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Visit San Francisco, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park and Las Vegas.
This popular route was added to our selection following clients requests for a road trip that starts in San Francisco, and then explores the beautiful Californian coastline and Los Angeles, before ending up in party town Las Vegas. Your wish is our command! So we created this best-seller which also briefly visits Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park and the stunning Mojave Desert along the way.
Key road trip highlights:
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We’ll suggest properties to match your preferred budget, be it low-cost, mid-range or high-end luxury that you’re looking for. We can also mix it up so you’ll experience a range of standards and experiences along your road trip.
All of our road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 14 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
Welcome to hip San Francisco, on the West Coast of America. The iconic Golden Gate Bridge spans the headlands of Marin County and San Francisco; this is one of the world’s most beautiful bridges and a delightful experience whether you walk, bike or drive across. You can enjoy stunning views of San Francisco by driving up Conzelman Road on the north side of the bridge. After watching the sunset, enjoy a meal and then get your head down to prepare for the following two days of San Francisco sightseeing.
Once the famous San Francisco fog lifts, one of America’s favourite cities will be revealed. Ride an iconic cable car, climb the steep streets, and soak up the vibe only San Francisco offers. This city is full of Victorian charm, famous movie locations and world-leading tech companies; San Francisco has something for everyone.
A second full day to explore San Francisco’s must-see places, including Coit Tower, Lombard Street, the Painted Ladies (pictured), Union Square and Alcatraz, to name just a few. Whilst in San Francisco, you should consider partaking in some of the best Chinese food in the world, thanks to the large Chinese community that makes this fabulous city their home.
Monterey was once California’s capital of the whaling and sardine industries; today, it’s best known for its world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium on Cannery Row. Want to experience Monterey Bay first-hand? Then enjoy a whale-watching trip in these world-renowned waters. Cruise along “17-Mile Drive” to pretty Carmel-by-the-Sea in the early evening. You’ll pass millionaire mansions, Pebble Beach Golf Club and a beautiful rugged coastline along the way.
Carmel-by-the-Sea offers two world-class beaches backed by a small town with beautiful homes, quaint streets and fabulous restaurants. The wild and wonderful Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is just a few miles south of Carmel. Here, sea lions give birth to pups on beautiful beaches, sea otters frolic in the ocean, and whales slowly migrate by. Enjoy a leisurely hike along the coastline to properly explore this place of outstanding natural beauty.
The world-famous drive down California’s Highway 1 is at its most dramatic when it features the 90 miles of coastal road that is Big Sur. Twisting roads curve around cliff faces, passing gorgeous state parks and spectacular vista lay-bys that look out over the vast ocean. Hearst Castle comes next – the product of one man’s ambition, wealth and imagination. This expansive home hosted the rich and famous; today, it offers visitors the chance to see fine antiques and art from around the world in an over-the-top setting.
Santa Barbara is an ideal stop for anyone touring the Pacific Coast’s Highway 1. This affluent town is built in a charming Mediterranean style, making it one of the West Coast’s most attractive regions to visit. Enjoy the idyllic scenery by biking through the city or relax under the palm trees that are blessed by the almost constant California sunshine.
Today, you’ll continue driving south down the Pacific Coast Highway, passing Malibu’s beaches and coastal homes until you reach Santa Monica in Los Angeles. Santa Monica’s world-class shopping, expansive beaches and old-fashioned Pier are a must for any visitor. Whilst in the area, why not hire a bike and cruise down the boardwalk to funky Venice Beach?
Beverly Hills offers the chance to drive by movie star homes on palm tree-lined streets and to shop on Rodeo Drive. Close by is the unique Getty Center, a firm favourite of the team at The American Road Trip Company – your detailed Road Trip Pack will help explain how to visit this attraction and all the other essential places to see in Los Angeles.
Hollywood is synonymous with glitz and glamour, and although many of the Film Studios have now moved on to other parts of Los Angeles, it’s still fun to visit the home of the Oscars and walk Hollywood Boulevard looking for the handprints of your favourite movie stars. Just a short drive northeast of here lies the Griffith Observatory, perched high on a hill overlooking the urban sprawl of LA; this landmark is well worth a visit and is great for views of the legendary Hollywood sign.
On your way to Las Vegas, you’ll find Palm Springs, which feels like a mirage in the desert as sand and mountains surround this luxurious resort town. Relax by the swimming pool, shoot a round of golf, or cruise around the mid-century streets, taking in all the modernist architecture. Palm Springs was made famous by Hollywood stars from yesteryear; today, it makes for a wonderful overnight stop between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Joshua Tree National Park is an alien landscape with rugged rock formations and stark desert landscapes. Named after the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. Continuing to the northeast, you’ll find Las Vegas! First-class hotels, cuisine and entertainment in the middle of a desert landscape welcome you for a three-night stay.
Las Vegas has something for everyone; why not take a helicopter ride over The Grand Canyon or enjoy more of Las Vegas itself. Witness the Bellagio Fountains in full flow, or take a Gondola ride at the Venetian. A visit to The Neon Museum might appeal, where you can experience the Las Vegas magic of a bygone age by touring the Neon Boneyard. To finish off the day, paint the town red to celebrate the near completion of this epic road trip along the California Coastline and to Las Vegas.
If your head hurts after a big night out, you can always relax by the fantastic pools adorning every hotel. Alternately, you can stretch your legs by walking along the legendary ‘Vegas Strip’, book tickets to one of the incredible shows or enjoy some retail therapy. We recommend visiting one of the over-the-top hotel buffets. Just make sure you’re hungry when you go; the range, quantity and quality of the food will amaze you.
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You’ll find answers to most of your questions right here. If you still need assistance, Feel free to get in touch, and we’ll be sure to get back to you promptly!
Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
Please use the form below to request a quote from our team. Fields marked with an * are mandatory. Please note that we currently only serve customers based in the UK & The EU.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Get in touch to discuss your Bespoke Road Trip plans, or check out these similar road trip itineraries…
ARTCo customers can be confident that we only work with the very best service providers, such as Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Alamo. Any payments made to us are fully protected via the government’s ATOL scheme (Flight packages) or Financial Failure Insurance (Non-Flight Packages).
