This California avenue journey itinerary will take you alongside unbelievable the well-known Pacific Coast freeway, by way of deserts, and spherical lakes and mountains. It’s seemingly probably the most varied avenue journeys you can take in the USA.
Now we now have personally pushed these roads and highways on completely completely different avenue journeys in California and we visited the entire sights actually useful. This two week itinerary can merely be mixed and matched to create completely completely different California avenue journeys as prolonged or transient as you need.
California Avenue Journey Itinerary
Be sure that to receive your Pacific Coast freeway Self Drive tour sooner than embarking in your California avenue journey. Uncover the California Coast at your private tempo as you adjust to the app to search out monuments, cities, and components of curiosity alongside the route. It will monitor your route and play robotically to let you understand about your stops as you drive from Monterey to Pismo Seaside.
California Avenue Journey Map
1. San Francisco – 2 Days
We’ve deliberate the preliminary stage of our California avenue journey itinerary from San Francisco. It is easy to fly into from all essential hubs and car leases could also be picked up immediately on the airport. Plus, web site guests in San Francisco isn’t as congested because it’s in Los Angeles making it the right start for any California avenue journey itinerary.
Spending two days in San Francisco provides you the prospect to see all of the enduring web sites similar to the unbelievable Golden Gate Bridge sooner than transferring South. Now we now have a beautiful 72 hours in San Francisco info the place you can plan your complete maintain in San Francisco.
- Tip: After we visited San Francisco for the first time, we bought a Metropolis Transfer and explored the entire neighborhoods by bus. It was a great way to get acquainted with the construction of the city and have the selection to hop on and hop off each time we wanted with a 24 or 48-hour transfer.
- Click on on proper right here to go searching the entire car rental companies and get the proper worth in your California Avenue Journey!
Points to do in San Francisco
- Pier 39
- San Francisco Cable Car
- Alcatraz
- Golden Gate Park – in all probability the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge
- The Painted Ladies – made well-known by Full Dwelling
- Hippie district of Haight Ashbury and China Metropolis
- Palace of the humanities
- See our full info to the Most interesting Hikes in San Francisco
Be sure that to get out on the Bay to see the city when in San Francisco, this Golden Gate Bay Cruise let’s you see numerous San Francisco’s prime sights. You’ll cruise alongside the waterfront, sail beneath the Golden Gate Bay Bridge, go spherical Alcatraz and see the earlier hippy enclave of Sausalito. Whatch for marine life corresponding to sea lions, dolphins and whales as you cruise the Marin Headlands wildlife reserves.
The place to Maintain in San Francisco
For first-time friends to San Francisco, we suggest staying near Fisherman’s Wharf. You might be close to all of the enduring areas throughout the metropolis.
2. Monterey / Carmel By the Sea – 1 Day
Drive merely 2 hours and 45 minutes from San Francisco to Monterrey
After leaving San Francisco, we make our technique down the Pacific Coast Freeway to Monterey. You probably can maintain each maintain in Monterey or Carmel by the Sea. Monterey and Carmel by the Sea are solely 10 minutes from each other. We stayed at Carmel by the Sea and it was a super location to get spherical Enormous Sur.
When visiting Monterey, you’ll have to get out on the water as a result of it’s seemingly one of many most interesting areas on this planet for whale watching. This Monterey Bay tour departs from Outdated Fisherman’s Wharf to set sail for some whale watching. You’ll see Californian Sea Lions basking throughout the harbor as you progress Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Nationwide Marine Sanctuary.
Points to See and Do
- Biking 17 Mile Drive – If there could also be one issue to do in Carmel sooner than transferring on, you need to take a tour of 17-Mile Drive. We had a blast on e-Bikes with Enormous Sur Adventures. Look at our full experience at 17-Mile Drive – California’s Most Scenic Drive.
- Cannery Row – The Historic Cannery Row has been reworked from outdated warehouses to vibrant buildings lining the waterfront filled with eateries and retailers.
- Monterey Aquarium – The Monterey Aquarium is the centerpiece of the city the place they analysis the waters of Monterey Bay and cope with the oceans properly being points.
- Kayaking Monterey Bay – Don’t miss getting on the water in Monterey. We extraordinarily advocate taking a kayaking tour of Monterey Bay with Adventures by the Sea to view sea otters and sea lions.
- Looking Carmel – Learners will love the easy break and sandy shallow waters of Carmel Bay. We spent the morning taking a lesson with the Carmel Surf Agency
Motels and AirBnBs in Monterrey
The Hideaway – Centrally Located on Juniper Street, a quick stroll to consuming locations, and just a few blocks from the seaside. This luxury boutique lodge has in-room fireplaces and supplies a up to date design. TripAdvisor / Reserving.com
Suggested Place to Eat – La Belana Cucina Toscana takes you straight to the heart of Tuscany with a traditional setting. Sit exterior on the heated patio and enjoy a up to date farm to desk menu drizzled in olive oil and truffles.
4. Enormous Sur – 1 Day
Proceed down the Pacific Coast Freeway 1 for an hour from Monterrey to Enormous Sur.
The Pacific Coast Freeway is the Grand Dame of all California avenue journeys. We suggest a minimal of two days exploring the coast alongside Enormous Sur. You probably can merely protect your base in Monterey to find these sights.
A terrific reward to your Enormous Sur avenue journey is to receive this Pacific Coast Freeway Self Drive tour. The app showcases the very best scenic stops and views from Monterey to Pismo Seaside. It tracks your route and the audio info performs commentary to let you understand tales and suggest components of curiosity. On this leg, you’ll see areas like Garrapata State Park, Pfeiffer Canyon, McWay Falls, and the Bixby Bridge.
Thought-about by many the world’s most scenic drives, The Enormous Sur portion of California Coastal Drive on Freeway 1 is a ought to for any avenue journey lover. In our opinion, all California avenue journeys must embody this leg as there are so many enticing stops from sea cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Points to See in Enormous Sur
- Bixby Bridge – Don’t miss stopping on the Bixby Bridge. Made well-known by many a film and TV Current (most recently Enormous Little Lies. Tip: Go for daybreak no vacationers had been there the least bit after we had been up sooner than dawn.
- Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park – This an outstanding place to go for hikes and stroll alongside the paths. It’s most well-known for the McWay Waterfalls and supplies gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean.
- Pfeiffer Seaside – The best seashores on the route. Pfeiffer Seaside is slightly little bit of a drive off the precept freeway down a slender and bumpy avenue, so it attracts fewer vacationers than completely different viewpoints on Freeway 1. Check out: 24 Of The Most interesting Seashores in California
- Garrapata State Park – Mountaineering trails alongside the coast, Karst formations, sea arches, and jagged rocks make for extraordinary views of a rugged coastal panorama at Garrapata State Park. For a complete breakdown of photographs stops with GPS Co-ordinates go to our Pictures Data to Enormous Sur
The place to Maintain in Enormous Sur – Ventana Resort
When exploring Enormous Sur we made a home base at Ventana Resort and spent two days exploring the encircling house. We spent one night in their glamping tents and one night in an opulent suite overlooking the ocean. Ventana is the right base for exploring Enormous Sur as a result of it’s throughout the coronary coronary heart of each half.
Check out our info to The Most interesting Places to Camp in Enormous Sur
The place to eat in Enormous Sur
- The Sur Dwelling – Located at Ventana Enormous Sur, The Sur House is an upscale consuming establishment using regionally sourced delicacies created by Govt Chef, Paul Corsentino. $90 Restore menu supplies a divine three-course meal. Location: 48123 Freeway 1
- Enormous Sur River Inn – The Enormous Sur River Inn was the first lodge and restaurant throughout the house. Profit from the pictures from a bygone interval relationship once more to 1932.
- Nepenthe – Open since 1949, Nepenthe is a staple of Enormous Sur attracting artists, poets, and vacationers to its 800-foot sea cliff views. Location: 48510 Freeway One
- Enormous Sur Roadhouse – This regionally run eatery has a cool vibe with family-style seating. Designer Steve Justrich reworked the roadhouse right into a singular design that they declare as homegrown modernism.
5. Coastal Freeway Stops
This drive takes 3 hours from Enormous Sur to Santa Maria, nonetheless take you time to see the entire sights.
We proceed down the coast from Enormous Sur to the charming metropolis of Santa Maria, which is definitely one among our favorite California avenue journey stops. Ensure you give ample time for breaks on this route. There could also be nonetheless far more to see on this portion of the California Coast and you could merely spend a day exploring the web sites as you make your technique to your subsequent in a single day stop.
- Hearst Citadel – Constructed by San Simeon, this unbelievable property was constructed on 127 acres on a hill overlooking San Simeon. Pop in for a tour of America’s fortress sooner than driving on to spend the night throughout the fairly metropolis of Santa Maria.
- Morrow Bay – One different gorgeous seaside, Morrow Bay’s necessary attraction is Morrow Rock, a 180-meter tall volcanic plug standing proud offshore.
- Pismo Seaside is one different place to stop within the occasion you nonetheless have time sooner than spending the night in Santa Maria.
6. Santa Maria – 1 Day
So it is a good time to park your car and get out to find the shut by vineyards for an accurate “Sideways” wine tour experience. Now we now have it as ultimately in your California avenue journey itinerary, nonetheless within the occasion you may spend two days proper right here, we advocate it.
Points to do in Santa Maria
- Wine Excursions – There are a variety of vineyards to determine on. Hire a private car by way of Gold Coast Govt Transportation to take you on a wine tour. We had an unimaginable time touring Wine Caves of Cottonwood Canyon.
- Dune Buggy Journey – To find far more of one of the best dunes on this planet, go on a Dune Buggy journey with Steve’s ATV Leases, 332 Pier Ave. Oceano. Get in a dune buggy and hit the dunes.
- Hidden Hollywood – Don’t miss this very cool Hidden Hollywood on the Dunes Coronary heart museum in Guadalupe Cecil B. Demille created a whole set of the pyramids of Egypt in the middle of the California Sand Dunes. He didn’t want anyone to utilize his set as soon as extra, so he buried it throughout the desert and didn’t inform anyone the place it was. It was virtually forgotten by everyone, until the Nineties when the director, Peter Brosnan decided to hunt for the hidden metropolis.
Motels and AirBnBs in Santa Maria
Confirm in to the historic Santa Maria Inn throughout the center of metropolis. It has been a staple in Santa Maria since 1917. Ensure you peruse the halls to see legendary movie stars which have stayed proper right here.
- Santa Maria Kind Barbecue – When you want to attempt real Santa Maria Kind Barbecue, go to Far Western Tavern Tavern in Orcutt.
7. Santa Barbara – 1 Day
Proper now we drive a quick distance of merely 1 hour from Santa Maria
Persevering with on by way of wine nation and making our technique by way of our California avenue journey itinerary, we arrive in Santa Barbara for a night sooner than stopping in Los Angeles.
Santa Barbara is taken into consideration one among many world’s most gorgeous wine areas with 9 completely completely different wine routes to find. It is a regular escape from Los Angeles, and there are plenty of points to do proper right here.
Points to do in Santa Barbara
- Sunset Sail – We suggest a crusing journey to learn from the gorgeous sunset and the California Coast adopted by dinner on a patio by the waterfront.
- Stearns Wharf – Historic deep-water pier relationship once more to 1871.
- Buying – Santa Barbara is all regarding the upscale experience, stroll the Spanish kind retailers lining State Street.
- Museums – Check out the assorted museums. The Museum of Art work, MOXI – The Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation and Museum of Pure Historic previous and the Sea Coronary heart.
Santa Barbara Motels and AirBnBs
We stayed on the luxurious 4 Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara. This property is the right place to sit back out in any case that driving.
8. Los Angeles – 2 Days
It’s an hour and a half to Los Angeles so you may start having enjoyable with the city immediately
Click on on proper right here for map CA coast
We’ve come to the next metropolis on our California Avenue Journey and it is time to uncover L.A. Los Angeles is an environment friendly place to begin out for southern California avenue journeys. Who doesn’t love Los Angeles? There are so many points to do in LA, that you will have your complete California avenue journey correct proper right here.
Points to do in Los Angeles
The probabilities are limitless for sightseeing in L.A. so you can resolve how prolonged it’s good to maintain proper right here. From Widespread Studios and Disneyland to climbing as a lot as see the Hollywood sign or adjust to the Hollywood Stroll of Fame. You could get out to see the seashores of Los Angeles. Our favorite seaside is Manhattan Seaside the place you can see the well-known 90210 seaside house. Nonetheless everyone loves popping over to Venice Seaside too. I hope you’ve rented a pleasing car to drive alongside Rodeo Drive however when not, don’t worry, you’ll match correct in with the Bohemian setting of Venice Seaside. Study 25 Most interesting Points to Do in Los Angeles – Hollywood, Hikes, And Further
Chance: Proceed to San Diego – Or Flip North
From Los Angeles you can proceed south to San Diego or start heading north to make your technique once more to San Francisco.
- If you’ll San Diego, strive our San Diego Journey Guides:
For our avenue journey, we turned north up in path of the Nationwide Parks.
9. Joshua Tree Nationwide Park – 1 Day
From Los Angeles we drive two hours to the enduring Joshua Tree Nationwide Park.
Get the hyperlink to this portion of your avenue journey ideas in California.
Joshua Tree Nationwide Park is the place two deserts meet: The Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. There are lookout components and there’s even a cactus yard. You probably can camp in a single day in Joshua Tree and there’s moreover mountaineering. It’s one among many premier areas on earth for bouldering. We solely suggest spending a day proper right here on this California Avenue Journey Itinerary, nonetheless if in case you will have additional time, put a tent behind your car and spend a number of days climbing Joshua Tree and exploring additional of California
10. Lack of life Valley Nationwide Park
It takes about 2 hours to drive by way of non stop
In case you might be planning a California avenue journey, you need to attempt to include a day driving by way of Lack of life Valley. It’s extraordinarily well-liked, dry, and it’s a implausible drive, nonetheless this portion of your California avenue journeys planner must include some precautionary steps. The everyday temperature is 48 ranges Celcius. (120F) Happily there are ample stops at viewpoints alongside the road that protect you from having to trek too far for viewing throughout the heat.
11. Yosemite Nationwide Park – 2 Days
From Lack of life Valley we drive 7 hours to Yosemite Nationwide Park
Yosemite Nationwide Park is probably going one of many Enormous 3 Nationwide Parks throughout the USA and it did not disappoint. It is the place the legendary photographer Ansel Adams prepare retailer and took a variety of essentially the most recognizable nature photographs of all time.
Points to See in Yosemite
Yosemite has all these iconic formations that you just simply’ve all heard of like “The Nostril” and “El Capitan”. Proper right here you’ll uncover Bridalveil Falls, and the well-known Tunnel View Lookout. Glacier Stage is one different not-to-miss stop. It’s moreover a spot for adventurers to get out an get pleasure from nature. There are so many climbing trails you will want days to complete all of them. Study additional at Points to do in Yosemite Nationwide Park
En path to Yosemite, be certain to stop at Sequoia Nationwide Forest. We combined our maintain in Yosemite with seeing the sequoias as they’re decrease than an hour away. A highlight for us was taking the park tour to see the Grand Sequoia Timber of Mariposa Grove. It is slightly little bit of a drive from Yosemite, nonetheless hey, you’re on a avenue journey so it’s correct up your alley!
When reserving lodging in Yosemite, plan upfront. All through extreme season, points promote out fast! Curry Village has quite a lot of canvas tents and picket cabins plus lodge rooms. Lodging differ from main tents with shared bogs to personal lodge rooms with bogs. Check out TripAdvisor for prices.
12. Lake Tahoe – 2 Days
From Yosemite it is 2 hours and half-hour to Tahoe.
There are two essential vacationer areas to make a base in every South and North Lake Tahoe. The south is unquestionably the busier of the two sides of the lake with casinos, nightclubs and many of us. Whereas the north facet of the lake is all about nature, quiet family run lodges and rugged and historic ski hills, the South sits immediately on the Nevada border and feels kitschy and enterprise.
Points to do in Lake Tahoe
- Scenic Drive – The proper views most positively happen when driving between South and North Tahoe by means of Emerald Bay State Park. It takes a whole day to truly uncover the lake and you need to give numerous time for sightseeing at Emerald Bay.
- Emerald Bay State Park – Emerald Bay has a variety of completely completely different scenic stops and each one is a ought to! When you pull over, be certain to get out of your car and hike to the viewpoints. They get additional spectacular with each flip! Hike proper right down to the bay and see the well-known Vikingsholm Citadel or go on a lake cruise.
- Camp Richardson – In case you might be up for additional climbing, there are trails all through Camp Richardson which is likely to be a lot much less steep than the hike down from Emerald Bay. As well as they supply lodge and cabins for lodging.
- Snowboarding – Sugar Bowl Ski Resort is the closest snowboarding to San Francisco and receives primarily essentially the most snowfall out of the entire hills in California. After driving up the prolonged and winding avenue, we stopped for a powerful view of Donner Lake. North Star supplies the luxurious end of the spectrum of snowboarding with the one slope-side five-star lodging throughout the house, and don’t neglect Mt.Rose offering Tahoe’s Highest Base elevation. Heavenly Mountain located in South Tahoe.
- Study Points to do in Lake Tahoe in Winter
Motels and AirBnBs in Lake Tahoe
- There are various lodging selections in North Lake Tahoe and an outstanding maintain for households would positively be our lodge at Cedar Crest Cottages.
- Sunnyside Resort is a welcoming resort located on the Shore of Lake Tahoe. Your maintain consists of continental breakfast and afternoon tea.
The place to Eat – We beloved our meal and the nice staff at Sunnyside Restaurant and Resort located at 1850 W Lake Blvd, Tahoe Metropolis. It has been a Sunnyside customized since 1965.
13. Sacramento – Bonus Night
It’s a few five-hour drive from Lake Tahoe to San Francisco, so in the event you want to minimize up up the 5-hour drive we suggest stopping in Sacramento. Even when it’s not in your California avenue journey itinerary from the start, it’s positively well worth the time to see all of this historic previous. The state capital of California is worth a go to even within the occasion you solely see the historic downtown landmark of Outdated Sacramento. This 28-acre district is filled with outdated metropolis saloons and bars taking you once more to the 1800s.
The place to Maintain in Sacramento
A terrific place to stay is The Kimpton Sawyer Resort that is solely a quick 15-minute stroll from Outdated Metropolis. This new upscale lodge is located throughout the coronary coronary heart of Sacramento overlooking the Golden 1 Coronary heart, home of the Sacramento Kings.
How rather a lot does it worth to Avenue Journey in California?
As you’ve seen, your California avenue journey itinerary can switch in numerous completely completely different directions. There have been numerous stops we didn’t even make on account of this state is so monumental. As such, the worth can vary enormously counting on lodging.
Lodging – For many who maintain in a campground you will pay $35 per night nonetheless you may even spend as a lot as $1000 per night in luxurious lodges like Ventana in Enormous Sur or the 4 Seasons in Santa Barbara.
This avenue journey is 1500 miles in full. If the widespread car will get 20 miles per gallon and the widespread worth of gasoline is $3.50 per gallon, you can depend on to pay $262 in gasoline for this journey.
Meals can even have a broad differ. When you want a multicourse meal at a variety of the luxurious resorts, you can spend as a lot as $200. nonetheless you may even hit roadside diners for $20. We mixed and matched packing lunches, consuming in diners and usually splurging on gourmand meals. We suggest you do the similar to revenue out of your journey.
When you might get breakfasts included and pack sandwiches and waters for lunch, you have merely saved some enormous money for a romantic dinner out.
Full Map of Our Avenue Journey in California
Regardless of route you choose, you will bear a variety of the best environment in all of California. We hope to have given ample data to create your private tour by offering these California avenue journey ideas.
You might need now completed the route and may make your technique once more to The San Francisco Bay house to return your rental car. Or be at liberty to remain spherical California. There are so many areas to go to, you can spend months exploring.
Did you get pleasure from this California Journey Planner? Why not pin it to utilize as a reference for future avenue journeys.
And that girls and gents are our picks for the proper avenue journeys California has to produce. So, now you are capable of hit the road with a robust plan of the entire points to do in California!
To see our full itinerary by way of California strive Observe ThePlanetD from Oceans to Mountains on the Go to California Site.
- Further California journey planning
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Our journey to California was in partnership with Go to California. For additional data on California journey and itineraries, go to their web page. As common, all opinions are our private.
