Ultimate California Road Trip itinerary
Visiting the West Coast of the United States, in particular California, is on a lot of people’s bucket list. With its balmy, sunny weather, the Golden State is perfect for that epic road trip you’ve dreamt about. You would think that 2 weeks in this amazing state would be enough but unfortunately there are way more than 14-days-worth of things to see and do. In this blog post we’ll be covering 3 itineraries for the same approximate geographic area. But before we dive in, let’s take a look at the map.
Chances are high that you will arrive either to the LA area or the Bay area - that’s San Francisco. Either way you’ll want to hit both cities and because it’s a loop it doesn’t matter where you start.
Sites
Some of the more famous sites outside the big cities are Big Sur, Yosemite National Park, Death Valley National Park and literally right next door, gambling heaven - Las Vegas.
Let’s take a look at the itineraries we think would suit 14 days worth (that’s 2 weeks) of adventuring!
Day 1 - Los Angeles to Morro Bay / San Luis Obispo area
We start the day driving north on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). You’ll pass Malibu beach; stop by the pier and grab a coffee at Malibu Farm, conveniently located at the end of the pier. Parking here can be pricey ($15 USD) or you can try to find free parking on PCH. After you are done contemplating that the next piece of land west of you is Japan, continue heading north, in about 1.5hrs you’ll arrive to Santa Barbara; we recommend you visit their beautifully preserved Spanish Mission. FYI, the mission is closed Sundays and Mondays but the church is open everyday. If it’s around lunch time, checkout Old Town Santa Barbara, there are lots of restaurants along State St. or the Santa Barbara Public Market also has good options. In another 1.5hrs you’ll arrive to the Morro Bay / San Luis Obispo area. We suggest you spend the night at Morro Bay and end the day wine tasting in the Paso Robles area. There are so many wineries just 30 minutes away, heck you could even spend the night at some of them. Although this area is not as famous as it’s close cousin, Napa Valley, it still has some amazing wines and the prices are very reasonable.
Day 2 - Morro Bay / San Luis Obispo area to San Francisco
Today you’ll see the most famous part of the PCH drive and indeed a beautiful part of the California coast. At San Simeon, look to the east and you’ll see Hearst Castle on the hillside (it’s quite far but you won’t miss it, it’s the only building). If you are into castles, you can pick from 3 different tours that show different parts of the castle. Reservations are available online up to 60 days in advance. If you are from a country with a lot of castles, we suggest you skip this bit, it’s cute but probably nothing you haven’t already seen. Just past San Simeon, there is a beach with loads of elephant seals, parking is easy and it’s a good break from the drive. Continue north to the McWay Falls located in the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - this is the iconic waterfall that falls onto a tiny beach. Just 10mi (16km) further north you’ll see Big Sur’s most famous landmark, the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge; the photo op parking area is just after you cross the bridge, on the left hand side.
Continue north - after all these stops you’ll probably arrive to Carmel and Monterey Bay just in time for lunch. Both of these coastal towns are very nice for a stroll around. Monterey used to be a canning town and the Cannery Row area is probably your best bet for food. It’s also really close to the Monterrey Bay aquarium in case you want to visit. Although we haven’t visited this restaurant ourselves, Nacho Bizness is on our list of must-visit on our next stop in Monterey Bay. Back on the road for another 2 hours and you’ll arrive to San Francisco.
Day 3, 4 & 5 - San Francisco
Plan to spend 4 nights in The City (as it is affectionally called by the locals) and make sure to checkout the price of parking in advance or you’ll be very unpleasantly surprised. We recommend SpotHero (not sponsored) to get an idea if you can get cheaper parking than the usual extortionate rate of hotels. 4 nights will give you 3 full days to explore and boy is there a lot to explore.
Here’s a list of options you can choose from:
Walk on the Golden Gate bridge (or see it from the Golden Gate Overlook in The Presidio Park)
Visit Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli square
Take a tour of Alcatraz Island
Checkout the Union square and the Financial District
Eat Dim Sum in China Town (or really any meal will be good too)
Ride the cable cars
Visit the California Academy of Sciences (you can see the four-story Osher Rainforest, Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, and the Kimball Natural History Museum, all with 1 ticket)
Take at photo at The Palace of Fine Arts
See famous locations like The Painted Ladies and Lombard St.
Watch a baseball game at the Giant’s stadium
With this list and anything else you google, you’ll have more than enough for 2 whole days.
Day 6 & 7 - San Francisco to Yosemite National Park
The drive to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco is only 3.5 hrs so there is no need to wake up at the crack of dawn. The most important thing about Yosemite is Reservations! Reservations! Reservations! Yep, it sounds extreme but this park gets a lot of visitors and you can’t just show up. Accommodation in the park are the most convenient for hikes, but you can also stay outside the park and drive in. Luckily most of the famous sites like Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan, are all clustered around the Yosemite Valley.
Hike, rest or do both, you can’t go wrong with either in Yosemite.
Day 8 - Yosemite back to Los Angeles
I know what you are thinking, “but wait we still have soooo many days!”. Welp, keep on reading and then decide. The drive from Yosemite Valley back to Southern California is 5.5 hrs with no stops. You will pass through California’s famous central valley and arrive, at the earliest, in the early afternoon to LA. Once in LA you have A LOT of options.
Day 9, 10 & 11
Plan to stay 4 nights in the Hollywood area and you’ll find that most sites you want to visit are relatively close by. Again, check that parking is included or at least reasonably priced. We’ve grouped these sites by proximity to each other so you can realistically see them on the same day.
Hollywood (day 9)
Spy the Hollywood sign (not the hike, just the sign)
Visit the Chinese Theater and the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Try a hot dog at Pink’s Hot Dogs
Drive on Sunset Blvd
Shop (or window shop) at Rodeo drive
Get a picture w/ the famous LA palm trees (pretty much on any of the streets in Beverly Hills)
Visit the LA county museum of Art (LACMA) - but if you have no time, just see the iconic “Urban Light” installation
Drive out to the beach to Santa Monica 3rd St Promenade and the famous Santa Monica Pier - try to catch the sunset here. Skip this if you are planning a beach day.
Downtown LA (day 10)
Swing by Pershing Square
Pop in to Grand Central Market
Take the Angels Flight Railway
Visit the Walt Disney Concert Hall
Experience the James Irvine Japanese Garden in Little Tokyo - have lunch in Little Tokyo, there’s loads of good options.
Checkout Union Station, Los Angeles.
If you haven’t had lunch yet, try a french dipped sandwich at Philippe The Original one of the oldest restaurants in LA. It’s not fancy and not expensive and it’s literally super close to Union Station.
Wander around Griffith Park and the Griffith Observatory - Sunsets here are especially nice.
Watch a game at Staple Center or Dodger Stadium (they are both in downtown)
Universal Studios OR Beach Day (day 11)
We are not fans of Universal Studios but often family and friends want to visit - you probably don’t need a whole day here but for sure at least 1/2 a day. And if this isn’t your jam, you can always go to the beach (even if it’s winter, you can always go to the beach in SoCal - you just won’t be able to sunbathe without being cold). You can rent a bike and cycle from Santa Monica Beach to Venice Beach. One way is about 3.5mi (5.6km) and both have amazing places to eat in case you need to refuel. Sunsets anywhere along the way are beautiful but for an iconic SoCal sunset watch it by the Santa Monica Pier.
Day 12 & 13 - Disneyland & Disney California Adventures
We suggest you stay in the Anaheim area so you can maximize your days at Disneyland. Booking your tickets in advance is recommended and there is an app to sign up for rides. GeekWire has a good post about how to use the app - click here.
Day 14 - Free
Last day is free - here are some ideas of what you could add:
Add 1 night in Carmel before getting to SF - this charming little coastal town has all the chill vibes.
Day trip to Joshua Tree National Park - Joshua tree is just 2.5hrs away. Depending on the time of year it might be too hot to visit, but in the winter it’ll be cold and beautiful.
If you are a foodie for Asian food, checkout Monterrey Park in LA - your belly will be happy. And if you are a Vegan the West side is where you’ll want to stay.
Day 1 & 2 - Drive from LA to SF
These 2 days stay the same, enjoy PCH. See ‘take it easy’ itinerary above
Day 3 & 4 - San Francisco
Spend 1 less day in San Francisco. See options for SF in ‘take it easy’ itinerary above
Day 5 & 6 - Yosemite
Same as ‘take it easy’ itinerary above
Day 7 - Drive to Death Valley & Vegas
This day will be a long one and you will want to leave early. If it’s winter the Tioga pass will closed and the drive will be even longer. Set your map to Badwater Basin, that’s the lowest point in North America and also a salt flat. Make sure the route uses HWY 120 and the total time is between 5 - 6 hours; if it’s longer than that, check the directions carefully.
Crossing the Sierra Nevada through the Tioga pass to Death Valley National Park is beautiful! You’ll go from the pine forested area in the Sierras to the lowest point in North American, in the desert; all with wonderful views along the way. Grab lunch in Bishop at a place called Erick Schat’s Bakery; if you drive by too early pick something up to go, you won’t regret it (egg croissants and the Pullaway bread are some of our favorites!).
Death Valley has many wonderful sites but you won’t have much time. Our fave is Badwater basin but we have a whole weekend guide you can checkout if you want more sites - Easy Weekend Guide to Death Valley National Park.
After your Death Valley stop, or drive by, head to Las Vegas Strip - because it’s such a long day you’ll probably arrive at dusk or after sun down, don’t worry, this is the best time to arrive; you’ll be greeted by the iconic Las Vegas lights.
Day 8 & 9 - Las Vegas
We suggest you try to stay at one of the hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, if possible. It is truly a unique experience to stay at one of those giant hotels and have the Strip at your fingertips. Here’s a few things that’ll definitely use up, at least a whole day, if not more.
Gambling (hopefully this won’t take a whole day)
A show - Vegas is famous for all kinds of shows - Musicals, comedy, magic, acrobatics, etc… If you have your heart set on one, book in advance, otherwise you can always find available seats a few days before. Not sure what to pick? We love any of the Cirque du Soleil shows.
Go to a Spa - yep, you can definitely get pampered in Vegas
Fine dine - you might need reservations for this, but they are probably worth the trouble.
Walk the Strip - bring comfy walking shoes b/c it’s a long walk.
Shop at the many outlet malls
If you want to splurge you can fly from Vegas to the Grand Canyon on a helicopter.
Day 10, 11 & 12 - Los Angeles
If you are leaving Las Vegas on Sunday either leave EARLY or late. HWY 15 is notorious for having bad traffic coming back to California and you don’t want to be wasting your time.
You’ll arrive to Los Angeles in the early afternoon if you leave early. Check in and you can probably do a few of the sites of day 9 & 10 (see the ‘take it easy’ itinerary above).
Day 13 & 14 - Disneyland
Same as the ‘take it easy’ itinerary above, but if Disneyland isn’t your jam, you can stay in the Santa Monica area for some classic California beach days of hanging at the beach, biking and feasting on some classic California Cuisine (and an incredible selection of Vegan fares if that floats your boat).
End of the adventure.
Wow, this post is pretty jam packed with ideas. If you have questions, suggestions or comments let us know, we love to hear from you! Until next time, happy travels!