If you’re planning a trip to California and don’t know where to start, this guide is for you. I’ll be breaking down our recent two-week California road trip, covering all the best stops between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

What makes a California road trip so special is the variety of beautiful places you get to experience. From lively cities and iconic landmarks to scenic drives and THE BEST national parks, there’s truly something for everyone. This itinerary ensures you don’t miss any of the epic things to do in California.

Our route is a loop starting and ending in San Francisco, but you can easily do it in reverse from Los Angeles. The trip takes you inland to explore some of the best national parks including Yosemite and Sequoia, with a visit to Palm Springs before making your way back along the iconic Highway 1 coastline.

Best Time to Visit California

The best time to visit California is typically during spring (March to May) and fall (September to November). These months bring warm weather without the peak summer crowds, making them ideal for exploring both coastal and inland areas on your road trip.

We visited in early October and had an amazing experience. San Francisco had a few overcast and rainy days and was slightly cooler, but Los Angeles and Palm Springs were hot and sunny. We were also lucky with Yosemite as the waterfalls are usually quite dry this time of year, but we still got to see some flow and beautiful fall colours.

If seeing Yosemite’s waterfalls at their best is a top priority, plan your California road trip for May, when they’re at their best.

How Long to Visit For

California is such a diverse state with endless incredible places to see, so we think two weeks is the ideal amount of time to experience the best of what it has to offer.

If you’re short on time and only have about a week, we recommend splitting it into two options:

• Option 1: San Francisco and Yosemite
• Option 2: Los Angeles and Palm Springs

Choose one loop to make the most of your trip without feeling rushed.

California Road Trip Itinerary

San Francisco

San Francisco is a city that blends seamlessly with nature. You’ll find massive parks, plenty of outdoor spaces, scenic coastal walks and of course the iconic Golden Gate Bridge with countless vantage points for some incredible views. The food scene here is also amazing and full of variety. I still think about the dinner we had Rich Table, it was some of the best food we've ever had and so unique!

A quick tip about the weather. No matter when you visit, San Francisco has microclimates, meaning the temperature changes constantly throughout the day and even between neighbourhoods. It is best to wear light layers and adjust as you go. We found everything in the city to be close together, so instead of renting a car we just took short Uber rides everywhere which was super easy and affordable.

Accommodation: Hotel G San Francisco in Union Square

Favourite places to eat: Rich Table & China Live

Day 1 - San Francisco

Spend your first day getting familiar with the city and walking through some of the most beautiful neighbourhoods. This is a great way to ease into your California road trip itinerary. Our favourite areas were North Beach and The Marina District. Here you can see the famous Lombard Street, one of the steepest and most crooked streets in the world and a must-see on any San Francisco itinerary. It is fun to watch cars carefully wind their way down the hill while tourists line the sidewalks taking photos.

From there, walk along Chestnut Street or grab an Uber to the Palace of Fine Arts. We didn’t expect much from this spot, but it completely blew us away. The architecture and sheer scale are incredible, and it is totally free to visit. You can wander through the structure, take photos by the lagoon and just soak up the atmosphere.

Spend the rest of the afternoon walking along Crissy Field Beach and exploring The Presidio, making your way towards Fort Point beneath the bridge. Continue along the Coastal Trail until you reach the Golden Gate Overlook for sunset. This is one of the best places to visit in San Francisco for views of the Golden Gate Bridge. There are plenty of trails here that lead to scenic lookouts, or you can simply stroll along the coastline and enjoy the views. It is a popular area for both locals and travellers so the sunset vibe is always lively and full of energy.

Two amazing photo spots to check out are the Golden Gate Overlook, where you get a straight-on view of the bridge framed between two trees, and another viewpoint on the other side of the fort ruins where a cluster of trees perfectly frames the bridge. You will also have sweeping views of the coastline and beaches below, which look stunning in the late afternoon light.

Day 2 - San Francisco

Start your morning with one of the most iconic things to do in San Francisco, the cable cars. Head to the top of California Street and Powell Street for the famous photo spot where the tracks run straight down the hill through the city skyline. It looks especially beautiful in the early morning when the light filters softly through the buildings.

We spent the rest of the day sightseeing and visiting a few more classic San Francisco attractions like the Painted Ladies, having a picnic at Dolores Park (we grabbed takeaway from Arsicault Bakery, which was delicious) and then went vintage shopping in Haight-Ashbury. If you love thrifting and everything vintage, this neighbourhood is a dream. The stores are huge, with racks full of great-quality pieces at reasonable prices. Be sure to check out the vintage photo booths and Club Photomatica for some fun and spontaneous shots.

In the afternoon, wander around Golden Gate Park, explore the Museums and the Japanese Tea Garden, and then head towards the Lands End Trail Hike. We started from the top of Sutro Baths and finished near the beaches where we watched the sunset at Baker Beach. We had a bit of bad luck with the weather, but on a clear day the views along the coast and of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance are incredible. It is the perfect way to end your time in San Francisco before continuing your California road trip itinerary.

If you don’t want the stress of planning your trip to San Francisco, you can book my exact itinerary through my Travel Club. It includes a 6 night stay at Hotel G at the best rates and an extended day by day itinerary with food, drink and experience recommendations so everything is taken care of.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park was without a doubt the highlight of our California road trip. It had been on our bucket list for so long and it completely lived up to the hype. Driving into Yosemite Valley for the first time felt surreal. The sheer size of the granite cliffs and mountains makes you feel so small, and everywhere you look is breathtakingly beautiful.

The biggest tip we can give in this Yosemite travel guide is to stay in the valley. It’s definitely pricier than staying outside the park and the options are limited, but trust me, it is worth it. Staying in Yosemite Valley makes it so much easier to see all of the main sights without having to drive 40 minutes in and out each day. Plus, you’ll wake up surrounded by some of the most incredible views in the world.

We stayed at Curry Village, one of the most affordable accommodation options within Yosemite National Park. The tents here are basic, with just a bed inside a small canvas tent and no bathroom, but the views of Half Dome and Glacier Point right behind you are unbeatable. Our tent was unheated, and it did get cold at night, but the staff were happy to provide extra blankets which helped a lot. Curry Village is also super convenient with a dining hall, café, and an incredible pizza place called The Pizza Deck, which is an absolute must-try. There’s also a small convenience store for snacks and essentials, so you’ll have everything you need.

We stayed for three nights in Yosemite Valley and thought it was the perfect amount of time. It gave us two full days to explore all of the main attractions in Yosemite National Park while still having time to relax and not feel rushed.

Sunrises and sunsets here are magical as the treetops glow gold in the soft light. One of our favourite sunset spots was El Capitan Meadow, where you’re surrounded by towering mountains and endless views of the valley.

A quick reminder when visiting Yosemite or any national park in the USA is to always follow bear safety rules. Use the bear boxes provided and never leave food or scented items inside your tent or car, including toiletries, shampoo, or conditioner. Store everything in the bear box and dispose of rubbish in the park bins.

Accommodation: Curry Village

Day 3- San Francisco to Yosemite National Park

The drive from San Francisco to Yosemite takes around four hours. After picking up our rental car and grabbing lunch at In-N-Out Burger along the way, we arrived in the park by the afternoon. That gave us enough time to check in, freshen up, and head straight to our first stop at Tunnel View. Even the drive up there was stunning, winding through the forest and meadows before reaching the famous viewpoint.

Tunnel View is the perfect introduction to Yosemite National Park, offering sweeping views of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Fall all in one frame. There’s no hiking required so you can park your car and walk right to the lookout. The main carpark is small and gets busy, but there’s usually extra parking along the road just a short walk away. Watching the sunset paint the mountain peaks in warm golden tones is such a beautiful way to end your first day in Yosemite. Head back to your accommodation, grab some dinner, and rest up for a big day of hiking tomorrow.

Day 4 - Yosemite

Today is your big hiking day. Start early to beat the crowds and the midday heat and take on one of the most famous Yosemite hikes, Vernal and Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail. If you only have time for one hike during your Yosemite itinerary, make it this one. The trail takes you right up to two incredible waterfalls, where you’ll even feel the mist from the spray as you climb.

The Mist Trail can be challenging at times, with steep sections and plenty of stairs, but the views are absolutely worth it. If you don’t feel like doing the full hike, you can stop at Vernal Falls and head back down. The trail begins at Happy Isles Trailhead (Shuttle Stop 16), and we caught the free shuttle from outside Curry Village which dropped us right at the start. The full hike took us around five hours including photo stops and a lunch break at the top.

After our hike, we treated ourselves to some pizza from The Pizza Deck back at Curry Village, which was surprisingly good for being inside a national park. We relaxed for a bit and then headed out to El Capitan Meadow for sunset. This was easily one of our favourite spots in the valley. You’re surrounded by El Capitan on one side and another mountain range on the other, making you feel tiny in the middle of this open field.

From here, you can often spot rock climbers making their way up the face of El Capitan, which looks almost impossible. As the light starts to dip, the sun hits the cliffs perfectly, turning everything golden and creating a truly magical scene.

Day 5 - Yosemite

For your final full day in Yosemite, wake up early and drive up to Glacier Point for sunrise. It’s about an hour from the valley, but the views from the top are absolutely worth the early start. From Glacier Point, you get panoramic views across Yosemite Valley and a perfect view of Half Dome glowing in the morning light.

There’s a main lookout near the carpark, but if you wander along the paths to the right, you’ll find a few quieter spots with equally incredible views. The scenery here is breathtaking and one of the most memorable moments from our Yosemite itinerary.

We spent the rest of the day back in the valley, exploring a few more Yosemite attractions like Cooks Meadow, Lower Yosemite Falls, and relaxing by the river before heading back to our accommodation for one last night in the park.

Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park is one of the most unique and breathtaking places in California. It’s home to the largest trees in the world, and seeing them up close is absolutely unreal. The park feels ancient and magical as you are walking among the giant sequoias. We managed to see most of the main attractions in a single day, but if you have time, you could spend two days in Sequoia National Park to explore at a slower pace and do more of the hikes.

Accommodation: The most common area to stay is Three Rivers, located close to the park entrance. Since we booked last minute, most of the good accommodation options were already full, so we stayed in Exeter, a small town a little further away, which worked perfectly for our one-night stay before heading to Los Angeles the next day.

Day 6 - Yosemite to Sequoia

The drive from Yosemite Valley to Sequoia National Park took us around four hours, winding along the mountainsides with beautiful views the entire way. Since we only had one full day to explore, we left Yosemite early to make the most of our time in the park. Even though we arrived around midday, we still managed to see all of the main attractions in Sequoia that we had on our list.

Our first stop was the Big Trees Trail, a short and easy 15-minute loop that takes you through a stunning meadow surrounded by massive sequoia trees. We were a bit confused about where to park, as there was only handicapped parking available at the start of the trailhead. Instead, we parked at the large car park across from the Giant Forest Museum and walked along the footpath beside the road, which leads to the start of the Big Trees Trail. This walk was the perfect introduction to the park! The trees here are enormous, with some of their trunks stretching incredibly wide. It’s an easy, flat trail that gives you a great first glimpse of the park’s magic.

Next, we made our way to the General Sherman Tree, the park’s main attraction and officially the largest living tree on Earth. It’s a popular spot, so expect some crowds and a short wait if you want a photo in front of it.

From here, we continued onto the Congress Trail Loop, which quickly became one of our favourite parts of Sequoia. The trail leads you through a peaceful forest filled with clusters of giant trees away from the crowds. Two of our favourite groups of Sequoias were The House and The Senate. The full loop takes about two hours, but if you’re short on time, you can easily turn around after exploring the main groves.  We spent about one hour total on this section.

If you have extra time before leaving the park, make a quick stop at Tunnel Log, the iconic fallen sequoia tree with a car-sized tunnel carved through it. It’s one of the most photographed spots in Sequoia and a fun photo opportunity. Unfortunately, the sun had already set by the time we finished our hike, so we skipped this one, but it’s definitely worth visiting if you can fit it in.

Tip: The drive out of Sequoia, especially towards Three Rivers, is steep and incredibly winding. We tackled it at night, which was a bit of a challenge, so if you’re not a confident mountain driver, I’d recommend leaving before sunset. Having daylight makes the drive much easier and lets you enjoy the beautiful mountain views on your way out.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles lived up to its reputation as a vibrant and exciting city. The palm-tree-lined streets, luxury shops, and the Hollywood and Beverly Hills vibe made it such a fun place to explore. We stayed in West Hollywood at Short Stories Hotel and can’t recommend it enough. We felt super safe and absolutely loved the location. It’s right across from the Farmers Market and The Grove shopping strip, with plenty of incredible food options nearby.

If you’re trying to decide where to stay in Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills are two of the best and safest areas. And if you love fast food like we do, this city is heaven. We spent most of our lunches and dinners trying out iconic American fast-food chains to make the most of our short time in the US. Our favourites were definitely Shake Shack and Raising Cane’s.

Los Angeles is a massive city and many of its main attractions are spread out, so having a car rental made exploring much easier. The traffic can be pretty hectic. It often took us 30 minutes to an hour to get to each destination, so keep that in mind when planning your Los Angeles itinerary.

Accommodation: Short Stories in West Hollywood

Day 7 - Sequoia to Los Angeles

After a few big days exploring national parks, we took the morning slow and made our way into Los Angeles. The drive took around three and a half hours. After checking into our hotel and grabbing a bite to eat, we headed to Venice Beach to catch the sunset. The atmosphere along the oceanfront and skate park was amazing, full of energy and up beat vibes. We ended up walking all the way to Santa Monica Pier, which took about an hour, and it was the perfect way to end the day.

Day 8 - Los Angeles

Today is all about sightseeing and playing tourist around LA. We started our morning with the Hollywood Sign hike, which was so cool to see in person. We parked in a residential area along Innsdale Drive near the Innsdale Trailhead. From there, we followed the dirt trail until we reached the road, then continued left along the road and back onto a dirt trail until we came to a white wall and gate. The gate is unlocked, so you can walk through and keep going up until you reach a large flat area with an incredible view of the Hollywood Sign. The walk took us around 20 minutes.

After grabbing a quick breakfast, head to Griffith Observatory for some panoramic views of the city skyline. The observatory itself is free to enter and worth walking around for its great photo spots. Next, make your way to Hollywood and the Walk of Fame. This part of Los Angeles is very touristy, so we didn’t stay too long before driving along Sunset Boulevard toward Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive. Everything about this area screams luxury. We saw so many Lamborghinis cruising down the streets, and the rows of massive designer stores were unreal. Even though everything was definitely out of our price range, it was still fun to stroll along the strip and window-shop.

Day 9 - Los Angeles

Spend your last day in LA taking it easy. You can revisit your favourite spots, do some shopping, or check out some of the city’s museums and art galleries.

Palm Springs

If you love the retro lifestyle, you’ll fall in love with Palm Springs like we did. It’s a town that feels like it’s been frozen in the 60s, right in the middle of the desert. The streets are lined with mid-century modern homes and vintage cars, keeping the old-school charm that makes Palm Springs so unique.

The main strip in town has plenty of restaurants and shops to keep you busy, or you can simply spend your time lounging by the pool which almost every home and hotel here has. We stayed at The Saguaro, which was super colourful, fun, and had a great atmosphere. The price was also really reasonable. If you’re after peace and quiet, I’d recommend staying somewhere else, as The Saguaro often hosts pool parties which can get a bit loud, but we didn’t mind.

Accommodation: The Saguaro

Day 10 - Los Angeles to Palm Springs

The drive from Los Angeles to Palm Springs takes around two and a half hours. As soon as you arrive, you’re greeted by streets lined with palm trees and a nostalgic atmosphere that instantly transports you back to the 60s.

Our first stop was Ernest Coffee, which had a great selection of coffee and unique flavours. We spent our first day exploring vintage stores and local markets to see what we could find. Our favourites were Mojave Flea Trading Post for clothes and Sunny Dunes Antique Mall for everything from home decor to collectables. Market Market was also really cool and full of amazing pieces, but it was a little pricier.

In the afternoon, spend some time driving through the neighbourhoods to admire the incredible mid-century homes and vintage cars. Be sure to stop by the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway and the Marilyn Monroe House. Some of the best neighbourhoods to explore are Old Las Palmas, Twin Palms, and Indian Canyons near the golf resort. You can also check the Visit Palm Springs website for a list of the famous colourful door houses and their addresses.

Day 11 - Palm Springs

For your last day in Palm Springs, take it easy and relax by the pool, stop by Forever Marilyn to see the massive statue, or take a day trip to Joshua Tree National Park.

Joshua Tree is about an hour away and is an incredible spot if you love outback-style landscapes and otherworldly desert scenery. The park is full of unique rock formations, vast open spaces, and, of course, the iconic Joshua Trees that make this area so special.

Coastal Route Back to San Francisco

The final stretch of your California road trip will take you along one of the most scenic drives in the world, the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1). This route hugs the coastline and passes through some of California’s most iconic destinations like Malibu, Santa Barbara, and Big Sur.

Unfortunately, when we visited, parts of the highway were still closed due to landslides, so we weren’t able to drive the full coastal route and missed out on Big Sur. Instead, we stopped overnight in Morro Bay before heading back inland towards San Francisco. Even though we couldn’t do the full drive, the stretch we did manage to see was still incredibly beautiful, with stunning ocean views and charming seaside towns along the way.

Day 12 - Palm Springs to Morro Bay

The drive from Palm Springs to Morro Bay took us around five hours. It’s quite a long drive, but you can make it more enjoyable by stopping off at some of the coastal towns along the way to stretch your legs and soak up the ocean views. Once you arrive in Morro Bay, you’ll find it’s a peaceful seaside town with a laid-back vibe, perfect for unwinding after a week of travel.

Take a walk along the waterfront to see Morro Rock, the massive volcanic rock that rises dramatically from the ocean, and grab dinner at one of the local seafood restaurants overlooking the bay.

Accommodation: Pacific Shores Inn

Day 13 - Morro Bay to Big Sur

If the Pacific Coast Highway is open when you visit, this stretch of the drive is one of the most breathtaking sections of the entire road trip. You’ll wind along rugged cliffs, pass hidden coves, and see endless coastal views.

Make a few scenic stops along the way at San Simeon to spot elephant seals, McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and Bixby Creek Bridge, one of the most photographed bridges in California. Take your time and enjoy the drive.

Stay the night somewhere near Big Sur or Carmel-by-the-Sea, depending on availability and budget. Both towns are beautiful and make a great base for exploring the coast.

Day 14 - Big Sur to San Francisco

On your final day, continue your journey north towards San Francisco, with plenty of opportunities to stop and explore along the way. You can visit the charming coastal town of Carmel-by-the-Sea if you didn’t already, then drive through Santa Cruz for a quick beach walk before making your way back to where your adventure began.

This marks the end of your California road trip, one that we hope will be as memorable for you as it was for us. From bustling, vibrant cities to jaw-dropping national parks, desert landscapes, and one of the most stunning coastlines in the world, you’re sure to have an unforgettable time. Chasing sunsets, hiking waterfalls, and enjoying the open road is one of the best feelings and this itinerary truly showcases the very best of what California has to offer.