JOHN ELK III / GETTY IMAGES ©

LOCAL KNOWLEDGEAMY STARBIN, LA SCREENWRITER &

MOM For a fun way to cool odriving through LA along the cff when oast,

bring the family out to Monica Pier Not only do you get a great view (www.santamonicapier.org)Santa.

of the ocean, you can also get up close and personal with sea life at the Then head up top for a spin on the aquarium (www.healthebay.org).

carousel used in solar-powered Ferris wheel.Top: Pool, Hearst Castle,The Sting or the

Left: Lighthouse, TrinidadRight: Redwoods

make tour reservatin advance, espliving-history eveninecially for ions g

programs during the Christmas holiday season.

further north along Hwy 1, park at the sivista point and amble About 4.5 miles gnposted

the boardwalk to view the enormous seal colony that breeds, elephant

molts, sleeps, plays a ghts on the beach. Shaul out year-round, but the winter birthing andnd eals

mating season peaks on Valentine’s DNearby, Light StationPiedras Blancas (www.ay.

piedrasblancas.org; tour adult/child $10/5; an outstandingly scenic hcall for hr) is

spot. (^54) The Drive p 47 » Fill your car’s
gas tank before plunging north into the redwood forests of the remote Big Sur coast (see p 153 ), where precipitous cliff s
dominate the seascape, and tourist services are few and far between. Hwy 1 keeps curving north to the Monterey Peninsula
(see p 169 ), approximately a three-hour, 100-mile trip from Hearst Castle.
(^8) As Big Sur loosens its condor’s talons on the Monterey
coastal highway, Hwy 1 rolls gently downtowards Monterey Bahill y.
The of Monterey is the heart of Steinbeck countrand although Cannery  shing community y,
Row today is touristy
DANITA DELIMONT / GETTY IMAGES ©
DAVID MUENCH / CORBI
S ©
41
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
(^1) PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAYS
40

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R R
ARIZONA
SanNicolasIslandSanClementeIsland MEXICO
CatalinaIsland
ChannelIslands
MojaveDesert
PACIFICOCEAN SaltonSea
PinnaclesNationalMonument
NationalJoshuaTreePark
NationalParkDeathValley
CanyonNationalKingsPark
NationalPreserveMojave
NationalPSequoiaark
Anza-BorregoDesertStaParkte
SierraNationalForest
ClevelandNationalForest
WilderVentananess SequoiaNationalForest
KingsRiver
nRiver
KernRiver
BigSur MtWhitney(14,505ft)Telescope(11,049ft)Peak
MorroBay
Beatty
Goffs
PanamintSprings
StovepipeWellsVillage
PasoRobles BakerTecopa
PismoBeach
FurnaceCreek
Mojave
Amboy
NewportBeach Indio Blythe
BarstowVictorville Needles
LaJolla
HuntingtonBLagunaBeacheachSealBeacOceansidehSanClemente
SanBernardino
Tijuana
LongBeach SpringsPalm
SantaBarbara
Bakersfield
SantaCruzMonterey Fresno
SanDiego
LasVegas
Yuma
SanLuisObispo
SantaMonicaMalibu Anaheim
Mexicali
LosAngeles
Kingman
LaHavCitykeasu
#e 00 50miles100km
1 Pacific Coast HighwaysThe ultimate coastal road trip takes in beaches, redwood forests and more. 7–10 DAYS
30 Route 66Dillydally through the desert, then zoom past retro iconsinto LA. 3–4 DAYS
32 Life in Death ValleyOld West mining ghost towns, strange geology and inspiring panoramic views. 3 DAYS
26 Disneyland & Orange County BeachesMeet Mickey Mouse, then surf the ‘OC’ coast. 2–4 DAYS
444

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R
R
OREGON
NEVADA
ShastaLake
MonoLake
LakeTahoe
GooseLake
ClearLake
RedwoodNationalPark
LassenVolcanicNationalPark
PointReyeNationalSeashores YosemiteNationalPark
NationalInyoForest
NationalTrinityForest Plumas
NationalForest
NationalModocForest
MendocinoNationalForest
LassenNationalForest
KlamathNationalForest
TrinityAlpsWildernessNationalShastaForest
YubaRiverStateParSouthk
SixRiversNationalForest
SanJaoqui
nR
PitRiver
KlamathRiver
Sacramen
toRiver
SrieraNevada
MtShasta(14,179ft)
WhiteMountai(14,246ft)n
PointArena
Weed
Mendocino
Napa AngelsCampJackson
SanRafaelPaloAlto
Sonoma LockeVolcano
Alturas
Truckee
Bishop
NevadaCity
Coloma
Sonora
StHelenaYountville
MammothLakes
Calistoga SutterCreek
Leggett
Davis
Arcata
SouthLakeTahoe
FortBragg
BluffRed Susanville
Eureka
Berkeley
CrescentCity
Placerville
SanJose
SantaRosa Stockton
Chico
Redding
Oakland
Reno
Sacramento
SanFrancisco
CarsonCity
Columbia
Medford
Winnemucca
#÷ Ely
##\
5 Napa ValleyFabulous winery estates and celebrity chef restaurants grace this region. 2–3 DAYS
19 Yosemite, Sequoia & KinParks sequoias. gs Canyon National Be awed by giant 5–7 DAYS
21 HiCountry California’s historic pioneer mining towns. ghway 49 ThrouHead for the hills and 3–4 DAYSgh Gold
CALIFORNIA
WALTER BIBIKOW / JAI/CORBIS © MAISANT LUDOVIC / HEMIS.FR / GETTY IMAGES ©
(^5) PIETR O CANALI / SOPA / CORBIS ©
WALT (^5) of wineries inhabit America’s premier viticulture region.Napa Valley Hundreds MAIS
wThe Badwater salt pan is the lowest point in North Life in Death Valley
qCounty BeachesAmerica.Disneyland & Orange
sand, art galleries and a walkable downtown await in Laguna Beach. Warm
WHAT IS A CLASSIC TRIP? All the trips in this book show you the best of Caliall-time favorites. These are our Classic Trips – the ones that lead you to the best of the fornia, but we’ve chosen seven as our
see the map, and look out for the Classic Trip siconic sights, the top activities and the unique Caltamp throughoutifor nia experiences. Turn the page to the book
CALIFORNIA
w q

Mendocino
Eureka
Monterey
SanDiego
LosAngeles

14

10

5

7

lL
mK
210 milesSanta BarbaraBountiful beaches and a nearby wine country
By Golden Gate Park, cross the famous San Francisco550 milesbridge
Tour a hilltop mansion, then gape at elephant Around Hearst Castle
seals
350 miles
With the world'sNational Parktallest treesRedwood850 miles
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Pacifi c Coast
Highways
7–10 DAYS (^1000) MILES/1610KM
GREAT FOR... HJG
BEST TIME TO GO Year-round, but July to October for the
sunniest skies.
Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco^ IESSENTIAL PHOTO
Bay.
K Santa Barbara north to Monterey via Big Sur. BEST TWO DAYS
DOUG STEAKLEY / GETTY IMAGES ©
1
Our top pick for classic California dreamin’ snakes along the Pacifi c coast for 1000 miles. Uncover beaches, seafood shacks
and piers for catching sunsets over boundless ocean horizons.
Big Sur coast dominate the seascapePrecipitous cliffs
34 35
Look out for the Classic Trips stamp
on our favorite routes in this book.
1
Pacific Coast
Highways.............7–10 Days 35
5
Napa
Valley.....................2–3 Days 79
j
Yosemite, Sequoia &
Kings Canyon National
Parks..............................5–7 Days 205
l
Highway 49 Through
Gold Country.........3–4 Days 227
q
Disneyland & Orange
County Beaches....2–4 Days 273
u
Route
66 ...........................3–4 Days 313
w
Life in
Death Valley..............3 Days 331