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DAY TRIPS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FREE

Route: San Francisco –> Muir Woods –> Stinson Beach –> (Optional: Point Reyes)–> Bodega Bay –> Jenner –> Sea Ranch –> Point Arena –> Mendocino –> (Optional: Glass Beach at Fort Bragg)įor a beautiful Northern California road trip that gets you a bit off the beaten path, head up through the Marin Headlands upon leaving San Francisco for some beautiful local spots before you start making your way up north to Mendocino and Fort Bragg.

Seeing the stunning mansion that is Hearst Castle and the wild elephant seal reserve at your endpoint in San Simeonĭriving Time: 4 hours, 50 minutes (one way).

Stopping at stunning photography spots in Big Sur such as Bixby Creek Bridge, McWay Falls, and Pfeiffer Beach.

Going on a whale-watching tour in Monterey and checking out the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Spending the day relaxing at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk or hiking in Santa Cruz.

Seeing the iconic California lighthouses along the coast such as Pigeon Point and the Santa Cruz Breakwater Light.

Monterey is a wonderful place to base yourself for a bit, indulging in whale watching tours, local seafood, and one of the best aquariums in the world, whereas Carmel-by-the-Sea is a fantastic former artist colony that is now a beloved, in-the-know weekend getaway from San Francisco beloved by nearly all who visit it even once. Take a blissful walk in the redwoods of Henry Cowell, or opt for a beautiful beach walk along Natural Bridges. Santa Cruz is quite popular in the summer due to its boardwalk, but even there, it’s quite easy to get some peace and quiet by immersing yourself in the forests, state parks, and state beaches that surround it. The towns on the San Francisco peninsula such as Half Moon Bay and Pescadero are absolutely breathtaking and usually not very crowded, only with a few local day-trippers rather than hordes of out-of-town tourists. Spend a few days camping in Big Sur, enjoying the company of old-growth forest and beautiful redwoods, and you’ll get to see for yourself why this corner of California is absolutely worth protecting.īut beyond Big Sur itself, there are plenty of small coastal towns along the way worthy of a stop. Or watch the elephant seals squeal and play along the coast at one of their many chill-out spots, the most famous of which is in San Simeon. Go for a beautiful hike in Garrapata State Park or Point Lobos State Park, immersing yourself in the nature further.

Spend a few days exploring Big Sur and appreciating it beyond its most Instagrammable points. However, despite its recent boom in popularity, Big Sur is still absolutely worth a visit… just be sure to follow proper etiquette when you visit and don’t be a “selfie tourist”. It doesn’t get much more classic California road trip than heading down the coast to Big Sur, does it? While Big Sur has long been a California local favorite, it’s gotten a lot more popular in recent years due to the advent of Instagram and Big Little Lies. Route: San Francisco –> Pacifica –> Pescadero –> Santa Cruz –> Capitola –> Monterey –> Carmel-by-the-Sea –> Big Sur –> San Simeon

DAY TRIPS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FREE

Thank you for supporting this free content!ĭriving Time: 4 hours, 45 minutes (one way)

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase using one of these links. I understand not everyone will be departing from those specific cities, but I think they’re enough of a regional hub that, say, someone departing from Sacramento or Santa Cruz can use one of these SF road trip ideas just as easily as someone from San Diego or Santa Barbara can use one of these LA road trip ideas!īelow is my list of all the best road trips in California, covering virtually every national park, countless incredible cities and natural landscapes, and so much more! Best Northern California Road Trips from San Francisco San Francisco Peninsula & Big Sur I’ve written this guide to best California road trips and broken it into two sections: Northern California road trips, which all depart from San Francisco, and Southern California road trips, which all depart from Los Angeles. If you’re hoping to see more of California, there’s no better way to see more of the Golden State than by hitting the open road!Ĭalifornia is one of America’s best states for road tripping, with everything from scenic coastal highways to steep mountain hairpins and stunning desert desolation.