The Rest of California
Coastal California
Monterey - 120 miles south of San Francisco is the Monterey peninsula - home of Monterey and gateway to the U.S.’s most beautiful coastline. Monterey is a picturesque town with a wealth of interesting shops and restaurants. When you drive south from Monterey you will soon be enjoying the famed Big Sur coastline - just follow the twisting highway for 120 miles of fantastic views. San
Luis Obispo - This former mission town is a popular stopping point for anyone driving between LA and San Francisco. It is surrounded by stunning scenery - desert like dunes, volcanic plugs and peaceful green pastures and offers excellent restaurants, first class shopping and arguably California’s most beautiful mission building.
Santa Barbara - America’s Riviera is located just 92 miles north of LA, offering a relaxing environment, outstanding scenery and a sunny climate for most of the year.
Ventura - Enjoying an average daytime temperature of 72°C Ventura deserves its year round resort status. It is located 60 miles from LA and boasts miles of uncrowded beaches, pristine offshore islands, rugged mountains plus history and culture.
California’s National Parks
Death Valley National Park - Is the lowest point in the western hemisphere and also one of the hottest (highest recorded temperature is 134°F). Located 286 miles from Los Angeles, it is surrounded by a variety of mountains and canyons, with some of the most spectacular sights being the eroded badlands of Zabriskie Point, Devils Golf and Dante’s View.
Sequoia National Park - Located 215 miles from Los Angeles and 278 from San Francisco the park is home to the most impressive sequoia trees. Not as tall as the coast redwoods but older, more impressive and set amidst stunning alpine scenery.
Yosemite National Park - Yosemite is California’s gem, over 1,000 square miles of mountains, waterfalls, forests, valleys and granite spires. The most visited part of Yosemite is the valley area which is seven miles long and one mile wide.
Northern California
Lake Tahoe - A year round resort community with a truly breathtaking setting on the California/Nevada border 195 miles east of San Francisco, Lake Tahoe offers superb hiking, beaches, cruises, a collection of casinos and all types of watersports.
Mammoth Lakes - A four season recreation area boasting spectacular scenery, located in the High Sierras, 264 miles from San Francisco. Activities include mountain biking, skiing, fishing, hiking and rock climbing.
Sacramento - California’s state capital and the heart of ‘Gold Country’, is located 94 miles east of San Francisco. In Old Town Sacramento visit the 28 acre river front area with its historic buildings, shops and restaurants.
Wine Country - Located just 46 miles north of San Francisco is America’s premier wine growing region. Napa Valley and Sonoma have around 300 wineries - most of which can be visited. The town of Napa itself is small - most of the restaurants, shops and activities are found in the beautiful valleys that surround the town.
Things to see and do in the rest of California
Visit the “fabled” Hearst Castle, approximately 40 miles north of San Luis Obispo (on the way to or from the Big Sur coastline and Monterey peninsula). Tours take you around the majestic rooms, swimming pools and courtyards of this fascinating monument.
Joshua Tree National Park – immortalised by U2 (!) - is 794,000 acres of the most ruggedly beautiful scenery. Mountains of jagged rock, cactus gardens and oases surrounded by palm trees and the rows of Joshua trees make this a marvellous day out from Palm Springs.
Top Tips
Take care when planning your route through Yosemite from October to May as the Tioga Pass on the eastern side of the park is closed.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is popular and queues can be long at peak times – get there early!
Bear in mind the distances. The scenic Highway 1 stretch from San Francisco to Los Angeles is more than 400 miles and it is a difficult road to drive. Make sure you allow time for frequent stops to admire the scenery and don’t plan to do it in one day!
Savour especially the Highway 1 section between Big Sur and Santa Barbara (with San Luis Obispo at its mid-way point) – spectacular and stunning.
It’s impossible to do California justice in one trip – plan to do a bit this time and then, come back again!
The North Coast from San Francisco to the Oregon border is dramatic and for lovers of sea life, it is home to migrating whales and other sea mammals.
Visit a winery in the Napa Valley and sample the wine (not if you’re the driver though!)
Pack for changes in temperature – the weather can change quickly as you travel from coast to mountains.
