One of the best ways to explore California is by taking a road trip!
This state has so much to offer, from beautiful beaches and majestic national parks, to thriving cities.
California is massive, and planning a road trip can be daunting.
Luckily, this ultimate California road trip itinerary contains all the information needed to plan a road trip in The Golden State.
This itinerary hits all of the best of California, from Yosemite National Park to Los Angeles- while still factoring in several hidden gems.
All the information needed to plan an epic California road trip is right here, so let’s dive right in!
Some form of transportation will be necessary for a California road trip.
The best options are either renting a car or a campervan/RV.
There are benefits to both, and which one to go for really depends on personal travel style.
Some great options for campervan/RV rentals in California include:
To make renting a campervan/RV quick and easy, simply type a quick search in Motorhome Republic to find the best rental choices for any budget!
This California road trip kicks off in San Francisco! This famous cultural epicenter is well known for its food, colorful buildings, and famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.
San Francisco is a walkable city with great public transportation.
Due to traffic and narrow roads, parking and driving can be difficult here.
For these reasons, it’s a good idea to hold off on a rental car/van until it is time to leave the city.
Fisherman’s Wharf is a vibrant, bustling waterfront area of San Francisco. It is located on the northern waterfront of San Francisco.
Pier 39 is the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf. There is shopping, street performers, many restaurants, and an aquarium. However, the best thing to do at Pier 39 is to watch the sea lions!
Right on the docs at Pier 39 are hundreds of sea lions, hanging out and basking in the sun.
Fisherman’s Wharf also has a great view of Alcatraz.
San Francisco is home to the last manually operated cable car system, and they are open to the public!
The cable cars were first created in the 1800s, and today there are three remaining lines still running.
Going for a ride is a great way to see the city and simultaneously experience a big part of San Francisco’s history.
North Beach isn’t a beach, but an Italian neighborhood on the northeast side of San Francisco. It is also known as Little Italy!
This part of the city is charming and full of delicious Italian eateries. There are also shops selling gelato and cannolis.
Coit Tower is located in North Beach. Built in 1933, this tower is a major part of the San Francisco skyline.
People can even go up to the top of the tower for some of the best views in the entire city.
The Chinatown in San Francisco is one of the oldest and largest in the United States.
Grant Avenue is the main tourist street, and it’s home to restaurants and gift shops alike.
There is much to see in Chinatown, and one of the best ways to explore it is to simply get lost in its sprawling alleyways. This will provide a more authentic view of the community as it is away from the main tourist road.
Alcatraz Island is perhaps the most famous landmark in San Francisco. It is located about 2.4km/1.5 miles from the city, and between 1934-1963, it operated as a maximum-security prison.
Today, it is a museum and a popular tourist attraction.
The only way to visit Alcatraz is to book a ferry and tour. Tickets sell out 1-3 months in advance so it is best to book this early.
Visiting Alcatraz is eerie, unique, and rich with history.
The Golden Gate Bridge is iconic.
It connects San Francisco to Northern California, and almost 40 million cars cross it every year!
The bridge is open to pedestrians, and visitors can either park nearby, or hike up to the bridge to cross it on foot.
Fun fact: The Golden Gate Bridge is operated by the National Parks Service.
Ocean Beach in San Francisco is a large, rugged beach adjacent to the Sunset District.
It’s often cloudy like many other north coast beaches. For this reason it’s not exactly the best beach for sunbathing.
However, it is a great place to take a stroll and admire the very first beach on this itinerary!
It’s time for wine country! California is well known for its delicious produce and quality wines, and Napa Valley is the epicenter of Northern California wine country.
It’s no secret that one of the best things to do in Napa is to go wine tasting.
With over 200 beautiful wineries in Napa, there are so many options for every budget and style.
Many wineries offer food with their tastings, so this is a great way to sample delicious cheeses and other plates.
Booking a wine tasting is a fun and quintessential California experience, and a great way to learn about one of the world’s oldest and most popular beverages.
Napa Valley doesn’t have to only be about wine! There are also fun outdoor activities to do in wine country, including biking the vine trail.
The Napa Valley Vine Trail is a 75 km/47-mile long trail that connects all the vineyards in Napa through one wine country road.
The best way to enjoy the trail is to rent a bike, and cruise along past all of the vineyards.
Napa Valley is nestled in the Macayama Mountains, next to Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.
Within the park, there is a great hiking trail that leads up to Coyote Peak, which has arguably one of the best views of Napa.
This hike is about 8 km/5 miles long and is moderately difficult.
Another shorter and easier hike is called Linda Falls. It’s located in Angwin and only takes about 20 minutes.
Like the name suggests, it leads to a beautiful waterfall!
Lake Tahoe is a massive lake nestled in the Sierra Nevadas, with so much to offer. After a few days in the city, the beautiful, rugged nature of Lake Tahoe will be a nice change of scenery!
Lake Tahoe is famous for its crystal clear waters that are just perfect for swimming in the summer months. The beaches in South Lake Tahoe are particularly nice, with El Dorado being a great beach for sunbathing.
As a result of its prime location in the Sierra Nevadas, Lake Tahoe has some spectacular hiking. There’s a hike for everyone, from short easy 10 minute hikes, to multi-day backpacking adventures.
There are also many beautiful waterfall hikes, with plenty of swimming holes to cool off in during the hot summer months.
Some of the best Lake Tahoe hikes are:
Fun fact: The famous Pacific Crest Trail goes right through Lake Tahoe!
Lake Tahoe is not only famous for crystal clear waters but also its snowsports! Tahoe is home to a whopping 15 ski resorts.
The most popular ski resorts in Lake Tahoe are Palisades Tahoe and Heavenly, which are also the most pricey.
More budget-friendly ski resorts in Lake Tahoe are Donner Ski Ranch and Kirkwood.
In winter, Lake Tahoe turns into a true winter wonderland. The majestic Sierras become clouded with snow. The entire mountain range gets coated! All the while, the lake remains a sparkling, emerald blue.
For this reason, Lake Tahoe is not only an awesome summer road trip stop but also a fabulous winter destination.
Emerald Bay State Park is one of the most famous parts of Lake Tahoe, and with good reason.
This is by far the most photographed area of Tahoe, due to its sparkling emerald waters and granite cliffs.
Emerald Bay is a great place for a beach day. The shore is soft and sandy, and the water is warm and shallow. There are paddleboard and kayak rentals available here, which are a great way to explore the lake!
One of the best things about Emerald Bay is that cars are not allowed, so despite its popularity, it still feels rugged and remote.
The only way to access Emerald Bay is to walk/ hike from the Vikingsholm parking lot which takes about 15 minutes.
In the summer months (Mid May through early October), Lake Tahoe is a great place to camp! It is quiet, and there are many camping options from the mountains to the lakeside.
Some of the best paid campsites in Lake Tahoe include:
All of those sites cost between $20-$40 a night, and reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance. They do fill up quickly, so reservations are highly recommended.
With that said, not having a reservation should not be a cause for concern! One of the glorious things about this area is all of the free, wilderness camping. In the Tahoe area, the Lake Tahoe Basin is full of areas with free camping including:
It’s time to head out of Lake Tahoe into another beautiful part of California: Yosemite National Park.
On the way, there are a few stops that are important to California’s history: Gold Rush Towns!
Sutter Creek is one of the most famous Gold Rush towns in California. The historical, gold rush era buildings are well preserved and open to the public.
Some of the best buildings to check out include the Monteverde General Store and the Sutter Creek Schoolhouse.
Of course, things weren’t all positive during the Gold Rush era, and memorials like Miner’s Bend Park depict the darker details of the Gold Rush.
Jackson was the most lucrative Gold Rush town- it produced over half of all the gold mined in California!
There is plenty to see in Jackson, including the Kennedy Gold Mine, and Amador County Museum. The museum runs an informative walking tour, which goes through the historical downtown area of Jackson.
There are a couple of good places to eat in Jackson, including Brickhouse Brews and Rosebud's Cafe.
Murphy’s is another great Gold Rush town to visit. Not only does it host a rich Gold Rush history like the others, but it also has a vibrant and lively art scene.
After exploring some of California’s famed Gold Rush towns, it’s back to the great outdoors! Yosemite National Park is one of the highlights of this road trip in California.
Yosemite is characterized by majestic Sequoia trees, breathtaking waterfalls, wildlife, and massive rock formations like El Capitan and Half Dome.
Half Dome is an epic granite rock formation in Yosemite.
It’s an iconic part of the park, and many hikers every year try their luck at a permit for the strenuous hike to the top.
For non-hikers or those who don’t win the permit lottery, the best views of Half Dome are from Glacier Point, Tunnel View, and Cook’s Meadow.
El Capitan is another famous granite cliff in Yosemite. To hike to the top is extremely difficult, but the views are well worth it.
For those not quite feeling up for a 32 km/20-mile hike, the best view of El Capitan is from Yosemite Valley.
Glacier Point is famous for being one of the best viewpoints in the world. It’s located in the Yosemite Valley, and in the summer months, is accessed by a tour bus, or from the difficult Four Mile Trail.
In winter, Glacier Point lookout can be accessed by skiers or snowshoers.
Yosemite Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in the world. The best time to see the falls is in spring, as it usually dries up by summer.
The easiest way to see the falls is by walking to Lower Yosemite Falls Trail, which takes about 15 minutes.
More ambitious hikers can summit to the top of the upper falls trail, which is an 11 km/7 mile mostly uphill trek.
Tuolumne Meadows is a blissful retreat for anyone wanting to escape the more crowded areas of the park.
The large meadow is serene, and there are several hikes nearby.
The best time to visit the meadows is in the springtime when they transform into a rainbow of wildflowers.
Some of the best paid campsites in Yosemite include:
There is no free camping within the park, although there are plenty outside the park.
The closest free camping to Yosemite is a 1.5-2 hour drive away. However, there’s nothing quite like backcountry camping right outside of Yosemite, so it’s well worth the drive. Especially because it can be quite difficult to obtain a paid campground within the park.
Some of the best free camping nearby is:
It's time to trade up the Sierras for the stunning Pacific coastline- the next stop is Monterey! Monterey is located at the top of Highway One.
This is the longest drive on the itinerary, so it’s best to leave Yosemite early.
After a long stint in the car, the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail is a great place to get out and stretch.
The trail is 28 km/18 miles long and runs directly adjacent to the Pacific coastline.
The best place to start the trail is in Seaside, and there is paid parking for the trail at the Houghton parking lot.
This trail is a lovely place for a stroll or bike ride! There are plenty of bike rental shops here.
The trail has beautiful views of the ocean and its wildlife, including sea lions and otters.
One of the best things to do here is have a picnic in the grass next to the trail. In spring, the wildflowers bloom here by the thousands, and this area turns into a flowery sea of purple.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the most popular attractions in Monterey.
There are over 35,000 rescued animals here, and it is a very unique opportunity to see all the marine life.
Almost every single exhibit in the aquarium is based on the marine wildlife located in Monterey Bay itself, which helps its visitors to feel more in tune with the surrounding wildlife of the coast.
Lover’s Point is the best place to watch the sunset in Monterey. It’s only a 10 minute drive from downtown, and yet it is relatively quiet.
This little park also leads down to a quiet beach cove, where the water is typically mild and safer for swimming than the other beaches in Monterey.
Carmel is a romantic seaside town just north of Big Sur. This town is well known for its Spanish Carmel Mission and fairy-tale cottages.
The Carmel Mission is an impressive, 250-year-old architecture site filled with Spanish artwork.
In the ‘20s and ‘30s, Hugh Comstock created 30 fairy-tale-style houses in Carmel. Today, there are 21 fantasy-inspired cottages still standing, and they are just perfect for sightseeing and photographs.
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is the first stop officially in Big Sur. It’s home to a vast amount of wildlife, including orcas, sea lions, harbor seals, coyotes, and more!
Kayaking and scuba diving are allowed here as well, to get up close and personal with the underwater marine life.
China Cove is one of the highlights of the Natural Reserve. The water in the cove is a brilliant hue of green, and it is the perfect place to observe wildlife and bask in the beauty of the region.
This lighthouse is one of the most scenic on the Pacific Coast. It has been operating since 1889 and is now a California State Historic Landmark.
The lighthouse is visible from Highway One, but for closer views, it is only visible through a tour and $15 entrance fee.
From inside the lighthouse, there are beautiful views of the coastline, and seeing the massive lighthouse atop the rocky cliffside is a spectacular sight.
Mcway Falls is located in Julia Pfeiffer State Park, about halfway through Big Sur. It is only visible from a vista point, as the beach is protected and inaccessible.
The waterfall is 80 feet tall and dumps from the cliff face directly onto untouched sand. There is parking right along Highway One, or inside of the State Park next to Falls Trail. Signs for the waterfall are well marked.
This huge crescent-shaped beach is located in the southern half of Big Sur and is an excellent recreational beach.
It’s a great beach for a picnic, or to bask in the sun on warmer days. This beach is also the most popular surf spot in Big Sur.
Along with cruising down the coastline, one of the best ways to experience Big Sur is through one of its hundreds of hikes.
Big Sur has the stunning rocky coastline on one side, and a forest of Monterey pines on the other, so there is a huge variance of scenery here.
Here are some of the best hikes in Big Sur:
This California road trip itinerary spends one night in Big Sur, and there are so many awesome places to camp here!
Some of the best paid sites include:
The paid sites fill up quickly, and it’s best to make a reservation ahead of time. However, there is tons of wilderness camping in Big Sur if you know where to go (and have a high clearance, 4wd vehicle.)
It is legal to camp overnight on any forest service roads in Big Sur, as long as there are no fires, and no trash is left behind!
To find out where their forest service roads are located, ask any ranger! They will share where the closest ones are and if the roads are currently accessible.
This next part of the itinerary leaves Big Sur and heads through some unique small towns on the Central Coast of California. This region is known for its relaxed vibe, scenic beaches, and hikes.
Ragged Point is the last little town in Big Sur. It has a scenic viewpoint that overlooks the region, and it’s a great place to grab coffee and breakfast and say goodbye to this part of California.
San Simeon is a sleepy beach town about 30 minutes south of Big Sur. It is best known for the thousands of sea lions that mate and congregate on its shores.
The best place to see the elephant seals in San Simeon is at the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, just south of Piedras Blancas point.
The elephant seal lookout is completely free!
Built by William Hearst in the early 1900s, Hearst Castle is a mansion turned museum in San Simeon. It features stunning Spanish Colonial Architecture and a glimpse into life in the ‘20s.
The land surrounding Hearst Castle was all owned by William Hearst and used as ranch land. He purchased many exotic animals to live here in his day, including giraffes, elk, and bison.
Today, a herd of zebras freely roams the land, and the zebras are often visible from Highway One!
Morro Bay is a small fishing town located off Highway One. It is known for its massive rock located at the end of the beach.
A quick stroll along the Morro Bay Embarcadero offers beautiful views of the harbor, where masses of sea otters play in the kelp beds.
Morro Bay is a great lunch stop and famed for its seafood. Some of the best places to grab a bite in Morro Bay are Tognazzini’s Dockside, and Frankie and Lola’s Cafe.
Paso Robles is a quaint wine town on the Central Coast with a cute downtown area and natural hot springs!
There are plenty of bars in the downtown area, as Paso Robles has a vibrant craft beer scene.
Some of the best bars/breweries are Barrelhouse Brewing and Tin City Cider. Taste Eatery also has delicious shared plates and cocktails.
Paso Robles has many options for accommodations, including Airbnbs and motels.
All of the campgrounds in Paso Robles are located at Lake Nacimiento, about 30 minutes from downtown. Some of the best campgrounds are:
Day ten of this itinerary marks the beginning of the southern California portion of this road trip! The drive from Paso Robles to Santa Barbara is very scenic. Half of the drive is through rolling hills, and the other half is along the coast.
This little town is known for its happy locals, excellent hiking, and small, yet happening downtown area.
San Luis Obispo is surrounded by rolling hills and some of which offer excellent hiking! Some of the best hikes in San Luis Obispo include:
Solvang is often referred to as the Danish Capital of America.
Mission Drive is the main tourist street in Solvang and the best place to take in Danish architecture and sightsee.
There are many delicious places to grab lunch in Solvang, including Bit O’ Denmark and Chomp.
No stop in Solvang is complete without a visit to Danish Mill Bakery for a delicious treat.
Santa Barbara is the first official Southern California stop on this road trip and has much to offer.
Not only are there many great beaches (Butterfly Beach, Leadbetter Beach, and Arroyo Burro), but it is right next door to Los Padres National Forest, so there is tons of epic hiking.
Stearns Wharf on State Street is the hub of downtown Santa Barbara. There are many oceanfront restaurants and bars here.
The Wharf is a great place to catch the sunset, either from the beach or the pier.
This drive is short, and an early departure should leave plenty of time for exploring Los Angeles!
Malibu is one of the most famous beaches in Los Angeles. Popular with surfers and celebrities alike, this beautiful beach is an excellent first stop in LA.
The most recognizable landmark in Malibu is its pier, and a walk along it is a great way to see this beach.
The Getty Museum is a stunning white museum set 300 meters/1000 feet above the city of Los Angeles.
It has a large curated collection of artwork from ancient to modern. Some well-known artists featured in the Getty include Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Monet.
In addition to the incredible artwork, arguably the best view of Los Angeles can be seen from the Getty’s Gardens.
Except for a small parking fee, the Getty Museum is completely free to visit!
Venice is a funky LA beach town with a vibrant art scene. Going for a walk on the boardwalk is a great way to see the town and enjoy the views of the ocean.
There are also plenty of rooftop bars and delicious cafes in Venice, so it’s a great place to go for sunset and drinks!
Hiking to the Hollywood Sign is not only a bucket list item, it’s a fun and slightly vigorous hike that gives a spectacular view of Los Angeles.
The hike is 9.5 km/6 miles, and there is parking for the trailhead at Griffith Park.
This itinerary has already covered beaches, mountains, and cities, and now it’s time to hit the desert! Get ready for lots of hiking, rock climbing, and spectacular sunsets.
Joshua Tree is a magnificent park that encompasses both the Colorado and Mojave deserts.
There are tons of hiking trails in Joshua Tree, and some of the best bouldering in the United States.
There’s enough to do in Joshua Tree to warrant staying overnight, and there is plenty of camping available.
Some great camping options are:
After a stint in the desert, it’s time to return to the beach! The beaches here are gorgeous, and as a bonus, San Diego is also very hip and culturally rich.
La Jolla Cove is a beautiful, turquoise cove that is great for swimming, and watching the nearby elephant seals!
This part of San Diego is beautiful, and an excellent place for kayaking and paddleboarding.
There are many delicious restaurants in La Jolla, including The Coffee Cup and The Cottage, which both have great breakfast and lunch menus!
The Old Town in San Diego is one of the most historical parts of town.
There are museums, boutiques, and many great restaurants! There is also live music and plenty of great food.
The Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego has some of the best nightlife in San Diego. There are many great cocktail bars, and two great ones are The Prohibition Lounge and Fifth and Rose.
The Torrey Pines Nature Reserve consists of 2,000 acres of oceanfront wilderness. There are six different short trails to walk through here, and they all have fantastic views.
There is free street parking here, and a paid lot that costs $15 per car.
The preserve opens at 7:15 every morning, and it’s best to arrive early to beat the crowds and score free parking!
This large urban park is the cultural epicenter of San Diego!
There is a Japanese Friendship Garden, Botanical Building, and many museums here.
Balboa Park is the perfect place to experience the culture of San Diego.
There is no better way to wrap up a California road trip than by watching the sunset at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego.
The cliffs are located along Point Loma’s Peninsula and stretch 2.4km/1.5 miles in length, so there are ample spots for viewing the sunset.
This is also a great spot to pack a picnic for dinner, to soak in the last of the sunset and the beautiful views.
You can drive this California road trip itinerary in either direction!
California conveniently has two major international airports, LAX and SFO, so you can fly into one and out the other.
While both directions are more or less equal, there is a slight advantage of driving north to south.
If you drive north to south, then when you drive down the Pacific Coast Highway road through Big Sur, you’ll be on the coastal side of the road and have an unobscured ocean view.
California is massive. Home to almost 40 million people, from end to end, all of California is a whopping 1287 km/800 miles long.
Don’t worry though, this itinerary covers about 850 km/530 miles, and covers many of the highlights, without driving more than 4 hours between any destinations.
Unless you are driving from another state in the US, the easiest way to get into California is to fly. California has two main international airports, SFO in San Francisco, and LAX in Los Angeles.
The best way to plan your California road trip is to decide which direction you want to drive and then book your flights accordingly.
California is notoriously expensive, and a California road trip won’t be cheap. But it’s certainly still affordable! Camping, cooking, and planning tours and accommodations in advance are all great ways to cut down costs on a California road trip.
The short answer: any time is great for a California Road Trip!
Between the La to San Francisco drive, temperatures don’t vary too much between seasons.
However, Tahoe and Yosemite are in the mountains, and both experience very snowy winters, so that is something to take into consideration when planning your California road trip!
A California road trip is absolutely suitable for Rvs/Motorhomes!
There are so many places to camp in California, especially near the parks, and many have RV hookups.
California is an expensive place to travel, and having an RV/Motorhome is a great way to cut down on accommodation costs, and make travel that much more comfortable.
Dispersed camping is wilderness camping that is permitted on publicly owned land.
It typically has no amenities and is very remote.
Some of the best camping in California is dispersed camping.
Publicly owned land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or the National Forest Service(NFS).
An easy way to find out where dispersed camping is allowed, is to chat with a park ranger. They are always very knowledgeable about the best wilderness camping!
While it is typically not legal to just pitch a tent on any California Beach, there are plenty of paid campsites with beachfront camping. Here are some great beachfront campsites in California:
California is a huge state, and worth dedicating as long as possible to explore. For those short on time, here are a few shorter itineraries for Cali road trips:
Day 1: San Francisco
Day 2: San Francisco to Yosemite (3.5 hour drive)
Day 3: Yosemite
Day 4: Yosemite to Monterey (4 hours)
Day 5: Monterey through Big Sur (2 hours)
Day 6: Big Sur to Santa Barbara (depending on how far south in Big Sur night 5 is spent, this drive could be between 2-4 hours)
Day 7: Santa Barbara to Los Angeles (1 hour and 45 minutes)
Day 8: Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park (2 hours and 15 minutes)
Day 9: Joshua Tree to San Diego (2 hours and 45 minutes)
Day 10: San Diego
Spending 7 days to see all of California is too long. Instead, if you really can only spare one week, I would recommend picking either the north or south and sticking to that part of the state. Don’t worry, you can always come back next year and complete the other half!
Day 1: San Francisco
Day 2: San Francisco
Day 3: San Francisco to Napa Valley (1 hour drive)
Day 4: Napa Valley to Lake Tahoe (3 hours)
Day 5: Lake Tahoe
Day 6: Lake Tahoe to Yosemite (2.5 hours)
Day 7: Yosemite
Day 1: Los Angeles
Day 2: Los Angeles (day trip to Santa Barbara 1 hour and 45 minute drive)
Day 3: Los Angeles to Joshua Tree (1 hour and 55 minutes)
Day 4: Joshua Tree
Day 5: Joshua Tree to San Diego (2 hours and 10 minutes)
Day 6: San Diego
Day 7: San Diego
Day 1: San Francisco
Day 2: San Francisco to Yosemite (3.5 hour drive)
Day 3: Yosemite
Day 4: Yosemite to Monterey (4 hours)
Day 5: Monterey through Big Sur (2 hours)
Day 6: San Simeon to Santa Barbara (depending on how far south in Big Sur night 5 is spent, this drive could be between 2-4 hours)
Day 7:Santa Barbara to Los Angeles (1 hour and 45 minutes)
That’s a wrap on this road trip of California itinerary!
California is such an amazing state, and there is truly so much to see and do here.
Whether you’re sticking with a road trip to California, or this is part of a greater cross country road trip, I hope I have covered everything you need to know to plan your next California road trip.
Now that you have the full scoop on road tripping California:
Would you rather road-trip in the summer for some beautiful beach days, or in winter to hit the slopes up in Lake Tahoe?
If you have any comments or suggestions to add, please drop a comment below!
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