6 Best Road Trips in California
Have you ever wondered how about taking a road trip to California? Which place to visit? Is the west coast the best coast, with endless sunshine, amazing cities, and incredible natural beauties?
The fact is, California has it, and by opting to take a road trip, you have maximum opportunity to visit multiple destinations. Here, in this piece of information, we have put together top 6 road trips you should not miss out in California! Some are short enough for a day trip, but with so many enticing stops along the way, you might want to book a California vacation rental and make it a fun weekend trip.
Highway 1 from San Francisco to Fort Bragg
Here you will see some windswept beauty from the Golden Gate Bridge towards Sausalito and Marin County. You can take to the coastal hills and redwoods of Muir Woods National Monument, followed by the dramatic sea cliffs and lonely beaches of Point Reyes National Seashore. Here you would also find the rolling vineyards of Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Plan to test wine, and stay for a night at an elegant vacation rental close to the valley so you can easily get a designated driver. Now, head north on Highway 1 to Fort Bragg and explore MacKerricher State Park to view seals, Glass Beach and migrating whales which appear to be studded with jewels.
San Luis Obispo to Ragged Point
Take Highway 1 from San Luis Obispo to find California’s pristine coastline, popular Hearst Castle and small beach towns. This is spread over 50 miles which might take you an hour! Take time and explore along the way. San Luis Obispo is a hip and historic college and mission town in one. You will also find multiple hiking and mountain biking places and a quaint downtown. Cruising through the open road to reach Morro Bay in about 20 minutes. Go through the waterfront boardwalk and rent a kayak to take a round of the bay. Eat the delicious seafood before heading to Cayucos. This place is a great blend of Old West and astonishing waves making it one of America’s coolest small towns. You will also find two more great stops in between Hearst Castle, these are Harmony and Cambria. A few miles away you will find the castle Piedras Blancas where you can encounter some giant elephant seals.
Redding to Lassen Volcanic National Park
This road trip will lead you to some of California’s best-kept secrets. Start from Redding heading towards I-5 to Shasta Lake, the largest reservoir in California. You can take a break for fishing and water sports. Now head to the 14,162-foot Mount Shasta and visit the spires at Castle Crags State Park. Now, lead towards south on Highway 89 and visit McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, which is the native to the 129-foot, fern-draped Burney Falls. Conclude your trip at Lake Almanor and the hot geysers of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Napa Valley’s Silverado Trail
This is a short trip, with loads of punch. The road was built in 1852 to connect the towns of Napa and Calistoga. Today, the Silverado Trail runs parallel to State Highway 29, offering you an easy gateway to some of the best wineries in California. Some amazing and most popular wineries to see are Clos du Val in the Stags Leaps District, Reynolds Family Winery, and the bubbly-rich Mumm Napa.
Yosemite National Park
You can go on this road trip at any time of year. You’ll be welcomed by several scenic beauties, from fields of volcanic rock to waterfalls and eerie limestone tufa towers when you start at South Lake Tahoe and go to the south toward Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve. Also visit Mammoth Lakes, for snowboarding and skiing during the winter or mountain biking in the summer. Go to the south to Bishop and then, Lone Pine which was the destination for many old western movies. The alternate route seasonal Highway 120 will take you to Yosemite National Park.
Sierra Vista Scenic Byway
You can get the glimpse of what the High Sierra looked like a century ago. You should hire an SUV as you’ll cross a few dirt roads. Begin from Forest Road 81 near the town of North Fork and take this route for about 90 miles during this time you will cross mountain peaks and conifer forests. Some of the amazing and decent stops include Jesse Ross Cabin from the 1860’s and Bull Buck Tree, which is one of the world’s oldest sequoia trees.
