This classic 10-day California road trip isn’t just famous; it’s the stuff of dreams, sought after by travelers from every corner of the globe. That’s why Pat and I had to experience it for ourselves. My trip, which focuses on the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Central Coast, represents the epitome of THE American road trip—an iconic journey that encapsulates the essence of the West Coast experience. From the diverse streets of San Francisco, to the majestic peaks of Yosemite, rugged cliffs of Big Sur and rolling vineyards of Napa Valley, I promise you breathtaking views, unforgettable encounters, and a small taste of the quintessential California lifestyle. So, hit the road with me and discover why this classic 10-day California road trip has captured the hearts and imaginations of many, including myself.

How many days do you need for a California Road Trip?

California is not small. It’s not like Europe where everything is a quick 1 hour drive. 7 days isn’t enough to see everything. It will feel rushed and you will have to make a choice between dropping coast, city, national park or winery. To truly see a little bit of everything in California, you need at least 9-10 days dedicated to a classic California road trip. 2 for city, 2 for coast, 2 for national parks and 3 for the wine region.

What time of year is best to travel to California?

Although California is a great idea all year round, especially the Napa Valley area, I personally think that September is the best time to visit for a classic California road trip. It’s harvesting season, which means there are plenty of things to do in Napa since the town is in full swing, it’s the end of the summer so tourists start winding down at Yosemite, and the temperature is still hot, sometimes unbearably hot, but doable.

What’s the most scenic drive along the California coast?

A classic 10-day California road trip is incomplete without a drive down the most scenic road in probably all of America—Highway 1, aka the Pacific Coast Highway. And in this 10 day itinerary, we hit on just that. The highway extends for more than 650 miles from San Francisco to San Diego. It’s famous for it’s stunning coastline and sea view. No trains blocking the view, just unpenetrated, rugged nature. The highway cuts through quaint coastal towns like Carmel and beaches and coastline making it one of America’s greatest road trips.

How to get around California?

Getting around California always requires a car due to the long distances and expansive terrain there is to cover. Hence, why this article is entitled a classic California road trip! There’s no other better way around then by car. When you’re in places like wine country, Napa Valley, you can get away with Ubers, Lyfts, and/or your property chauffeur, but in other places, it is a requirement in my opinion.

Quick Navigation

– Day 1: San Francisco –

Breakfast: Arsicault Bakery

I smell fresh baked croissants before I even reach the door and I almost always see a line out the door. Flaky yet soft, buttery yet crispy golden—voilà, this is why it’s been named one of the best bakeries in America. It only has a few items on the menu: Croissant, chocolate croissant, chocolate almond croissant, almond croissant, ham and cheese croissant, kouign amann and a morning bun. The menu never changes. They only serve one type of coffee. The place is simple, small and only has 4 tables, but the croissants are out of this world, or at least out of this State. They taste like something directly from Paris and I’m in love.

Tip: Get here before 10AM, especially on weekends, or the bakery will sell out fast. While we were there Pat and I tasted a bit of everything and you can’t go wrong. If we had to pick a favorite though…the chocolate almond croissant!

Morning: Painted Ladies, Lombard St, Fisherman’s Wharf

These are 3 of the must-see spots for first-timers in San Francisco and they are all achievable in just one morning. We started with the Painted Ladies, famous Victorian houses seen in the opening of the TV show Full House. The houses juxtaposed against the modern skyline offer a picturesque blend of history and modernity.

We then continued north toward Lombard Street, known for its eight hairpin turns. This is also one of the many San Francisco locations where the movie Ant Man was filmed. Head towards Union Square, bustling with shops, cable cars, and dining options. This area serves as the city’s hub. But, BE AWARE to stay northward as you walk here. If you move slightly South, like Pat and I accidentally did, you will end up in the less ideal and sketchier neighborhood of the tenderloins…

From here, we cut through Chinatown before strolling to Fisherman’s Wharf, where endless entertainment awaited, from celebrity wax figures to sea lions basking in the sun. We spent an hour exploring before our next destination.

Afternoon: Alcatraz

I’m really big into anything that has really cool history tied to it. The Pyramids, old salt Cathedrals, houses of old famous artists, and yes world-famous prisons are on that list too. For those who are wondering if it’s worth it, it really is. The tour comes with a well-detailed and super interesting audio guide that takes you through the famous prison that housed some of America’s most ruthless criminals, including Al Capone.

Afternoon: Lands End Trail

Dinner: Chapeau!

This French Bistro was actually a recommendation from our AirBnb host and god, did he have good taste in food! Chapeau means hat in French, but when you add an exclamation point at the end the word turns into the saying, “hats off to the chef!” Step in and we are immediately greeted with bisous (or kisses) by the Chef Philippe Gardelle. He makes us feel straight at home as he seats us and starts a friendly conversation. Throughout the night we see him buzzing around the restaurant as he checks in on us, he was quite the host! Pat and I ordered the onion soup, duck and roasted lamb, and chocolate mousse and french toast dessert (which they are known for!). Needless to say, even though Pat and I were full, we cleaned every single one of our plates. The food tasted like it was straight out of France. So did we “hats off to the chef”? Well yes, yes we did. Our check came in a small chapeau believe it or not, so we got to literally do a “hats off to the chef!” The place is packed almost every single night, so remember to make reservations before going.

– Day 2: San Francisco –

Morning: Bike to Kirby Cove & Sausalito

Today is the day you commute like a real San Franciscan—by bike! The number one means of transportation in this large city. But be prepared to tackle those steep hills. Rent a bike from one of the many bike rental places for just $5 an hour with a cap at $25 for the day. Tip: Remember to ask for a lock for your bikes so you can wander around if you choose to. You can rent bikes near Fisherman’s Wharf or around Golden Gate Park. We rented from the latter. From here, you begin your bike towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Be prepared for strong winds and hard-core cyclists, they are a bit dangerous and love zooming by you really fast so make sure to keep your balance. Once you cross the bridge you’ll see everyone stopping at a viewpoint, but don’t stop just yet, the best view is yet to come. Follow the steep hill from the view point. Once you make it to the top, you’ll be rewarded with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge view.

Again, if you’re looking to break away from the usual San Francisco travel guide, enjoy the views from down below. Just off of the viewpoint lies a path that leads you to Kirby Cove Campground. Lock your bikes up and head down the path. At the end you will find a small pebble beach perfect for picnics with stunning views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a secret kept among locals, but I highly recommend the 1-mile trek!

If you’re starting to get hungry, than start pedaling to Sausalito. You’ll notice that as you pedal away from San Francisco, the fog and haze around you will start to clear up and the sun will begin to shine. Sausalito is a small coastal town rich in restaurants, stunning properties and cute boutique stores. In order to explore it you’ll need to lock your bike in one of the bike lots. I recommend you go to the one farther down towards the ferry dock, it only costs $3 per bike, so avoid stopping at the first bike lot you see which will charge you double or triple the price. Once you’ve locked your bikes take a stroll down Sausalito and find a place to eat. One of our personal favorites is Barrel House Tavern. They have a beautiful terrace with sea views of San Francisco on a clear day. But you’ll need to call in advance and make reservations if you want to eat outside. We had the blackened snapper sandwich and we highly recommend it!! 

Afternoon: Palace of the Fine Art

If you are not tired, ride your bikes back across the Golden Gate Bridge and make your way to the Palace of Fine Arts. If you are tired, your alternative option is to take the ferry over with your bikes from Sausalito to Fisherman’s Wharf. In either case, you should visit the Palace of Fine Arts for some European style architecture! It was originally constructed in 1915 to exhibit works of art. 

– Day 3: Carmel-by-the-Sea –

Morning: Davenport Pier

The drive down from San Fran was an hour and a half long. On the way down, we stopped by Davenport Pier to take a few pictures. It is an abandoned Pier that now has a swing on it which makes it perfect for pictures. We originally wanted to go own to the beach, but when we saw that the only way down a steep cliff with nothing but a rope, we turned it down. If you decide to go though, make sure you’ve got the right shoes since the water will be soaking your jeans as you sit on the swing.

Lunch: La Bicyclette

What attracted us to La Bicyclette originally was not the food, but the ambiance. Step in and you feel like you’ve walked into another European country village. The tone is French—wood-fired open oven, napkins covering the light fixtures, a small house located inside the locale where you can eat. It feels like a whole separate town within Carmel. But the food was just as good as the ambiance. I ordered the heirloom salad (tomatoes were in season while we were there) with mozzarella and Pat ordered a pizza. To top it off, I ended with an affogato coffee to help keep me awake on this drizzly and rainy Sunday.

Afternoon: Carmel-by-the-Sea

Dinner: Casanova

We had made reservations at Casanova for dinner, owned by the owners of La Bicyclette from lunch. The outside was inspired by the owner’s old family farmhouse house in Belgium. The house previously belonged to Aunt Fairy Bird, Charlie Chaplin’s cook from the Carmel tour we took earlier. And even more, the table at which Vincent Van Gogh enjoyed his meals at the Auberge Ravoux is in Casanova, and yes, you do have the opportunity to dine at it as a special request if you are lucky!

Casanova serves classic Italian and French food. As you take a seat, the restaurant hands you an impressive and extensive wine list of 120 pages (I am not joking). Pat and I chose beers, which were served to us and paired with specific cheeses. We both ordered a plate of pasta, which was pretty good. It tasted like a homemade meal to be honest, which was exactly what I was craving. The food was good, but the portions were a bit small and the price was a bit high. But I guess that’s Carmel for you! Needless to say, if you are looking for a fun and unique restaurant experience, this is the way to go if you are not concerned about price!

– Day 4: Big Sur –

Morning: Partington Cove

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Park your car on the side of Pacific Coast Highway 1 and make your way down the gate that seems closed, but really isn’t. It’s closed for cars, but there is an opening for hikers. The hike is all downhill. Once you make it downhill you will see a small cove. NOTE: This is not the end of your hike! The trail will continue to a dead end, which is a stream. To the right of this dead end you will see a bridge. Do not assume that the bridge leads back to the first cove because it doesn’t. It leads you to the other side of the cove where you will get a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean from the tip of the cliff. It’s an extra mile or so but so worth the hike.

Morning: Burns North Vista Point

Just a 1 minute drive down South from Partington Cove, we stopped by Burns North Vista Point. During our stop at Burns North Vista Point we experienced an incredibly rare sighting. The California Condor, the largest wild bird in North America, had been extinct since 1987. Efforts had been made to keep this species alive and we witnessed not one, but TWO, up close and personal! Usually Condors don’t fly too close to the ground, but for some reason these 2 had decided to make their way about 20 ft from where I was sitting on vista point. The bird was HUGE, and I’m not going to lie when I say I was scared it was going to snatch me and fly away. These birds are 24 lbs (that’s 11 kg), 50 inches long (1.25 meters) and have a wingspan of 109 inches…that’s 2.77 METERS!!! Needless to say, I’m sure if you had this flying next to you, you’d be scared it would snatch you to.

After about 5 minutes the Condor left…and I was finally able to relax. This point offers views of the blue Pacific Ocean as it surges gently against the green and gold mountains of the California coastline on Pacific Coast Highway 1. The seaside cliffs fade into the distance as they are engulfed by clouds. Add in the Condors, and it feels like a scene straight out of Jurassic Park!

Morning: McWay Falls

The ever so talked about McWay Falls. I got mixed messages online from people saying you could no longer hike down to the falls and others saying you could. You have the opportunity to park on the side of Pacific Coast Highway 1, if you are lucky enough to find a spot, or will have to pay to park in the lot across the street. Once we arrived at McWay Falls, we found out we could not hike and were limited to a 2 minute walk to an overlook. The iconic turquoise water, sandy beach, 80 ft waterfall and rocky outcroppings where there just like we imagined (once we were able to burrow through the crowd for a picture). The hike down to the falls is no longer available in order to conserve wildlife I believe, but if you are lucky and find it open when you are there, go for it! 

Lunch: Nepenthe

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Nepenthe is a beautiful restaurant and bar that overlooks the California coast with its towering mountains and rolling blue ocean. It’s located right before Big Sur Campground, so I’d recommend that you stop here BEFORE you go on a hike. Like many places in California, the grill closes at 3PM and doesn’t reopen till 5PM. One of their specialties is the Ambrosia Burger on a french roll.

Afternoon: Big Creek Cove Vista

As promised, here comes another jaw-dropping vista point with Big Creek Bridge in the backdrop, which in my opinion is equally as eye-catching if not more than Bixby Bridge. The beaches below are part of a conservation area so not open to the public. That’s probably what makes this view that much better, the fact that it’s not flooded with people throughout the year.

Afternoon: Kirk Creek: Vicente Trail

This is the part of trip where you hike anywhere from 4 miles to 10 miles depending on your pace, your time constraints and your will power. There are SO many trails to choose from around Big Sur and Pacific Coast Highway 1, the problem is it is never easy to find them online and plan beforehand. It really is an “of the moment” decision. Many of the trails are inland, but if you are looking for a coastal trail this might be the one for you.

Located directly across from Kirk Creek Campground is the start of the Vicente trail, spelt Vincente with an n on the sign for some reason. Park your car on the side of Pacific Coast Highway 1 and prepare to indulge all the senses and hike up to 1800 ft in elevation! This is definitely a more strenuous hike since the majority of it is uphill. If you want to get up in less than 2 hours you will have to hike at a brisk pace the entire time. The best views happen within the first 2 miles of the hike till about 1000′ of elevation, so you can always do this shortened version if need be.

One thing will remain the same throughout, and that’s the views of the mountains overlooking the ocean. The hike isn’t shaded so the sun will be beating on you the whole way. At one point the canyons will start to get a bit denser and you can finally catch a break from the sun under the shade of some redwood trees. After about 3.5 miles, you will reach the final overlooking cliff before heading into Espinosa Camp. It will be obvious when you’ve reached this point because there will be a large open space with a large rock for you to sit on. This is where Pat and I chose to cut our trip short and turn around.

From here onward, you can choose to continue up to Espinosa Camp and get to the top of Hare Canyon. The rest of the hike up leads away from the coast. When you reach Hare Canyon you will have views of golden yellow fields, hugged by green hills on each side and turquoise waters at the end.

– Day 5: Yosemite –

Morning: Point Lobos State Park

Before heading out from Carmel, stop by Point Lobos State Park in the morning for a quick walk. It might not be as known as Big Sur, but it’s in the area and home to whales, seals, and some beautiful nature reserves worth seeing.

Afternoon: Lunch and groceries in Mariposa

No classic 10-day California road trip is complete without a stop in one of it’s many national parks. For us, it was the most famous: Yosemite. Or as I once pronounced it – Yose-might. The drive from Carmel to Yosemite is about a 4 hour drive depending on if your accommodation is in the National Park (which ours was). Before entering Yosemite, we stopped by a shopping center in Mariposa to grab lunch and buy groceries. The grocery stores in Yosemite Valley are limited and a lot more expensive so we decided to stock up in Mariposa to avoid driving in and out of the park during our 2 days in Yosemite—you end up wasting 40 minutes just to get in and out…and that’s without traffic.

We found this cute small sandwich shop called Shortstop Sandwiches tucked away in the corner of the parking spot. The place may look small, but it packs a punch. It has an adorable outdoor patio area shading you from the scorching sun and the owner is accommodating and friendly. I honestly wasn’t expecting much, I thought it was just another sandwich place, but the reasonable price, amazing flavor and ambiance made it such a gem! I had a tuna wrap while Pat had a custom grilled chicken sandwich. The sandwiches were fresh and spot on…highly recommend this place to all!

Evening: Taft Point

Sunset: Sentinel Dome

– Day 6: Yosemite –

Morning/Afternoon: Panorama Trail

Evening: Mirror Lake

That night we went home, cooked ourselves a big pot of pasta, poured ourselves a glass (or more like 2 or 3!) of red wine and raved about the amazing day we had. Yosemite was definitely one of our favorite destination in our classic 10-day California road trip. We are not hardcore alpiners or climbers, we are not campers, and I’m afraid of heights. But we do love reach stunning destinations after a hard and rewarding journey. Standing around Yosemite, I felt small and insignificant next to these enormous glacier rocks. It reminded me that I am just a small person compared to the rest of the world. The experience allowed for some time of self-reflection, made me feel closer to our earth, and more appreciative of mother nature overall.

– Day 7: Napa Valley –

Check-In: Ink House

Dinner: Pizzeria Tra Vigne

Following 2 days hiking non-stop in Yosemite, Patrick and I were starved. We were in the mood for some really hearty, simple, classic food—pizza. It’s funny because coming from New York, Californians would tell us their pizza is not as good as New York pizza, but the best one in town is…etc. Pat and I found Pizzeria Tra Vigne right nearby our stay at The Ink House in St. Helena and absolutely loved it. We only made one mistake. Coming from New York, we are used to large pizzas being small personal pizzas that one person can eat by themselves. That is not the case in California or at Pizzeria Tra Vigne. We ordered 2 large pizzas and ended up with these huge pies! We surprisingly got through a lot of the pies, but didn’t end up finishing them. Pizzeria Tra Vigne had a large indoor area and bar as well as a super quaint outdoor area. It was very down to earth, which was exactly what we needed this first night in St. Helena.

– Day 8: Napa Valley –

Breakfast: Ink House

Morning: Sinegal Estate

Lunch: Auberge du Soleil

Afternoon: St. Helena’s Main Street

Afternoon: Alpha Omega Winery

Dinner: The Charter Oak

– Day 9: Napa Valley –

Morning: Caspar Estate

Afternoon: Health Spa Napa Valley

Late Lunch: Gott’s Roadside

A California road trip isn’t complete with a stop at a classic roadside diner, am I wrong? There’s nothing more American than that. Pat and I were starving post-facial and pool, but didn’t want to lounge by the poolside any longer. As we stepped outside onto the Highway, we noticed a crowd of people outside of a joint called Gott’s Roadside. As we got in line to order, we realized we were surrounded by locals. It’s a burger joint with milkshakes, tacos, chicken sandwiches, mini-hot dogs, seafood, and of course, a wine list! It’s basically an old school diner with high-quality food. It’s a throwback to the 1990s. Pat and I ordered a chicken sandwich. We might as well have been in a classy restaurant the quality was so good and simple! What makes the St. Helena’s Main Street location special is that it’s the original Gott’s Roadside. You may come across others in Napa and San Francisco, but none is better than the St. Helena location!

Evening: Castellucci Wines

Dinner: Bouchon Bistro

Step into Chef Thomas Kellers’ restaurant Bouchon Bistro and you immediately feel it’s vintage French vibes. We were lucky enough to snag an outdoor seat. From the meal to the music, you feel like you’re in Paris. Prices were affordable and the ambiance felt elegant yet down to earth. It wasn’t anything crazy to rave about when it comes to French food to be honest, and I’ve had my fair share, but it was a good meal with decent prices.

– Day 10: Depart –

It is time to bid a sad so long, farewell, avidase, adieu to California. Pat and I left getting a true feel for a lot that California has to offer. A California road trip was the best way to see city, sea, parks, coast, and wine region. Our favorite stops had to the be the last two – Napa Valley and Yosemite. We just find that we are nature and food enthusiasts, so those two stuck with us the most. Additionally the coast always ended up being a bit foggy, which made it a bit difficult to truly embrace the coast. We packed our bags, said goodbye to Brian and the Ink House staff, and drove 2 hours back to the San Fran airport for an afternoon flight.

~ Classic 10-Day California Road Trip Map ~

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