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California Highlights Road Trip
Buckle up – you’re headed south on the Pacific Coast Highway, with a detour to the Wine Country and Yosemite, on a road trip that ticks off everything unmissable in the Golden State
You’ll start in San Francisco and then hit the open road where the driving is part of this all-American experience. Weave through the wine country and check off Yosemite before the coast calls. Mooch around Monterey and get all the Cali-Med vibes in Santa Barbara before La La Land steps forward for the grand finale.
We’ve crafted this self-drive based on our own experiences and customers’ feedback. It’s fully flexible and there’s plenty of places that can be added for an even more epic California adventure. These are the minimum durations for this itinerary but we are happy to add extra stops and nights if you want a slower pace for your road trip.
Itinerary overview
Days 1 to 3 - San Francisco
Golden Gate City
Vibrant and bustling, with its iconic Golden Gate Bridge and hilly landscape, the city is instant...
Day 4 - Napa
Venture to Wine Country
The trip drive of your trip is comparatively short. Just an hour or so away (you can get there ov...
Day 5 - Yosemite
Monumental wonders
From Napa, drive 200 miles east to Yosemite National Park. Here, thundering waterfalls plummet fr...
Day 6 - Carmel & Monterey
Drive back to the coast
Leave the glory of Yosemite behind and drive 200 miles southwest to the Pacific coast. Some of th...
Day 7 - SLO Cal
Coastal scenic wonders
In SLO Cal, the journey is just as thrilling as the destination itself. Take the wheel along High...
Days 8 to 9 - Santa Barbara
Welcome to the American Riviera
Savour the drive through Big Sur as you head south to Santa Barbara, a town whose reputation exce...
Days 10 to 13 - Los Angeles
Prepare to be dazzled
The final leg of your trip brings you to Los Angeles. Sunset-loving, moviemaking, ocean-living LA...
Optional extensions
The Californian desert or Sin City
This holiday does not have to end in Los Angeles. If you don't want the fun to end, you could jum...
Days 1 to 3 - San Francisco
Golden Gate City
Vibrant and bustling, with its iconic Golden Gate Bridge and hilly landscape, the city is instantly recognisable. San Francisco's neighbourhoods come in many forms, from artsy nooks to stylish hubs. Stay a few days before collecting your hire car and starting your road trip. The Hop-On Hop-Off Official City Tour begins at Fisherman’s Wharf. Then, you’ll see the Barbary Coast, Embarcadero, and the Ferry Building before you arrive at Union Square. Pause for some shopping or stay on board to admire the Victorian Painted Ladies, then drive through the bohemian Haight Ashbury, where you can see the murals and art. Golden Gate Park (home of the de Young Museum and California Academy of Sciences) follows before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. Your ticket includes a visit to Alcatraz – the infamous prison island.
Recommended Hotels
Argonaut Hotel
An ode to both the Gold Rush era and its waterfront location, The Argonaut crushes on-trend nautical elegance without sacrificing history and is our default choice for San ...
Hotel Zoe Fisherman's Wharf
Inspired by the Italian flavours of its nearby North Beach neighbourhood, Hotel Zoe is all Tiffany blue cruiser bikes and trendy trattoria with a memorable fire pit courtya...
Westin St Francis
Crushing it in the classic hotel/trendy location stakes, The Westin St. Francis sits right on Union Square’s fashion-forward open air plaza.
Fairmont San Francisco
If heart throbs were hotels, Fairmont San Francisco would be one of them. With regal looks, historic spirit and unrivalled Bay and city views, this is the go-to for a sophi...
Day 4 - Napa
Venture to Wine Country
The trip drive of your trip is comparatively short. Just an hour or so away (you can get there over the Golden Gate Bridge or the Bay Bridge), Napa Valley produces the USA’s most famous wines. There are options for every palette, taste, and budget.Drive Highway 29’s 30 miles and absorb every heady detail of multisensory Napa Valley. There are stunning stops, door-to-door and back-to-back. The hard part is deciding where to stop. Sip fresh-from-the-vineyard wines in castle-like estates, stop at hillside boutiques with spectacular views and dive into high-tech subterranean tasting rooms.
Recommended Hotels
River Terrace Inn, Napa Valley
A favored mix of modern-classic vibes and high country cuisine; at River Terrace Inn it’s all sophisticated ‘bottoms up’ relaxing with the enchantment of Napa Town on your ...
The Westin Verasa Napa
The Napa River-fronting Westin Verasa has certainly got some sass. It wins all the points for its glinting saltwater pool, Michelin-starred dining and wine list almost as l...
The Westin Verasa Napa
The Napa River-fronting Westin Verasa has certainly got some sass. It wins all the points for its glinting saltwater pool, Michelin-starred dining and wine list almost as l...
Hotel Indigo Napa Valley
In a sweet wine country suburban spot on the edge of Napa Town, and with a small outdoor pool, Hotel Indigo offers an easy on the pocket stay just 10 minutes drive from dow...
Day 5 - Yosemite
Monumental wonders
From Napa, drive 200 miles east to Yosemite National Park. Here, thundering waterfalls plummet from granite cliffs, soaking too-curious sightseers with misty plumes. Hikers are giddy from witnessing the most extraordinary vistas. Fearless types tackle El Capitan – a sheer monolith of vertiginous granite. And surreally giant trees have you wondering: is it all a dream? There are hundreds of miles of marked hiking trails. Stop at the visitor centre for maps and advice, or ask at your hotel for the best routes on the doorstep. Once you’ve exhausted your legs, take the scenic drive to Glacier Point for the ultimate views of America's most iconic valley.
Recommended Hotels
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
With guides and gear on hand to help you discover Northern California in an entirely new way, Tenaya Lodge is packed with adventurous spirit and resort-style vibes. Bike hi...
Yosemite View Lodge
It might be basic in design but Yosemite View Lodge has got a big ace up its sleeve. Making the wild so much more reachable, you can almost make eyes at Yosemite Park’s wes...
The Ahwahnee
The Ahwahnee is an earthy Hansel and Gretel hideaway with extraordinary views and epic adventure all around.
The Pines Resort at Bass Lake
With everything from a private beach and marina to tennis and canoeing this feels like an all-American summer camp upscaled for grown up fun.
Day 6 - Carmel & Monterey
Drive back to the coast
Leave the glory of Yosemite behind and drive 200 miles southwest to the Pacific coast. Some of the best chances to spot California’s whales are off the coast of Monterey, with sightseeing trips aplenty depart from Old Fisherman’s Wharf. When you’ve returned with a camera full of shots of breaching whales and frolicking seals, stay for clam chowder at one of the wharf’s restaurants overlooking Monterey Bay and get a second glimpse of the seals playing on the rocks. Dreamy Carmel is the type of place you leisurely drift around, perusing Ocean Avenue's quaint galleries and boutiques and meandering through bamboo-lined passageways. Its restaurant scene includes some authentic Italian trattorias, so feast on pasta before heading to one of the wine-tasting rooms or walk the scenic bluff path above Carmel Beach before making your way down the stairs to the sand in time for sunset.
Recommended Hotels
Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa on Del Monte Golf Course
A leisure-focussed resort with a golf course, pools, tennis court, and spa. The perfect spot for downtime on a Californian road trip.
Intercontinental the Clement, Monterey
A waterfront hotel at the heart of Monterey's famous Cannery Row.
Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay
Turn off your emails and leave the glad rags at home; Portola Hotel & Spa at Monterey Bay cruises the coastal way. Think stylish indoor-outdoor spaces, natural materials an...
Carmel Valley Ranch, An Unbound Collection Hotel
Need a reason to try out ranch life? Carmel Valley Ranch will give you ten. With plenty of noteworthy add-ons, this sultry and sustainable escape is all at once a holistic ...
Day 7 - SLO Cal
Coastal scenic wonders
In SLO Cal, the journey is just as thrilling as the destination itself. Take the wheel along Highway 1, where adventure awaits around every turn. It’s one of the most breathtaking driving routes and offers incredible views punctuated by captivating road stops. Once you reach Pismo Beach, you're officially halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Take a leisurely stroll along the white sandy beach and stick around for golden hour to witness a spectacular sunset. Spend the night here to ensure you're well-rested before navigating the detours around the road closures en-route to your next stop, Santa Barbara. Alternatively you can stop over in Morro Bay, Cambria, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo or San Simeon.
Recommended Hotels
SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel Pismo Beach
An everything-you-need-nothing-you-don’t kind of hotel where the prime oceanfront location does all the convincing.
Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach, Autograph Collection
California beach bliss awaits at this oceanfront beauty that’s right on Pismo Beach. It has everything you need to stay put for a few days, but the California coast might j...
Days 8 to 9 - Santa Barbara
Welcome to the American Riviera
Savour the drive through Big Sur as you head south to Santa Barbara, a town whose reputation exceeds its geographic size. It’s a pretty small town 90 miles north of Los Angeles – close enough for its celebrity citizens to catch their agent in the melee of LA but just far enough away for escapism. You’ll pay a premium to sample the American Riviera lifestyle here, but some may say it’s more than worth it to experience the essence of Californian cool. The heart of Santa Barbara is a palm-lined boulevard where you can admire the Spanish-style buildings that give Santa Barbara its Mediterranean vibe. State Street, the main avenue, is surrounded by stores, bars, and restaurants, eventually leading to the coast. Save the walk for a sunset stroll and try the electric Santa Barbara Trolley that goes along the entire length of State Street.
Recommended Hotels
Riviera Beach House
A small package it might be, but Riviera Beach House has artsy edge, swift passage to the shore and plenty of local flavour. Hit the beach, the breweries and the artisanal ...
Kimpton Canary Santa Barbara
In a ‘blow your own trumpet’ location in downtown Santa Barbara, hacienda-style Kimpton Canary has a Mediterranean mood and a rooftop pool and terrace that spark a golden stat
Hotel Milo Santa Barbara
Feast by the beach, cruise the coastline and kayak by the pier. Sprinkled with all the shades of summer, Hotel Milo is a charming little place to sleep, swim and savour tho...
Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
Get a front-row seat to the Pacific coastline at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, a modern resort in a prime position for exploring this gorgeous stretch of California.
Days 10 to 13 - Los Angeles
Prepare to be dazzled
The final leg of your trip brings you to Los Angeles. Sunset-loving, moviemaking, ocean-living LA brings the gloss, the grunge, and the glam. Come for Hollywood, but stay for every other irresistible horizon. Ferrari-flashing, diamond-dripping Beverly Hills is L.A. at its most lavish. Come here for Rodeo Dive’s constellation of luxury shops and Beverly Wilshire’s gold-flaked drinks. Craving Michelin star dining? You’ve got it. Want to ogle the A-lister’s extravagant pads? A Hollywood Celebrities Homes tour will show you how the other half live.
Recommended Hotels
The Garland
The Garland has a playful indie resort feel that leans towards lawn games, yoga and rosé all day.
Loews Hollywood Hotel
Centrally located in Hollywood, the Loews is stylish, contemporary and right at the heart of the action.
Optional extensions
The Californian desert or Sin City
This holiday does not have to end in Los Angeles. If you don't want the fun to end, you could jump on a flight to Las Vegas, where the streets are bedecked with neon lights and around-the-clock entertainment is the norm. If you prefer to have some desert adventures, head inland to Palm Springs, a perfectly manicured city surrounded by the landscapes the Sororan Desert. Another option is to continue southwards along the Pacific Highway to the beachfront city of San Diego.
Other Itineraries
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