San Francisco Bay & Marin
Pair San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge, a bay journey or a separate day in Marin County. Check reservations and current island or park access before setting out.
CALIFORNIA · FOLLOW YOUR CURIOSITY
California travel guide
Pacific shores, mountain roads and desert skies. Make the journey part of the discovery.
Photographs reused from the existing ATA guide collection.
FIND YOUR PART OF THE GOLDEN STATE
Start with a region. Leave room to explore.
California combines Pacific coast, large cities, agricultural valleys, mountain country and desert landscapes. Its scale makes a focused route more rewarding than a checklist: choose the places that interest you, then build time around them for museums, neighborhoods, walks and discoveries along the way.
Los Angeles & the southern coast
Group Los Angeles sights by neighborhood, then decide whether to add Beverly Hills, Laguna Beach, Dana Point or San Diego. Coastal distances and traffic deserve generous time.
Valley & mountain journeys
Explore Sacramento and the Central Valley, or plan an Eastern Sierra journey through Bishop and Mono Lake. Select the correct side of the mountains; seasonal passes can change the entire route.
Desert perspectives
Choose a base around Palm Springs, a focused Anza-Borrego visit or a journey into the Mojave. The Colorado Desert and Imperial Valley add different landscapes. Plan for the season, heat and distances.
For a first visit, spend several nights in one region before adding another. Hotels are suggested within the destination you are exploring: start with San Francisco places to stay or Los Angeles places to stay. Read our California history introduction for cultural context.
First time highlights
A FIRST LOOK · CALIFORNIA ON FILM
A whole state of possibilities.
Watch a statewide introduction, then choose a region and give yourself time to enjoy it.
Discover California’s background →
FIRST TIME HIGHLIGHT
San Francisco
Explore the bay, bridge and neighborhoods, then consider a separate outing north into Marin.
Explore San Francisco →Where to stay →
FIRST TIME HIGHLIGHT
Yosemite & the Sierra
Granite walls, waterfalls and a mountain journey with a different character in every season.
Explore Yosemite & the Sierra →
FIRST TIME HIGHLIGHT
Los Angeles & Hollywood
Explore film landmarks, art museums and neighborhoods. Plan each day around nearby places.
Explore Los Angeles & Hollywood →Where to stay →
FIRST TIME HIGHLIGHT
San Diego
A southern coastal base for city outings, ocean views and the peninsula at Cabrillo.
Explore San Diego →
FIRST TIME HIGHLIGHT
Joshua Tree
Trade the shoreline for desert rock and open sky. Plan the day around the season and the heat.
Explore Joshua Tree →Beyond the beaten path
Smaller stops and different perspectives, alongside well-known places worth experiencing at a slower pace.
A DIFFERENT CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
Bishop
An Eastern Sierra base along US 395, with valley culture, mountain scenery and seasonal road connections.
Explore Bishop →From the ATA California guide collection
A DIFFERENT CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
Marin & Mount Tamalpais
Cross the Golden Gate for a different pace, with wooded hills, coastal country and linked viewpoints.
Explore Marin & Mount Tamalpais →From the ATA California guide collection
A DIFFERENT CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
Laguna Beach
Make time for a coastal town rather than another long driving day.
Explore Laguna Beach →From the ATA California guide collection
A DIFFERENT CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
Sacramento
Riverfront history and a useful starting point for the valley chapters.
Explore Sacramento →From the ATA California guide collection
A DIFFERENT CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
Channel Islands
The crossing is part of the adventure. Plan transport and island time before you set out.
Explore Channel Islands →From the ATA California guide collection
A DIFFERENT CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
San Gabriel Mountains
Explore mountain viewpoints and forest outings, with current road checks before following the route.
Explore San Gabriel Mountains →From the ATA California guide collection
Unique attractions not to be missed
SAN FRANCISCO BAY · ALCATRAZ
An island. A prison. A thousand stories.
Cross into the history of Alcatraz, from its former prison to its wider island story. Check the current dock-repair closure before planning a visit.
Explore this discovery →From the ATA California guide collection
EASTERN SIERRA · MONO LAKE
Stone towers rising from a salt lake.
At Mono Lake, pale tufa formations and open water create a landscape that feels unlike anywhere else on the road.
Explore this discovery →From the ATA California guide collection
ANZA-BORREGO · DESERT DISCOVERY
A garden above. A visitor center below.
Begin beneath the desert garden, then discover the landscapes and original route connections around Borrego Springs.
Explore this discovery →From the ATA California guide collection
Good neighbours for your itinerary
The bay, then the hills
Give San Francisco its own time. Cross into Marin for a separate day or stay, rather than trying to fit every bay attraction into one outing.
The Sierra, on either side
Combine valley and mountain stops thoughtfully. Yosemite’s Tioga Road is a seasonal crossing, not a year-round shortcut to Mono Lake and Bishop.
Southern cities, then desert
Separate city days from longer transfers. Choose a desert base and check temperatures before adding Anza-Borrego or Joshua Tree.
The roads are part of the story.
Pacific Coast Highway, Interstate 15 and California Road 2 offer different ways to explore. Use current road conditions alongside any historical route observations.
Before you take the road
Check the road, not just the distance
Mountain passes and coastal roads can close. Check the actual highway before setting out.
Caltrans road conditions →Plan the Sierra by season
Tioga Road closes in winter. Check park access and vehicle restrictions before choosing your crossing.
Yosemite seasonal planning →Give the desert its own plan
Heat changes what makes a sensible day. Check current park advice, carry water and allow time for stops.
Anza-Borrego official information →Choose a region first
California rewards a series of journeys. Build around the places that interest you, rather than treating the whole state as one short circuit.
Visit California road trips →Original route observations remain the author’s account of the journey at the time. Current access, fares and opening arrangements should be checked with the linked official providers.
Explore the original California collection.
Browse the complete original link collection, including places featured above, first-night advice and route photographs. Baja California is in Mexico; the mountain, river and coastal articles also connect with neighboring states.
Introduction of California's historyAlcatraz, San Francisco BayAnza-Borrego Desert State ParkBaja CaliforniaBeverly HillsBishopBreaCalifornia State Road 2 Over The San Gabriel Mountains near Los AngelesCalifornia State Road 168/Nevada State Road 266 - pictureCascade MountainsCentral ValleyChinoCoast RangesColorado DesertColorado RiverCurry Village, Yosemite National Park - pictureDana PointFullertonGolden Gate Bridge, San FranciscoGolden Gate National Recreation Area, San FranciscoGreat BasinHollywoodImperial ValleyInterstate 15IrvineJoshua Tree National ParkKings Canyon National ParkLaguna BeachLos Angeles - First Night AccommodationLos Angeles International Airport (LAX)Lower CaliforniaMarin County/Marin PeninsulaMercedMirror Lake, Yosemite National Park - pictureMojave DesertMono LakeMount TamalpaisMuir Woods National MonumentPacific Coast HighwayPalm SpringsSacramentoSacramento ValleySalton SeaSan DiegoSan DimasSan FranciscoSan Francisco BaySan Gabriel MountainsSan Joaquin ValleySequoia National ParkSierra Nevada MountainsVacavilleYosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park - pictureYosemite National Park