I recently completed a 10-day, 2500-mile solo road trip all over California. I had only been to the Golden State once before and only to the Bay Area, but I knew there was SO much more to see. Even with all the anticipation and planning and list making, California still blew me away. For anybody who has been before, you already know the feeling. For those of you who have not been, I’ve got three sequoia-sized reasons (see what I did there?) why you MUST road trip California and tips for your journey! 

1.     National Parks

California is home to more national parks than any other state in the country. Makes sense right? Huge state, lots of land? Sure. But these national parks aren’t packed with just your average, every day views. Featuring dry desert heat, snow capped mountains, hair pin turns, the biggest trees in the world, and cliffs that will make your heart skip a beat or seven, California is one of the most unique areas in the world. In the 10 days I spent gallivanting around, I was able to make stops in three of the nine parks as well as several state parks.

Joshua Tree

To be totally honest, Joshua Tree was my least favorite of the parks. Just over two hours east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree is an ancient desert with a vast barren landscape. I can assure you that this park would be better with a group of people, or if you stayed at a hipster glamping site, but that wasn’t part of my trip. I didn’t stay here very long because I didn’t find the shrubs and rocks very interesting to look at. However, friends and relatives have told me that camping and hiking this area with the right people can be incredible. I’ll have to make a return trip to find out! 

Sequoia

If you’ve seen pictures or heard of Sequoia, then I’m sure it’s somewhere on your California radar. If you’ve lived under a rock your whole life, then let me introduce you. Sequoia National Park is home to the Giant Sequoias, a tree that is only found in central California. These trees are so large that some of them have holes cut at the bottom so you can drive a car through it! After entering the park, you’ll drive about 20 miles along a winding road with infinite views before you arrive at the Giant Forest. You’ll know when you’ve arrived, trust me. The main attraction at the Giant Forest is General Sherman, a sequoia that is known to be the largest single stem tree in the world. After seeing it in person, I have no doubt that that’s true. 

Yosemite

I was so close to visiting Yosemite last year with my brother but timing didn’t work out while we were in San Francisco so I made sure this was the top spot on my California list! It did not disappoint. Waterfalls, cliffs, raging rivers, snowcapped peaks, Half Dome, and more hikes than you could make in a year! I visited during off-peak season which is highly suggested just for parking alone! However, the one down side to off-peak is that the road to Glacier Point, which includes some of the best views of Half Dome, is closed during the winter until about May. One major tip for Yosemite is to make sure you spend at least one night staring up at the stars underneath Half Dome because with the nearest town nearly an hour away, you’ll have perfect views of thousands of stars!

PRO TIP: I highly suggest buying the America the Beautiful Pass at the first national park you visit on your road trip! It only costs $80 and it is valid at all national parks in the country for a full year. I entered Yosemite four times in three days which would have cost me more than $100. This doesn’t even include Joshua Tree, Sequoia, or several state parks like Muir Forest that accept the pass as well! 

2.     Highway 1

In 2018 when my brother and I made our way around the San Francisco area, we had a chance to drive about 45 minutes on Highway 1 along the coast. We couldn’t get enough of it! The rolling hills, ocean side cliffs, and beaches; it was incredible. But this highway stretches the ENTIRE coast of California! So when I left Carmel-by-the-Sea for Santa Barbara, I had two options: 1) take the faster route and drive inland a little bit, or 2) take the slightly slower route and drive on Highway 1 along the coast for more than four hours. Obviously you take Highway 1, duh. 

Driving south, the first major view you come to is the Bixby Creek Bridge just north of Big Sur. Stop for the views. I assure you it’s worth it. There’s a little turn off area with a winding dirt road that you can take and it will be much less crowded and you’ll have a better view! 

Keep driving south and you’ll eventually enter Big Sur. I didn’t get a chance to stay here overnight but I assure you that nobody has a bad word to say. I did however stop at Pfeiffer Beach where you can watch incredible sunsets through the hole in the giant rock if you time it right!

After that I encourage you to find your favorite road trip playlist and just drive. Hairpin turns, massive cliffs, and 10-out-of-10-would-recommend type of views will engulf you the whole way down the coast. I stopped more than a half dozen times to just get out and soak in the view. I managed to capture some pictures but not a single one compares to what I saw and what I felt while gazing at the creation before me. 

PRO TIP: With California being on the west coast, you can drive Highway 1 every night and see a sunset from an ocean-side view. There are so many beautiful spots along the coast that you can either start your drive mid-afternoon and just stop for an hour to enjoy the sunsets or you can do a touch of research so you know exactly where you want to be to watch sunset! I promise you, it won’t disappoint!

3.     California Beaches

Growing up, whenever I thought of California I pictured Disney channel type of beaches. Venice Beach, Huntington Beach, Santa Monica Pier, all the classics. Butttttt I actually didn’t visit ANY of those on my 10-day roady. Fortunately though, with over 650 miles of coast along Highway 1 alone, you are bound to hit some gems along the way. Here are a few of my favorites!

Leadbetter Beach – Santa Barbara

I stopped in Santa Barbara for a cousin’s wedding and met up with a bunch of relatives and extended family at Leadbetter Beach. It definitely doesn’t get the hype of some LA beaches but I’m sure it’s much less crowded and just as enjoyable. Long stretches of white sand and great picnic benches make Leadbetter Beach a great spot to stop along Highway 1. Just a couple of miles down the street is a pier that is full of restaurants and gift shops. Head there at night for sunset and grab some ice cream as you take in the views!

Pfeiffer Beach – Big Sur

Pfeiffer Beach lies at the end of a 2-mile winding road just off of Highway 1, about an hour south of Carmel-by-the-sea. As part of Big Sur State Park, there is an entrance fee to get to the beach. But if you go for sunset (this is turning into a theme…), you’ll be more than willing to pay far more. While it’s not a typical beach that you’d go swimming at, Pfeiffer Beach has one major attraction. There is a giant set of rocks in the middle of the water and one of them has a perfectly placed hole in the middle, like an open doorway. At certain times of the year, the setting sun will fill this hole with a beam of light bursting through to the beach! If you time it right, you might just witness the best sunset of your life! While you’re in the area, see if you can find your way to McWay Falls which is about a 25-minute drive south on Highway 1. I didn’t get a chance to stop here but you’ll be able to see a rare waterfall that falls straight into the ocean! It’s at the top of my list for the next time I’m in the Golden State!

Baker Beach – San Francisco

Did you know that there is a beach right next to the Golden Gate Bridge? Neither did I the first time I went to San Francisco. Unfortunately, the first time I went, there was an incredibly thick fog that rolled through the bay that completely engulfed the bridge, beach, and waterway. So much so that even from just a couple hundred yards away, we couldn’t see a single part of the bridge. Thus, I made sure to make a return trip this time around to Baker Beach just for the views of the Bridge. The tide is tough, the wind is strong, and the waves are high, but the views are worth it. If you go in the morning, you can catch a glimpse of the sunrise behind the bridge, and at night you sit beachside with the bridge on your right and the setting sun to your left. Both are pretty good options if you ask me! 

Shark Fin Cove – Davenport

When I told some friends from San Francisco that I was headed here last summer, they had no idea what I was talking about. This beach is in Davenport, California, just northwest of Santa Cruz on Highway 1. It’s an easy hour and a half drive or so from San Francisco as well! Named after the giant rock sticking out of the cove shaped like a shark fin, the beach is pretty well hidden. You’ll park on the roadside and then walk down a pretty steep sand pathway to reach the beach. Be sure to go late morning and pack a lunch for a little beachside picnic! Walk the cliffs up top for some incredible aerial views of the cove as well. This place is a must when it comes to less well known California beaches!

PRO TIP: If you are going to be driving on Highway 1 for any length of time, you’ll find more beaches than you know what to do with. My suggestion is to do a few minutes of research along the way and find one beach to spend a day at, one beach to watch sunset at, and then one random beach that you stop at on a whim! This lets you break up your trip and provides some adventurous spontaneity!

Drop a note in the comments if you used any of these suggestions on your own California adventure or if you have any questions/suggestions! I’d love to hear from you!