California itineraries

7 days: the coast classic

San Francisco to Los Angeles along Highway 1. Best from April to October. Fly into SFO and out of LAX.

• Days 1–2San FranciscoGolden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz (book ahead), cable cars and the waterfront. No car needed; collect your rental as you leave.
• Day 3Monterey and CarmelAbout two hours’ drive south. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row and the 17-Mile Drive; overnight in Monterey or Carmel.
• Day 4Big SurThe slowest, most scenic day: Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Big Sur and McWay Falls. Check that Highway 1 is open all the way south; if not, return to Monterey and take Highway 101.
• Day 5Santa BarbaraContinue down the coast past San Simeon and San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara’s mission, courthouse and waterfront.
• Days 6–7Los AngelesSanta Monica and Venice on arrival, then Hollywood, Griffith Observatory and a studio tour.

10 days: cities, Yosemite and the coast

The best all-round first trip. Works from late May to October, when Yosemite is fully open.

• Days 1–3San FranciscoTwo days in the city and one for Muir Woods and Sausalito or a wine-country day tour.
• Days 4–5YosemiteAround four hours’ drive. Yosemite Valley, Tunnel View and, when the road is open, Glacier Point. Check the park’s reservation requirements for your dates.
• Day 6MontereyA four-hour drive back to the coast; evening on Cannery Row or in Carmel.
• Day 7Big Sur to Santa BarbaraA long but spectacular day down Highway 1. Start early.
• Days 8–9Los AngelesHollywood, a studio tour, the Getty Center and the beaches.
• Day 10San DiegoTwo hours south by car or about three by train: Balboa Park, La Jolla or the USS Midway before flying home from SAN or returning to LAX.

14 days: the grand loop

A full circuit from Los Angeles through the deserts and mountains to San Francisco and back down the coast. Spring and autumn are best; in summer swap Death Valley for an extra coastal night.

• Days 1–2Los AngelesRecover from the flight with the beaches, then Hollywood and Griffith Observatory.
• Day 3Palm Springs and Joshua TreeTwo hours east. The aerial tramway in the morning, Joshua Tree National Park for sunset.
• Days 4–5Death ValleyA long desert drive of around five hours. Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point at sunrise, the sand dunes. Avoid in the heat of summer.
• Days 6–7YosemiteVia Highway 395 and Tioga Pass when the road is open (usually June to October); otherwise route around the southern Sierra via Sequoia instead.
• Days 8–9San FranciscoSwap the mountains for city streets, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate.
• Day 10Napa or SonomaA day among the vineyards, by tour or with a designated driver.
• Days 11–12Monterey and Big SurThe aquarium, Carmel and the Big Sur coast.
• Day 13Santa BarbaraA relaxed last night on the coast.
• Day 14Back to Los AngelesAbout two hours to LAX, traffic permitting.

Pacific Coast Highway road trip

Highway 1 — the Pacific Coast Highway — hugs the shore for most of the way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The headline stretch is the roughly 145 km (90 miles) through Big Sur between Carmel and San Simeon, where the road is cut into cliffs high above the ocean.

Allow at least three days between the two cities and drive north to south if you can: you will be on the ocean side of the road, with easier access to the viewpoints. Fuel, food and phone signal are scarce in Big Sur, so fill up in Monterey or Cambria.

The Big Sur section is prone to landslides and has been closed in places for long periods in recent years. Always check the current road status with Caltrans before you commit; when it is shut, you can still drive in from the north as far as the closure and then detour inland on Highway 101.

National-park loop

California has nine national parks. A manageable loop of the four most visited runs Los Angeles – Joshua Tree – Death Valley – Yosemite – Sequoia & Kings Canyon – Los Angeles in ten to twelve days.

The key constraint is Tioga Pass, the road across the Sierra into Yosemite from the east. It normally closes with the first heavy snow in autumn and reopens in late spring or early summer, on dates that vary a lot from year to year. When it is closed, the drive between Death Valley and Yosemite becomes much longer.

Each park charges an entry fee per vehicle. If you plan to visit three or more, the America the Beautiful annual pass usually works out cheaper — see the travel guide.