Big trip · road trip
The California Road Trip
San Francisco's hills, Napa's vineyards, Yosemite's granite walls and the most beautiful coastal drive in the world. Sixteen days down California, from the Golden Gate to the Pacific sunsets of Santa Barbara.
The trip
California packs in more variety than most countries: a great city, two famous wine valleys, one of America's most spectacular national parks and a coastline that seems to get better around every bend. The roads are excellent, the food is superb and the light is golden.
The route
Start with three nights in San Francisco, then drive north to Napa and Sonoma. Cross the Central Valley to Yosemite, then west to the Monterey Peninsula and Carmel. Drive Highway 1 through Big Sur to Santa Barbara and finish in Los Angeles. Sixteen days lets you linger; check Highway 1 conditions before you go, as landslides sometimes close sections.
Day by day
Driving days are kept to four hours or less, with stops for viewpoints, lunch and tastings.
Days 1-3
San Francisco
The Golden Gate Bridge, a ferry to Sausalito, the cable cars, the Ferry Building market and dinner in North Beach.
Stay Hotel in San Francisco
Travel Airport transfer, about 30 minutes
Days 4-5
Napa and Sonoma
Tastings at historic estates, a long lunch at a vineyard restaurant and the quieter roads of Sonoma.
Stay Hotel in Napa Valley
Travel Drive, about 1 hour 30 minutes
Days 6-7
Yosemite
El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls from the valley floor, Glacier Point at sunset and the giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove.
Stay Lodge in or near Yosemite
Travel Drive, about 4 hours
Days 8-9
Carmel and Monterey
The Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17-Mile Drive, Point Lobos and Carmel's galleries and restaurants.
Stay Hotel in Carmel
Travel Drive, about 4 hours
Days 10-11
Big Sur
Bixby Bridge, McWay Falls and redwood walks in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Dinner with the Pacific below.
Stay Hotel in Big Sur
Travel Drive, about 1 hour
Days 12-13
Santa Barbara
Down the coast past the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas and Hearst Castle. Santa Barbara's mission, beaches and Funk Zone wine bars.
Stay Hotel in Santa Barbara
Travel Drive, about 4 hours with stops
Days 14-16
Los Angeles
The Getty Center, Malibu, Santa Monica and a final sunset dinner, then fly home.
Stay Hotel in Los Angeles
Travel Drive, about 2 hours
When to go
May, June, September and October are ideal: warm, dry and past the summer holiday crowds. Yosemite's waterfalls are at their best in May and June; autumn brings the grape harvest in Napa. The coast can be foggy in early summer mornings.
Where to stay
California hotels are expensive in summer, so book well ahead, especially in Yosemite and Big Sur, where there are few places to stay. Price bands are a typical night for two sharing; expect more at peak dates.
Featured stay
Post Ranch Inn
Big Sur, California, USA
££££Couples who want the most dramatic setting on the California coast and complete peace.
Post Ranch Inn is one of the most spectacular hotels in America: wood-and-glass houses on a ridge 1,200 feet above the Pacific, among redwoods and wildflowers on the Big Sur coast. Designed for adults to slow down, it has cliff-edge infinity pools, a superb restaurant and rooms where the ocean fills every window.
- Rooms
- Ocean, Cliff, Coast, Tree and Peak houses; all with fireplaces
- Food
- Sierra Mar, MICHELIN Green Star; breakfast included
£Under £200 a night
Hotel Kabuki, San Francisco
Calm, Japanese-inspired rooms in Japantown.
Yosemite Valley Lodge, Yosemite
Simple rooms, but the best location, near the foot of Yosemite Falls.
Big Sur River Inn, Big Sur
Riverside rooms among the redwoods, with chairs in the river.
£££200–400 a night
Inn at the Presidio, San Francisco
A former officers' quarters in the green Presidio park.
Andaz Napa, Napa
Smart, central and walkable to the town's tasting rooms.
Kimpton Canary Hotel, Santa Barbara
Spanish colonial style and a rooftop pool in the heart of town.
££££400–800 a night
The Ahwahnee, Yosemite
The park's grand 1927 lodge, beneath Half Dome.
L'Auberge Carmel, Carmel
A Relais & Châteaux inn a short walk from the beach.
Hotel Californian, Santa Barbara
Moorish-inspired glamour by the beach and pier.
£££££800+ a night
Post Ranch InnReviewed, Big Sur
Cliff-edge rooms 365m above the Pacific.
Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley
Terraces over the vineyards and one of the valley's best restaurants.
San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito
Cottages with private gardens in the hills above Santa Barbara.
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles
Pink-walled Hollywood glamour in 12 acres of gardens.
Prefer a different style of stay? Our advisors can suggest more.
What it costs
Allow from about £6,000 per person for 16 days with good hotels and car hire, excluding international flights. With top hotels and some private touring, expect £12,000 or more. Fuel, parking and national park entry are extra.
Pace and fitness
Mostly driving, with short walks at viewpoints and some longer optional hikes in Yosemite. Roads are wide and easy apart from Highway 1's curves, which are best driven slowly and in daylight.
How to book
Our advisors plan this trip end to end: flights, hotels, guides and the small details that make the days easy. Tell us your dates and the style of stay you like, and we will build it around you. Speak to an advisor.
Questions
Is Highway 1 through Big Sur open?
Sections close at times after landslides. Check before you travel; your advisor will plan detours if needed.
Do I need a reservation for Yosemite?
The park has used timed-entry reservations at busy times in recent years. Staying inside the park usually covers you. We will check the rules for your dates.
Can I do it in an electric car?
Yes. California has excellent charging, though Yosemite and Big Sur are thin, so plan stops.
North to south or south to north?
North to south keeps the ocean on your side of the road through Big Sur, with the best views.
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