California is, hands down, one of the best places in the world for a road trip. It’s the third largest state in the USA, and its 164,000 square miles are packed with varied terrain highlighted by some 66 scenic byways. Along the 865 miles of coast, road-trippers will meander by remote beaches and sheer cliff vistas as well as lively urban beach communities, such as Santa Monica and Venice in Los Angeles or laid-back La Jolla in San Diego. Inland, rocky desert landscapes give way to rolling farmlands, and two-lane highways carve through quiet groves of towering sequoias before climbing into the high, rugged peaks of the 352 mountain ranges.
All of that in mind, any Californian would agree that renting a car and hitting the road is a must while visiting (or living) in the Golden State. We’ve gathered together 10 great California road trips to get you started.
Full-state California road trips
The Point Reyes Lighthouse is a short but unforgettable detour from Highway 1.
Photo by Chris LaBasco/Shutterstock
1. California’s Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1)
- Start: Dana Point (Orange County)
- End: Leggett (Mendocino County)
- Distance: 656 miles
- Recommended time: At least five days, ideally one or two weeks.
Following the California coastline, the iconic State Route 1—or Highway 1—is one of the best road trips in the world. It is sometimes referred to as the Pacific Coast Highway (or “PCH”), though technically, the PCH is only a southern part of the route; other sections of Highway 1 are known as Cabrillo Highway, Coast Highway, or Shoreline Highway. Think of Highway 1 as a collection of the state’s greatest hits.
Start off with your toes in the Pacific at Huntington Beach, or Laguna Beach, or any one of the other scenic beaches of sunny southern California, then head north. Catch Spanish colonial architecture and sip local Santa Ynez valley wines in Santa Barbara. Then follow the forested road through Big Sur, stopping often to marvel at mountains that end abruptly in sea cliffs.
Be sure to pay homage to John Steinbeck at Cannery Row in Monterey, then bundle up to cut through the fog in San Francisco. Don’t worry, it tends to clear just after you cross the Golden Gate Bridge. From there, the road gets narrower and feels more remote as it winds through the hills of Marin County. Buy some oysters at the Tomales Bay Oyster Company and picnic along the Point Reyes National Seashore.
Finish up your trip walking driftwood-strewn beaches and tree-lined trails in the sleepy coastal town of Mendocino, or if you’re feeling really intrepid, keep following the coast north. Highway 1 officially ends in Leggett, where it turns to Highway 101, but that route continues more or less along the Pacific all the way into Oregon.
Itinerary: The Best Stops for a Road Trip on the Pacific Coast Highway
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is home to some of the oldest living things on Earth.
Photo by Laurens Hoddenbagh/Shutterstock
2. The Eastern Sierras (Highway 395)
- Start: Lone Pine
- End: South Lake Tahoe
- Distance: 232 miles
- Recommended time: Four to five days
While Highway 1 follows the coast, its sister trip, Highway 395, traces the Sierra Nevada range, the backbone of California. Rather than beaches and coast, this route features prehistoric forests, historic mining towns, and a variety of geological features. The drive from Lone Pine up to Lake Tahoe is only about four hours—seven if you’re starting in Los Angeles—but you’ll want to plan for a four- or five-day trip.
Kick off your journey in Lone Pine, a former mining town sandwiched between Sequoia National Park and Death Valley National Park. Spend the day hiking among the boulders, arches, and jagged peaks of the Alabama Hills, where a number of movies, including The Lone Ranger, Gladiator, and Django Unchained, were filmed, before heading north. Before you leave, pay a visit to Manzanar National Historic Site to remember and honor the 110,000 Japanese Americans who were stripped of their rights and forced into the internment camp during World War II.
In Big Pine, stop for pulled pork and ribs at Copper Top BBQ, then and take a short detour onto Highway 168 to visit Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, home to some of the oldest living trees on the planet. Be on the lookout for hot springs once you pass the climber’s haven of Bishop: Wild Willy’s Hot Springs and Hot Creek Geologic Park are both worth a stop, but as you continue north there are plenty of secret spots that locals might share if you ask.
A bit farther along Highway 395, you’ll pass Mammoth Mountain, a popular ski resort, and then Mono Lake, with its mud-drip rock formations. Those bound for Yosemite National Park would head west here, but those continuing north might take a detour to explore the ghost town of Bodie off Highway 270. Leave Highway 395 near Topaz Lake and take Highway 89 to Truckee or South Lake Tahoe, where you can finish your trip relaxing on the shores of a place Mark Twain once referred to as the “fairest picture the whole world affords.”
Related: 5 Amazing Lake Tahoe Hotels for Any Season
Northern California road trips
Stay the night at Boonville Hotel, which sits on Boonville’s one main road.
Photo by Jessie Beck
3. The Best of Northern California: Highway 128
- Start: Winters
- End: Elk
- Distance: 140 miles
- Recommended time: Three to four days
A road trip along Highway 128, which runs east-west from the Sacramento Valley to the Mendocino coast, means getting to experience some of the most iconic parts of Northern California: Napa and Sonoma wines, redwood forests, Mendocino seafood, Michelin-starred restaurants. The scenery—and attractions—are constantly changing along this 140-mile route.
Start your drive in the agricultural town of Winters with a visit to the region’s breweries (Berryessa is a local favorite) and, if it’s hot out, a swim at Berryessa Lake. Once in Napa County, stop by Nichelini Family Winery, the oldest continuously operated family winery in Napa, or any number of excellent wineries in the valley. Then end your day with a stay and soak at the geothermal pools at Solage or Calistoga Motor Lodge in Calistoga. The mineral waters that flow underground in this area have long been thought to have healing powers.
Continue winetasting as you drive across Sonoma County. Aim for Healdsburg, where you could stroll the town square and eat all day, or stop and sample the olive oil at Medlock Ames. As you enter Mendocino County and approach Boonville—a small blip of a town surrounded by farms and ranches—the rolling hills and vineyards of Napa and Sonoma give way to redwoods and apple orchards. Explore both with a hike in Hendy Woods State Park and a stop at the farmstand at Philo Apple Farm right outside the park entrance. Plus, of course, enjoy more wine—this time with cheese—at Pennyroyal Farm.
The last stretch of Highway 128 is one of the most scenic, passing through an 11-mile-long “tunnel” of second-growth redwood forest, before popping out on the foggy Mendocino Coast, where travelers can spend the night and sample the freshest catch at Michelin-starred restaurant Harbor House Inn in Elk.
Itinerary: A Food- and Wine-Centric Road Trip Along California’s Highway 128
Be sure to add extra days to your wine country road trip to properly enjoy tastings at wineries like Clos du Val on the Silverado Trail.
Photo by Rocco Cesalin
4. Northern California Wine Country Road Trip in Napa and Sonoma
- Start: San Francisco
- End: San Francisco
- Distance: 161 miles
- Recommended time: Two or three days
Plenty of people treat Northern California wine country as a day trip from San Francisco, but go for a long weekend so that you can really savor those winetastings and pamper yourself with a stay at one of the area’s luxurious hotels.
Make a beeline from San Francisco to Domaine Carneros to start your trip sipping California bubbly. Then jogging north on Highway 121, you’ll pass through the town of Napa, where it’s worth a stop for lunch at the Oxbow Public Market. Continue northeast on Highway 121 and you’ll pass the hot springs resort Vichy Springs, or turn north instead onto the Silverado Trail, where you can hop between some of the best wineries in the area, including Clos du Val and Mumm.
The Silverado Trail ends in Calistoga. Spend the night at Solage or Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs. The next day, loop back to Sonoma via the winding Calistoga Road and Highway 12, stopping to walk off your wine at a few great state parks, including Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, and Jack London State Historic Park. Dine on seasonal tamales at El Molino Central in Sonoma, or pick one of the many restaurants that ring historic Sonoma Square. Spend your second night at the Lodge at Sonoma Resort, Autograph Collection and book a dinner at Animo, a creative new addition to Sonoma’s dining scene inspired by Basque and Korean cuisine.
For your final day, there are plenty of small wineries and towns to explore in this area before you end your trip with a sunset drive back to San Francisco.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is filled with lakes and meadows as well as with hydrothermal sites.
Photo by Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock
5. Redding to Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Start: Redding
- End: Lassen Volcanic National Park
- Distance: 188 miles
- Recommended time: Three to five days
Lassen Volcanic National Park and the area around it form one of the more beautiful parts of the state, especially if you’re a mountain junkie who loves craggy peaks and volcanic rock. But it’s one that even locals tend to miss, partly because, at three hours from Sacramento and five hours northeast of San Francisco, it’s harder to get to than the coast or the state’s wine countries. But those who make the trek should plan for a three-day weekend with plenty of day hikes and geologic curiosities—this is, after all, volcano country.
Starting in Redding, a bustling city on the Sacramento River, travel north on 1-5 to Shasta Lake, the largest reservoir in California and a popular spot to rent a houseboat with friends. Continue north on I-5, passing through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and maybe stopping to take in the ragged spires at Castle Crags State Park, before reaching Mount Shasta, where you can stop to stroll through town or hike in the mountain’s foothills.
Then, escape from the interstate and head south on Highway 89. This section of the highway is actually part of the 500-mile Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which travels from Oregon in the north down to Lassen along the Cascade Mountain Range. Take some time to hike McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park and see the 129-foot-tall waterfall that shares a name with the park. Or kayak and paddleboard on serene Lake Almanor. Finish your trip with a day, if not two, wandering through Lassen Volcanic National Park, which is filled with mud pots, geysers, lava fields, shield and cinder cone volcanoes, mountain lakes, and even a few green meadows where you’ll find wildflowers in the spring.
Pass by forest and mountain foothills while on this history-filled road trip.
6. Gold Chain Highway (Highway 49)
- Distance: 295 miles
- Start: Oakhurst
- End: Vinton
- Recommended time: Five or six days
Follow in the footsteps of miners and prospectors through California’s Gold Country along Highway 49—a road named after the gold-seeking immigrants, or “49ers” who made their way to the state during the 1849 Gold Rush. Plan for five days to give yourself a chance to strike it rich panning for gold in the region’s rivers. You’ll want to spend time exploring the rocky meadows and pine-covered foothills of the Sierra Nevadas too.
Start off with a history lesson at the California State Mining and Mineral Museum in Mariposa, just north of Oakhurst. As you move north along the route, you’ll pass a number of Gold Rush–era buildings and towns—many of which you’ll have learned about at the Mining and Mineral Museum. In Coulterville, Hotel Jeffery, first built in 1851, is known for paranormal activities and claims John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt as past visitors. Jamestown’s Railtown 1897 Historic State Park gives a glimpse of what transportation was like in the late 1800s, and Columbia State Historic Park and the town of Sonora are both well-preserved mining towns.
Highway 49 passes over the South Fork of the American River near Placerville, which is a popular place for river rafting. A little farther north here, in Coloma, you can actually try your own luck with a gold pan at Sutter’s Mill in Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. Continue up through Auburn State Recreation Area, where the north and middle forks of the American River meet, stopping in Auburn’s Old Town and later Nevada City—make this an overnight stop and book a room at The National Exchange Hotel.
From there, Highway 49 heads northeast through Tahoe National Forest, but there’s more mining history to see before you end in Vinton. Be sure to stop at Empire Mine in Grass Valley, one of the oldest, largest, deepest, longest, and richest gold mines in California, and Downieville, a town founded during the Gold Rush along the Yuba River and now a popular spot for downhill mountain biking, hiking, and swimming in the summer.
Central California road trips
The road outside of Fresno is best explored in the spring.
Photo by Tommy Lisbin/Unsplash
7. Fresno Blossom and Fruit Trails
- Distance: 85 miles
- Start: Fresno
- End: Clovis
- Recommended time: two days
Best experienced February through September, the areas outside of Fresno erupt in color from blossoming fruit and nut trees—be sure to drive with the windows down, taking in the scent of fresh cherries, plums, and peaches. While it’s on the shorter end of California road trips, plan to stop often.
Kick things off in Fresno with a visit to the Vineyard Farmers’ Market (Wednesdays and Saturdays) to get a taste of the fresh fruit that will line your drive. Next, head to the Forestiere Underground Gardens for one of the area’s unique attractions. This hand-dug maze of courtyards and rooms was mapped and built by an Italian immigrant, Baldassare Forestiere, looking to stay cool during the summertime.
After exploring Fresno, hop in the car and start heading out of the city, first stopping at Simonian Farms, a massive fruit stand—and home to a model Old West town—that’s been managed by the same family for five generations. Continuing west, you’ll also hit the scenic town of Sanger with its hefty roster of wineries.
Keep heading west to Orange Cove, a town known for its citrus, with an optional stop to walk around the quaint downtown area in Reedley. Explore the region’s Swedish roots by admiring the Nordic architecture in Kingsburg, including a water tower modeled after a Swedish coffee pot, and pay a visit to the Sun-Maid raisin market (and the world’s largest raisin box).
The last stop, Clovis, isn’t far from where you started. It’s a haven for antique enthusiasts, who won’t want to miss exploring the town’s memorabilia shops and 6,000-square-foot antique mall.
8. Central Highlights
Napa and Sonoma aren’t the only great wine regions of California: Paso Robles is worth a visit too.
Photo by Shutterstock
- Distance: 185 miles
- Start: Carmel-by-the-Sea
- End: Paso Robles
- Recommended time: Four days
Can’t decide between a nature or food-filled adventure for your road trip itinerary? Then hop in your car and tackle the Central Coast and San Luis Obispo County for a route that marries several of California’s best attractions: food, wine, and stunning ocean views.
Start in Carmel-by-the-Sea with a visit to 17-Mile Drive, a scenic road along the coast between Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach before following Highway 1 south to Big Sur (being mindful of road closures; it’s currently closed southbound until July 14, 2023). Among the area’s many attractions and landmarks, be sure to make a pit stop for McWay Falls, a waterfall that flows into the Pacific Ocean, Rocky Creek Bridge, and Calla Lily Valley—if you’re traveling between late January and April, you’ll find thousands of blooms overlooking the ocean here.
After admiring Big Sur’s natural attractions, drive south to San Simeon (if the road is open) stopping at the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery for some seal spotting along the way. This is where you’ll find Hearst Castle, which was once home to publisher William Randolph Hearst and hosted a revolving door of celebrities in the 1920s. Make sure to visit the nearby Hearst Ranch Winery. After, continue on toward Cambria to settle in town for the night—we recommend booking a room at Oceanpoint Ranch.
Farther south, stop to take in the views of sand dunes along the coast at Morro Bay before turning inland for lunch in San Luis Obispo. Next, drive north for some winetasting in Paso Robles, where producers like Opolo, Tablas Creek, and Calcareous Vineyard make the most of the region’s chalky soil. Don’t miss Tin City, a collection of industrial buildings that house local winemakers, brewers, and distilleries, before turning in for the night at luxurious, boutique property Hotel Cheval.
You’ll end the road trip by making the drive back to San Francisco or Los Angeles—just make sure to factor in lots of pit stops for snacks and taking in the views.
Southern California road trips
The stylish cabins at Noble + Proper are an ideal place to spend a night (or two) after ending your road trip in Big Bear.
Jenny Siegwart
9. Rim of the World Scenic Byway (State Highway 18)
- Distance: 117 miles
- Start: Cajon Pass
- End: Big Bear
- Recommended time: Two or three days
When most people think of Southern California, they think of beaches. But the lower half of the state has just as much stunning mountain scenery as its other half. For visitors who want to spend most of their vacation frolicking in the sand, but also want some mountain air, the relatively short Rim of the World Scenic Byway offers an easy weekend getaway to the rockier terrain of the Inland Empire.
State Highway 18 officially begins at the Cajon Pass, about an hour outside Los Angeles on Highway 138. The route heads east, passing small mountain towns and following cliff edges and skirting the peaks of the San Bernadino Mountains, which are sometimes called the “Alps of Southern California.”
Take a slight detour onto route 173 to visit Lake Arrowhead, a popular escape for Angelinos, who head up to camp, hike, and ride the Lake Arrowhead Queen steamboat, and more. You can even hike a section of the Pacific Crest Trail here. Back on Highway 18, at the town of Running Springs, you can take a quick, five-mile side trip up to Keller Peak Fire Lookout, where on a clear day, you might be able to spot the Pacific Ocean.
Finally, Highway 18 follows the edge of Big Bear Lake to the town of Big Bear. Book into a cabin at stylish mountain retreat, Noble + Proper, and enjoy the area’s hiking and water sports in the summer or snow sports in the winter.
Some of California’s most distinctive scenery isn’t along the coasts, it’s in Joshua Tree National Park and other desert areas.
Photo by Lisa Corson
10. The Desert Drive
- Distance: 290 miles
- Start: San Diego
- End: Joshua Tree National Park
- Recommended time: Five to seven days
Plenty of travelers make the trip from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park to marvel at its spiky namesake trees. But many think of Joshua Tree as a destination and miss out on all the beautiful and sometimes quirky things the deserts of Southern California have to offer along the way. In fact, you should really spend a full five days exploring the rock formations, wildflower meadows, art installations, and architectural hot spots of this region.
Starting in San Diego, point your car northeast on Highway 163 to Highway 78 heading toward Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, famous for its wildflower super blooms in the springtime. But even when the flowers aren’t blooming, the landscape is striking, with its badlands, slot canyons, and cactus forests. Near the park entrance, keep an eye out for the 130-foot prehistoric animal sculptures created by Ricardo Breceda.
Once you’ve explored the park, you can either head north on Highway 79 and cut through Anza en route to Palm Springs—the drive through wooded Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is a nice break from the desert sun—or continue on Palm Canyon Drive toward the dying Salton Sea. Admittedly not the most scenic part of this drive, the Salton Sea is fascinating nonetheless: It’s one of the world’s largest inland seas and is rapidly drying up. Skirt the southside of the body of water, then make your way toward Slab City, an abandoned Navy base that’s become an off-grid living community, and the massive, hand-built and brightly painted art piece Salvation Mountain, just outside.
From Slab City, take Highway 111 north to Palm Springs, an oasis of midcentury modern architecture (which you can learn more about at the Palm Springs Art Museum) that’s home to plenty of pools that provide respite from the heat. From Palm Springs, follow Highway 10 to Pioneer Town for a drink or a meal or maybe a concert at the famous saloon Pappy and Harriet’s, just outside of Joshua Tree Park. The area has long attracted artists and bohemian types, so while there’s ample natural scenery to enjoy, such as Jumbo Rocks or Skull Rock, you can visit local art galleries, the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum, and the Integratron Sound Bath too.
More: The Best Places to Eat, Stay, and Hike in Joshua Tree, California
This story was originally published in 2020. It was most recently updated on April 21, 2023. Erika Owen contributed to the reporting of this story.
