California Road Trip

Summary

Why road trip in California

Few regions of the world offer what California has to offer: a stunning coastline, mountains, deserts, redwood forests and of course, vibrant cities and hubs like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Not to mention the amazing roads available that make California one of the best states for road trips: you can take Highway 1 to Big Sur and experience a scenic route alongside the coastline, with guaranteed view of the sea all the way! If you’re heading to the wine country, San Francisco to Sonoma is a must to take route for breathtaking mountain views and a variety of landscapes and beauty.

When is the best time to visit California

September, October and November are for me the best months to visit California because it’s beautiful, warm and there are hardly any tourists. It makes it much easier to drive through the Pacific Coast Highway, one of the most scenic drives in the world. It is the longest state route in California, over 656 miles starting from San Francisco and finishing in San Diego.

How many days do you need in California

The number of days or weeks you stay in California will depend on your own plans and preferences. We went for 10 days and we regretted not staying longer. If you have time, definitely allow at least 15 days to explore more of the west coast California and East towards the desert.

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How to travel around California

I would recommend using a van as they can be rented pretty much everywhere. It’s a great option if you are on a budget because accommodations are extremely expensive in California.

We rented our van with Lost Campers. They are located in San Francisco and Los Angeles and the whole experience with them is just brilliant. Their vans are fully equipped so you don’t need to bring anything but yourself and your luggage!

What to pack for a Californian road trip

Just your clothes as full camping equipment is provided when renting a van
A sat nav will full map downloaded
Inverter
Head torches
Bluetooth speaker
Eye mask (van curtains are not the best!)

Things to do before you go

Make sure you allow enough time to organise your visa by visiting the U.S. Embassy website (two months ahead of your trip just to be safe, and in case your visa gets denied)
Work out what you really want to see

3 things to know when doing a road trip in California

Driving

Speed limit is low but there is hardly any traffic. It’s good to note that it feels like there is a different speed limit at every corner unlike the UK where we have a national speed limit.

Driving rules in California are strange. Just to name a few… You are allowed to undertake and you have to park in the side of the street you’re travelling to. There are police patrols everywhere who would tell you off if you don’t park the right way! The California government website put together a great document called the California Driver Handbook for information and advice to safely travel the roads of California.

You will find petrol stations literally everywhere every few miles. You have to pay first then pump it. Note that fuel is very cheap if you compare with UK prices.

Campsites

Campsites in California are pretty expensive and standards are much lower than Europe. Be prepared to spend £25+ at least for a night with no electricity.

Wild camping can be achieved but it’s hard to find a public place that doesn’t have parking restrictions. If you’re desperate I would highly recommend supermarket car parks (Walmart, Safeway) which are a great place to spend the night for a quick stop over. It’s not unusual for Americans themselves to use this option when they drive for a long while and need a safe place to spend the night.

Weather

Bring summer and winter clothes as temperatures can drop considerably when further away from the sea.

Best California road trip itinerary – 10 days

Are you in need of an itinerary road trip planner for California? Here is the one that I put together before heading to North California. We only had 10 days so we had to really think about the places we wanted to visit, which includes San Francisco, Yosemite and the California coast for its amazing coastal drive and stunning views. It is for me the best California road trip route that I would have done.

San Francisco
Sonoma
Yosemite
Big Sur
Carmel-by-the-sea
Monterey
Santa Cruz
Half Moon Bay
Pescadero
Pacifica

Please note that the above itinerary was completed in 10 days. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting every town and city which are in my opinion the best places to road trip in California.

Check out below the California road trip map.