The Golden Coast of Southern California
The land of movie stars, celebrities, walks of fame and the golden coast, Southern California is known the world around as a premier destination, but Southern California is so much more than just the golden coast, and in this itinerary we are going to take you inland as well to experience everything SoCal has to offer.
#thisismyroute
Prepared by:
James
States:
california
Start/End:
los angeles
Total miles:
1,800
Suggested days:
At least 16
Type:
scenic road trip
Recommended for:
First-timers to the United States, honeymooners, photographers, road trippers,
Suggested season:
year round
Overview
From the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the stunning Eastern Desert, this route is perfect for those who want to experience the beauty of the open road and some of America’s most untamed areas. In other words, you will get to experience a true American road trip that includes the sun-soaked beaches, nightlife and celebrity-infused attractions of the land of Hollywood, intriguing desert towns and unimaginable scenery. You will begin by arriving at
Los Angeles International Airport. We have no doubt that you are going to want to spend a few days in this city of 4 million. But…save it for the end of the trip, when you have a chance to unwind and relax after your epic SoCal road trip. On this trip many of the drives between towns will be relatively short, but when you get to the eastern part of the state, the drives will stretch out a bit, so be prepared for this. Through the course of this trip you be traveling through two distinct geographical climates. This will be a trip of a lifetime, so get in, buckle up and shift that car into drive. You are about to experience some of the best the United States has to offer.
How to Prepare
We recommend approximately 16 days for this trip in order to experience each town and activity without feeling too rushed. You have a lot of miles to cover, so we suggest spending at minimum a day at each stop. This itinerary is full of suggestions of some of the best places to fully experience the area, with overnight stops in the towns along the way. Plan your trip accordingly so that you experience the places that spark your interest the most. These areas can be crowded in the summertime, and for good reason. There are multiple events and the weather is beautiful. Wintertime is still beautiful in these places, however, you are more likely to run into wet weather and many of the outdoor experiences that you have in the nicer weather will not be available.. On the other hand, summertime temps in these places can often exceed 100 degrees, so take that into account as you decide your travel dates. The majority of this trip will be short drives between stops, but this is to allow you the most time at all the amazing places that you have traveled so far to see. Though this itinerary is a day to day guide, it is only a guide and you should feel free to adapt it however you want, taking as much time as you need to fully experience this wonderful part of the world.
DAY 1: land in los angeles, head to Santa Barbara
1.5 hours/95 miles
This is a shorter day for a good reason. We suggest arriving early into LA and renting your car from the airport and setting out north toward your first stop, Santa Barbara. It is the perfect town to get prepared and excited to start your road trip. With the
Santa Ynez Mountains as dramatic backdrop, Santa Barbara has a great
Downtown, with Mediterranean-style white stucco buildings that reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage. Upscale boutiques and restaurants offering local wines and seasonal fare line
State Street. On a nearby hill,
Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786, houses
Franciscan friars and a museum. The best place to start your Santa Barbara Tour would of course be the
Santa Barbara Visitor Center.
Best way to see Santa Barbara:
Best place for a swim:
Best place to watch the sunset:
Best place to shop local:
Best selfie:
Best place for dinner:
DAY 2: san luis obispo
1 hour 39 minutes/94 miles
From Santa Barbara you are going to head north on the 101 to one of
California’s hidden gems, San Luis Opisbo. Nestled in the heart of the
Central Coast Wine Country, SLO is the unofficial headquarters for the region, with towns like Los Osos, Morro Beach and Oceano within striking distance and well worth a visit. The
Los Padres National Forest is juts outside of town and have numerous trails to explore the region. One can’t miss stop once you get into town is
Bubblegum Alley. Yep, its an entire alley lined with chewed bubblegum.
Best hike:
Can’t miss it:
Visit a waterfall:
Best place to get a little history:
Best place to see wildlife:
Best place for dinner:
DAY 3: Salinas and Monterey Bay
1.5 hours/67 miles
As you continue north on Highway 1 toward Salinas, you have two stops that you have to make. The first stop is in the town of Cayucos for breakfast at
Bill and Carol’s Sea Shanty. The breakfasts here are as amazing at the name suggests. Your second stop will be in San Simeon and
Hearst Castle. Built between 1919 and 1947, Hearst Castle was the joint concept of
William Randolph Hearst, the publishing tycoon, and his architect
Julia Morgan. Listed as a a National Historic Landmark and California Historical Landmark, the castle is well worth a visit.
Best hike:
Best place for wildlife watching:
Can’t miss it:
Most eclectic shopping:
Best place for a stroll:
Best place for seafood:
DAY 4: Fresno
2.5 hour/132 miles
Fresno is located in the beautiful
San Joaquin Valley, near the golden coast, and is the jewel of California’s agricultural heartland, the
Central Valley. Originally founded in 1872 as a stop on the
Central Pacific Railroad, today Fresno is a metropolitan city with a population of around 500,000. Home to
California State University, Fresno is a fun college town with a sophisticated air. One point of interest and a must visit is the
Forestiere Underground Gardens. Created in the early 1900s, the gardens consist of Roman-catacombs-inspired subterranean passages and courtyards. Fresno is a multi-cultural city with a number of
distinct neighborhoods that highlight its diversity. One can’t miss park is the sprawling, trail-lined
Woodward Park is home to the
Shinzen Japanese Garden. Its a great place to stretch your legs.
Best place for a stroll:
Must see:
Best place to shop local:
Best historical selfie:
Can’t miss food:
Best Local Beer:
DAY 5: The Bakersfield Sound
2 hours/110 miles
Located on the banks of the
Kern River, Bakersfield has an important place in the annals of American music. It all started in 1954 with
Wynn Stewart. Known as the
Bakersfield Sound, it was the first genre of country music to be significantly influenced by rock and roll, and as a result, the first to rely heavily on electric instrumentation and a defined backbeat The Bakersfield sound became one of the most popular and influential country genres of the 1960s, initiating a revival of honky-tonk music and influencing musical icons like
Merle Haggard,
Creedence Clearwater Revival and the
Grateful Dead. Bakersfield keeps that tradition close today with numerous honky-tonk bars and music festivals. In addition to the fantastic music scene, Bakersfield is a great outdoor town with numerous recreation opportunities located right outside of town in the
Sequoia National Forest.
Best place for a hike:
Can’t miss it:
Best place to shop or farm local:
Best place to see some wildlife:
Eat some Basque cuisine:
Go honky-tonkin:
DAY 6: barstow and the inland empire
2 hours 20 minutes/130 miles
Once a small mining center and railroad town in California’s
Mojave Desert, Barstow today is known as the commercial, cultural and economic hub of the
Inland Empire. Barstow is a great starting point when touring the western Mojave Desert. Outdoor explorers, amateur geologists and hikers enjoy nearby
Rainbow Basin and Owl Canyon Campground,
Afton Canyon, and the beautiful
Kelso Dunes.
Fancy a trip into the past? Check out the
Calico Early Man Site,the historic
Harvey House Depot, or the
Calico Ghost Town, a restored silver mining town. Ever thought about exploring an abandoned and haunted water park in the middle of the desert? Then check out,
Lake Dolores. After all your outdoor adventures, head to
Barstow Station. Family owned and operated since 1973, it’s a great place to stock up on supplies.
Best place for a hike:
Best photo op:
Best museum:
Best Americana throwback:
Can’t miss it:
Best taco in town:
DAY 7: needles
2 hours/117 miles
Named for the nearby pointed mountain peaks, Needles was founded in 1883 to support the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The city’s location along the Western bank of the
Colorado River, which serves as the California/Arizona border, was once its major draw. As in
John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, it was an important stopping point for travelers entering the golden coast of California in search of opportunity during the
Dust Bowl era. Today, Needles is an eclectic little desert town straddling the gap between history and the future. The first thing we would recommend doing when you get into Needles is to the
Pirate Cove Resort. It’s a great place to cool off after your road trip through the desert.
Best place for wildlife:
Can’t miss it:
Best place to get some jerky:
Best way to experience the desert:
Best historical experience:
Can’t miss dinner:
DAY 8 and 9: Joshua Tree National Park and the Coachella Valley
3 hours/160 miles
You may have heard the Coachella because of the
international music festival that takes place here every year, but there is so much more to this remarkable area. The first is of course
Joshua Tree National Park. Named for the region’s twisted, bristled Joshua trees, the park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, this is a one-of-a-kind place that is well worth a full day’s visit. When you get to Coachella, get a room at the
Turtle Back Mesa. After that, head to the
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. It’s well worth a visit to this golden coast location.
Best outdoor experience:
Can’t miss it:
Best place for a stroll:
Best photo op:
Best chance to see a ghost:
Best dining experience:
DAY 10: Through the Salton Sea to San diego
3 hours 15 minutes/153 miles
Today you heading to the Pacific Ocean, but before you do, there is one body of water that you need to see.
The Salton Sea was formed between 1905 and 1907 when the Colorado River burst through poorly built irrigation controls south of Yuma, Arizona. Almost the entire flow of the river filled the Salton Basin for more than a year, inundating communities, farms and the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. In its heyday, the Salton Sea was a getaway for celebrities and the wealthy, but as the lake started to dry up, the crowds left and it now exists as a ghost town. The best place to stop to understand this geographical history would be the
Salton Sea Visitor’s Center. If you are interested in touring a winery in southern California’s golden coast, you should stop in
Temecula, the only known winery area in Southern California. Once you arrive in San Diego, we recommend staying overnight near the Gaslamp district or right by the Pacific Ocean.
Best place for breakfast:
Best kept secret:
Best ghostly experience:
Go for an ocean swim:
Can’t miss it:
Treat yourself in San Diego:
DAY 11: San Diego
2.5 hours/140 miles
Welcome to San Diego. There is so much to do in this town, that it would hard to cover here, so what we would recommend is to start your day at the San Diego Visitor’s Center. They will have everything you need to get the most out of your stay on the golden coast.
Best place for breakfast:
Can’t Miss it
Best beach town:
Tour an aircraft Carrier
Best Fish Taco:
Best kept secret:
DAY 12: san Diego to Santa Monica
3 hours/150 miles
Today’s priority? Just enjoy the beautiful southern California coast. With charming, golden coast, beach towns to visit like Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Venice Beach, and Santa Monica, this won’t be difficult. The first thing you are going to need to do though is get breakfast. Head to Swami’s Cafe in Carlsbad for the best breakfast west of the Mississippi. Then, take Interstate 5 north along the Pacific Coast from San Diego to Los Angeles. This scenic drive will give you the feeling and vibe of Southern California, with the lush vegetation along the coast and the crazy traffic on the freeways: two things that definitely characterize it. Stop in Oceanside for a quick walk along the coast, then take Hwy 1 past San Clemente, to your stop for the night in Santa Monica.
Best viewpoints on the coast:
Best place to shop:
Can’t Miss it:
Best place for a stroll:
Best Taco:
Best place to stay:
DAY 13: Los angeles and Fabulous Hollywood
1.5 hours/50 miles
In the morning, you might consider a quick run along the golden coast before heading to Los Angeles to see the world famous Universal Studios, where classic films and television shows are brought to vivid life around you, and you might even run into some movie stars. In the evening, check out some iconic Hollywood locations, such as the Kodak Theater and the Walk of Fame, where celebrities have been honored for decades with their names imprinted on glossy stone stars embedded in the sidewalk. During the evening, take Sunset Boulevard into Beverly Hills, then follow this scenic drive head back to Santa Monica.
Best photo op:
Best place to see a celebrity:
Can’t Miss it:
Best place for a stroll:
Best local tradition:
Best place to shop: