California Tours: Destinations | Sample Itineraries
Sample Routes - California Highlights
Our most popular route, California Highlights incorporates California's most popular and well-known destinations, including almost the entire coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and the jewel of the Sierra Nevadas, Yosemite. The route features a mixture of city, wilderness, resort towns, culture, natural beauty and wildlife. In short, a taste of just about every aspect of our state.
HIGHLIGHT DESTINATIONS
SAN FRANCISCO

Instantly recognizable for its steep hills, its unique mix of Victorian and modern architecture, and its iconic landmarks, San Francisco is one of the great cities of the United States.

Read more about San Francisco.

YOSEMITE

Yosemite is one of the most spectacular locations in the world. Sculptured by millions fo years of glacial force, this natural wonder features mammoth cliffs of granite, towering waterfalls, serene meadows, an abundant wildlife population and some of the largest trees on Earth.

Read more about Yosemite.

MONTEREY PENINSULA

One of the jewels of California's Central Coast, the Monterey Peninsula is a delightful combination of dramatic coastal scenery, marine wildlife that ranges from intriguing to charming to awe-inspiring, and leisure activities that include golf, wine tasting and fine dining.

Read More about the Monterey Peninsula.

BIG SUR

The Big Sur coastline is one of California's highlights that makes the front cover of international guidebooks. Jagged cliffs jut out of the Pacific as the land rises to soaring heights.

Big Sur is a place where you can escape civilization and immerse yourself in solitude, or simply drive through, pausing ocassionally to breathe in its stunning natural beauty and gentle Pacific breezes.

Read more about Big Sur.

SAN SIMEON COAST

William Randolph Hearst fell in love with this section of California's Central Coast as a child, and chose it as the site of the now legendary Hearst Castle. Characterized by rolling hills, windswept beaches, and a handfull of small towns, the San Simeon Coast is a place to relax, enjoy the fresh air and rejuvinate.

Read more.

SANTA BARBARA

Santa Barbara is part Southern California beach resort, part Spanish Colonial relic and part college town. Throw in a dash of the old West, a hint of fashion, and a healthy portion of outdoor activities, and you complete the portrait of this uniquely Californian town.

Read more about Santa Barbara.

LOS ANGELES

Known for its iconic beaches, movie stars, and theme parks, the "City of Angels" isn't actually a singular city in the sense that most people consider a city. Rather, it is a collection of several cities and neighborhoods sprawled out over a gigantic area spanning 500 square miles (this number can be much higher, depending on your own personal definition of "Los Angeles").

Read more about Los Angeles.

   
Type of Route:
One-way (Can be traveled in either direction)
  Driving distance from start to finish:
750 miles / 1200 kilometers
 
Time needed (incl. San Francisco and Los Angeles):
Bare Minimum: 6 days
Comfortable Pace: 8 - 10 days
  This route is excellent for people interested in:
Variety, Sightseeing, Shopping, Nature, Wildlife, Scenery, Cities, History, Art and Culture, Leisure Activities, Outdoorsy Activities, Entertainment/Nightlife, Culinary/Epicurean, Mountains, the Coast
  This route doesn't offer much for people interested in:
Deserts
   
 
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California Public Utilities Commission PSG #: 20092 US Department of Transportation #: 1617829