If you've spent any time here, you know that California is synonymous with creative. Music, food, art, design -- you'll find it here in dizzying Golden State-sized proportions. So the only challenge is where to begin your search to locate the many hubs up and down the state where everything from the latest farm-to-table foodie find or trendy streetwise gallery can be discovered. Luckily, there are eclectic zones and emerging districts that make it easy to find a wealth of attractions in one location. Following are some of the hottest locales and on-the-rise neighborhoods where the creative spirit burns brightly and reflects the inherently inventive nature of Californians. 

Northern California 

Uptown Oakland 
Oakland used to be overshadowed in all things cultural by her glam sibling across the Bay, San Francisco. But that perception is rapidly changing as neighborhoods like Uptown Oakland, home to the emerging Oakland Arts District, flex their creative muscle and carve out a distinct identity all their own. What this revival looks like in Oakland is a flourishing scene of art galleries, restaurants and bars and events like the monthly Art Murmur, which takes over five blocks of Telegraph Avenue in Uptown the first Friday of each month. This is where everything from live performances to street art and food trucks mix and mingle in an eclectic and street-smart scene. 

Highlights: 
• Ongoing special events like Art Murmur with its live performances and art galleries remaining open after hours. 
• Art galleries such as Manna and FM in the Oakland Arts District. 
• Restaurants like Duende with its delicious paella or hearty American fare and craft beer from Luka's Taproom.
• Historic theaters including the Paramount Theatre and Uptown Nightclub showcasing everything from rock to classic films. 

The Mission – San Francisco 

An iconic San Francisco neighborhood associated with everything from the city's founding and oldest building to early punk bands and street art, “The Mission,” as it's known by locals, has been a creative force in the city for decades. Though it's not an emerging scene, The Mission never rests on its laurels and keeps evolving, entertaining and captivating locals and visitors alike with festivals, street art and a vibrant music scene. The area is also known for loved-by-locals restaurants and bars that include everything from authentic Mexican and Central American taquerias and pupuserias to a Michelin-starred restaurant, Saison. 

Highlights: 
• Mexican and Central American mama-and-papa restaurants like Papalote Mexican Grill. 
• High-end trendy eateries includingBar Tartine and Luna Park. 
• Amazing assemblage of street art mostly inspired by the neighborhood's Latin roots and Chicano art movement of the 1970s, such as murals found on Balmy Alley. 
• Theaters and live music venues such as historic Roxie Theatre. 
• Alternative art galleries and collectives like Southern Exposure, or SoEx, where local talents showcase their work. 
• Street festivals like the annual Carnaval when colorful revelry takes to the streets of the Mission. 

Central California 

Downtown SLO – San Luis Obispo 

San Luis Obispo is a Central Coast gem that is often ranked as one of the most livable cities in the country. It also has a downtown that is emerging as a hub of regional gastronomy, top-flight entertainment and colorful galleries and boutiques, all while maintaining its air of authenticity thanks to historic and design landmarks such as the Dallidet Adobe and Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Kundert Medical Building. Besides the art of design, the visual arts are also a big draw, especially on the first Friday of each month during SLO's Art After Dark program. This is when downtown studios, galleries and cafes stay open late to showcase local artists, host receptions and generally kick off the weekend in style. And as an important center of the red hot Central Coast food and wine scene, it's no surprise that downtown restaurants like creekside Novo Restaurant & Lounge wow diners with ingredient-driven menus. 

Highlights:
• Intimate, inviting locations to wine, dine and stay such as the refurbished Granada Hotel & Bistro. 
• Live music and local brews at the Frog and Peach pub. 
• First run and art house films at the historic Fremont Theatre. 
• Galleries such as the Hands Gallery celebrating the creativity of local and regional artists. 
• Exhibitions, art walks and docent-led tours at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art. 
• Lively weekly Farmers Market held every Thursday night on Higuera Street featuring local SLO produce, just-grilled BBQ ribs and live entertainment. 

Funk Zone – Santa Barbara 

Think of the Funk Zone as a fun zone for adults. Previously home to antiquated light industrial buildings, the area is now where Santa Barbara lets its hair down (even more than usual) and locals and visitors congregate to enjoy a local craft beer, savor farm-to-fork artisanal small plates and sip limited release regional wines along the city's Urban Wine Trail. It's also where art galleries flourish and festive events like art walks, block parties and pop-ups featuring Airstream trailers happen. Just minutes from downtown's State Street and the beach, no visit to Santa Barbara is complete without checking out the Funk Zone. 

Highlights: 
• Opportunities to sip some of the area's top wines and chat with local winemakers along the Urban Wine Trail. 
• Try Santa Barbara County craft beer and talk suds with local brewmasters at breweries and tasting rooms including Figueroa Mountain Brewery. 
• Check out Santa Barbara's flourishing art scene at galleries like the Gone Gallery. 
• Nibble on creative platings of local fare paired with inventive craft cocktails at The Lark. 
• Get your SB surf swag at the flagship Channel Islands Surfboards shop. 

Southern California 

Gallery Row – Downtown Los Angeles 

For the last decade, downtown Los Angeles has been on a steady upswing as major developments ranging from Walt Disney Hall to hipster lofts and five-star hotels like the Ritz-Carlton LA Live have moved in to call the area home. But one sector of downtown that has really emerged as a user-friendly mix of art galleries and studios, bars, lofts and culinary hotspots is historic downtown's Gallery Row. Formerly, many of the buildings here dating from the early 1900's were banks and office buildings. After falling into disrepair over the ensuing years, they have now been transformed into nearly 50 art galleries, artists' studios, bars and speakeasies, and restaurants you'll find written about in the pages of foodie bibles like Bon Appetit. It's also the location of the highly popular Art Walk, a monthly open gallery experience. 

Highlights: 
• Celebrated restaurants like Josef Centeno's Baco Mercat. 
• Art galleries like The Hive Gallery & Studios overflowing with the latest creations of LA artists. 
• Bars pouring the latest libations for a suitably creative crowd or in the case of Buzz Wine and Beer Shop, wine and beer tasting and events. 
• Fabulous and quirky boutiques and shops like the Last Book Store. 

The Packing District – Anaheim 

Downtown Anaheim has had a major resurgence of its own lately, with the neighborhood's revitalized Packing District setting a stellar example of urban adaptive reuse. A former Packard dealership built in 1925 in the Mission Revival style and one of the last remaining citrus packing plants from Orange County's early 20th century citrus boom form the core of the Packing District. The Packard Building now plays host to the Anaheim Brewery, which in a sudsy homage to the city's German roots and original Anaheim Brewery founded in 1870, pours local craft beer selections like Anaheim 1888 and Anaheim Hefeweizen. The brewery also hosts regular events on its patio, including an Oktoberfest, and shares the building with popular gourmet hamburger purveyors Umami Burger. Connected by a two-acre park that stages a weekly Sunday farmers market and other community events, The Packing House is open daily and is home to local restaurants and artisanal producers. Reminiscent of the food halls of Europe and Latin America, this is where you can sip organic, shade-grown coffee, dine on fresh seafood and hear live music from a sunny porch overlooking the park. 

Highlights:
• Vintage Mission Revival-style Packard Building, home of Anaheim Brewery and Umami Burger. 
• Sunday Farmers Market held weekly in beautifully landscaped Farmers Park, also the site of outdoor movies and a Halloween parade 
• Now transformed into a gourmet food hall, the early 20th century Packing House is one of Orange County's only remaining citrus packing facilities. 

Little Italy – San Diego 

One of the few remaining true Little Italy neighborhoods left in the US, San Diego's seaside version has not only survived the decades, it's thriving as a destination unto itself. What was formerly a humble neighborhood made up of ethnic Italian families who worked in the tuna fishing industry has in the last few years upgraded into a collection of new restaurants, swank lofts, galleries and boutiques all poised perfectly between San Diego's historic train station and San Diego Harbor. Just as vibrant as the Italian culture, the neighborhood hosts lively events such as the weekly farmers market or Mercato, Italian film festivals and annual Carnavale. Then again, any day of the week, you can find a sunny spot at a café to sip a cappuccino, enjoy handmade pasta at a trattoria or hang out with locals in authentic neighborhood bar. 

Highlights: 
• A popular farmers market selling local produce and products. 
• Restaurants that mix traditional flavors with modern sizzle like Davanti Enoteca. 
• Local bars ranging from old-time hangouts to sleek and sophisticated gastropubs like 98 Bottles. 
• Cozy boutique hotels like La Pensione Hotel to keep you right in the middle of all the action. 

Downtown Riverside – Riverside 

Located in Southern California's Inland Empire, Riverside was depicted decades ago on orange crate labels as one of those idyllic towns framed by orange groves. Now the city has not only managed to burnish that image by restoring and maintaining important architectural landmarks in the downtown area, but added to its appeal with new attractions ranging from Broadway shows to world-class dining opportunities. In fact, Forbes magazine recently ranked the city as number eight on its list of “Americas' Coolest Cities.” The downtown area also boasts a vibrant restaurant and club scene that attracts a youthful crowd, as well as art galleries, boutiques and events like TED/Riverside, showing that palm-tree studded Riverside has brains as well as beauty. The downtown area is also the location of one of the nation's most magnificent examples of the Mission Revival style, The Mission Inn & Spa. 

Highlights:
• One-of-a-kind shops like Old Glory General Store selling everything from hand-crafted chocolates to rare antiques along downtown's revitalized and beautifully landscaped Main Street. 
• Fresh seasonal produce and artisanal food products sourced from local producers at the weekly Downtown Farmers Market. 
• Housed in a Julia Morgan-designed building, the Riverside Art Museum showcases group and solo shows, a permanent collection and classes for children and adults. 
• Spanish Colonial Revival architectural gems like the Fox Performing Arts Center which pair city history with popular live performances. 
• Fine dining, a pampering spa and architectural splendor at the iconic Mission Inn.