California in 10 Days

This route feels like a scene change in the best sense: fog over San Francisco Bay in the morning, rugged Pacific cliffs later on, and at the end palm trees, promenades and big-city light in Los Angeles. You walk through neighborhoods with character, stand at viewpoints above the ocean and drive one of the most beautiful coastal stretches in the USA. Every day leaves one clear image that stays with you.

What makes this trip special is the rhythm of city and coast. Iconic places are followed by relaxed stretches of beach, historic stops and, again and again, wide views that turn the drive itself into an experience.

Who is this trip for?

This trip is ideal for anyone who wants to experience California intensively for the first time: with famous highlights, but also with scenic moments in between. It suits you if you like being on the move, explore cities on foot and love viewpoints, coastal roads and striking places more than just lying on the beach.

What to expect

Expect a varied route with many short stops, a few walks and days on which the road itself is a highlight. The mix of urban sightseeing, coastal scenery and viewpoints keeps things constantly changing, but it also demands a good feel for pace and breaks.

Day 1 · San Francisco

Bay, bridge, first wow moment

To kick things off you head straight out to Alcatraz Island, where San Francisco Bay works its magic on the crossing alone. Afterwards the Palace of Fine Arts feels almost unreally calm, an elegant counterpoint to the rough water. At the Golden Gate Bridge, at the latest, one thing is clear: this trip wastes no time warming up.

Alcatraz Island
Palace of Fine Arts
Golden Gate Bridge
Battery Spencer

Day 2 · San Francisco

Hills, colors, city panorama

The day starts with The Painted Ladies, whose facades instantly trigger that unmistakable San Francisco feeling. From Twin Peaks the city then lies spread out at your feet, with its street grid, hills and water in every direction. Things get more playful at the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps before you let the day wind down at your own pace.

The Painted Ladies
Twin Peaks
16th Avenue Tiled Steps
Golden Gate Park

Day 3 · San Francisco

Waterfront and winding classics

The morning begins at the Ferry Building, between water, ferries and the view across the bay. Around PIER 39 the atmosphere gets livelier, with wooden piers, harbor feeling and plenty of movement along the shore. To finish, Lombard Street and its tight curves deliver one of those places you recognize at first sight.

Ferry Building
PIER 39
Fisherman's Wharf
Lombard Street

Day 4 · Monterey

Big Sur in pictures

South of Monterey the coast turns dramatic: the Bixby Creek Bridge spans the canyon like a precise stroke and marks the start of a big travel day. In Garrapata State Park the landscape becomes wilder, windier and more immediate. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve then shows how clear, rocky and at the same time quiet this stretch of coast can be.

Bixby Creek Bridge
Garrapata State Park
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Carmel Beach
17 Mile Drive

Day 5 · Monterey

Monterey between sea and history

The day starts light and open at Lovers Point Park, with water views and a relaxed coastal mood. In the Monterey Bay Aquarium the Pacific then moves right up close and gives the place its real substance. On Cannery Row you finally feel how tightly seascape and town history are intertwined here.

Lovers Point Park
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Cannery Row
Old Fisherman's Wharf
Carmel Mission Basilica

Day 6 · San Luis Obispo

Castle, coast, small-town evening

Already at Elephant Seal Vista Point the route shows that even short stops have a character of their own here. Hearst Castle then sets a completely different tone: monumental, unusual and perched high above the coast. Toward evening things quiet down at Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa before the Downtown SLO Farmers' Market brings the night back to life.

Elephant Seal Vista Point
Hearst Castle
Moonstone Beach Boardwalk
Morro Rock
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Downtown SLO Farmers' Market

Day 7 · Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara by the water

Butterfly Beach gives the morning a gentle start, with a wide sky and that easygoing coastal atmosphere Santa Barbara is known for. At East Beach it gets more open and classically Californian. Stearns Wharf then pushes you straight out over the water and combines beach day with harbor views.

Butterfly Beach
East Beach
Stearns Wharf
The Funk Zone
Superior Court Of California County Of Santa Barbara

Day 8 · Santa Barbara

Mission, harbor, green views

The Old Mission Santa Barbara brings history and clean lines into the day, calm and striking at once. In El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park the town's early history becomes tangible without the place losing its lightness. At Santa Barbara Harbor the mood shifts back to the water, to boats and salty air.

Old Mission Santa Barbara
El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park
Santa Barbara Harbor
Shoreline Park
Lotusland

Day 9 · Los Angeles

L.A. between art and coast

Los Angeles begins surprisingly focused with The Getty: art, architecture and a sweeping view over the city. Then the scene opens up at Santa Monica State Beach, where the mood instantly loosens. At the Santa Monica Pier the contrast is perfect: big city, ocean and motion in one place.

The Getty
Santa Monica State Beach
Santa Monica Pier
Venice Canal Historic District
Griffith Observatory

Day 10 · Los Angeles

Finale with a sign and a view

The last day starts with the Hollywood Sign, a symbol that in real life feels even sharper than in pictures. Around the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles then shows its direct, loud, movie-history side. To close, the Griffith Observatory takes you up high one more time, with the city stretching wide below and a strong final look back at this trip.

Hollywood Sign
Hollywood Walk of Fame
TCL Chinese Theatre
Runyon Canyon Park
The Grove

More trip plans:

Chicago in 4 Days4 days

New York in 5 Days5 days

USA Southwest in 14 Days14 days

Buenos Aires in 5 Days5 days

Mexico City in 5 Days5 days

Rio de Janeiro in 5 Days5 days

See all trip plans →

Open this plan in the planner & customize →

Free – swap sights, rearrange days, add hotels & restaurants.