time means I’m on Cloud Wine.
52. Sipping on sunshine and wine, feeling more alive than ever.
53. Vineyard views and sunny days. I could get used to this.
54. World-class grapes? Wine not?
55. Heart half full, glass half empty.
56. Ditch the whining and start wining.
57. California: For perfection, just add wine.
58. Sunshine is my favorite flavor, but I won’t say no to a nice glass of red.
59. Exploring Cali, one bottle of wine at a time.
60. Aged to perfection and savored with delight.

Disneyland California Instagram Captions

61. When in doubt, just add Mickey Mouse ears.
62. Having the ride of my life with my ride or dies.
63. Pixie dust under the California sun.
64. Disneyland: Where childhood dreams long forgotten finally come true.
65. In search of a handsome prince to kiss.
66. Princess mode? Activated!
67. Magic moments and sunny vibes.
68. When all else fails, just go to Disneyland.
69. I’m the Queen of my castle, and my Beast is hiding somewhere here!
70. Come to the Disneyland side. Even the cookies are Mickey-shaped.

Hollywood California Instagram Captions

71. Pic to prove it happened!
72. I spent all this time looking for a sign from the universe. Here it is.
73. I shot for the moon and got lost among the Hollywood stars…
74. Meet me at the Hollywood sign and ask for my autograph.
75. Lights, camera, action! (And way too much time looking for this sign.)
76. This is sacred ground.
77. Hollywood dreams and big stars.
78. Life ain’t perfect, but at least I made it to the Hollywood sign.
79. Living the Boulevard dream.
80. Movie star vibes only.

Great Quotes for California Captions for Instagram

81. “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.” — Scott McKenzie
82. “When a tree takes a notion to grow in California, nothing in Heaven or on earth will stop it.” — Lilian Leland
83. “You could travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast.” — Katy Perry
84. “We only have two kinds of weather in California, magnificent and unusual.” — James M Cain
85. “Sometimes I feel like my only friend is the city I live in, the city of angels.” — Red Hot Chili Peppers
86. “There are so many different challenges California has; it’s the greatest state in the greatest country in the world. Hasta la vista, baby!” — Arnold Schwarzenegger
87. “The morning fog may chill the air, I don’t care. My love waits there in San Francisco.” — Tony Bennett
88. “California has always been a place of endless promise and possibility.” — Maria Shriver
89. “She stood there bright as the sun on that California coast.” — Bob Seger
90. “So won’t you carry me back to California? I’ve been on the road too long.” — Carole King

Short California Captions Instagram Followers Will Love

91. California dreaming.
92. California isn’t just a state, it’s a whole mindset.
93. Cali is my kind of vibe.
94. I live for the golden hours.
95. I’m the CEO of Flip Flops.
96. Beach days? I’m in.
97. No matter the question, Cali is always the answer.
98. Pacific Paradise found.
99. Sunkissed dreams and bikini vibes.
100. Surfing, sun, and sushi: My three favorite S words.

Creative Writing Prompts for California Instagram Captions

We hope you found some nice Instagram captions for California on our list — but we totally get it if you prefer to write your own. Original captions are the best way to make sure your photos match your captions perfectly, which will help you spark conversations and get likes.

The prompts on this list are open-ended, so you have the freedom to finish your West Coast Instagram captions in any way you like!

101. My California experience in three words? …
102. Meet me where the beach touches the ocean, and…
103. Channeling my inner Californian with…
104. Cruising along the California coast, and thinking…
105. Rocking my flip flops and…
106. When life gives you sunshine, always…
107. Go where the sun shines and the people are…
108. All I need? Sunshine, palm trees, and…
109. Paradise? Found among the…
110. California breeze in my hair, and…

FAQ About California Captions for Instagram

How long should my California captions for Instagram be?

While short captions (somewhere between 140 and 220 characters) often work best on Instagram, a lot of people do use their Instagram pages as travel journals. In that case, you can get away with much longer and more detailed captions that describe your adventures and experiences. You can share restaurant recommendations and review famous sights, for example.

What emojis should I add to my California Instagram captions?

If you’re heading for the beach, your most obvious choices are 🌴, 🌞, 🏖️, 🏔️, 🌊, and 🌇 (for sunsets). Trips to Hollywood need a 🎬, and wine country trips can always use a good 🍷. Don’t limit yourself to these ones, though — use any emoji that does your photo justice, but don’t put too many in a single caption.

What are the best hashtags for Cali captions for Instagram?

Your Instagram hashtags serve two purposes. They help other people discover your great California content, but your hashtags also add a ton of personality and flair to your captions. It’s important to choose right! Some of our favorite hashtags for vacations in California include #californiadreaming, #calilife, #goldenstate, #hollywoodsign, #winecountry, #californialove, #pacificcoasthighway, and #westcoastbestcoast.

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