One of the most iconic road trips in the world has to be Highway One in California, otherwise known as the Pacific Coast Highway. Explore San Francisco before heading south, passing wind swept beaches & coastal towns before a dose of glamour in LA.
Tailor-made 10 days
'From Price' is the average price per person for ground arrangements for two people sharing.
Flights are typically an additional $964 per person economy class from London
Our holidays are rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
…We were really happy with the service we got from Tourdust which can be best described as friendly, efficient and expert.....
Matthew McSweeney. See all Reviews
Leaving the city behind, the first stop along the way of your road trip is Santa Cruz; a coastal town with attitude. There are many options here to entertain you, from learning to surf, going on the rides on the Boardwalk to walking amongst the giant redwoods in Henry Cowell Redwood State Park.
Further south, your route passes through Monterey, before reaching the jewel in this holiday's crown; Big Sur. With fantastic views, wild and wind swept beaches, lie back and feel the sea salt in your hair. Your next base is Pismo Beach. If you're visiting in the winter months, you might see the whale migrations. In the spring and summer months, you can surf, relax or use this as a base to visit the nearby wineries or the opulent Hearts Castle.
Your last stop on the route is LA. Passing through Santa Barbara, you are then based in the coastal suburb of Santa Monica. From here, you can rollerblade or cycle along the beach path, or perhaps go on the tourist trail in Hollywood.
Please note, this trip is entirely customisable. We can extend this trip to 2 weeks, or add an extension to Las Vegas if required. Please contact us for details.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive San Francisco
Day 2 San Francisco
Day 3 San Francisco - Optional Wine Tour
Day 4 Santa Cruz
Day 5 Santa Cruz
Day 6 Pismo Beach
Day 7 Pismo Beach
Day 8 Drive to Los Angeles
Day 9 Los Angeles
Day 10 Depart
Itinerary in Full
Day 1 Arrive San Francisco
You will be picked up at the airport and transferred to your hotel
Day 2 San Francisco
Today you are at leisure in San Francisco. You might want to catch a cable car up to Fisherman's Wharf and wander down to pier 39 to see the sealions. If you have the energy, we suggest cycling all the way to Sausalito, where you can enjoy a relaxing lunch with fabulous views of San Francisco across the water. If you want to visit Alcatraz, make sure you have booked in advance.
Day 3 San Francisco - Optional Wine Tour
Today you have the option to go on a wine tour. You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and transferred in a small minibus, which can carry a maximum of 13 people. During the tour, you will visit 4 - 6 boutique wineries in the Napa and/or Sonoma Valleys. You will be visiting a mix of smaller and larger wineries and will also have a chance to request stops along the way.
Day 4 Santa Cruz
This morning you will pick up your hire car and drive to Santa Cruz. Located on the Pacific Ocean, this town is the spiritual home of Californian surfing. With a beach right across the road from your hotel, you can rent body boards or simply lie back and catch some rays. Later in the afternoon, you can wander down to the Boardwalk where you can ride on roller coasters to your heart's content.
Day 5 Santa Cruz
Today is a free day in Santa Cruz. We suggest that you catch the train up to Henry Cowell State Park to marvel at the giant and ancient Redwood trees. Later in the afternoon, we suggest you wander down the wharf to spot the resident sealions resting in the shade.
Day 6 Big Sur
Today sees you driving south passing through Monterey before hitting the coastal road and Big Sur. Leave early so that you have plenty of time for lots of spots and to take photos. Your day ends at the San Luis Obisbo Bay where your base will be Pismo Beach.
Day 7 Pismo Beach
You might be too busy hitting the surf today, but if you wanted to do more exploring, then you could go north to Hearst Castle, an example of 1920's decadence. We recommend you go early to avoid the crowds. If you are a wine lover, you might want to head inland today to Santa Barbara Wine Country. There are numerous vineyards around where you can taste that local speciality, Pinot Noir. There are several local companies offering a shuttle service, so you don't need to worry about driving. If you are staying on a Thursday night, be sure to drive to nearby San Luis Obispo for their famous farmers night market.
Day 8 Drive to Los Angeles
Today you will head south to sunny Los Angeles, where you will be based at the Beachside location of Santa Monica. We recommend stopping off for lunch in Santa Barbara along the way.
Day 9 Los Angeles
Today you might want to rent rollerblades or bikes and explore the promenade next to the beach. Alternatively, you could drive into Hollywood and spot celebrities on the walk of fame.
Day 10 Depart
Today is your departure day. You will need to leave your car at the rental returns and make sure you leave plenty of time to check in for your flight.
Guide price is based on recommended accommodations. Alternative accommodations and upgrades are available. Please get in touch for alternatives and upgrade options.
This holiday begins in San Francisco and ends in Los Angeles. Both of these destinations are serviced by direct flights from the UK with Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. From November to March, flights will cost from £670, April - June, these prices increase to from £770 and then in the peak season they jump to £1,100, but there may be better prices available during the sales. It is often cheaper to fly mid-week, rather than at the weekend. Please get in touch for a quote.
This holiday is available all year round, but if you are travelling without children, we recommend avoiding July & August due to the increased flight prices. The weather is warmer in the summer, but the Central Coast & San Francisco areas can become shrouded in fog, especially in the mornings and evenings. Our favourite times for this holiday are April - June.
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth office check www.gov.uk/travelaware
Our customers agree - a conversation with an expert makes for a better trip. Call us now or request a call back out of hours.
Call 855 686 7694 9am and 6pm GMT Monday to Friday
Or request call back weekday evenings or Saturdays
I would like to say a massive thank you for organising our Vietnam trip. The itinerary and execution were superb, as was the attention to detail. I would also like to thank the agent who was on the end of my whats app chat (I have no idea who they were!) – always available, always quick to respond, and kept me updated regarding times etc. Also, the guides Dan (north) and Tien (mid) were just excellent, and we really enjoyed their company. The lady (whose name I have forgotten) who was our additional guide for the DMZ day was exceedingly good and made that day very special.
fiona g reviewing Complete Vietnam For Families on 15 April 2024
Trip was great and all the arrangements were excellent so thank you for all the help!
Drivers and transfers were all good - on time and very good service on each trip.
Accommodation was lovely - Douar Samra was amazing (weather could have been better but lovely regardless). Riad in Marrakesh was also great!
All in all a great trip and we loved the variety of the mountains, Marrakesh and the coast.
Thanks you once again!
Hardeep S reviewing Boutique Marrakech & Atlas Mountains on 15 April 2024
I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.
Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.
El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.
Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.
So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last
Juhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024
Our itineraries are carefully designed by our experienced travel designers based on years of experience and customer feedback. For a custom itinerary tailored to you, please enquire giving as much detail as possible on your brief.