Day 1: San Francisco
San Francisco
Arrive at San Francisco International Airport, pick up your car and proceed into the City by the Bay.
Day 2: San Francisco
San Francisco
Today, enjoy a wonderful day touring the city and seeing places like Union Square, the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, and Fisherman’s Wharf, where you can take a short boat trip to tour infamous Alcatraz Island.
Day 3: Carmel
San Francisco - Monterey / Carmel
Begin your drive this morning via Castroville to Monterey. Visit Cannery Row (brought to fame by John Steinbeck’s novel) and the quaint village of Carmel. Enjoy stunning views of the rugged coastline and the Pacific Ocean on 17-Mile Drive, then continue to your hotel for your overnight stay.
Driving Distance: 130 MI / 210 KM
Day 4: Los Angeles
Monterey / Carmel - Pacific Coast Highway - Santa Barbara - Los Angeles Area
Today drive along the Pacific Coast Highway, passing San Simeon and Morro Bay to Santa Barbara. Continue toward the cosmopolitan city of Los Angeles and your hotel.
Driving Distance: 340 MI / 580 KM
Day 5: Los Angeles
Los Angeles Area
Spend the day at Disneyland, “The Happiest Place on Earth,” or take a comprehensive tour of Los Angeles including hip Santa Monica, glamorous Hollywood and posh Beverly Hills. Stop by the “finish line” of Historic Route 66, see an iconic Californian lifeguard tower made famous by “Baywatch”, walk on the boulevard of stars and take a great photo of the famous Hollywood sign, or visit Universal Studios where you will learn all about how movies are made.
Day 6: Palm Springs
Los Angeles Area - Palm Springs
Today head for Palm Springs, a favorite playground for the stars of the entertainment industry. Palm Springs is known for its golf courses, palm trees, and lavish private homes. Enjoy a desert sunset by the pool of your hotel.
Driving Distance: 120 MI / 200 KM
Day 7: Scottsdale
Palm Springs - Phoenix / Scottsdale
There is time this morning to shop in the exclusive boutiques and shops of Palm Springs before driving to Scottsdale and Phoenix. Phoenix is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, mainly due to the dry climate and many days of sunshine.
Driving Distance: 280 MI / 450 KM
Day 8: Sedona
Phoenix/Scottsdale - Montezuma Castle - Sedona
You will have an opportunity for plenty of sightseeing today as you visit the ancient cliff dwellings known as Montezuma Castle. Then continue to the idyllic town of Sedona. Nestled among red sandstone buttes and pinnacles, this is a spiritual place and sure to be a highlight.
Driving Distance: 130 MI / 208 KM
INSIDER TIPS
Sedona: Slide Rock State Park in Sedona. Rated one of the ten most beautiful swimming holes in America, this is the place to seek relief from the hot Arizona sun in summer. Take a picnic, slide down the creek bed and enjoy the magnificent views of Oak Creek Canyon and the surrounding red rocks.
Day 9: Grand Canyon National Park
Sedona - Oak Creek Canyo - Grand Canyon
This morning a short drive takes you to Oak Creek Canyon and Flagstaff, which may look familiar as many scenes have been filmed here for Western movies. Then arrive at the extraordinary Grand Canyon. You have the day to stroll along the South Rim and experience this awesome work of nature, with its plunging gorges - and one mile below the rim - the mighty Colorado River.
Driving Distance: 110 MI / 176 KM
Day 10: Las Vegas
Grand Canyon - Las Vegas
Today’s drive takes you through Williams on Historic Route 66 and Kingman to one of the world’s greatest man-made structures, Hoover Dam, which marks the border between Arizona and Nevada. Continue to Las Vegas, the glittering “Entertainment Capital of the World,” open 24-hours a day for nonstop fun and gambling.
Driving Distance: 290 MI / 470 KM
Day 11: Las Vegas
Las Vegas
A full day at leisure to enjoy the shopping, dining and gaming that make Vegas the playground that never sleeps.
Day 12: Death Valley National Park
Las Vegas - Death Valley
Spend the morning at leisure in Las Vegas. Depart at noon for the drive across the Amargosa Desert to Death Valley National Park. At Zabriskie Point you can admire the panoramic view of this seemingly endless, unchanging valley. This evening, head outside for some of the best stargazing in the world.
Driving Distance: 140 MI / 230 KM
Day 13: Yosemite National Park
Death Valley - Yosemite
Today offers a complete contrast in landscape from the desolation of Death Valley, as the drive takes you into the high Sierra Nevada Mountains via Bishop to Tioga Pass and Yosemite, one of America’s most scenic national parks. Here, among pine trees, cascade the silvery waters of Yosemite and Bridalveil Falls. Massive ice-shaped formations rise sharply from the valley floor in the sculptured beauty of El Capitan and Half Dome.
Driving Distance: 350 MI / 560 KM
INSIDER TIPS
Yosemite: Bike ride through Yosemite Valley. The best way to see the Valley is biking through it. Rent a bike and travel on a relatively flat path past waterfalls, meadows and small lakes. A great way to travel at your own pace and enjoy the nature.
Please note: From early November to late May, Tioga Pass may be closed due to weather or road conditions, in which case you will need to drive the southern route through Bakersfield and Fresno into the Yosemite area.
Day 14: San Francisco
Yosemite - San Francisco
From Yosemite, take a drive west across the state of California and return to San Francisco.
Driving Distance: 210 MI / 340 KM
Day 15:
San Francisco
Return your car at the airport before your departure flight.
