California RSD FAQ
California is home to more than 250 brick-and-mortar record stores, making it the largest record store market in the country. Shops are spread across more than 130 cities from the Oregon border down to the Mexican border, covering major metros, beach towns, mountain communities, and desert outposts. Whether you are flipping through bins on Hollywood Boulevard or digging in a small-town shop off Highway 101, the Golden State has more record stores per mile than just about anywhere. Use our directory above to search, filter by town, and start planning your route. You can also browse the full Record Store Directory to explore shops in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
Los Angeles has nearly 30 record stores scattered across the city, with the heaviest concentration along Melrose Avenue in the Fairfax District. Headline Records, Street Sounds, and Mega City One all sit within a few blocks of each other on Melrose, making it one of the best crate-digging strips in the country. Over in Hollywood, Amoeba Musicon Hollywood Boulevard is one of the largest independent record stores in the world, and nearby shops like Counterpoint Records and Books, The Record Parlour, and As the Record Turns round out the neighborhood. Highland Park and Eagle Rock have become hotspots too, with Gimme Gimme Records and Cosmic Vinyl anchoring the east side. For something different, check out Bunkado in Little Tokyo, Sonido del Valle in Boyle Heights, or HipHop Philosophy near downtown for genre-specific deep dives.
San Francisco has 12 record stores in the directory, and many of them are clustered in two legendary neighborhoods. The Haight-Ashbury corridor alone is home to Amoeba Music, Groove Merchant Records, Rooky Ricardo’s Records, Vinyl Dreams, and Originals Vinyl, all within walking distance of each other. Over in the Mission District, Stranded Records, Thrillhouse Records, and Pyramid Records carry a heavier lean toward punk, indie, and Latin sounds. You will also find Noise out in the Outer Richmond, Tunnel Records on Taraval, Grooves Inspiralled Vinyl near the Castro, and The Music Store in West Portal. San Francisco rewards exploration on foot, and a single afternoon in the Haight can easily fill a bag.
San Diego has 13 record stores in the directory, making it one of the strongest vinyl cities in the state. The North Park and University Heights neighborhoods are the heart of the scene, with Folk Arts Rare Records, Red Brontosaurus Records, FIVESPACE, and Vinyl Junkies Record Shack all within a short walk. M-Theory Music in Mission Hills is a local institution with a deep selection of new and used records across genres. Over in Ocean Beach, Cow Records is a neighborhood staple. Downtown, FeelIt Records and Normal Records serve up curated selections for collectors and casual buyers alike. Lou’s Records up the coast in Encinitas and Track City Records in Escondido are worth the drive if you are exploring North County.
The Bay Area outside the city is loaded. Oakland alone has seven shops, including 1-2-3-4 Go! Records, Contact Records, Econo Jam Records, and Stranded Records (which also has a San Francisco location). Berkeley is home to Amoeba Music‘s original flagship and Rasputin Music on Telegraph Avenue, plus Dave’s Record Shop and Hercules Records. El Cerrito has two longtime favorites in Down Home Music Store and Mod Lang. You will also find shops in Alameda, Albany, Castro Valley, Concord, Fremont, Hayward, Pleasant Hill, Redwood City, San Mateo, San Rafael, Mill Valley, Novato, Half Moon Bay, and Walnut Creek. The East Bay, Peninsula, and North Bay all have crate-worthy stops.
The Record Store Directory exists to help music lovers discover real, brick-and-mortar record stores across Connecticut. It’s a simple way to explore new shops, support local businesses, and keep vinyl culture thriving—one crate at a time.
Sacramento has eight record stores in the directory, and the Midtown neighborhood is the epicenter. Delta Breeze Records, Kicksville Vinyl & Vintage, MediumRare Records & Collectibles, and Rocket Records Midtown are all within a few blocks of each other along the R Street corridor and surrounding streets. Phono Select Records and Twelves Wax are south of downtown, and The Cave and Esoteric Records CDs & DVDs are out along Arden Way and Fulton Avenue. Sacramento’s scene is tight-knit and walkable in the core, making it easy to hit multiple shops in a single afternoon.
Orange County has nearly 20 record stores spread from Anaheim down to San Clemente. Costa Mesa is the densest cluster, with four shops including Port of Sound Record Shoppe, Blind Dog HiFi and Records, Creme Tangerine Records, and Factory Records. Fullerton has Black Hole Records and Programme Skate & Sound. Dr. Freecloud’s Record Store in Fountain Valley is a collector favorite, and Vinyl Solution Records in Huntington Beach serves the beach crowd. Further south, the city of Orange has Left of the Dial Records and Resident Vinyl, Tustin has Analog Record Shop and Rasta Cowboy Records, and San Clemente has Moldy Toes Records and Power Plant Records. OC’s scene covers everything from punk and surf rock to jazz and hip-hop.
There are, and more than you might expect. Palm Springs has Gré Records & Coffee and Palm Springs Vinyl Records & Collectibles right on Palm Canyon Drive. Out toward Joshua Tree, The Hoodoo in Yucca Valley and White Label Vinyl in Twentynine Palms are essential desert stops. Rocks and Records in Indio and Hunky Dory Records up in Idyllwild round out the Coachella Valley area. In the Inland Empire, Riverside has three shops (Noriega Records, Penrose Record Room, and Rat Hole Records), and Temecula has three of its own (Discovery Records, Old Town Records, and Spindles Music Shack). Dr. Strange Records in Rancho Cucamonga, Groove Time Records in San Bernardino, and Redlands Vinyl Records & Collectibles fill out the region. Desert and IE stores tend to have a loyal local following and less picked-over bins than their coastal counterparts. For more desert-adjacent digging, check out our Nevada Record Store Directory just across the state line.
The Central Coast has a strong vinyl presence from Ventura up through San Luis Obispo. Boo Boo Records in San Luis Obispo is one of the most celebrated independent record stores on the West Coast and is worth a trip on its own. Cheap Thrills, also in SLO, sits just a few blocks away. Ventura has three shops: Salzer’s Records, Grady’s Record Refuge, and Jockamo Records. Heading south, you will find Warbler Records & Goods in Santa Barbara, Murphy’s Vinyl Shack in Carpinteria, American Pie Records in Camarillo, and Traffic Record Store in Atascadero. Vinyl Isle in Morro Bay and Off The Record Vinyl & Vintage in Solvang make great stops on a coastal road trip. If you are driving the PCH or Highway 101, plan for extra trunk space.
Yes, and the Central Valley has more shops than most people realize. Fresno leads the region with four stores, including Tower District Records and Ragin’ Records in the Tower District, Free Bird Company on Olive Avenue, and Rasputin Music on Blackstone. Bakersfield has Going Underground Records and World Records. Merced has two shops in Strawberry Alarm Clock and Tigers & Daggers Records. You will also find Neverstop Vinyl in Stockton, Velouria Records in Visalia, Vintage Vinyl & Victrolas in Clovis, and Rasputin Music in Modesto. Valley stores tend to be independently owned with deep used sections and prices that are friendlier than their coastal counterparts.
Northern California and the North Coast are home to a dozen shops worth seeking out. In Humboldt County, People’s Records in Arcata and both Friends of Sound Eureka and The Works in Eureka are longtime community anchors. Music Merchant in Fort Bragg and Main Street Music & Video in Willits cover the Mendocino Coast. Wine Country has shops in Napa (Folklore and Right On!!! Records), Petaluma (Paradise Found Records and Music and Rain Dog Records), Healdsburg (Levin and Company), Santa Rosa (The Next Record Store), and Sonoma. These are small-town shops with character, and many double as community gathering spots where the owner will spend an hour talking music with you. If you are exploring further north, check out our Oregon Record Store Directory for shops just across the border.
California’s mountain communities have a surprisingly strong vinyl presence. Up near Lake Tahoe, Keynote Used Records & Books in South Lake Tahoe and Rock Cellar Records in Truckee are perfect après-ski stops. In the Gold Country foothills, Grass Valley has two shops in Clock Tower Records and Ron’s Real Records, and Cherry Records in Auburn is a local favorite. Down south, Village Music in Big Bear Lake and Hunky Dory Records in Idyllwild serve the Southern California mountain crowd. These shops tend to carry eclectic, well-curated selections that reflect the personality of their towns.
Most California record stores carry a mix of new and used vinyl, and many stock CDs, cassettes, and even 45s alongside full-length LPs. Shops like Rasputin Music, Amoeba Music, and The Last Bookstore in downtown LA are known for massive used sections where you can dig for hours. Smaller shops like Gimme Gimme Records in LA, 1-2-3-4 Go! Records in Oakland, and Streetlight Records in Santa Cruz carry carefully curated used bins with a strong indie and punk lean. Formats and inventory vary by shop, so it is always worth calling ahead or checking a store’s website if you are after something specific. Our directory cards above include phone numbers and website links for every shop to make that easy.
California’s record stores cover just about every genre that has ever been pressed to wax. For hip-hop and rap, check out HipHop Philosophy and Bombassmuzik in Los Angeles, or FeelIt Records in San Diego. Punk and hardcore collectors should look at Black Hole Records in Fullerton, Thrillhouse Records in San Francisco, and 1-2-3-4 Go! Records in Oakland. Latin music fans will find deep selections at Sonido del Valle in Boyle Heights, Discordia Records in El Centro, and Noriega Records in Riverside. Jazz and soul collectors should not miss High-Fidelity in LA, Groove Merchant Records in San Francisco, or Folk Arts Rare Records in San Diego. Surf rock, psych, country, metal, electronic, and world music all have dedicated shops across the state. If a genre exists, a California record store carries it.
California is one of the biggest Record Store Day markets in the country, and dozens of shops across the state participate every year. Record Store Day takes place every April, with a second drop on Black Friday in November, and California stores go all out with exclusive limited-edition releases, early-morning lines, live performances, and in-store events. Major participants include Amoeba Music (with locations in LA, San Francisco, and Berkeley), Boo Boo Records in San Luis Obispo, M-Theory Music in San Diego, Streetlight Records in Santa Cruz, and Rasputin Music across multiple Bay Area locations. Smaller shops throughout the state also participate and can be great places to score titles that sell out fast at the bigger stores. Check the official Record Store Day store locator to confirm which California shops are participating and plan your visit early. Lines at popular locations can start well before doors open.
If your travels take you beyond the Golden State, the Record Store Directory has you covered in every direction. Head north to Oregon, where Portland’s world-class shops and Eugene’s indie favorites make for essential stops, or keep going to Washington for Seattle’s grunge-rooted scene and beyond. East across the desert, Nevada has neon-lit record haunts in Las Vegas and scrappy indie shops in Reno, and Arizona serves up vinyl in Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff. If you are headed to the islands, check out our Hawaii Record Store Directory for shops across Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai. Browse the full Record Store Directory to find record stores in all 50 states and U.S. territories.