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Would you swap your family car for a campervan that's ready for adventure? We test VW's California on a 2,100 mile road trip

By Simon Lambert for Thisismoney.co.uk

Updated: 11:20 EDT, 21 November 2018

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Mention a Volkswagen campervan and most will think of the iconic buses made over the three decades to 1979, but while it may be considerably more modern the VW California keeps the spirit alive.

The VW California remains true to the campervan concept of being able to cart a family of four around and provide a place for them to eat and sleep. VW promotes it as an alternative to the family car that’s ready for an adventure any time.

But what’s that like in real life? To put the VW California to the test, Simon Lambert and his family headed off on a 2,100 mile road trip, zig-zagging down through France and back.

Hotel California: VW's campervan can double up as a family car and a vehicle for adventure

There’s a lot of love for the Volkswagen campervan.

On occasion, I’ve felt some of that over the past 15 years, when I’ve been lucky enough to borrow my father-in-law’s 1974 bay window VW Type 2 camper – a classic car that more than passes the test of ‘do strangers come up and talk to you about it?’

Yet, while I love that van, I probably wouldn’t drive to the South of France in it.

The VW California is the modern-day version of Volkswagen’s iconic campervan and while it doesn’t attract the same level of interest, it's more reliable than a classic and has considerably more power and extra mod cons.

So, in theory, it’s a much more trustworthy grand tour companion.

What the California shares with its predecessors over almost seven decades of VW campervans, is the tricks up its sleeve that enable a van with a footprint no bigger than a large saloon car or SUV to double up as a home on wheels.

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It was on our ferry to Calais that the first distinct advantage of driving your holiday accommodation kicked in.

We had left London early to catch the 10.15am boat to France, with a plan to drive an hour or so to Etaples, and enjoy a family afternoon at the beach in nearby Le Touquet, before camping out that night.

But for one of the few days in this year’s glorious summer, the weather was not playing ball. It was grey, drizzly and forecast to deteriorate - not the best beach afternoon.

Yet, further into France the forecast was for a hot sunny day and clear blue skies.

So, we made the kind of decision you can make with a campervan but not a hotel booking. A quick Google turned up a campsite with a swimming pool, just north of Reims, so we changed our plans and drove further into France and the sunshine.

Just over two hours later, we had pitched up on a grassy sun-drenched campsite, where it was time for the novelty of setting up the van for the first time.

On the beach: The California is promoted by VW as always ready for adventure, whether by the sea, or out in the countryside

The tricks up the California’s sleeve

The VW California is available in two versions, the Beach and the Ocean. We were in the latter, which comes with a kitchen for added self-sufficiency.

Both Beach and Ocean have one double bed downstairs and another upstairs in the pop-up roof, which rises to create a thick canvas tented area.

The roof is hinged at the back and a touch of a button raises it in about 30 seconds to create a spacious triangular top tent. It’s high enough at the front that it doesn’t feel claustrophobic, with windows in the thick canvas sides - and you climb in through a hatch above the front seats.

It took all of about 15 seconds, before our two girls, aged 7 and 5, were up in the roof like a shot. 

It was clear who would be sleeping where in this van.

Downstairs in the Ocean, you lose a third of the width of the rear bench to accommodate a sideboard with lifting glass tops, under which are a deep fridge, double gas burner cooker and a sink with taps fed from the van’s water tank. Below those are sliding door cupboards and at the rear are tall wardrobe cupboards.

The bench folds down to create the bed - narrower than the Beach’s, but still with plenty of room for two adults if they're happy to be a bit cosy.

Sliding the rear bench back, gives a big expanse of floor area and a table slides out from the side of the cupboard. If you so desire, the front seats twist round, so that four people can sit round this.

But we’d taken the trouble to drive into glorious weather, so lunch outside was the order of the day. That meant taking out the picnic table smartly stashed in the California’s sliding door and unzipping the tailgate’s canvas base to release the two fold-out chairs even more cleverly hidden there.

Fancy some shade? An awning also winds out from the van’s roof, which stretches about two metres out by two-thirds of the van’s length.

California dreaming: Pitch up and the VW California can switch from driving to home mode. The pop-up roof tent houses a second double bed, while a picnic table and chairs are stashed in the sliding door and tailgate.

Buying a VW California 

VW has been factory building Californias now for 30 years, and it stays true to the ethos of the originally coachbuilt campervans, much-loved since the 1950s.

Both then and now, the concept is that a relatively compact van can pack in a place to sleep, eat and live - opening up a world of adventure.

That doesn’t come cheap though.

The Beach version starts at £43,295 on the road, for a 2.0 litre 150PS manual petrol, while the same engine and manual gearbox in an Ocean version, is £53,267.

A balance of more power and fuel economy can be had with a 2.0 litre turbodiesel with 204PS and 7-speed automatic gearbox at £59,345. Our van was a limited run Ocean Edition, which with its few options added would set a buyer back £65,879.

Those are luxury motoring numbers, but balanced against that the California packs in a lot of versatility and holds its value very well – losing less than 15 per cent of its value over three years, according to Cap HPI.

Inside the VW California and out on the road

The California makes a good impression. 

It might be based on a workman’s VW Transporter van, but I would argue this T6 version is the most handsome version since the classic T2s ceased production at the end of the 1970s.

Climb in and it feels distinctly unvanlike. The interior is nicely fitted out with big comfortable captain’s seats in the front and a well laid out dash, which in our van had a black piano finish that wouldn’t look out of place in a VW car.

Ride captain ride: The driver and passenger sit high up in the VW California in comfortable chairs that give a commanding view of the road

As a driver, you ride high and comfortable, but spoiled by modern day cars I found the steering wheel didn’t quite adjust enough.

The rear bench is fairly flat and utilitarian, but this is necessary for when it doubles as a bed with the fold out mattress on top. 

It is comfortable enough though and slides to give the choice between more boot and acres of floor space.

With the van all packed up on the second morning – a reversal of the learning curve involved in setting it all out - it was time to push on to our next destination, the renowned wine town of Chablis.

A motorway run was followed by the opportunity to put the California through its paces on some better routes, barrelling along the sweeping country roads as you enter Northern Burgundy. 

With the sun out, music on and good roads, the California was a surprisingly enjoyable companion.

It won’t win any drag races - reaching 60mph from standstill in 11 seconds - but it has a top speed of 121mph and plenty of mid-range power for accelerating onto the motorway and overtaking

Yes, the California wallows a bit in the bends – remember it is a van – but get into the swing of things and it’s fun to drive, with the torquey diesel engine powering its near 3 tonne weight out of the corners.

Nonetheless, we were glad to reach Chablis and its pretty riverbank campsite before too much of the day was lost to driving.

The VW California Ocean comes with a fridge, double gas burner cooker, and sink, with lifting sideboard lids above and cupboards below, but that means the rear bench only seats two

Sweet dreams: The rear bench in the VW California folds down to create a double bed, which is narrower in the Ocean due to the cupboards and kitchen down the side

Setting up the van that second afternoon was quicker. And we got marginally better at it with every day that passed of the trip, getting into the swing of what you need to do for a less painful arrival and departure.

The key to keeping life on the road as stress-free as possible in the California was to pack stuff into plenty of smaller bags. 

This makes it easier to find a place for everything, to dig it out when you need it without uprooting all your luggage, and reshuffle the van to go from driving mode to living mode and then sleeping mode.

Fortunately, the California is a bit of a Tardis. I’d been mildly worried about whether we’d fit everything in before the trip - eyeing up VW Transporters on the street and thinking that ‘they don’t actually look that big’.

Yet, it turned out that the cupboards and side wardrobe space in the van hold much more than you’d think – and there is a decent-sized space under the bedframe behind the rear bench.

Slide the rear bench forwards and you can expand the boot space, while there’s extra room if you pile things on top of the mattress behind the back seats. But you must remember that come night time you’ll need to turn all this into a bedroom and fit your stuff somewhere while you sleep.

In the end, we easily fitted four small suitcases of clothes, bedding, cooking stuff, food, kids books and toys, and even my inflatable canoe, pump and paddles into the van.

Wild thing: VW promotes the California with enticing shots of vans parked by the beach and out in the open, so a night's wild camping was called for to test this out. 

Wild camping

If organising all your gear is the mundane stuff of life with a California, the excitement lies in taking it on adventures.

In reality for most owners, the California will be a camper mostly slept in on a campsite, but that’s not the way VW sells it in the adverts, with artful shots of vans out in the wild.

Relax: Simon Lambert sits down to dinner in the French countryside on an evening out with the California

We decided that at least one night of wild camping was in order and chose southern Burgundy as our destination - the plan being to find a secluded spot for the evening.

There was just one small problem, where we came off the autoroute at Beaune was serious wine country.

The land around villages such as Pommard, Volnay and Meursalt is not accessible grassy fields or woodland you can tuck your campervan away in for the night, this is a landscape of meticulously maintained vineyards that produce bottles that start at €40 a pop.

The sun was dropping lower, the children were getting hungrier and mum and dad’s conversation more fractious, as we scanned for any likely looking spot to make our home for the night.

Doubt had set in and in my wife’s mind the prospective excitement of free camping had turned to the disappointment of a restless night sleeping in a layby.

Eventually, we picked our way up a steep road, through a hillside village called Orches, and found a more promising looking location. There was farmland on one side and some fields and open parcels of grassland on the other.

We pulled into a bigger patch of open land and I jumped out of the van to check it out. I ducked through some bushes and was presented with a magnificent sight.

We were on a plateau above a curve of cliffs, with a panoramic view over wine country at sunset.

Furthermore, the grassy area stretched further to a patch of land hidden from the road by some bushes. 

Our luck was in, we’d found the perfect spot for wild camping.

Slide away: The grassy area used for parking for the walking paths at the cliffs offered a handy spot to tuck the campervan into

Into the great wide open: The Falaises de Saint Romain offered a spectacular view out over Burgundy's wine country and a perfect spot for wild camping

Country house: The French are fairly relaxed when it comes to campervans parking up for the night, as long they do so in a way that will not trouble people. But you must stick to the golden rules of wild camping: arrive late, leave early and leave no trace

Suffice it to say, that evening was one of the highlights of our time with the California.

Never has homemade spaghetti carbonara and a few glasses of red wine tasted so good - and a walk at dusk along the cliffs was followed by sitting out under the stars, including a few shooting ones.

It was definitely better than a night in a layby. 

We slept soundly and the view when the sun rose the next morning was even more spectacular.

Driving the legendary Route Napoleon… in a van

Later that week, after a three night break from sleeping in the van in an Airbnb near Lake Annecy, we hit the road once more – headed for France’s mini version of the Grand Canyon, the Gorge du Verdon, in the mountains of Provence.

This gave a chance to drive one of Europe’s most famous roads, the Route Napoleon, albeit not in the type of car that you’d dream of doing it.

So-called because it follows the route taken by Napoleon in 1815 on his return from Elba, this winds its way through hills and mountains, from Cannes to the Southern Alps city of Grenoble.

Heading south, the most spectacular section runs from Digne to Castellane, our destination that day, and from there on to the Provence hill town of Grasse.

The narrow Route Napoleon clings to the mountainside, twisting and turning through stunning scenery, and as you come over the pass above Castellane you drive straight through a dramatic rock arch.

I tip my hat to the California, because while it might be a 4.9 metre long, 2.2 metre wide, three ton van, it was seriously good fun on a great road.

Running down a dream: It's a long way from a sportscar but the VW California proved to a surprisingly good fun to drive on the famous Route Napoleon

Campsite life

After the joy of an almost empty summer’s evening on the Route Napoleon, we arrived at our campsite on the Verdon river, near Castellane. Here we’d spend the next three days and car would become house again.

Arriving at dusk on a day when it had rained heavily until mid-afternoon, the advantage of a campervan over a tent was highlighted once more.

There would be no crouching and clambering about in the fading light, trying to get a tent up with a distinct damp chill in the air. 

Nor would we need to be digging a trench around our accommodation, as our neighbours under canvas had.

We simply, pulled onto our pitch, got the van level, popped the roof up, plugged ourselves into the electricity point, switched on the lights, pulled out the awning, got the chairs and table out, and started cooking dinner – an altogether easier experience.

Obviously, the reverse is somewhat true when it comes to going out for the day - you must pack up your home before you can drive off. However, if the weather is relatively kind you can leave some stuff out behind.

The rest of that week was van life at its best. Days spent exploring around the Gorge du Verdon, including a canoeing trip up the canyon down by the huge Lac de Sainte Croix. 

Evenings spent sat out eating dinner and enjoying good wine under the incredible stars and bright moon light of the crystal clear sky, soundtracked by the river rapids 20 metres away.

A lesson was learned too. It can get chilly in the van overnight, even in Provence in mid-August. We were still about 650 metres above sea level and the temperature dropped at night. Downstairs in the van is relatively warm, but upstairs the girls got cold in the tented roof and needed bundling up in extra clothes and bedding.

The California does have a nifty parking heater that can be run separate to the engine and main electrics. Unfortunately, we were late to the party in learning to use this and had we got a better hang of it we could have staved off the late night and early morning chill better.

A brief history of VW campervans 

Park life: The VW camper was made popular by the classic conversions from the 1950s through to the end of the 1970s, such as the T2 pictured here

The Volkswagen van was launched in 1950 and given the factory name Type 2, following on from VW's first car, the Beetle, or Type 1.

The German car maker's first van was the split-screen model made until 1967 and dubbed the T1. Just a year after it went on sale camper conversions were launched by Westfalia, which VW developed an official relationship with.

The T1 was followed by the uprated second generation bay window vans, known as the T2, made until 1979 (although continued in Brazil until 2013).

The onset of the eighties ushered in the angular lines of the T3 van (also known as T25) made between 1979 and 1990.

Family affair: The California name for the VW campers is now 30 years old, stretching back to the T3 vans of the late 1980s

The California name began to be used for Westfalia campervan conversions in 1988, and in 1990 VW's more modern T4 was launched and made until 2003.

In 2001, Westfalia was bought out by VW rival DaimlerChrysler, so Volkswagen decided to make campervans in-house. The T5 van was launched in 2003 and today's T6 vans arrived in 2015.

An all-electric concept van design called the I.D Buzz was revealed by VW last year, showing what could be the base for the campervans of the future.

Electric avenue: A concept design for the VW van of the future, the I.D Buzz

A week as a family runabout and the final run home

After three nights in the Gorge du Verdon, our main camping stretch of the holiday was done.

On the final morning, we packed up and then drove another chunk of the Route Napoleon, through the hills of Provence towards Grasse, before heading off to the coast near Le Lavandou, between Marseille and St Tropez. Here we would stay in a villa with my wife’s sister and her family for a week.

For those seven days, the California reverted to a family runabout, doing trips to the beach, the shops and into town. It manages that more than capably.

Yes, you are driving something larger than most, but it’s not so big as to have trouble getting around or parking, and the ability to sling lots of stuff in the back (including the kids through that big sliding door) is definitely handy. 

A nice extra touch of using a campervan as your car is having a fridge in the back to keep the shopping and drinks chilled.

All night long: The final evening in the VW California called for another spot of wild camping, as bad traffic turned an eight hour drive into a 12 hour journey. As we weren't going to reach our campsite destination, we left the autoroute and found a quiet spot off a country road

At the end of that week, it was time for a blast back from the Med to the Channel and onto London in a day-and-a-half, with one final night’s camping. This was a far less interesting drive than our route down, but still allowed for a last bit of adventure.

Dreadful traffic on the Autoroute du Soleil out of the South of France meant that an eight hour journey took more than twelve hours and our plan of getting to a campsite by dinner time was scuppered. 

Instead, we tapped into the van’s potential for changing plans once more and stopped for dinner en route, before driving another three hours and pulling off the motorway to find a place to park up and sleep for the night.

This time it was a field farm track just off a rural road. Less spectacular than our other night’s wild camping, but pleasant nonetheless when we woke to early morning sunshine in the central French countryside and not a soul around.

From there it was four hours to Calais, a ferry back to Dover, and the trudge back to London. It’s a mark of a good car that you’ll miss it; and we were sad to have slept our last night in the California, to have done our last stint of roaming about in it, and to have to give it back.

You can see why 30 years into the California’s life and almost 70 years into the VW campervan’s history, the love for them is still going strong.

The Cars & motoring verdict on the VW California

Misty mountain hop: If you use the California for regular adventure, then you’d probably be more than happy to put up with the inconvenience over a standard family car

If you haven’t worked out that I rated the VW California yet, then you skipped the review above. A fortnight-and-half spent on an adventure in one is a lot of fun.

But what if you had to live with it rather than just have a holiday romance, would the VW California be a good buy and could it cut it as a family car?

The first part of that question depends on the owner. Buying a California would mean making a commitment to splashing out and making sure that you made the most of it.

To justify running a hefty van over a family car, you would need to ensure that you were heading out camping on regular occasion and that you want to get into van life sufficiently to justify not simply buying a perfectly good tent.

If you do that, then you’ll probably love the California.

For a couple, it would be perfect, as you can divide living and sleeping space. For a family of four it’s great, but once children get bigger squeezing you all in will get trickier - and when they hit secondary school age youngsters may not want to be sharing a campervan bed.

That said, buy a tent to go with it and your problem is solved.

The California could cut it in normal family life with a few sacrifices. 

It will be harder to park, a bit more cumbersome to get around, a little less smooth than a normal car and with the Ocean you don’t have three seats in the back.

There is one issue that bothers British owners though, the California is a straight left to right-hand drive swap, so the rear sliding door is on the driver’s side in the UK. 

That means kids are likely to have to be let out road rather than kerbside.

You’ll also spend more on fuel and running costs than with an estate, SUV or saloon. 

We averaged 28.8mpg over 2,100 miles but that involved swift autoroute driving and some mountain roads. In everyday life you’d be doing better than that but you’d have to be the judge of whether you’d get the claimed 38.7mpg on the combined cycle.

However, if you use the California for regular adventure, then you’d probably be more than happy to put up with lower fuel economy and some mild practical inconvenience over a standard car.

VW California Ocean 

VW California Ocean Edition, 2.0 TDI

Price: £64,385 on the road 

Engine: 2.0 litre turbodiesel

Power: 204PS at 4,000 rpm

Gearbox: 7-speed DSG automatic

Front wheel drive

Top speed: 121mph

0 to 62mph: 11.0 seconds

CO2: 190g/km

Gross vehicle weight: 3,080kg

Length: 4,904mm | Width: 2,297mm

Height: 1,990mm

Fuel consumption (mpg): 32.5 urban | 44.1 extra-urban | 38.7 combined 

Which brings us to the small matter of the price.

The VW California is expensive. Prices start at £43,000 for the Beach, but if you want the Ocean’s cooker, fridge, sink etc, you need to pay at least £53,000. 

Add an automatic gearbox and bigger diesel engine and the price tag rises.

There are two things to note, however.

The VW California holds its value spectacularly well. Figures from the experts at Cap HPI suggest that over its first year on the road an automatic 2.0 TDI Beach version would lose just 3 per cent of its value and over three years it would be worth 83 per cent of the original cost. 

Other versions are likely to perform similarly price wise and a well-looked after California will always be in hot demand second hand.

Secondly, you do get a lot for your money. It’s fairly easy to get the price of premium family cars up to the £50,000 mark nowadays. Buy a Jaguar F-Pace, Volvo XC60, or Audi A6 Avant, go up the engine range and choose a few options and you’ll hit the cost of a California easily.

Arguably, a campervan that sleeps four and quite literally throws in a kitchen sink (along with a cooker, fridge, cupboards and more) represents comparable value even if it is a little less luxurious.

It's a testament to the worth people see in their versatility and the VW campervan's enduring appeal that you still see so many vans well into their third or fourth decade of life on the road. 

Will the 2018 VW California attract the same love in four decades’ time that my father-in-law’s classic T2 invites today? Maybe it will.

And will VW still be making some version of the campervan in the 2050s? It’ll probably be electric, but I hope so.

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2018 Volkswagen California Camper Van Road Trip

Touring the Golden State in the pop-top van that bears its name.

As a native Californian, I often forget what all the fuss is about. We’ve got our petty rivalries here. The folks in the northern Sierras and Cascades dream of absconding with southern Oregon to create the State of Jefferson. Generalized NorCal types gripe about the superficial bogosity of our brothers across the Tehachapis. Coastal dwellers grumble about the inland hicks. Those of us on the river system grumble about Big Ag in the southern San Joaquin Valley and how its incessant demand for water decimates our fisheries. Meanwhile, the farmers complain about the greedy hippies in Sacramento who won’t let them grow food because of some stupid little fish. Stony shredders up in Tahoe just wanna send it. And everybody hates the moneyed, milquetoast techbros who managed to do what the FBI’s COINTELPRO couldn’t back in the 1960s—demolish a vibrant Bay Area countercultural tradition.

Goldbären Flag

If you’re unfamiliar with the Volkswagen California, that’s understandable, as the model has never been offered in the United States. You are, however, no doubt familiar with its progenitor, the Westfalia pop-top camper. Westfalia-Werke began modifying Volkswagen Microbuses for live-aboard duty early in the storied van’s career and kept at it until—and even after—Westfalia was bought out by DaimlerChrysler in 2001. In 2003, VW launched its in-house version of the California, based on the T5-generation Transporter. Although the current, T6-based California launched in 2015 , Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge (literally, Vehicles of Use; officially, Commercial Vehicles) recently staged an event celebrating three decades of the van in California, aiming to give writers from around the globe a taste of the Southern California lifestyle. Since the campers were here, the Germans invited American journalists out for a crack at the sort of machine we haven’t seen since the T4 EuroVan went the way of the California grizzly bear after the 2003 model year. Having lived in the Golden State for 41 years, I was largely disinterested in a German tourist’s vision of my home state, so I skipped many of the planned stops in favor of my own beloved roads and spots; I also took a nap, ate strawberries, and listened to loud music.

We picked up our vans in a parking lot at Los Angeles International Airport, truly a wondrous and frustrating locale, its own little Angeleno microcosm. I cued up “Van” by the Descendents, who formed just down the coast from the airport and released their early albums on New Alliance and SST, South Bay record labels at the vanguard of the American underground in the 1980s. Creeping up the chockablock 405, Robert Downey Jr.’s custom 1970 Mustang passed me on the back of a transporter. So far, so good, so Los Angeles. Stopping in Malibu, I picked up some strawberries and a pair of socks featuring the Descendents’ Milo Goes to College album art. Synergy, man. It lives in these canyons. Finally breaking out of traffic, I rounded Point Mugu on Highway 1 and caught sight of a pair of C-130s sitting on the apron at the Air National Guard base. Back in the 1970s, my old neighbor Jim used to fly Navy Hercs out of Mugu as part of Antarctic Development Squadron Six. Despite their base south of sunny Ventura, VXE-6 was tasked with flying their ski-equipped LC-130s from forward operating bases into Antarctica. Takeoffs from the frozen continent often employed JATO boosters. Rockets and skis? How is that anything less than entirely badass? When I was a kid, Jim flew civilian 130s for Flying Tigers and Southern Air Transport, and I’ve had a lifelong affection for the versatile transports because of his history with them. They were designed in Burbank, after all.

Size and Perspective

Just north of Point Mugu, I stopped at a Best Buy in Oxnard for a memory card and parked the California between a pair of Geek Squad Transits. Sitting between the Fords, the Transporter is obviously one size class down from the big vans. In markets where Volkswagen goes head to head with Ford in the work-van segment, the Transit’s competition is the VW Crafter. The T6 is roughly a Mercedes-Benz Metris–sized proposition, and although the Daimler product is longer, the Volkswagen looks larger.

North of Ventura, I pulled over above a beach where we spent a pleasant January afternoon shooting an Audi A3 cabriolet three years ago, pulled the strawberries out of the fridge, and played a little harmonica while I took in the afternoon salt air. When Matthias Hohner, a Swabian clockmaker, made his first harmonicas in 1857, he likely had no idea that they’d become one of the defining sounds of the American West. And I doubt that 90 years later, Dutch VW importer Ben Pon figured that the Beetle-based van he sketched for the boys in Wolfsburg would become a fixture on the American West Coast, as potent a shorthand for 1967 California as Jimi Hendrix’s flaming guitar at the Monterey International Pop Festival.

The T6 California has eight times the horsepower of the original Type 2, offering 201 ponies and 258 lb-ft of torque. That doesn’t seem like a whole lot, given that a Honda Odyssey offers 280 horsepower, but I never felt like the VW lacked for power, despite VW’s quoted 10.5-second zero-to-62-mph time for the front-wheel-drive version. The chassis is nothing short of excellent, supplying a plush, well-damped ride that nevertheless offers plenty of warning when one’s in danger of overcooking things in a corner. That is, if the bottles of fizzy water clanging around in the fridge aren’t warning enough. On the freeway, the van is happy to cruise at extralegal speeds, although it’s not exactly immune to crosswinds. On a winding mountain road, the Cali tends to be content right around the posted limit. Give it extra beans in the bends, and the weight of the pop-top roof makes itself known.

As the in-dash infotainment system wasn’t set up with North American maps, VW had supplied us with Garmin nav units. With some time to kill before I was due at the first night’s campsite, I ventured down State Route 150, a lovely ribbon of asphalt that ripples through the hills between Carpinteria and Ojai. When it was time to head to camp, the Garmin suggested I take 23 miles worth of fire roads to get from where I was to the campsite. Two miles in, a sign threatened me with all manner of death, dismemberment, and incarceration if I proceeded farther. There was also an impassable gate. Really, the gate alone would’ve been enough to deter me. Back on the paved road, it turned out that camp was only about eight miles away. Still, the all-wheel-drive van had handled the rutted dirt road with aplomb, and the view of Lake Casitas from the fire road was pretty outstanding.

Setting up the camper turned out to be a pleasurable scavenger hunt. A VW representative skittered about, pointing out the van’s hidden features, like the battery-operated footlight that detaches to become a handy flashlight and the folding chairs zippered into a compartment in the liftgate. Integrated into the van’s single sliding door is a pop-out freestanding table for outdoor use. A drawer under the rear seat has a crank handle clipped into it. Take it out, slip it into a hole at the rear end of the awning, and with a few winds of the handle, you’ve got outdoor shade.

The pop-up roof itself is easy as pie to put up. There’s a monochrome multifunction display in the ceiling console. Simply select the top, choose whether you’d like to open or close it, then push the button centered in the controller knob. The bed is mounted on gas struts, so it can be pushed up and out of the way to allow standing inside the van, handy when one’s on chef duty. The rear seat also easily unfolds into a bed, and although I extended it for the sake of science, I couldn’t bring myself to sleep in it. I am, after all, a six-year-old boy at heart, and six-year-old boys want to sleep upstairs in the tent.

Oil and Water, Cracks and Naps

Up in the loft, I unzipped the shade facing the Pacific Ocean, conked out to the distant sound of surf and the quiet whoosh of US 101 below me, and awoke to the sight of the oil platforms dotting the Dos Cuadras and Carpinteria fields between the Santa Barbara County shoreline and Santa Cruz Island. In 1969, when Unocal was first drilling out here, a blowout caused what’s now the third-worst oil spill in American history, after the Exxon Valdez and Deepwater Horizon . I remember scraping tar off my Boogie board in the 1980s, just up the coast at El Capitan, and my mother telling me about the spill. To my young mind, 1969 seemed so long ago, but it wasn’t, not really. It’d been only a decade and a half since Bryan Adams picked up his first real six string. It’s now been well over two decades since I picked up mine. But given that I’ve never seen the waters off Santa Barbara without them, the drilling rigs seem eternal. Thankfully, they’re not. Shell is dismantling the platforms in the North Sea’s famed Brent Field, and one day, the Dos Cuadras platforms will meet the same fate. The rigs seem an anomaly in an area of such natural beauty, a reminder of an era that lasted from the Gold Rush until into the 1970s, when California—having dammed every stream easily dammed, farmed every bit of land easily farmed, mined everything easily mined, and logged everything easily logged—realized that perhaps its resources weren’t infinite after all.

After spending a little too much time musing on the oil rigs, I wanted to see a bit of unspoiled California. Luckily, the next night’s campsite was in the Cuyama Valley, not far from the Carrizo Plain National Monument. So after a middling burrito in Ojai—after a decade’s worth of Mission District burritos in San Francisco, every other burrito is middling by comparison—I set off over Mount Pinos for California’s last unspoiled natural grassland. Naturalist John Muir once walked across our Central Valley. No mean feat, given that said valley is roughly the size of the northern half of Tennessee. Fly from L.A. to Sacramento today, and, if you look down, you’ll see some 300 miles worth of agricultural geometry bounded by the Coast Range on the left and the Sierras on the right. Green square, brown square, vaguely different green rectangle, Fresno to starboard, Coalinga and Avenal to port. Muir, however, describes walking across a vast plain filled with wildflowers, which I like to think of as the inverse of the valley’s modern big-money squares. Last year, after a very wet winter, the Carrizo Plain turned into a small-scale version of the place Muir experienced. Local media termed it the “superbloom.” I caught the tail end of it, bounding up the plain on a dirt bike, meeting car after car full of people who’d come out to see the flowers. The place is usually empty, just me and the odd rattlesnake. If you’re lucky, you might see some pronghorn antelope. I’ve never been that fortunate, but the emptiness and sparse wildlife of the plain is a reminder of just what a foreboding land we’ve ostensibly tamed.

I hadn’t fallen asleep until late the night before, and I was feeling it, so I pulled over next to a great crack in the earth. The San Andreas Fault runs right up the plain, and there’s visible evidence of seismic activity all over the place, though I suppose this miniature double ravine could’ve been cut by a stream of some sort. Whatever its cause, it’s always a touchstone of my trips up the plain, and today I figured I’d pop the roof, clamber on up, and sleep for an hour as the afternoon westerlies buffeted the van.

A couple of hours later, I found myself watching the sun set over the mountains from a plateau above the Cuyama Valley. With the darkness came a chill, and the VW’s gasoline-fueled heater kept the van perfectly toasty all night.

Of Dio and Deserts

The next morning, I cranked in the awning, dropped the top, stowed the table, and set off into the San Emigdio Mountains cranking Black Sabbath’s Heaven and Hell. There’s something about this corner of California that pairs naturally with the Ronnie James Dio–fronted incarnation of the band. It’s a patchwork of oil wells from Lost Hills down to Taft, Cuyama Valley agriculture, rolling ranchland, and pine forests that is somehow of a piece, all perfectly soundtracked by three blokes from Birmingham, England, and a mystical little dude from Cortland, New York. I’m not exactly sure why, but I think it has something to do with the fact that the mountains seem to go every which direction down here and don’t really sort themselves out for good until you hit Highway 46.

I made my way to Lebec, hopped on I-5, then struck east on State Route 138 out into the Mojave, blasting past Joshua trees and unremarkable chaparral, wind farms spinning to the north in the corner of my eye. State Route 14 took me back into the sprawl of Los Angeles, and I blared L.A.’s most perfect band, X, all the way back to Lawndale. I hadn’t been down the 405 in daylight since the winter’s fires. Hillsides that’d been totally denuded by flame were showing signs of life, once again green with ground cover. Only the inky, skeletal trees gave away what’d happened here not even six months prior. In Los Angeles, even the landscape forgets.

The Volkswagen California I drove, a top-of-the-line Ocean Red model, would set one back more than $90,000 if VW deigned to bring it to America. Given that a much larger Mercedes-Benz Sprinter–based Airstream runs about $165,000, the pricing is not entirely insane, even if the thought of spending Porsche 911 money on a Volkswagen van—a machine long associated with malodorous, impoverished, patchoulified longhairs—might ruffle the mental and emotional feathers a bit. However, a stripper version of the Cali, with an 83-hp diesel engine, a manual transmission, and no stove or deluxe accoutrements—basically just a front-wheel-drive Transporter with a pop-up roof—starts around $43,000. But don’t get your hopes up. The Transporter is not federalized, and its maker has no plans to do so just so you can fantasize a little harder about having a new VW camper.

That’s not to say it isn’t a shame. The California really is a wonderful vehicle: long-legged, all-day comfortable, fun to sleep in, and just generally a pleasure to use. Not everyone, however, wants to bear the burden and expense of living in California. It’s not for everybody. But it sure is wonderful to explore.

Specifications

SPECIFICATIONS:

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 3-door van

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE (Germany): $55,000

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 121 cu in, 1984 cc Power: 201 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 258 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 118.1 in Length: 193.1 in Width: 75.0 in Height: 78.3 in Curb weight ( C/D est): 5900 lb

PERFORMANCE ( C/D EST): Zero to 60 mph: 10.5 sec Zero to 100 mph: 35.0 sec Standing ¼-mile: 17.7 sec Top speed: 123 mph

EPA FUEL ECONOMY ( C/D EST): Combined/city/highway: 19/17/21 mpg

Davey G. Johnson has been writing about the machines that move us since 2001. His first automobile was an El Camino, his first motorcycle a Guzzi, and his first sports car a Porsche, informing his admittedly fungible belief that one should haul American, drive German, and ride Italian.

Remembering Davey

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VanLife! A Three-Day Road Trip in the VW T6 California, Which We Will Never, Ever Get Here

It was cruel of Volkswagen to taunt us with this forbidden fruit; cruel but kind, kind of.

Volkswagen California van

In Europe, they like to imagine the freedom of driving a microbus up the California coast, with all the California clichés that go with it. So the European version of this van is called the California, available in Beach and Ocean trim levels. When we could still get these in the U.S., VW called ours the Eurovan . Germans are idealizing our world and we’re idealizing theirs. The grass is always greener.

The last time you could buy a VW van in the United States was 2003. I know, I bought one. In fact, over the years I’ve bought several VW vans . It’s my one weakness. I’ve had: a ’64, ’77, ’79 and the aforementioned 2003, which I still have. I would certainly love to have one of these new models, aka the T6. The T6 California is, obvs, two models more refined than my 2003 T4 Eurovan, but two things prevent me from buying one and prevent Volkswagen from offering them here: Thing 1) they would cost $110,000 as-tested, and Thing 2) VW has no plans to ever bring them here. There’s also a Thing 3 in that the T6 is not certified to U.S. crash-test standards –- to do so would surely be one of the big humps over which even a 4Motion T6 could not drive.

A Road Trip in a VW California van

So why did VW invite me and certain other distinguished members of the automotive press to go camping for three days in California in new T6 vans? Well, it’s the global introduction of the thing, and they were going to have all these global media types from countries all around the world where they sell the T6 driving them here anyway, so they figured: Why not invite some U.S. auto scribes to drive it? Being a lifelong VW van enthusiast, I said, “Jawohl!”

The T6 really is better than the T4 in almost every way. The most impressive thing? Every window has hidden little blackout screens you can pull down, or up, so the morning sun doesn’t blast your eyeballs awake at 0600 hours. The rest of the vehicle is pretty cool, too. For instance, the pop top is now electrically operated -- at least it was on my Ocean Red model. To get the upper bunk out of the way when you’re cooking dinner or washing the dishes, you simply push the whole thing up against the raised roof. My ancient 2003 T4 requires that you manhandle a large, heavy bed shelf section up, forward and then back. This new van’s upper bunk is so much easier to maneuver. The foldout bed in the back is also way easier to fold out. All you have to do is roll up the big floor mat, sit on the rear bench, lift a metal handle and slide everything forward. Voila! Bed! There’s even a separate mattress assembly that covers the folded-out bed for added comfort. The sliding side window operates much more smoothly and securely, too. The list goes on and on. It’s better in every way.

Driving it is a breeze. I put about 500 miles on mine over the course of three days and remained just as enthusiastic about it at the end of the three days as I was at the beginning. The driver’s seat is comfysupportive, with two adjustable armrests. The steering wheel is just right -- smaller it seems than the wheel in the T4.

Power in the T6 comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline-fed four, cranking out 201 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. There’s also a 201-hp diesel four. And there are 148-hp versions of each of those engines. These Euro-spec vans come with your choice of five- and six-speed manual transmissions (heaven!) or a seven-speed DSG gearbox. Front-wheel drive is standard but 4Motion awd is available on the upscale models. My T6 California Ocean weighed in at 5,884 pounds, according to the Euro-spec spec sheet.

Thus equipped, off I drove up the coast. Eventually. One thing they probably don’t show you in the European sales brochures is LA traffic. On a Sunday afternoon through Malibu it is at a crawl. You could complain about it or you could say it gives you more opportunities to view the spectacular California coastline. Waves were decent, and as they rose up to break you could see their emerald-green translucence backlit by the afternoon sun. VW had provided no boards, however, so there would be no surfing. But from your stop-n-slog spot in the mad conga line of PCH depravity, if you really strained your brain, you could imagine a time when this place really was paradise. Maybe on a Monday headed north?

And north I drove. VW had struck a one-time-only deal with a landowner whose hilltop spread gazed down upon the perfect right point of Rincon, one of the best surf spots in the world. Our first night’s campsite was spectacular, made cozy perfect by the California’s many camper features. The van has a roll-out sunshade, which you might expect, but its tailgate also conceals two folding chairs. The sliding side door holds a table. Another table swings up from inside the van on the countertop that holds the stove, fridge and kitchen sink. The front seats rotate around to face backwards so four people can sit inside and have dinner or play poker. This is cocooning at its finest.

While many of my colleagues slept upstairs in their vans, I, being a van owner, knew the mattress is softer down below. With all those window shades in place, I slept like a piece of roadkill.

The next day, it was off to the remote and trackless Los Padres National Forest, via Ojai and Santa Barbara. I added a leg to Manhattan Beach to shoot the new T6 next to my old T4. Everybody was fascinated by the T6. People wanted to know when it was coming and whether they could buy one. People love this thing. “Sorry, man,” I said over and over. I suggested they could buy the coming VW ID Buzz, which looks a lot more like the original microbus. They didn’t seem heartened by that suggestion, especially when told it wasn’t coming till 2022.

What would have happened if VW had continued to offer its “Eurovan” here in the U.S.? Well, for one thing, VW probably wouldn’t have made any money on them. The last time a Eurovan MV Weekender was offered here was 2003, and the base sticker price for an MV Weekender, which had a flip-up table, a fridge and the pop-top, was officially $31,025. With dealer markups, the price was often over $40,000. The price was more than that if you got the full camper version with the stove, sink and refrigerator. They sold like cold cakes. It’s only in nostalgia, or in the shouted pleadings of guys in traffic who realize they’re right next to a real T6, that a vehicle like this makes sense. Would you pay $110,000 for one of these? I mean, really pay $110,000, or are you just saying you would?

I pointed out to one of the VW guys that people are dropping $155,000 for an Airstreamed version of a Mercedes Sprinter van, and that if Airstream can make money on those, surely VW could do the same at this lower price of just $110K, right? He just smiled and shook his head. Wait for that ID Buzz, I told myself. It’s roomy inside and comes with electric power, which by 2022 will have to mean increased range, right?

For now, I will keep dreaming. But I have big plans for the ID Buzz.

Vehicle Model Information

ON SALE: Never

BASE PRICE: mid-50s, converted from Euros

AS TESTED PRICE: $110,000 converted from Euros

POWERTRAIN: 2.0-liter turbo four, 7-speed DSG, awd

OUTPUT: 201 hp at 4200-6000 rpm, 258 lb ft at 1500-4000 rpm

CURB WEIGHT: 5884 pounds (mfg.)

PROS: A practical, everyday-liveable icon of transportation

CONS: Ridiculous sticker, never-neverland availability

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A Vanlifer’s Ultimate California Road Trip [With Local Destination Guides]

The beauty of van life is the ability to drive wherever, whenever you want. And, in our opinion, a California road trip is one of the best adventures you can go on in the United States.

There aren’t many places in the world that have deserts, mountain ranges, and white sandy beaches all in one area — this is why California comes out on top as a road trip destination. From the redwoods in the Sequoia National Park to the snowy peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California has it all. And if the Golden State wasn’t on your road trip bucket list already, it will be soon enough.

As road trippers, we know that sometimes the hardest part about van life or road trips is finding a route that’s both time and fuel-efficient. It can be a tedious task, we get it.

But luckily for you, we’ve done the hard part and curated the ultimate California road trip itinerary.

Whether you plan to begin your journey in California or if you’re passing through the area, keep on reading. You won’t want to miss this California coast road trip!

Short On Time? Here’s Our California Road Trip Itinerary

If you don’t have time to read our entire guide, you can view a short version of the itinerary below; you can go ahead and jump to any section that peaks your interest. 

Also, be sure to check out our itinerary maps. So as not to overwhelm you, we’ve split the itinerary into 2 legs:

• Redwood National Park to Los Angeles

LA to Lassen Volcanic National Park

Redwood national park to la.

The first leg largely takes you along the Pacific Coast Highway. Here is our recommended list of stops on this leg of the road trip:

Redwood National Park

Napa valley, san francisco, monterey county, santa barbara.

• Greater Los Angeles

This leg will keep you on the coast until you reach San Diego; from there, you’ll head inland and north again.

These are the stops we’ll recommend for the second leg of the journey:

Palm Springs

• Joshua Tree
• Death Valley

Sequoia National Park

• Lassen National Forest

Our California road trip starts off along the state’s north coast at the Redwood National Park. 

As I’m sure you can gather from the name, the Redwood National Park is one of the top places in the world to walk amongst some of the biggest trees on Earth. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be an ant, then you’ll have your answer after visiting Redwood. 

Some of the trees in the Redwood National Park are over 2,000 years old and stand over 300 feet tall. With countless hikes, scenic drives, and access to the beach, you can spend 2 to 3 days at the National Park, taking in all the natural beauty, wildlife, and breathtaking views. 

Scenic Drives in Redwood National Park

Sometimes, the best part about a road trip is driving along large stretches of road with valleys or coastlines rolling past your windows.

As the Redwood National Park is easily accessible, there are numerous routes you can drive along for uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean or the towering redwoods . Here are some of our favorites: 

• Redwood Creek Overlook
• Klamath River Overlook
• Crescent Beach Overlook
• Howland Hill Road
• Bald Hills Road
• Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
• Coastal Loop

Campgrounds in Redwood National Park

Redwood National Park is actually split into 4 sections: the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and the Redwood National Park.

There are no hotels within the National Park boundaries , but there are 4 campsites in the 3 State Parks. It’s best to book these campsites in advance, especially if you’re visiting during the summer months. 

Visitors Centers

As with many National Parks throughout America, the Redwood National Park has a couple of visitor centers where you can learn more about the area and all of its history.

The Kuchel Visitor Center is the park’s main center, but you can also find the Hiouchi Redwoods Visitor Center in the northern section of the park.

From the Redwood National Park, there is a beautiful scenic drive down Highway 1, aka Pacific Coast Highway, which takes you along vast stretches of California’s coast. Many people refer to this drive as the Lost Coast, and we find it the perfect route to the next California road trip stop of Mendocino. 

The drive is roughly 4 hours , but there are numerous campgrounds along the way to break up your time on the road. Some of the campsites are even dotted along the shores, so the journey is a destination in itself. 

When you reach Mendocino, you’re in for even more incredible hikes through spectacular state parks, strolls along the magnificent California coastline, and you can even add a little wine tasting to the itinerary if you so wish. 

State Parks in Mendocino

These are the state parks you’ll find in Mendocino :

• Russian Gulch State Park 
• Mendocino Headlands State Park
• Van Damme State Park

Other Things to Do in Mendocino

Apart from visiting parks, here are a few more things you can do while you’re exploring Mendocino :

• Wonder through Downtown Mendocino
• Visit the Mendocino Bay Viewpoint for that perfect photo opportunity
• Cycle or hike along the Big River Haul Road
• Witness incredible wildlife at the Jug Handle State Natural Reserve
• Kayak or paddle board down the Big River
• Head to the Point Cabrillo Light Station
• Visit one of Mendocino’s vineyards for a wine tasting experience

Also, from November through to April, you can head out on a whale watching tour to see California gray whales .

If you didn’t manage to get any wine tasting done in Mendocino, you’re in luck. Napa Valley is one of California’s most famous wine regions , and is lined with vineyards and wineries of indescribable beauty. If you’re a wine connoisseur, we’d highly urge you to dedicate a few days for a wine country road trip through Napa County.

Of course, as you can imagine, there are numerous vineyards to explore, with the most popular being the Sattui Winery in St. Helena.

Things to Do in Napa Besides Wine Tasting

If you aren’t a fan of wine , don’t worry — there are plenty of other things to do in Napa :

• See the vineyards and Mount Saint Helena from a bird’s eye view in a hot air balloon.
• Ride the 36-mile round trip Napa Valley Wine Train.
• Visit Calistoga and relax in some of the country’s best and only mud baths.
• Walk along the streets of Downtown Napa.
• Dine in style at one of Napa’s six Michelin Star restaurants. 
• Hike up, Mount St. Helena. The hike is moderately challenging, but you get magnificent views of the Napa region.
• Drive down the Silverado Trail to see the hills and vineyards of Napa.

After wrapping up in Napa Valley, you’ll want to make your way down to San Francisco.  Well known throughout the world for its numerous attractions and landmarks, San Francisco is an absolute must-visit destination on your great California road trip. 

Golden Gate Bridge

When 4 engineers designed and built the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937, it was the longest suspension bridge on Earth. That record has now been beaten by the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Tokyo, but the Golden Gate Bridge still remains one of the modern wonders of the world.

The bridge, which is 1.7 miles long , has become the most photographed bridge on the planet and should definitely be on your must-see list when visiting San Francisco.

If famous bridges weren’t enough, San Francisco is also home to — arguably — the world’s most notorious prison, Alcatraz. The federal prison may not house any prisoners today, but it has become one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

When you visit the prison on Alcatraz Island, you can take a walk inside and see where the likes of Al Capone and George Kelly served their time . 

Ride the Cable Cars

San Francisco is the only place in the world with manually operated cable car systems running through its streets. 

When the first cable cars were added to their tracks in 1873, their popularity soared. But, just under 20 years later, engineers designed the first electric streetcar, and so the decline of manual cars began. 

In our opinion, the cable cars in San Francisco are an excellent way to see the city, and as they’re the last manual cable cars in the world, its an experience you won’t get elsewhere.

Visit San Francisco’s Resident Sea Lions

If you’ve heard anything about San Francisco, then you’re probably well aware of the city’s resident sea lions. You can find the California sea lion community on the docks of Pier 19 at the Fisherman’s Wharf . 

If you’re traveling with kids, then Fisherman’s Wharf is also a great place to explore as it has a high concentration of family-related activities. The USS Pampanito submarine, which took part in World War II, Madame Tussauds wax museum, and  Ripley’s Believe It or Not! are just a few of the kid-friendly attractions in Fisherman’s Wharf. 

Visit the Twin Peaks

If you’re after amazing views of the Bay Area, you need to head to the Twin Peaks. The peaks stand at 922 feet tall and are easily accessible by car or tourist bus.

After you’ve been to the top of the peaks, you can make your way back down to the 64-acre park and enjoy some quiet time. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the endangered Mission Blue Butterfly.

Roughly an hour’s drive south of San Francisco is the next stop on your California road trip — Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz sure does have some character and is seen by many as the land of the mountains, surf, and laid-back vibes .

When you think of a Californian beach town, Santa Cruz is what will pop up in your head.  Surfers ripping waves in the ocean, boardwalks along the beach, and plenty of ice cream stalls dotted around the place. 

Whether you stop in Santa Cruz for just the day or if you spend the entire weekend there, you’re guaranteed a fun, relaxed, and enjoyable visit. 

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is iconic. It’s been in numerous movies mainly thanks to its old-fashioned fun fair that features a historic wooden roller coaster, The Giant Dipper. 

Everyone loves amusement parks, especially when they’re situated right alongside the beach, so spend the afternoon getting your adrenaline pumping and indulge in the Boardwalk’s many sweet treats.

Drive Along West Cliff Drive

Driving along any stretch of California’s Pacific Coast Highway is unforgettable, and the West Cliff Drive is no exception. West Cliff has some of the most beautiful views in all of Santa Cruz, and if you have time, we highly recommend getting out of your car and taking in the refreshing ocean air.

You may never have heard of Monterey County, but once your road trip is complete, you’ll most definitely want to head back. 

Carmel-by-the-Sea

One of the most popular attractions in Monterey is the beach in the city of Carmel. The beach is stunning with its white sand and relatively calm waters, which makes it a great stop for families on the road.

After you’ve finished up at the beach, you need to take a stroll through the quaint Carmel-by-the-Sea town. It feels like you’ve jumped in a time machine and headed back in time. The cobblestone paths and unique buildings are an attraction of their own when visiting Monterey. 

Drive the 17 Mile Drive

The 17-mile drive down the Monterey Peninsula’s southern side is an epic road that gives you some of the most beautiful views that Monterey has to offer.

We recommend starting the drive from the Pacific Grove Gate and working your way down to Carmel to enjoy the beach and Carmel city. 

Other Things to Do in Monterey

Here are a few more activities that are worth your time while you’re in Monterey :

• Go shopping on Cannery Row and see one of the largest populations of California sea lions.
• Visit the award-winning Monterey Bay Aquarium.
• Go souvenir shopping at Old Fisherman’s Wharf.
• Head out on one of the many whale watching tours.

A short, 45-minute drive south of Monterey, is Big Sur, which is home to over 90 miles of jagged coastline and the St. Lucia Mountain Range . With this great diversity of landforms come numerous activities for nature lovers to enjoy. 

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

The Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park got its name from one of Big Sur’s beloved pioneers, Julia Pfeiffer. While walking one of the seven marked trails, you’ll encounter intriguing coves, picturesque waterfalls, and towering redwood forests. 

One of the most popular trails is the Waterfall Overlook Trail. It’s less than a mile long and takes you to the McWay Falls, which is one of Big Sur’s most popular attractions.

If you’re on the hunt for whales, this is the place to be.

From December to February and March to May, migrating gray whales frequent the waters around the Big Sur coast , with some even coming up into the cove into which the McWay Falls flows.

Pfeiffer Beach

If your feet are sore from hiking, or you’re just short on time, you can head to Pfeiffer Beach.

Pfeiffer offers its visitors expansive shorelines that are towered by rock formations and thick vegetation.

One of the most famous rock formations in the area is a few feet out into the ocean.

This rock is the Pfeiffer Keyhole Rock, which got its distinguishable arch from thousands of years of erosion. During low tide, you’re able to walk through the water to the rock, and if you can wait until sunset, then you’ll have an incredible photo opportunity. 

Sand Dollar Beach

Sand Dollar Beach is Big Sur’s largest stretch of unbroken sand and is said to be one of the best surfing locations in the area.

Now, we know not everyone is into surfing, so if you’re heading to the beach, you can also try your luck at beachcombing.

You see, this is where the shoreline gets its name — from sand dollars that wash up on the shore. Sand dollars are flat, burrowing sea urchins that, once dead, turn white and end up on the beach.

From Big Sur, your next stop will be down the coast in southern California.

Santa Barbara is home to many celebrities , including George Lucas, Ellen DeGeneres, and Drew Barrymore.

And, with celebrities settling in Santa Barbara, it must be a nice place to visit. 

This charming city, which many people nickname the American Riviera, is full of fancy shops and 5-star restaurants, along with beautiful beaches, cozy cafes, and numerous photo opportunities. 

Visit the Mission Santa Barbara

The Mission Santa Barbara is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, which makes it a must-see during your California road trip. 

In 1925, an earthquake destroyed buildings all throughout Santa Barbara. Then, during the rebuild, builders designed and constructed buildings in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, which was inspired by the Mission Santa Barbara.

Stearns Wharf and the Santa Barbara Pier

Stearns Wharf isn’t just a great place to head to if you’re after incredible views — it also leads to the Santa Barbara Pier, which sits at the end of State Street. 

Built in 1872, the Santa Barbara Pier is the oldest working wooden wharf in California . At the time of construction, it was also the longest deep-water pier in the area between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Nowadays, the pier is home to numerous attractions, like the Sea Center and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

Walk, Skate, or Cycle the Cabrillo Bike Path

If you want to feel like you’re in a California-based movie, you’ll want to either skate, cycle , or walk down the Cabrillo Bike Path. The path runs between some of Santa Barbara’s best beaches and has palm trees lining its edges.

Head to the Funk Zone for Some Nightlife

After a week or two on the road, you may well feel like you need a night out. If that’s the case, the Funk Zone is the perfect place to go!

The Funk Zone is full of some of Santa Barbara’s best cafes, restaurants, and entertainment venues, as well as boutique shops, art galleries, and street art displays .

Just over an hour down California’s Pacific Coast Highway is the beach city of Malibu.

Now, we would be lying if we said the majority of your time won’t be spent on one of Malibu’s many beaches, because, well, that’s what Malibu is known for!

Point Dume State Beach

One of Malibu’s most popular beaches, Point Dume is the perfect place to relax and unwind. If you aren’t into lying on a beach, the State Beach also has a hiking trail that offers you a short and interesting hike with views of the Santa Monica Bay, Santa Monica Mountains, and, on a clear day, Catalina Island.

Zuma is another one of the city’s well-known beaches. It’s the biggest one in Malibu, so as you can imagine, it’s a hotspot for locals and tourists alike. 

The beach is a great stop for families, couples, or solo travelers; if you can, stay for the sunset . Depending on the conditions, the sky lights up with shades of orange, red, and pink.

Once you finish up in Malibu, you can drive a further 20 minutes south to Santa Monica to enjoy the Santa Monica Pier, the Santa Monica Beach, and even visit the original Muscle Beach Gym.

Los Angeles

Everyone, and we mean everyone, has heard of Los Angeles. So, of course, it was a no-brainer to add to your California road trip itinerary.

LA is home to amazing entertainment, nightlife , restaurants, and theme parks, all of which certainly make it a place you don’t want to miss.

Hollywood Sign

If you head to Santa Monica, the Hollywood Sign in northern Los Angeles is on your way. The Hollywood sign is about a 30-minute drive from Santa Monica , and in our opinion, you can’t visit LA without making a trip to see the world-famous mountainside lettering. 

If you don’t want to hike up to the sign, then there are a few places you can head to that offer amazing views from down below. These include Lake Hollywood Park, the Hollywood Reservoir, and North Beachwood Drive. 

While, sadly, you can’t touch the sign, you can hike up Mount Lee to get views of Los Angeles from behind it.

There are a few options to get you to the top of the mountain; these include:

• Walking along Mulholland Dr or Deronda Dr from Lake Hollywood Park
• Hike the Wonderview Trail
• From the Griffith Observatory parking lot take the Mount Hollywood Trail
• Set off from the Bronson Caves

Stargaze at the Griffith Observatory

At the peak of Griffith Park is the Griffith Observatory, which is one of the world’s finest planetariums. If you’re interested in all things space, then the Griffith Observatory is a must-do while you’re on your California road trip visiting LA. 

The observatory has a 290-seat planetarium, giant telescopes, and educational films that teach you all about the planets, stars, and give you sneak-peek at the mysteries of the universe.  

Take a Ride on a Hop-on-Hop-off Bus

One of the easiest ways to see LA is by jumping on a hop-on hop-off bus. Not only do these buses take you to all the must-see destinations, but they also have guides to the city’s history and other relevant information.

Head Down to Venice Beach

While in LA, you’ll find yet another world-famous California destination — Venice Beach.

Venice Beach is an ideal destination for those looking to catch some waves before relaxing with a drink at one of the many bars.

Drive to Huntington City Beach

If you’re a beach lover, you’ll want to head about an hour south of Venice Beach to Huntington Beach.

On your drive, you’ll also pass through Long Beach; we highly recommend visiting all 3 beaches as they all have unique characteristics that set them apart from the rest.

This one only really applies to all the Disney lovers out there, but when there is a Disney park in the area, you just have to go.

The first-ever Disneyland Park to open was in Anaheim in 1955. Since Anaheim is only a 26 drive from Los Angeles, it is a no-brainer. 

Laguna Beach

If you aren’t a Disney fan, your next stop after departing Los Angeles should be Laguna Beach. It’s about an hour’s drive south, but the picturesque coastline is well worth it. 

After all the outdoor activities you’ve been doing, we hope you aren’t sunburnt by this point, as Laguna Beach has lengthy stretches of sandy seashore, and many hiking trails to explore.

Head to the Beach

As Laguna Beach has seven miles of coastline, you could spend days exploring some of its many beaches. Here are some to help you make a decision:

• Crescent Bay – Good for kayaking and sea lion spottings
• Thalia Street Beach – Perfect for beginner surfers
• Rockpile Beach – Ideal for experienced surfers
• Treasure Island Beach – Amazing views and a secluded cove to explore
• Aliso Beach – For firepits and bonfires
• Main Beach – Basketball and volleyball nets

Hike Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

The Laguna Coast Wilderness Park has 40 miles of trails that wind through vast sycamore and oak woodlands. You can do all sorts of activities on the trails, from mountain biking to bird watching.

The southernmost destination of our California road trip takes us to San Diego.

San Diego is yet another city in California that has unforgettable beaches, vibrant nightlife , and captivating attractions. Exploring these is definitely worth your time.

Visit Balboa Park

Balboa Park is home to the San Diego Zoo, which is classed as one of the best zoos not just in the United States but in the entire world. 

What’s more, the 1,200-acre park that houses the zoo makes an ideal location for bike rides, scenic walks, and picnics.

Spend Time at Mission Beach and Pacific Beach

Mission Beach and Pacific beach connect together to form the shoreline of San Diego. With miles of sand, nearby boardwalks, and even an amusement park, you’ll always find something to keep you entertained throughout your visit. 

Although these beaches are connected and share the same coastline, they couldn’t be any more different from one another. Mission Beach has calmer waters and a more relaxed vibe in general. Pacific Beach, on the other hand, is more upbeat and lively, with restaurants, shops, and bars lining the Mission Boulevard.

Enjoy the Views at Sunset Cliffs

As I’m sure you can tell by its name, Sunset Cliffs is San Diego’s best sunset-watching location. With untouched vegetation and dramatic cliff faces, the area is picture-worthy during the day and night, but it’s best to go around sunset time.

Now it’s time to turn around on your California road trip and head back up north to Palm Springs.

Palm Springs has a few notable attractions that deserve your attention, so it makes sense to stop here before you go on to hike Joshua Tree and Death Valley later on in the trip. 

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Once you make it to Tramway Road, you’ll come across a gondola ride that works its way from Palm Spring up into the San Jacinto Mountains.

If you’ve been struggling with the heat, the aerial tramway will be a godsend as the air temperature drops by double digits once you reach the top . 

Tahquitz Canyon

It’s not every day you see flowing water right in the middle of a desert. But, at Tahquitz Canyon, that is exactly what you’ll see. 

The two-mile loop trail leads you to a waterfall that is tucked into the Tahquitz Canyon. If you worked up a sweat on the trail you can even take a dip in the falls to cool off .

Mount San Jacinto State Park

If you like what you saw on the Palm Spring aerial tramway, why not hike through southern California’s second-highest mountain range?

The Mount San Jacinto State Park takes you up roughly 11,000 feet above sea level and gives you impeccable views of the alpine forests and surrounding areas.

Joshua Tree National Park 

We hope you rested up in Palm Springs as you’ve got some long hikes ahead of you in the Joshua Tree National Park.

Joshua Tree is around a 40-minute drive from Palm Springs and has some stark differences from the coastal towns you drove through not long ago.

Joshua Tree has over 795,000 acres of rock formations and stark desert with hiking trails a-plenty throughout. 

Hidden Valley Nature Trail

The Hidden Valley Nature Trail is one of the shorter and easily accessible hikes in Joshua Tree, and it will take you on a 1-mile loop through an opening into a large rock-walled bowl. 

Barker Dam Nature Trail

The Barker Dam Nature Trail is another relatively short route that goes for 1.3 miles past Joshua trees, rocks, and bodies of water.

Many people turn around and walk the loop back once they reach the remnants of a water tank. But we recommend carrying on. Although this makes the hike shorter, you actually miss the best bit — the largest trees beyond the dam.

Ryan Mountain Hike

If you’re after a more challenging hike, then the path from Park Boulevard up the Ryan Mountain should be right up your alley. Known as the Royal Mountain Hike, this 3-mile up-and-down hike takes you up 1,000 feet of elevation. But the 360-degree views of Joshua Tree at the top are well worth it. 

Other Things to Do in Joshua Tree

Here are a few more things you can do at Joshua Tree National Park apart from hiking:

• Visit Skull Rock
• Drive up to Keys View Lookout Point
• Explore the Cholla Cactus Garden
• Marvel over Joshua Trees’ rare permanent spring, Cottonwood Spring Oasis
• Hike the Arch Rock Trail
• Gaze at the stars come nightfall

What to Do After Joshua Tree

If you want to explore other natural attractions on your California road trip, make your way over to the San Bernardino National Forest. From the deserts in Joshua Tree to the 800,000 acres of woodlands in San Bernardino, you’ll truly feel like you teleported to another world and not just driven an hour down the road. 

San Bernardino is an awesome hiking location with hot springs, the Big Bear Lake, scenic drives, and wildlife encounters. But be aware, there are bears in the area.

Campgrounds in Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree has a large selection of campsites to choose from. However, if you’re traveling into the area with an RV or van, 2 of the best sites are the Black Rock Campground and the Cottonwood Campground as they both have drinking water and flushable toilets.

Death Valley National Park

Now it’s time to head back up to northern California to explore Death Valley. And don’t worry, we know it doesn’t have the most appealing name, but the area is truly magnificent. 

Death Valley is the lowest, driest, and hottest place on Earth. If that doesn’t intrigue you, then I’m not sure what will.

An aptly-named section of the park, Furnace Creek, received the hottest temperature ever recorded in July of 1913.

Wondering what that temperature was?

Well, it was 134°F. Yikes.

Dante’s View

Dante’s View offers one of the best viewpoints at Death Valley.

There is a parking lot at the viewpoint, along with trails, to give you a different perspective of the land down below. 

Zabriskie Point

If you’re visiting Death Valley at sunset, you should head to Zabriskie Point. There is a short walk to the overlook, and then there are short trails that lead out into the hills.

Badwater Basin

Few can say they’ve been to the lowest point in the USA. But you can — if you visit Badwater Basin, that is! Badwater Basin sits 282 feet below sea level and comprises wide-open salt flats.

Other Things to Do in Death Valley

If you feel that you can tolerate a bit more heat, here are a few other activities to engage in at Death Valley National Park :

• Explore the lumpy salt flats of Devil’s Golf Course
• Enjoy the 9-mile scenic drive down Artists Drive
• Hike Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch
• Walk to Darwin Falls and enjoy the natural wonder of a waterfall in the desert
• Sled down the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
• Visit the Ubehebe Crater and witness a once active volcano

Campgrounds in the Death Valley National Park

Campsites in Death Valley work on a first-come-first-serve basis.

That said, the Furnace Creek Campground takes reservations during its busy season.

If you plan to camp at Death Valley, remember — temperatures are scorching during the summer months, and because of this, most campsites are closed.

Time to beat the heat of Death Valley and head west to get to some much-needed shade in the Sequoia National Park.

The Sequoia National Park is home to the world’s largest redwood, Hyperion .

Hyperion stands over 380 feet tall, and if that isn’t a reason to visit Sequoia, then I don’t know what is. 

If the height of Hyperion doesn’t impress you enough, Sequoia is also home to the largest tree by volume. The General Sherman Tree is more than 36 feet in diameter at its base. For perspective, it would take about 20 people holding hands to hug this tree.

Things to Do in the Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park offers more than just majestic redwoods for you to admire; there are plenty of attractions and activities from which to choose.

Here are some that we’d recommend:

• Visit the Giant Forest Museum
• Climb 390 steps to Moro Rock (the view is well worth it)
• Drive through the Tunnel Log
• Explore the Crystal Cave marble cavern
• Take a dip at the Tokopah Falls
• Drive under Tunnel Rock

Hiking Trails in the Sequoia National Park

Needless to say, there are a few excellent hiking trails at the park, too:

• Crescent Meadow Trail
• Big Trees Trail
• Congress Trail

Campgrounds at the Sequoia National Park

There are 7 campgrounds dotted around the park.

That said, the best one to head to if you’re traveling in RVs or vans is the Potwisha Campground.

Potwisha can accommodate RVs up to 24 feet long, and the area has flushing toilets, water, and other amenities.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is one of America’s most famous National Parks. And for a very good reason.

The park’s vistas are stunningly beautiful and offer guests a range of activities, from hiking and biking to fishing and rock climbing. 

Yosemite Falls

One of the prettiest parts of the Yosemite National Park is the Yosemite Falls. This waterfall pours its way down over the granite wall smashing against the rocks down below.

Because of its height, you can see the waterfall from numerous areas in the park, but the best view is at the start of the Yosemite Falls hike. 

You can hike your way down the trail to reach the base of the falls with minimal effort. On particularly hot days, the mist the falls create is pleasant and refreshing, so we highly recommend this hike.

Another of Yosemite’s popular sites is the Half Dome climbing wall. Climbers from all over the country have flocked to Yosemite to tackle the giant granite wall that towers over the valley.

If you aren’t looking to climb the wall, then there are two great options that give you fantastic views of the Half Dome.

The first is at the Glacier Point Lookout, where you can see how much the rockface actually looms over the valley and the surrounding mountains.

And the second option is the Mirror Lake hiking trail, which takes you to the bottom of the rock so you can see it from an ant’s perspective.

Tunnel View

The most iconic Yosemite Valley view is from the Tunnel Valley, which stretches out to Bridalveil Fall, El Captain, and the Half Dome.

The best time to visit is during the afternoon, when all the walls are bathed in direct sunlight.

Other Things to Do at Yosemite

Here are a few more things for you to do while you’re at Yosemite National Park :

• Gaze at the 3,000-foot El Captain Rock.
• Drive an hour up to Glacier Point
• Hike to the Bridalveil Fall
• If you’re skilled, try climbing the rocks of Yosemite
• Hike Tioga Road
• Cycle along Yosemite’s 12 miles of paved paths

Campgrounds at the Yosemite National Park

Yosemite has 13 campgrounds, most of which have sites for RVs.

It’s important to book ahead as much as possible to secure yourself a camp space , as all the campgrounds in Yosemite fill up fast.

Heading further northeast on the ultimate California road trip will take you up to Lake Tahoe, where you can spend the day hiking through the Sierra Nevada Mountains or participating in water sports on the lake itself.

Emerald Bay

Emerald Bay is a small sheltered cove of Lake Tahoe that has relatively shallow water, which gives the bay its beautiful turquoise color . 

Overlooking the bay is a Scandinavian castle, Vikingsholm, which is open to the public. Guests can take a tour inside after hiking its steep one-mile trail.

Alternatively, you can jump in a kayak or get up on a paddle board and explore the lake from the water itself. 

Hiking Lake Tahoe

Some of the more beautiful hiking trails are at the lake’s southern end. These trails include:

• Fallen Leaf Lake Trail
• Cascade Falls Trail
• Rubicon Trail

Partake in Winter Sports

During the winter months, Lake Tahoe transforms into a world-renowned alpine skiing destination. Even if you aren’t an avid skier, the ride to the Observation Deck via a 9,123-foot gondola gives you outstanding views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding areas. 

Other Things to Do in Lake Tahoe

When you’ve had enough of skiing and water sports, you can still find a few exciting things to do around Lake Tahoe:

• Have a picnic at the D.L Bliss State Park
• Relax on the sandy beaches at the Sand Harbor State Park
• Hike the Eagle Rock Hiking Trail

Sacramento is one of our final stops on this California road trip itinerary. As the state capital, the city features plenty of historical landmarks . Below are our top picks.

California State Railroad Museum

Over 500,000 people flock to the California State Railroad Museum every year, and if you too are interested in trains, we suggest you make a stop there yourself . 

The museum is spread out over six buildings and showcases railroad cars and locomotives, along with their history, and how the railroads shaped California and its economy.

Pony Express Terminal

The endpoint of the Pony Express was in the Pony Express Terminal in Sacramento. Although the mail service is no longer around, the building was named a National Historic Landmark, which now belongs to the Wells Fargo History Museum.

American River Bike Trail

Grab a bike and cycle along 32 miles of paved roads on the American River Bike Trail. The trail runs from Discovery Park to Beal’s Point and has separate lanes for people going either way.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

Our final stop on this California road trip will take you to the Lassen Volcanic National Park, which is around a 3-hour drive from Sacramento. And, don’t worry, Lassen is well worth it.

The Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to all 4 types of volcanos: cinder cone, plug dome, composite, and shield. And the best part is some of these volcanos are still active . 

Hikes and trails throughout the park can take you alongside volcanic gas vents, steam vents, turquoise pools of water, and boiling mud pots. Now, that’s something you don’t see every day. 

But, along with the volcanic activity in the area, there are also plenty of lakes, waterfalls, and scenic drives that you can fill your days in Lassen with. 

The Best Trails in the Lassen Volcanic National Park

Not everything comes easy, and some of the best views require some work to get there. We hope you have your hiking boots ready, as the Lassen National Park has some incredible hikes that you won’t want to miss. These include:

• Bumpass Hell Trail – Easy
• Sulphur Works Sidewalk Trail – Easy
• Devils Kitchen Trail – Challenging
• Lassen Peak Trail – Challenging
• Cinder Cone Trail – Challenging

Other Things to Do in the Lassen Volcanic National Park

If you’re tired of hiking, you can find some time to relax and take in the natural beauty at the landmarks below:

• Manzanita Lake 
• Juniper Lake
• Emerald Lake
• Boiling Springs Lake
• Kings Creek Falls
• Mill Creek Falls

Finally, you can take a drive down the Lassen Park Highway and immerse yourself in the surrounding scenery from the comfort of your vehicle.

Campgrounds in Lassen Volcanic National Park

There are 7 separate campgrounds throughout Lassen, but only 3 can accommodate RVs and trailers. These 3 sites include Manzanita Lake, Summit Lake, and Butte Lake.

That said, there are no RV hookups, so make sure your RV or van is equipped with everything you’ll need during your stay. 

California Road Trip: Conclusion

So, there you have it! The ultimate California road trip. We hope this itinerary has helped you shape your future trip through the beautiful state of California.

As we wrap up this article, we’d love to know your favorite parts of California. Did this itinerary help you? And is there anything we should have added to the destination or activity list? Let us know in the comment section down below!

Please note that all comments will be checked by our team before being approved.

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Volkswagen California Ocean: long-term test review

Final report: vw california has been a fantastic addition to the fleet that everybody has raved about.

4.5 out of 5

Even those not previously taken with the idea of camping have loved spending time in the clever Volkswagen California . We’ll miss its versatility; so long, old friend!

Mileage:  10,041 Economy:  32.1mpg

When the keys landed on my desk back in April, I never dreamt that our Volkswagen California – which is now a pre-facelift model, since an updated version launched recently – would prove so popular with my colleagues. Here, we’ve pulled together some of the experiences that the Auto Express team (and their families, of course) have had during the past six months and 10,000 miles.

The Cali has been everywhere, from the south coast to Norfolk, Wales and France. It’s also doubled as my daily driver, ferrying me to work in central London, as well as to the airport and my parents’ home in Devon. It’s carried lots of rubbish to the tip during our house renovation, and even doubled as a mobile office on road test shoots.

•  New Volkswagen Grand California review

The response from my workmates has been overwhelmingly positive. Whether it was being used as a place of solace on a damp Devon campsite, or somewhere to cook up some eggs on a sunny Saturday, the versatile van proved perfect for any occasion. 

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It was especially good at swaying those not previously taken by the idea of camping. A couple of my colleagues actively disliked the idea of pitching up in a flooded field only to be battered by the best our wet and windy weather could throw at them. And who could blame them? Yet all who tried the Cali returned (at least partially) converted. 

It was interesting how many people commented on the Cali’s countless clever features; everyone loved the chairs hidden in the bootlid, the fold-out table in the sliding door and the hanging rail in the cupboard. The bulky bike rack was used a handful of times – although I’d think twice before speccing it, as it severely restricts rearward visibility and makes the tailgate very heavy.

The Cali’s compact footprint makes it easy to drive on UK roads, although the jerky gearbox raised a few eyebrows. It was investigated, but after an extensive road test, VW insisted there was nothing untoward.

Perhaps my biggest complaint lay with the light-coloured seats. A car (or van) in which you’re able to eat and sleep should offer a more durable fabric; the slightest spillage left marks on the rear seats. Thankfully, a bottle of Autoglym’s interior shampoo quickly had the chairs looking good as new.

But for all its quirks, the Cali will leave a gaping hole in the Auto Express car park. The most popular test car on our fleet in recent times will be sorely missed.

Stuart Milne

Visited:  Southwold, Suffolk

This was the second time I’d used a California. The best part of 10 years separates the two, but little has changed. The layout felt familiar, and we came away as impressed by the Cali’s ingenuity this summer as we did all those years ago: aplace for everything, and everything in its place. It sparks conversations like few other cars, too; ‘Veedubbers’ are a very friendly bunch.

Two things resonated with us, though. As obvious as it sounds, turning up to a campsite then setting off on adventures each day doesn’t play to a camper van’s strengths. Our family break to Suffolk required too much stowing, unloading and setting up; a few days of touring would have been better. Plus, there’s nowhere to store child seats and associated kit when you’re sleeping.

Steve Walker

Visited:  Paddock Wood, Kent

For me, the appeal of the California rested in the promise of hassle-free camping without the need to go 10 rounds with a heavyweight tent. 

There’s nothing like rolling up to a campsite to seamlessly assemble your accommodation in seconds, without puncturing your air bed with a tent pole, or smacking yourself in the toe with a mallet. 

And the reality proved to be pretty close. We visited a campsite in Kent; two adults with two kids in tow. If you’re only staying for one or two nights, or are comically inept at erecting tents, the plug-and-play nature of a camper van is a godsend. I had some trouble getting the awning poles to lock, which at least allowed the neighbours a smirk – but otherwise it was plain sailing. 

The kids (six and three) found the pop-up roof irresistible, while us adults loved the high-quality fixtures and fittings. There’s a predictable question mark over the Cali’s body control in corners, but no sane camper is going to drive it with much vigour and risk their baked bean tins crushing their Quavers.

Pete Baiden

Visited: Hastings, East Sussex

I’ll admit that, like Ben (left), I don’t much like camping. I hate the thought of pitching a tent and the prospect of going without the creature comforts of a hotel when I go away. So, when our friends Greg and Magda tried to tempt us into a camping trip near Hastings, I was hesitant – until I realised I could take the VW California.

One of the biggest reservations I had about camping involved my young son; the thought of having him in a tent with us, wriggling around and making a racket wasn’t exactly appealing. But in the Cali there was enough space to put his travel cot downstairs while we slept up top. It worked perfectly, and we woke up feeling refreshed the next morning.

The California also proved extremely popular with Greg and Magda’s kids. They seemed to spend more time inside it than outside in the sunshine, fiddling with all the clever and crafty features, many of which we hadn’t discovered ourselves. That’s the beauty of the California – most of the best bits are hidden away out of sight, and only come to the fore when you really need them.

I’m not about to go and buy a tent, yet just like Ben, the California has definitely improved my perception of camping. But at more than £60,000, I’m not surprised.

James Batchelor

Visited: Croyde Bay, Devon

Nothing can prepare you for the contempt dished out by other campers as you rock up in a £60k red and white VW van. We chose Croyde Bay in North Devon for our holiday, and as we crept into the campsite on a gorgeous sunny evening, we felt a little uncomfortable as others rolled up their sleeves and constructed their fabric homes. 

The contempt turned into ridicule as we wound out the awning and lounged in the Cali’s chairs, sipping Riesling and watching the sun set. The next four days, however, were a washout. One morning we woke to the sound of ‘Oh god, no!’ as our neighbours chased their tent in gale force winds. By the end of the week we were glad to not be wet, cold – the auxiliary heater is fabulous – and hated by our fellow campers. One night we even invited a sopping wet woman round for a drink!

Visited:  Isle of Sheppey, Kent

Taking the California to the Isle of Sheppey for the weekend was possibly more exciting for my family than for me, with my two boys bouncing with excitement at the prospect.

Despite being far from seasoned campers, we found the Cali easy to set up, with the helpful reversing camera making it simple to pitch. From here on, the boys took up residence in the pop-up roof, only being bribed out with the offer of food and drink. 

When it came to making dinner, though, interior space became tight, with the very noticeable slope I’d parked on making cooking a bit difficult. Being a typical English summer, we were forced to eat inside – although the excellent on-board heater kept us nice and warm.

We used the campsite as our home for the weekend, and while we did venture out to the beach in the afternoon, heading back to the van was never a chore. After a long day walking on the beach and exploring in the great outdoors, returning to the Cali as the weather closed in confirmed its greatest strengths. It’s infinitely better than a tent at night – with two comfortable beds, and blinds on every window to block out the early-morning sun. Did it convert me to camping? Not quite, but now I dislike it a tiny bit less.

John McIlroy

Visited: Hampshire/Wales Rally GB

My family enjoyed a couple of trips in the Auto Express California. The first was an extended stay at Wellington Country Park, Hampshire, which allowed my six-year-old to show off glamping to his school mates as they enjoyed sleepovers on a rota basis, while the second included a run to the depths of Wales (in early October) to watch the world’s top rally drivers on Rally GB.

The Cali is a cracking day base. As we sat in a sodden Welsh forest, eating lunch and drying out ahead of the afternoon’s action, I heard more than one rally fan comment, “That’s what you need for a day like this.”

General cleverness aside, I noticed that the upstairs bed is more comfortable than the slightly lumpy downstairs mattress, and the gearbox seems to like building up a lot of revs before pulling away from rest. 

The light-grey seat fabric marks a bit too easily for a vehicle that has a kitchen and a washable floor, too. All-in-all, though, I’m going to miss having it around.

Darren Wilson 

Visited: Suffolk & Norfolk coastal road trip

I was instantly won over by the space-saving ingenuity of our VW California. I spent over an hour playing with all the switches, levers and on-board tech before even heading off on holiday. Only once I’d finished fiddling were we able to start along the Suffolk and Norfolk coastline, stopping at various pre-booked sites and beaches en route. 

Personal highlights included the super-quick pop-up roof, making arrival and departure simple. We also loved the built-in fridge, which we packed with cider for the evenings, and bacon and eggs for breakfast. Every bit of internal space was used, from pull-out blinds in the A-pillars to a mini dustbin in the driver’s door. I was converted. My wife sensibly reminded me that we could afford a fair few Airbnb weekends for the £62k price tag, however.

Hugo Griffiths

I took my family to Hastings, East Sussex, in the heat of June, and my two sons couldn’t have been more excited by the prospect. The California had no difficulty in swallowing child seats, duvets, and the associated kit required for a night’s camping (or glamping, let’s be honest), while all occupants were impressed with its hushed refinement on the road.

Those positive impressions continued upon pitching up at our campsite. The motor-driven pop-up-roof proved a popular hangout for my boys, and the table and chairs hidden in the sliding doors were the perfect accessories for mum and dad to relax with a glass of wine and some nibbles. 

We did come across a couple of issues, however; turning the driver’s seat around 180 degrees to face the rear bench was tricky due to it catching on the handbrake and steering wheel, while the light-coloured seats were prone to staining, with the slightest spillage leaving water marks. 

Joe Holding

Visited: Wales

My then-fiancée-now-wife and I enjoyed a week exploring Wales in the Cali. Living out of the camper made the trip feel like an adventure, and we’ll be buying one the moment we win the lottery. Perhaps a dealer would take our tent as a part-ex?

My colleagues had raved about the Cali’s versatility, but we were grateful for something more fundamental: the brakes. They brought the three-tonne camper to a sharp stop on the Great Orme, helping to avoid a head-on collision with a motorcyclist who’d overcooked a blind bend. Both van and biker were unharmed.

Volkswagen California: Fourth report

Two-thousand-mile road trip gives VW California camper van a chance to shine over a fortnight in France

Mileage: 8,717 Economy: 31.7mpg

When I heard I’d be running a Volkswagen California as my next  Auto Express test car, my wife, Anna, and I immediately began exploring where we might take it for a two-week holiday.

What started as a few days in Scotland quickly morphed into a mega European trip – extending as far as northern Italy, Slovenia and the stunning Lake Bled. Yet we soon realised that a route like this wouldn’t leave a lot of time for rest or relaxation, and as much as I love a good road trip, we didn’t want to spend the whole time driving.

So we slimmed things down and chose to focus on France. However, it still covers an area of just over 547,000 sq km and has almost one million kilometres of paved roads, so we weren’t likely to run out of things to do.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club helped us organise our ferry crossings and offered advice on camping in France. We decided to avoid booking too much in advance, because we wanted our itinerary to remain flexible. Camping is big business in France, so we assumed this wouldn’t be troublesome.

We penned a rough route, from Calais through Giverny, Chablis, Avignon and Annecy, covering around 2,900km (1,800 miles). There were plenty of other things we wanted to do en route – such as wine tasting in Champagne and hiking in Fontainebleau – but we’d leave most of it to chance. 

Packing for our excursion was easy. It was just the two of us, so we had no trouble fitting everything we needed in the VW’s various cupboards and cubbyholes. As sometime campers, we had most of the kit already, including cups, cutlery and crockery, plus a set of ping-pong bats and three bottles of mosquito repellent. We cooked up some veggie meals to see us through the first few nights, and stocked the cupboards with snacks.

When we arrived at Dover, throngs of holiday goers flooded into the terminal café to buy their expensive Costa coffee and soggy croissants. But because we had the van, we simply hopped in the back, boiled the kettle for a cuppa and ate bowls of cereal while we were waiting to board.

The real beauty of the California is that it’s no larger than the VW Transporter on which it is based, and only a few millimetres longer than a BMW X5 . That makes it easy to manoeuvre and simple to park, and its size prevented us from being forced in alongside the bigger vans and trucks for the 90-minute trip across the Channel. 

We made it to France without any issues, and arrived at our first stop feeling as fresh as when we left; the VW’s two armchair-like front seats proving comfortable even on journeys of 250 miles or more.

As the trip progressed we learned ever more about VW’s top-spec California Ocean, not least the fact that you can rely on the built-in fridge. It’s powered by a battery that tops itself up on the move, and meant we were often able to avoid paying extra for a powered campsite pitch – giving us more freedom as to the sites we chose. A secluded pitch by the river in the Gorges du Tarn was a particularly sweet spot and somewhere we ended up staying for a couple of nights.

Day after day (and night after night) the California continued to impress. We tended to sleep in the roof, so as not to disturb the cabin too much. It worked well, and despite consisting of little more than a small covering of foam, the mattress was comfortable. We struggled with cold temperatures at times; the auxiliary heater unfortunately doesn’t double as an air-conditioning unit. 

• Best family cars to buy 2019

While we spent a lot of time driving, we ticked off a few must-see places, including the incredible Millau Viaduct, which spans a valley almost 2.5km wide and 270m deep. Being something of an engineering geek, it’s somewhere I’d wanted to visit for years, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. 

We eventually had to begin the trek home, albeit via Strasbourg and Champagne; and we stocked up on wine in Calais, before boarding the boat for the return crossing. The total distance at the end of the trip stood at 2,043 miles, but at almost 32mpg the Cali had proved remarkably efficient – even when fully laden with people and possessions.

Volkswagen California: update

How does our Volkswagen California compare to a similarly priced Mercedes GLE ? 

Mileage:  5,755 Economy:  34.5mpg

At more than £68,000 (as tested), our Volkswagen California is an expensive bit of kit. You get loads of space and a long list of equipment, but that kind of cash gives you access to a wide range of high-end SUVs.

So if you have nearly £70k to spend, where should your money go? We had a Mercedes GLE 400 d in the Auto Express car park recently, which isn’t far off our VW’s price, so I thought I’d compare and contrast them.

An initial glance at the kit lists may push you towards the Mercedes . It comes with LED lights, Nappa leather, keyless go and a high-resolution 12.3-inch infotainment display. These features are either optional on the VW, or not available at all. Look at the extras fitted to this GLE, and the gulf grows: 22-inch wheels (five inches larger than the Cali’s), a 360-degree camera, wireless phone charging and Burmester stereo.

However, our California comes with plenty of kit that cannot be found on the GLE – not least the kitchen cupboards and two-ring gas hob. Then there’s the sink, fridge, wardrobe, detachable shower and two double beds. 

As if that’s not enough reason to trade your off-roader for a four-berth camper, then just take a look at the costs. Far stronger residual values mean that, on identical terms (three-year PCP, 10,000 miles per year and a £6,200 deposit), the California costs considerably less than a top-spec GLE. VW asks a sizeable £793 per month, yet that pales in comparison to the £960 you’ll need for the Mercedes. 

Granted, the Cali doesn’t have the same level of interior quality, but it doesn’t feel cheap. Our camper is designed to withstand family life, and after nearly 6,000 miles it feels as solid as ever. The light-coloured fabric seats aren’t the most practical option, but the grey carpets are proving resilient.

Volkswagen California: second report

Our Volkswagen California Ocean proves to be a big hit on last minute break to Devon

Mileage: 2,795 Economy: 32.9mpg

Our Volkswagen California is in high demand as summer sets in, with every weekend until late August already allocated to various members of the Auto Express team.

But before the rush began, my wife, Anna, and I packed our bags and filled the van for an impulsive weekend away in Devon. The great thing about the California (as opposed to travelling by plane or train) is that you can just throw anything and everything in the back.

So, with our wellies washed and the fridge full, we set off for the south coast. The scenic route took us down the A303 right past Stonehenge, and beyond. We spent two nights camping near Dartmoor, and due to the hot weather, we barely touched the two-ring gas hob inside the van. While it proved useful for our morning tea and coffee, most of our cooking was done over coals.

It was just the two of us, so we raised the roof and slept on the double bed up top. This allowed us to use the lower area as intended; by swivelling the two front seats we could both eat and play card games around the table, without having to tidy it all away before going to sleep.

One thing we noticed was that while the longer evenings meant we could spend more time outside, leaving the VW’s interior lights on and the doors open meant we returned to find a few unwelcome insect visitors.

The ability to simply throw everything in the back and not worry about what you might or might not need made this a holiday like few others. Just before returning home we picked up a gigantic six-foot wooden pigeonhole that we’d spotted online earlier in the week. It slid neatly in the back of the van with the seats folded flat, and will fit perfectly in our new kitchen. We’ll have more on that – and the benefits of driving a California while undergoing extensive house renovations – in a future report.

Volkswagen California Ocean: first report

Reviews and features editor Rich fulfils a childhood dream with his very own Hotel California

Mileage: 1,889 Economy: 32.9mpg

I’ve always been a bit of a fair-weather camper. The prospect of setting up a tent in the pouring rain, or traipsing up a mountain in the biting wind, isn’t my idea of fun. Having somewhere warm and dry to retreat to is a top priority, so visiting pubs is a particularly pleasing pastime of mine.

The concept of a camper van had always seemed like an ideal solution. While I’d never been able to explore the idea of owning one, you can trace back the obsession to my childhood bedroom, where a sixties VW Type 2 money box nestled itself among a vast array of 1:18-scale diecast supercars .

I’ve still got the model, and while it isn’t as full of cold, hard cash as you’d hope after 20 years of saving, I can finally claim the dream has become reality – albeit with a little help from Volkswagen .

That’s right, I’ve just picked up the keys to my very own VW California . I’ll be running it for the next six months or so, to see if that boyhood fantasy is as rosy in real life, or whether I should stick to surfing the south coast with my sopping wet tent.

There are currently two models to choose from: the California Beach or the California Ocean. We’re testing the latter, which is the more expensive of the two, thanks to the addition of a sink, fridge and two-ring gas hob. It’s beautifully laid out, with cupboards and drawers running the length of the van.

Even after a few weeks and a long weekend away in Wales, my wife Anna and I are still discovering hidden treasures, such as the picnic seats in the tailgate, or the small mirror in the wardrobe. Every window has a built-in blind, and the front chairs swivel 180 degrees to accommodate four people around the table.

Not only will it seat two couples, the California Ocean will also sleep four people. The roof raises electronically in around 30 seconds to reveal a raised bed up top; the rear seats then fold flat to provide space for your friends. We’ve yet to discover quite how tight it is with four on board; Anna and I shamelessly forced my brother-in-law and his pregnant wife into an adjoining tent during our Bank Holiday trip to Fishguard.

Our van isn’t cheap, but for a smidge over £60k you get an equipment list to rival the latest luxury SUVs . Fit and finish isn’t quite on par, but this is a functional vehicle designed to withstand years of abuse from impatient children and mucky dogs. We’ve got a set of waterproof seat covers in the drawer under the back seats, but luckily we’ve not had to use them yet.

Every California Ocean gets 17-inch alloys, automatic lights, three-zone climate control, heated seats, Bluetooth and USB connectivity and a five-inch touchscreen. The kitchen and associated gubbins are included, of course.

We added a few options to our van, the most expensive of which is the eye-catching two-tone paint. We couldn’t resist speccing our camper in Auto Express red and white, despite the hefty £2,604 bill. Elsewhere, we went for the more accomplished Discover Media Nav system (£1,602), Adaptive Cruise Control (£414) and front and rear parking sensors with a camera (£714).

Our van has the VW Group’s 2.0-litre TDI diesel which, due to WLTP constraints, now produces 196bhp. It’s linked to the tried-and-tested seven-speed DSG gearbox, which works wonders on fuel economy, thanks to a clever coasting function. Given the van’s bluff shape and the power on offer, I’m not too disappointed by a 32.9mpg average over the first 1,900 miles. As the engine loosens, there’s a very real possibility that figure will improve.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.

Richard has been part of the team for over a decade. During this time he has covered a huge amount of news and reviews for Auto Express, as well as being the face of Carbuyer and DrivingElectric on Youtube. In his current role as deputy editor, he is now responsible for keeping our content flowing and managing our team of talented writers.

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• Itineraries

California Dreaming

Start california dreaming with these cali road trip ideas.

Whether it’s the coastal pullouts along Highway 1, the grandeur of the Sierra Nevada, or the barren beauty of Death Valley, California road trips will never leave you with nothing to do. With over 120 National and State Parks to choose from, you can easily spend weeks checking out coastal redwoods, bagging mountain peaks, rafting raging rivers, or just chillin’ outside your campervan watching the sun crash-land every night into the Pacific Ocean. These classic road-tripping routes soak in enough epic scenery to make each deliciously slow, winding mile of your detour worthwhile.

California has so much to offer in fact, that we’re just going to name a few of our favorite spots in this rundown and leave it to Sunset Magazine and Roadtrippers.com to do all the heavy lifting for us. We’ve split our California road trip itinerary into two routes–western and eastern–with optional side trips included along the way. Experience it all in an  Escape campervan .

Distance:  1,500+ miles (2,415+ km)

Time:  2+ weeks

Los Angeles, CA

Las Vegas, NV

California Road Trip – Western Route

Jedediah smith redwoods national park.

An hour north of Redwoods National Park near Crescent City is our all-time favorite area of redwoods. All redwoods are magnificent, but this place doesn’t have the crowds like the better-known National Park versions. It’s worth the extra drive, we swear! Better yet, there’s killer camping right there in the park.

Redwood National Park

Up north near the border of Oregon is the not-so-crowded Redwood National Park. You can consult your guidebooks for the ins-and-outs of what to do, but here are some of our favorite things to check out:

• Fern Canyon – short hike, big surprises
• James Irvine Trail – this popular trail actually takes you to Fern Canyon but is a longer and cooler way to get there
• Gold Bluffs Beach – the quintessential Northern California beach
• Newton B. Drury Parkway – this scenic byway is worth the side trip!
• Trees Of Mystery – just north of the town of Klamath (on Highway 101). With a name like that, how can you not check it out?

Do not try to drive your Escape campervan through a redwood! They don’t fit and you are not covered by insurance when you get stuck. Guess how we know they don’t fit?

Best Camping

There is plenty of camping throughout the park. Elk Prairie (open 365 days of the year) is an Escape favorite. Gold Bluffs Beach is another favorite, but it’s only open during the summer months.

Best Eats/Drinks

We usually employ the Escape Campervan kitchen when traveling through this area. Stolen off the internet: Palm Café in Orrick looks cool. So does Moonstone Grill in Trinidad. Let us know what you find out so we can notify future Escapees!

Heading north along Highway 1, you’ll come across Eureka. There’s an excellent brewery here, and many folks rent sea kayaks to check out the local wildlife.

Best Side Trip

Head east an hour or so and check out Shasta Trinity National Forest. This is hands down the most spectacular mountain range in California according to us. It’s also National Forest Land so car camping is designated as FREE! Shasta Trinity makes a great jumping off point for area hikes.

Avenue of the Giants

Just off Highway 101 in the community of Garberville is the world-famous Avenue of the Giants. This road actually used to be part of Highway 101 back in the day and is still an interesting drive by any standard.  No matter how tempting it is, DO NOT try to drive through a redwood no matter how big the hole looks.

Elk & Mendocino

As you cruise up Highway 1, most people drive right through Elk. That’s a mistake. This little community of 250 brave souls is worth checking out. Do a beach hike and wander the streets but don’t expect gasoline because there isn’t a station. Just up the road is the more touristy town of Mendocino. We like both spots but Elk definitely won us over a long time ago.

There are tons of campgrounds along this stretch of coast—and inland—outside Mendocino. Russian Gulch State Park is an Escape favorite, though.

Head into Queenie’s Roadhouse Café for a blackberry tart.

Montgomery Woods State Reserve

If you’re heading north on Highway 101, hang a left in the town of Ukiah on Orr Springs Road and do the side trip to Montgomery Woods. It’s a couple-mile, moderately difficult hike to get to the ‘big trees,’ but that same hike keeps out crowds and will leave you with a pretty desolate (Desolate = no crowds. No crowds = jump-for-joy.) experience in the majestic Redwoods. It’s a worthy trip.

Just up the road from Montgomery Woods is the locally famous Orr Hot Springs. Park it here in the demur parking lot, pay whatever they ask, and bask in the natural hot springs for an hour…or a day. You may end up staying here for a while.

Jenner and Guerneville

An hour or so north of Point Reyes is the microscopic community of Jenner. Pull over here and grab lunch while watching the panorama before you. Then, 30 minutes inland on Highway 116 is one of the most interesting communities we know of. Guerneville is a tourist hotspot with a definite local feel. As this is the jumping off point to canoe the Russian River, there are plenty of campgrounds just outside of town. Rent a canoe and join the floating party along this stretch of the river and you’ll have a blast drifting along, talking to everyone around you while enjoying a few cold ones.

Point Reyes National Seashore

Just an hour north east-ish of San Francisco is a point of land jutting far out into the Pacific. This windswept area makes a great stopover for anyone just starting to get their driving legs under them after heading over the Golden Gate Bridge. There are two ways to get there:

• Head west on Highway 1, or
• Go north 20 miles or so (about 32 km) to Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and hang a left.

Our favorite thing about this area is the food. If you’re a true “foodie,” definitely check this area out for the local fare. Also, between the months of December and April, do the hike out to Point Reyes Station. There’s sure to be whales cruising by.

Our hands-down go-to place to escape the San Francisco crowds is Samuel P Taylor State Park. Located west of the town of Lagunitas (get some local beers at Lagunitas Brewing—you won’t be sorry). Point Reyes Campground is also an acceptable alternative, but it’s not as exciting in our opinion.

• Cowgirl Creamery in the town of Point Reyes has the best cheese in all of California. Don’t take our word for it, do a tour and find out for yourself.
• Tomales Bay Oyster Company – just north of the town of Point Reyes is prime oyster farming country. There are several farms to choose from, actually, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Drakes Bay and Hog Island are all worthy, but Tomales Bay has a warm spot in our heart for some reason.
• Lastly, make sure you stop off at Bovine Bakery before you leave town. Their pastries are simply the best around–except in the town of Elk.

Big Sur isn’t so much a place as a state of mind. Just a couple hours south of San Francisco— along the famous Highway 1—you get to witness where the continent of North America crashes abruptly into the Pacific Ocean. Once you get south of Santa Cruz, (or north of Morro Bay) tap the brakes regularly as you meander because there’s plenty to check out and a lot of people miss it.

Rules of the Road: Highway 1 to Big Sur

• Fill your gas tank BEFORE you head into Big Sur
• If you’re prone to car sickness, be prepared for some windy roads
• Bring warm clothes — it does get cold in California!
• Watch out for bikers — some stretches attract lots of cyclists
• Año Nuevo State Park and their resident Elephant Seals (best in Dec-March)
• Point Lobo State Park: an Escape favorite, you can’t go wrong paying the $10 fee to check out the otters, seals, Condor, and whatever else happens to be cruising by.
• Nepenthe Restaurant: just south of Big Sur, Nepenthe is hands down the best place for a sunset over a glass of wine or a cold one
• Pfeiffer Beach: the ‘other’ best place to catch a sunset while in Big Sur
• Keep an eye toward the ocean as this is also a big tourist destination for both humpback and gray whales.

Escape favorites include Pfeiffer Big Sur State Campground, Fernwood, Riverside and Kirk Creek. You really can’t go wrong with any of them.

Ewoldsen Trail

Hearst Castle — It took 28 years to complete William Randolph Hearst’s lavish estate, which includes 165 rooms on 125 acres. There are a variety of tours available.

Location:  You can’t miss the entrance on the right up Highway 1 outside the town of San Simeon.

Pinnacles National Park

Want to tack one more breathtaking side trip onto your Big Sur adventure? As one of America’s newest National Parks, Pinnacles has yet to gain the attention it deserves. The giant rock needles and vertical canyons are all that remains of an ancient volcano that was literally sheared in two by tectonic plates (have we captured your interest yet?). This area attracts hikers, rock climbers, and a whole lot of bats. There’s also a small rookery of endangered California Condors that make Pinnacles home.

Pinnacles Campground

Old Pinnacles Trail Loop

Bear Gulch Day Use Area

California Road Trip – Eastern Route

Lassen volcanic national park.

Tucked in the northeast part of California east of the town of Redding is the geothermal wonderland of Lassen. This place is like a mini Yellowstone and is worth touring if you’re near the area. Lassen is best visited in the summer months as much of the park is closed during winter. Be bear aware. Interestingly, a gray wolf wandered into Lassen from Oregon a few years ago. It was the first wolf spotted in California in something like a hundred years.

Bagging Lassen Peak is a great way to get the blood pumping. Ridge Lakes is pretty respectable in its own right.

There are plenty of good camping spots in and around Lassen. The area is surrounded by National Forest land, so boondocking it is perfectly acceptable.

You can check out travel blogs and Tripadvisor for a full rundown on this outdoor paradise. We’ll leave you with the recommendation that Escapees typically enjoy the western and northern areas around the lake to the far more crowded and touristy southern end.

Favorite Towns

Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Truckee, and Homewood are all interesting communities to hit the brakes and wander the streets for a while.

Tahoe camping isn’t easy or cheap, but it’s worth it to fight the crowds and claim your spot. DL Bliss Campground is a favorite (although it’s a favorite of a LOT of people). Book ahead at  reservecalifornia.com  or call (530) 525-7232 to get your beachside spot. Sugar Pine Campground and Tahoe State Park are perfectly good fallbacks.

Highway 395

Highway 395 along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada mountain range is a destination in its own right. Heading South outside of Lake Tahoe, you’ll almost continually be surrounded by National Forest Land (National Forest = free camping!) and although much of this stretch looks like high desert, there’s still plenty to check out. Be sure to stop by Big Meadow Brewing in Bridgeport.

Bodie Ghost Town

About 20 miles (32 km) north of the town of Lee Vining, look for a sign signaling the road to Bodie (County Road 270, also known as Bodie Road to locals). This abandoned city is the most pristine ghost town in North America…maybe the world. During its heyday, Bodie was one of the largest communities in California. However, when the gold ran out in the mid-1890s, all residents seemed to pack up in a single afternoon, leaving all their worldly goods behind. Today, Bodie is in a state of what the Rangers call “Arrested Decay.” It’s fascinating to wander the overgrown streets of this ghost town.

Bodie is a State Park and they keep regular park hours. Summer months (April to September) they’re open from 9 am to 6 pm. Winter months they’re open 9 am to 4 pm.

This is a maintained dirt road–but sometimes it ain’t so well maintained. Take it easy during this stretch of the drive. Remember, driving on unpaved roads (excluding state- and county- maintained roads), dirt roads, restricted areas, and ‘off road’ areas is not in compliance with Escape Camper Vans insurance and other vehicle warranties. If you get stuck, you are responsible for any expenses related to getting the van back to paved roads.

Just up from the shores of Mono Lake, Lee Vining is the jump off point to head into the Sierras and Yosemite via Highway 120. Park it for a while as this is the last chance to gear up before you head east. Best Eats: Just to your left as you turn onto Highway 120, you’ll find the Tioga Gas Mart, better known to everyone else as the Whoa Nellie Deli. Pull over here and grab a fish taco or a burger and have a picnic on the grassy area out front. During the summer months, you might even catch a live band playing for your enjoyment.

If you haven’t noticed, there’s a gigantic lake below you to the west. It’s worth doing a pit stop at one, or more, of Mono Lake’s many scenic overlooks. DO NOT try to camp here because this area is patrolled. It’s best to head up Highway 120 for the better campsites.

Yosemite Camping Highway 120 East

If you’re getting a late start (after lunchtime or so) heading into Yosemite, Escape recommends grabbing a campsite just outside the park for a night and wading into the madness early the next morning. You’re now back in the high country, so campgrounds are plentiful and the weather will be perfect for car camping during the summer months. There’s a ton of worthy campgrounds just outside the entrance gates and you can’t really go wrong with any of them. While it is possible to boondock it along the many pullouts along this stretch of 120, we recommend you spend a few bucks, get a site, build a campfire, and enjoy a beer or two before heading into Yosemite and the inevitable gridlock tomorrow.

Best Camping 120 East of Yosemite:  Big Bend and Big Springs are pretty cool. Down the hill and a few miles south of Lee Vining is June Lakes Loop, which has more campsites than we can count. We LOVE this area. See our Yosemite Camping Overview for more details.

Head northwest out of Death Valley National Park along Highway 395 and you’ll come to the high desert town of Bishop–one of the premier rock climbing meccas on the planet. Check out the many outfitters and climbing schools along Main Street if you’re interested in getting on some rocks.

You can’t go wrong with Schat’s Bakery just off Main Street.

Death Valley National Park

See our Death Valley itinerary .

Joshua Tree National Park

Two distinct desert ecosystems come together in Joshua National Park to make this a paradise just a couple hours east of Los Angeles. A fascinating place by any standard, Joshua Tree has made many an Escapee tap the brakes for a couple of days to stargaze, climb among the gigantic boulders, and catch just one more sunset before getting back on the road.

Best Campsite

Jumbo Rocks is an Escape favorite, but you can’t go wrong with any of them. This place fills up every weekend so try to get there early.

Crater Lake, Oregon

We know, we know, this isn’t in California but you’re soooo close that you have to make the drive to this incredible lake destination. It’s known for its namesake Crater Lake, formed by the now-collapsed volcano, Mount Mazama. You’re only 3 hours shy of Crater Lake from the Jedediah Smith Redwoods…go for it!

Kings Canyon / Sequoia National Park

Two for the price of one–how can you beat that? Just a couple hours south of Yosemite and a full day drive from Death Valley, Kings Canyon is Yosemite without the crowds. That said, this place still fills up quickly during the summer months.

Campsites in this park are easier to come by than in Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, but they’re most likely full on weekends. Just outside the park on Highway 198 are some spectacular pullouts that offer FREE camping in National Forest Land. Check with the Information Center Rangers and ask their best boondocking tips if you can’t find a campsite within the park. You may need to secure a wilderness permit if you’re going this route (they’re free).

The best way to see these two parks up close is to get out of the Campervan for a couple days. Big Trees Trail, Congress Trail, and Big Stump are all worthy of your attention. If you’re looking to do an overnight, there’s no better 1-2 day hike than the Bubb’s Creek Trail at Road’s End in Kings Canyon.

> Read our blog on the best places to see wildlife in Big Sur  here .

Looking for the best surf spots on Highway 1? Check out this  Highway 1 Road Trip  itinerary in an Escape campervan from our friends at LushPalm!

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Coachella valley road trip guide for your camper van getaway, hidden gems of northern california, renter interview: solo female road trip up the california coast, top 3 winter road trips to escape the cold.

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Surfer Suite Camper Van Rental

Rent a vw california ocean camper van.

Well-designed, iconic looks, and thought-out functions, the VW California Ocean T6.1, otherwise known at roadsufer as the Surfer Suite , is a true all-rounder, perfect for any trip along the coast or in the mountains. This upgraded classic campervan took years to develop and is the perfect companion for any road trip. It offers many possibilities to make it your home-on-wheels with features such as compact storage spaces, a comfortable and extendable electro-hydraulic roof-top , a safety roller blind for your children as fall protection, windows in the upper bed compartment, blackout windows , a height-adjustable shelf in the rear , a comfortable lying area in the lower interiors and a slatted frame bed in the upper compartment. Please note that this model is only available in certain countries in Europe.

Starting from $79 / night

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Why Rent the Surfer Suite Camper Van?

Taking a quick outside shower after visiting the beach is one of the many additional benefits of the Surfer Suite. Rent the VW California Ocean camper van, and you will get many other luxuries as well, such as the integrated GPS system, a reversing camera for easier maneuvering and parking as well as the cruise control for a relaxed trip on the European roads.

150 hp diesel / DCT automation

Electrohydraulic pop-top roof

Outdoor Shower

ACC, Cruise control & Park assist

Camping Kitchen

Your Surfer Suite Equipment & Features

Sitting & Sleeping

✓ 4 Seats Both front seats can be rotated

✓ 4 Sleeping spaces Two adults below on the folded out seating surface with comfort mattress (3’9″ x 6’7″) and two adults above in the pop-up roof (lying surface: 4′ x 6’7″)

✓ Electrohydraulic pop-up roof Opens and closes at the push of a button

✓ Shade blind For all windows (even for the windscreen)

Eating & Cooking

✓ Complete kitchenette Sink, storage space, silverware drawer, water tank

✓ Kitchen Box Includes camping pots and a pan, espresso cooker, coffee cups, glasses, plates, small bowls and silverware (for 4 people), silverware for children, cooking utensils, salad bowls, small knives and a bowl for washing up

Water & Electricity

✓ Outdoor shower

✓ Power connection and 2nd camping battery 230-230V socket on the inside and a 230V power connection on the outside with an extension cable and a connection Schuko socket for electricity at the campsite

Summer & Winter Equipment

✓ Seat heating For the driver and passenger seat

✓ Stationary heating Powered by diesel

✓ Air conditioning While motor is turned on and running

✓ A camping table + two camping chairs For exterior use

Technical information, driving and parking

150 hp, automatic

Always specify the length of 20 feet in case you book a ferry

Automatic distance control

Interface for mobile navigation

Optional bookable equipment

optional bookable equipment

$7 per night

one-time payment of $12.50 per booking

one-time payment of $25 per booking

1-3 & 4-12 year olds

one-time payment of $49 per booking

one-time payment of $39 per booking

one-time payment of $35 per booking

On the road with the Surfer Suite?

If you’re currently traveling with the Surfer Suite and need assistance, you can find helpful practical tips and video guides on operating your camper van here.

You will receive a link to your customer account together with your booking confirmation. There, you can view details of your booking, such as the vehicle model, pick-up and drop-off times, and more. Additionally, you can directly adjust the following topics and more:

• Adjust your pick-up and drop-off time
• Retrieve/download your booking confirmation
• Edit or cancel your booking
• Edit and change your driver data
• Change or upgrade your Carefree Package
• Add equipment  (bedding, bike rack, camping toilet, etc.)
• View your payments and pay directly
• Check the status of your deposit
• Submit invoices for reimbursement (must be submitted within 7 days after your return)
• View mobility service provider number
• To view the Camper Tutorials, access your customer account and click on the top right-hand corner

If you experience a breakdown on the road that hinders your ability to continue driving, you can contact the 24/7 mobility service provider for assistance. Here’s what you need to do:

• In your customer account, you can locate the telephone number of the mobility service provider responsible for your vehicle. You will find your personal link to the customer account in the email containing your booking confirmation or rental contract. Please note that the mobility service provider can assist you in German or English and only regarding issues related to the vehicle’s driving restrictions. For inquiries about camping functions, refer to the Help Center as the mobility service provider cannot provide assistance in this area.
• I is important to document the breakdown as thoroughly as possible. Take photos or videos of the situation, including any visible damage or relevant surroundings. Make sure to note down the incident number provided by the mobility service provider. Send an email to [email protected] with all the documentation related to your breakdown and include the incident number.

Have you had an  accident or suffered damage on the road , but your camper is running perfectly? Then please proceed as follows:

• Take photos of the damage and the surroundings and send an e-mail with a damage report to  [email protected]  .
• In case of an accident, please also fill out the international accident report (in the glove compartment) and send it to the email address above.
• If you are involved in an accident, it is mandatory to inform the police at the scene. Failure to do so may result in insurance coverage issues.

Our Carefree Packages cover you in the event of an accident or damage. With the “Basic” package, you already have basic coverage with comprehensive and breakdown insurance included. By upgrading to an “Advanced” or “Complete” package, you can insure yourself against additional types of damage and at the same time reduce your deductible, i.e. the costs you have to pay yourself in the event of damage.

Further details on prices and benefits can be found on our Prices page .

Our station locations can vary significantly. Some are centrally located, while others are a bit more on the outskirts. Please check the detail pages of our stations to see the specific location of the station where you have booked your camper. Additionally, you will find tips on how to get there and information about on-site parking options on the individual station pages.

Unfortunately, our locations do not offer secure parking facilities, and parking spaces are often limited or unavailable. However, there might be potential to find parking in nearby residential or commercial areas. For the best option, leave the car at home and use public transportation, or take a taxi to our station is recommended.

The following basic camping gear is included in your rental for free:

• Navigation system
• Air conditioning
• Stationary heater
• Awning/marquise
• 1 outdoor camping table
• 2 outdoor camping chairs
• Kitchen Box (with the most essential utensils: camping pots and pans, coffee maker, coffee mugs, glasses, plates, silverware for 4 people, as well as plastic children’s dishes, kitchen knives, salad bowl, paring knife, and a collapsible washbasin)
• Levelling wedges
• Cable for recharging your camping battery

The individual model features and all extras can be found in the comparison chart of all roadsurfer models. Please note that our vehicles do not have internet or WiFi.

Would you like any extra equipment?

You can rent a variety of camping gear from roadsurfer. We offer various camping equipment, ranging from roof racks and bike carriers to portable toilets. Just take a look at our equipment page , where we have listed all the extras available for rent.

When collecting your vehicle, please make sure to bring the following documents:

• Identity card or passport of all drivers
• Driving license of all drivers
• VISA or Mastercard (credit or debit) for the deposit. Please make sure the card has sufficient funds available, and remember to the PIN. If necessary, payment can also be made by EC card at German stations.

For customers with a UK registration, a driver license check is mandatory during the pick-up process at our UK stations. This is necessary to ensure full coverage by our insurance package.

Please note: If you have more than 6 points on your driving license and/or specific past driving convictions, you will not be eligible to drive our vehicles.

For this purpose, if you are renting in the UK you will need to provide the following:

• Driving license number
• Address information (as displayed on Driver’s license)
• National Insurance ID
• You can enter the required information on the website GOV.UK in advance and generate a check code and show it at the time of pick-up at the station.

If you have a driver’s license from another European country and are picking up our vehicles at any UK station, you are not required to undergo the driver license check.

To rent a camper van in the UK, you must be at least 21 years old and have a valid driver’s license for at least one year.

Is there anything else you’d like to know about your camper van or booking?

For all the information you need about your camper adventure, check out our Help Center.

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Ultimate California Road Trip Itinerary: From the Pacific to the Redwoods!

Are you looking for the best California road trip itinerary to explore the most beautiful places in the Golden State? Our 10 days in California itinerary will take you from the rugged coast and beautiful beaches to the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevadas. Hike the Mojave desert, sleep underneath a yucca tree, and visit the lowest place on the continent while you road trip in California. Read our 10 day California Road Trip guide now. You may also like our post on 20 Best Road Trips in the USA .

Welcome to our ultimate California road trip planner!

We created this planner to help you plan the perfect road trip around California and it contains all the essential information you need to plan your trip today including budget and costs, what to eat, where to stay, etc.

Here you will find recommendations for a variety of California itineraries as well as get more information on California road trip must-see attractions including the Golden Gate Bridge, Big Sur, Yosemite, and Los Angeles.

Our mission? To make sure you have a blast in California!

Also Read: Portland to San Francisco Road Trip Itinerary California To Texas road trip planner Best Things to do in Washington State

California is our favorite destination ever.

I have been enamored with California long before I visited it.

California, San Jose, and the West coast are randomly thrown around in conversations in India – because everyone knows someone working in Silicon Valley – and you can’t help but know about this slice of America.

Growing up, I knew more about Cisco, Apple, Google, and Yahoo (remember when everyone used Yahoo?!) than San Francisco, Yosemite, and Big Sur.

And Disney – because everyone knows Disney!

California has such a unique history.

The oldest, tallest, and widest trees live here and guess what, they have been around since prehistoric times – yes, even dinosaurs lived among the redwood trees!

One of the lowest, aridest, and hottest places on earth is right here in California in Badwater Basin.

And as for scenic places: California has so many of them!

We love Big Sur and its rocky coast, the wildflower super blooms, blue Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake and its tufas, unique shapes of Joshua trees!

There are so many things to see in California road trip that the list just goes on!

Also Read: 24 Best Places to Visit in California in winter

Dotted Globe contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full  Disclosure  here. Thank you!

And that’s why in our California road trip itinerary of 10 days, we take you around all these unique and beautiful places in the Golden State.

Our California 10 day road trip itinerary is perfect for driving around dreamy landscapes of yellow poppies, orange orchards, purple foliage, and lush green vineyards.

We have divided this California roadtrip itinerary into 4 essential stretches as per the geographic features of the state – yepp, we are that geeky – and you can customize it as you want. 

Best waterproof walking shoes for California beaches

If you are a beach person like me, then extend the Pacific Coast Highway Itinerary to 10 days.

If you are a mountain lover like my hubby, then take a 10 day road trip from San Francisco to Yosemite.

Pick your favorite area and stay there as long as you want. Or follow our California in 10 days itinerary exactly as described!

As always, we have also included suggestions for if you have more or less time.

Whatever you chose, you are going to have the time of your lives – because this is California!

“Every time I come, I’m still amazed at the breadth California has. Big Sur, Yosemite, the desert… I love it.” – Theo James, the English actor

Best of California Road Trip 10 Days Itinerary

We, like most people, have seen California in bits and pieces rather than in one go.

We first visited California almost a decade ago and did San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the theme parks.

Second time around, we visited Death Valley National Park on a road trip from Vegas.

Then I lived and worked in the Bay area in tech (oh, the irony!) and that’s when we explored the California National Parks, North Coast, and the Sierra Nevada side of the state.

Our most popular posts: 22 Best City Breaks in the USA The Best Things to do in New York on your first visit Ultimate List of Best Places to visit in the USA

Most recently, we did the San Francisco to Los Angeles road trip along the gorgeous Pacific Coast Highway – oh and also road-tripped Southern California and Disney with the kids.

On our next trip – we plan to do the North Coast and Redwoods Scenic Highway AGAIN.

Yeah – that’s how much we love California – have been to many destinations several times and still can’t have enough.

The best way to tour California is obviously by driving. The state is beautiful but huge and it’s not easy planning California trip that covers all the major attractions with limited time in hand.

And planning a California road trip with kids is even more difficult – how do you prioritize between theme parks and natural attractions?

And that’s where we rush in – your knights in shining armor – delivering the ultimate 10 day California road trip itinerary. 

Our California trip planner is more like going on a series of best California road trips – each more gorgeous than the previous.

Also, we follow this road trip along two of California’s most popular routes: south on the SR1 or Pacific Coast Highway and then back north along the scenic SR 395 through Eastern California .

That’s what makes our itinerary the absolute best California driving trip planner!

You can also call it the California National Parks road trip because we will be visiting the most popular of them on an epic road trip.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Stretch 1: Down The Pacific Coast – 4 Days

Often enough, when someone talks about a California driving holiday, this stretch along the Pacific Coast Highway is the one they actually mean.

Constantly ranked among the top scenic drives in the world, the coastal drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles is the best of both worlds.

It combines the urban getaways of California’s two largest cities with the natural panoramas of Big Sur and the Pacific. 

If you have limited time, we would recommend spending 3 to 4 days along this route.

If you want to focus only on this coastal road trip, then just drive south on a road trip from San Francisco on SR1.

Take your own time to enjoy roadside stops like Carmel-By-The-Sea, Morro Bay, and the stunning Big Sur.

Hike or camp and explore nature.

Here’s our suggestion for this stretch of 10 day California itinerary planner.

San Francisco – 1 Day

Start with our San Francisco road trip planner.

San Francisco is our favorite city to start a 10 day California trip.

The city is quite easy to fly into; the 3 airports of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland are located close by and many airlines have deals to the Bay area.

We would recommend spending a minimum of one day in San Francisco before picking up your rental car and driving south.

Or you can rent a car before, see SF, and then drive the PCH.

You can also start your 10 day road trip from Los Angeles, in that case, adjust your plans accordingly.

Read this now! Whatever you do – don’t casually park your car at an empty garage in San Francisco. Car Break-ins in San Francisco are very common, as we discovered to our ill-fortune . On our latest trip to San Francisco, we had parked in a garage two blocks away from Pier 39 and came back to find the rear glass broken and both our children’s suitcases gone!  We had to spend quite some time to sort the issue and it left a sad memory on an otherwise awesome road trip around California in 10 days. We would recommend parking at your hotel while taking a cab or the tram to explore the city. 

San Francisco has many names – SF, San Fran, Fog City, the City by the Bay, Frisco (though don’t say that in front of locals) or simply, the City – going back to the days of the Wild West when there was nothing much in Northern California but the city.

San Francisco is colorful, vibrant, and bohemian.

It’s amongst our favorite US cities – right there at the top along with New York , Chicago , and New Orleans.

There are quite a few things to do in San Francisco: unsurprisingly most of them begin at or near the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco’s gigantic urban park.

Begin your visit at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center near the southern end of the bridge.

Learn interesting facts and see construction relics from the building of the Golden Gate Bridge before visiting the bridge itself.

Next walk across all 1.7 miles of this engineering marvel and icon of America.

The views of the bay from the bridge are beautiful and you feel an indescribable thrill while walking across it.

Definitely the highlight of your California travel itinerary!

Up for more adventure?

Bike the Golden Gate!

We have done it twice – most recently with our 3 yrs and 6 months old kids – it is a superb experience.

We love biking across to Sausalito, exploring the quaint town, and taking the ferry back to San Francisco.

You can also bike to the redwoods if you have more time.

Read our ultimate guide to biking the bridge here.

If not biking, then use the rest of your day to explore San Francisco’s highlights: Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, Lombard Street, and Ghirardelli Square.

If you want to spend more time in San Francisco, see the Painted Ladies – those famous SF houses shown in Full House!

You can also check out the city from the Twin Peaks.

The Golden Gate Park is perfect for a stroll.

Ride the cable car to Chinatown and have some dumplings and noodles for lunch.

Spend an afternoon admiring the beautiful architecture of the Palace of Fine Arts or visit the prison of Alcatraz Island.

Visit the beautiful redwood trees at Muir Woods National Monument or whale watch and hike at Point Reyes.

San Francisco is a beautiful city and you can easily spend a couple of days there as a part of your 10 day trip to California.

Read our San Francisco posts now to plan this part of the trip: San Francisco 3 to 5-day itinerary ideas 17 Best Things to do in San Francisco on your first visit

The area around San Francisco is also full of activities and tourist attractions.

Here are some suggestions if you want to spend a few more days exploring around the Bay Area during your California itinerary of 10 days:

Napa & Sonoma 

Take a day trip from San Francisco to Napa Valley along the Silverado Trail.

Sonoma County is also a great place to visit for wine lovers.

You can tour the many vineyards, taste local wines, dine at Michelin starred restaurants, and visit famous tasting rooms.

If you happen to visit in the fall, you will see beautiful fall colors in the vineyards and be able to attend grape stomping. 

San Jose is popular with millennials and those working in Silicon Valley.

You will find plenty of trendy nightclubs and bars in San Jose.

If you enjoy shopping, check out the high fashion brands on Santana Row.

For outdoor lovers, a hike to Mission Peak is a must while families will love the Winchester Mystery House.

Silicon Valley

If you love tech then you need to visit Silicon Valley.

It boasts the largest concentration of geeks and nerds – and as a fellow geek, I say it quite fondly!

Start your visit at the Computer History Museum to know everything about the machine that changed our lives.

Then see Google’s Android lawn sculptures in Mountain View or the garage where Hewlett Packard began in Palo Alto.

Visit Stanford University’s sprawling campus as well as Facebook and Apple!

Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip – 2 Days

On to the next part of the 10 day road trip in California.

After seeing San Francisco, drive south along the SR1 or Pacific Coast Highway.

Over the next 2 days, you will follow the coastal route to Los Angeles while making plenty of stops along the way.

Check the coastal communities of Half Moon Bay and Davenport before reaching Santa Cruz.

If you have kids, spend some time at the Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk.

Next visit Monterey and Carmel by the Sea. Hike in Point Lobos or walk the coastal bluffs at Garrapata State Park.

On the way, you will see secret beaches, hidden coves, and beautiful views. 

As you begin driving PCH1 while following our 10 days in California itinerary, you understand why artists settle here, photographers and writers both wax lyrical about this region, and why the drive is called the most beautiful in the world.

We recommend staying somewhere in the vicinity of Carmel Highlands for the night.

The next day, rise early for the star attraction of the drive: the 90-mile long rugged, wild Big Sur.

Big Sur is 6 hours from Los Angeles and you have a big day ahead.

It is really hard to describe Big Sur.

Rocky cliffs, foaming waves, spring wildflowers, lighthouses, migrating whales, turquoise water, redwood trees: Big Sur has everything.

It is gorgeous in a wild way.

In Big Sur, you will find amazing state parks, some of California’s best hiking trails, iconic beaches, and tons of marine life, including otters, elephant seals, and dolphins.

Some areas of Big Sur can be closed at any given time of the year due to floods or landslides – so we recommend checking out the PCH status before your 10 days road trip California.

Read more about all the attractions including the beautiful McWay Falls in our post One day in Big Sur . 

Other attractions of the Pacific Coast Highway drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles include Monterey’s famous 17-mile drive, the seaside towns of Pismo Beach and Morro Bay, the famous Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, and the beaches of Malibu.

For the purposes of this California Itinerary of 10 days, we would suggest 2 to 3 days on PCH.

However, if you have more time then the PCH is easily a 4 day to week-long road trip in itself.

To read more about all the awesome stops on PCH and planning a detailed itinerary, check out our article on Planning a road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway . 

Also Read: Top 10 Convertible drives in the USA

Los Angeles – 1 Day

While San Francisco and Silicon Valley are for tech lovers, Los Angeles is for Hollywood fans.

How long to stay in Los Angeles is a tricky question.

If you only have one day in Los Angeles, start by seeing the famous Hollywood sign and then visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame to take selfies with your favorite stars.

Also, see the Kodak Theatre (now Dolby Theatre) which hosts the Oscars and tour the movie star homes on Rodeo Drive.

If you have more time to explore Los Angeles, we suggest starting with lunch at the Santa Monica Pier.

Then visit the Griffith Observatory and see Los Angeles from above.

Or you can take a behind the scenes VIP studio tour at one of your favorite studios: pick from Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures or Sony!

You can also check out the beautiful exhibits at the Getty Center or the beautiful modern art at the Broad.

LA also has many other top museums and a large number of attractions – read our post on Best Things to do in Los Angeles for more ideas.

For more help in planning your day, read our Los Angeles itinerary for first-time visitors .

Here are some suggestions to explore the area beyond Downtown Los Angeles:

No California family road trip is complete without a trip to Disney.

Both of California’s Disney Parks are located close to Los Angeles in Anaheim.

On the best California vacation itinerary, you have to meet Mickey, Goofy and other beloved cartoon characters!

Kids also get to meet Disney’s princesses in full attire at the parks.

To plan a California family vacation itinerary including a trip to Disney, read our Disney posts .

Universal Studios

To understand all about movie-making, see movie sets, and enjoy thrilling rides visit Universal Studios.

This theme park has really cool attractions and the Studio Tour will take you through sets based on Shutter Island, Jaws, King Kong, and more.

Harry Potter fans will love visiting Hogwarts and taking thrilling rides based on the books and movies – and is a must-visit if you are spending 10 days in California.

Channel Islands National Park

For a unique experience, customize our itinerary for California 10 days and visit the remote Channel Islands.

Comprised of 5 islands, the park has excellent wildlife, sea caves, and lots of natural beauty.

You can take a ferry to the park from Ventura.

Optional: San Diego – 1 Day

From Los Angeles, you can venture on the next part of California 10 day itinerary or extend your trip down the coast by visiting San Diego.

Not many people know that San Diego is the oldest city on the West Coast.

It has beautiful Spanish Colonial architecture and lots of history. 

Read our post 22 Best Things to do in San Diego now to know more about this beautiful city.

If you have one day, you can visit the Historic Old Town and understand the Mexican and Wild West roots of the city.

Next, visit the famous Balboa Park with its beautiful architecture, renowned museums, and the San Diego Zoo.

Round off your time in the city by exploring the historic Gaslamp Quarter and its Victorian architecture and trendy eateries, hotels, and pubs.

This area is perfect for ending the day with dinner and drinks.

If you have more than a day, visit the famous San Diego Sea World and see the dolphins in action.

San Diego is home to many beautiful beaches; the Mission Beach boardwalk is very popular.

Other things to see include Mission San Diego, Sunset Cliffs Park, and the bustling waterfront area of Seaport Village.

If you have more time on 10 day itinerary California, check out the dramatic sculptures in the desert city of Borrego Springs.

Related: For more California road trip ideas, check out our post on 12 Best California road trips

Stretch 2: Through The Arid Californian Desert – 2 Days

Continue on the California road trip route planner through deserts of southern California.

While most people associate California primarily with the coast and then with the dense redwood forests, the state is also renowned for its unique desert landscapes.

Most of these parts of southern California have a desolate beauty.

It is full of desert cities like Palm Springs which offer unique tourist attractions for visitors.

In this post, we focus our California 10 days itinerary on exploring two of the region’s national parks: Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park.

Joshua Tree National Park – 1 Day

Located partly over the Colorado desert and the Mojave desert, Joshua Tree National Park is named after the iconic Joshua tree.

This is a type of Yucca tree that is twisted, scraggly, and found only in the Mojave desert of California.

The easily recognizable tree looks even more dramatic in the desert landscape and bare rock formations of Joshua Tree National Park.

The national park is one of the most underrated California road trip destinations.

Its unique vistas have drawn photographers and artists to the park for decades.

Read our post on One Day in Joshua Tree to plan your trip.

There are many things to do in Joshua Tree and its otherworldly landscape.

One of the best ways to see Joshua Tree is by driving around the paved road in the park.

Campsites in Joshua Tree are spectacular and hikes through Yucca trees and cacti adventurous.

The Hidden Valley Trail is a short mile-long trail that offers great desert landscape views.

The park has many popular geological rock formations that are used for rock climbing.

The park also has a dark night sky and is good for stargazers, astronomy enthusiasts, and night sky photographers.

Wildlife and birding opportunities around the park are also numerous.

Read more in our post 24 Best Things to do in Joshua Tree National Park .

While deciding how to plan a trip to California, we recommend keeping more time aside to explore the many attractions surrounding Joshua Tree.

You can easily include them on a South California road trip from San Diego to Joshua Tree in this order: San Diego – Anza Borrego – Galleta Meadows – Salton Sea – Palm Springs – Joshua Tree.

Here’s some more information about these desert experiences that are worth adding to your itinerary if you have the time.

Salton Sea 

The Salton Sea is an inland lake created by flooding from an irrigation canal of the Colorado River that carries water to the Imperial Valley in 1905.

Several resort communities were built along the new lake.

However, the lake has no discharge and as a result, the water became unusually saline causing the death of marine life.

As a result, the communities were abandoned and are extremely popular with ruin photographers.

If you have teens, then definitely include Bombay Beach ruins in your California vacation itinerary – they will love to see random objects lying on the beach.

Today, the Salton Sea shoreline is filled with deteriorating structures and RV communities.

The Salton Sea is also located directly on top of the San Andreas fault and geothermal activity including mud pools are present along the coast.

The Salton Sea State Recreation Area is popular for birding, boating, picnicking, and camping. 

Palm Springs

Palm Springs, located in the Colorado desert region, is one of the biggest Californian desert cities.

If you want a relaxing vacation, then Palm Springs is one of the best California ideas.

One of its main attractions is the Palm Springs aerial tramway which takes you up Mount San Jacinto and offers great views of the surrounding area.

Palm Springs also has many great museums, boutique stores, restaurants, and resorts.

It is one of the most popular winter vacation destinations in the USA.

If you plan to visit Palm Springs, then check out our post on 30 Best Things to do in Palm Springs, California.

Anza Borrego and Galleta Meadows Sculptures in Borrego Springs

While California has many beautiful state parks, few know about its largest – Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

This park is at its most beautiful in the spring when the cacti flower and the desert landscape comes alive with colors.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park is just two hours away from San Diego and can be seen on a San Diego Joshua Valley road trip.

In nearby Borrego Springs, you can see the unusual Galleta Meadows Estate sculptures.

These sculptures created by artist Ricardo Breceda are free to visit and beautiful works of art.

By driving all over the land you can spot dragons, serpents, wooly mammoths, and other fantastic creatures.  

Also, read our post on Planning the ultimate Southern California itinerary.

Coachella Valley Preserve 

Coachella’s Thousand Palms Oasis is a unique chance to see the oasis environment in the middle of the desert.

The oases directly sit on fault lines and the water seeping through the faults has given life to California Fan Palms and other big palms in the arid desert.

Wildlife including sheep, goats, bobcats, etc, also can be spotted at the oasis.

Entry to the reserve is free and it has many hiking trails plus offers excellent wildlife viewing opportunities.

There are also other hiking areas close to Coachella Valley Preserve including Indian Canyons where you can hike through slot canyons. 

Death Valley National Park – 1 Day

Comprising of areas of the Mojave desert and the Great Basin desert, Death Valley is vastly different than Joshua Tree National Park.

For the most part, Death Valley is devoid of vegetation and is home to a variety of geological formations including the badlands, sand dunes, and the famous salt flats.

Death Valley also has the distinction of being the lowest point in North America and is also one of the hottest and driest places in the country.

No trip to Death Valley National Park is complete without visiting the Badwater Basin salt flats.

The salt flats, at 282 feet below sea level, are the lowest place in North America.

Death Valley National Park has many scenic drives that are perfect for exploring around the park.

Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes are good for taking a stroll, exploring the desert plants, viewing animal tracks, and sunrise/sunset photography.

The park has many interesting geological formations.

Death Valley also has a dark night sky and is great for stargazing and photographing the Milky Way.

Read our post on 14 Best Things to do in Death Valley National Park for more information.

We know you are planning to roadtrip California, but we can’t talk about Death Valley without mentioning Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is also a great city to begin your road trip to California.

The distance between Vegas and Death Valley is just over 2 hours and the route is quite scenic.

In fact, it is one of our favorite road trips from Las Vegas.

You can see the Sin City and then go on a road trip through California – an epic Las Vegas Los Angeles San Francisco trip, if you will!

Or you can also go on a memorable Las Vegas Grand Canyon road trip from California.

For Las Vegas travel inspiration, read our post on 52 Best Things to do in Las Vegas .

Stretch 3: Up Through The Sierra Nevada – 4 Days

After seeing Death Valley, take a road trip on California’s Scenic Highway 395.

This road trip is scenic whether you do it from north to south or like we recommend here, from south to north.

The best time to see the aspens turn yellow here is in fall.

The total distance from Death Valley to your final destination of Yosemite is 4 hours when the Lee Vining road to Yosemite is open in the summer.

However, we recommend keeping aside 4 days for this road trip as it has some of the most underrated road trip destinations in California including the Manzanar National Historic Site, Alabama Hills, Ancient Bristlecone pine forest, Bodie Ghost Town, etc.

For more information on these Route 395 stops, see this article .

For the purposes of this itinerary, we focus on the popular attractions of Mammoth Lakes, Yosemite, and Lake Tahoe. 

Route 395 will take you high up into the Sierra Nevada mountains, known for their spectacular beauty.

The Sierra Nevadas are home to many national and state parks including the mighty Yosemite and crystal clear high mountain lakes.

For the rest of your Californian road trip, you will be exploring the High Sierras and its many breathtaking attractions.

This is a welcome respite after the desert landscapes of Death Valley and Joshua Tree and depending on when you visit you will be able to see beautiful meadows, wildflowers, fall foliage, and even snow!

Mammoth Lakes And Mono Lake – 1 Day

Contrary to their name, Mammoth Lakes is not a lake but a winter ski town in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Mammoth Mountain is the main winter skiing area with a variety of ski runs.

In summer, it is a favorite with mountain bikers and hikers.

The town does have several beautiful lakes that are accessible only in the summer but none of them are named Mammoth.

The area has beautiful alpine meadows with wildflowers in spring and natural hot springs for some R&R.

In one day, we recommend taking the roughly one hour drive around the Lakes Basin and visiting all the lakes.

You can hike, picnic, kayak, and fish in whichever lake you like.

Or maybe just hang up a hammock and read a book by the lake.

Nearby Mono Lake is a saltwater lake surrounded by unique towering limestone formations called the tufa.

The lake visitor center has great information about the formation of the lake and the tufa while the short South Tufa trail is great for exploring the surrounding area.

The trail takes you along the lakeshore and among the tufas.

We suggest stopping here for an hour or so; Mono Lake accepts National Park Pass for entry.

On the way from Mammoth Lakes to Mono Lake, you will pass by June Lake and Devils Postpile Monument.

June Lake Loop Road is a great place to see the fall colors while the Devils Postpile National Monument is a unique geological formation of basalt columns.

Rainbow Falls, a 31m plunging waterfall, is another popular attraction of the monument.

Past Mono Lake, take the Lee Vining Road into Yosemite.

The official name of the road is Tioga Pass Road and it is closed in winter and spring (usually November to May) due to snow.

In that case, you can’t really visit Yosemite from the eastern side.

To know alternative routes in winter, check here . 

Yosemite National Park – 2 Days

Best known for its giant sequoia trees, bald granite cliffs, and spectacular waterfalls, Yosemite National Park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Yosemite along with Yellowstone National Park and Grand Canyon National Park is known as the ‘Big Three’ and receives over 4 million visitors each year.

Yosemite is a must-stop on any Ca road trip itinerary.

The best time to visit Yosemite National Park is from the summer to fall when Tioga Pass Road is open.

We suggest spending 2 days in Yosemite National Park to hike, drive along scenic roads, and see the major attractions. 

On your first day, start by taking a Yosemite Valley Tour.

The Yosemite Valley is surrounded by the bald granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome.

Most of the waterfalls including Yosemite Falls are also located in the valley.

The Valley is also where most of the park services including accommodations, shuttle buses, etc are located.

The Valley has hiking trails for all difficulty levels that lead to stunning views of Yosemite.

Lower Yosemite Falls hike is a short and easy trail that goes to the base of the falls.

Touring the Yosemite Valley via the free shuttle bus is the easiest way to see the national park.

However, if you are visiting in summer (especially long weekends) it can get very crowded – so plan to start early in the morning.

The Valley Visitor Center has great information and exhibits about the history and geology of Yosemite, plus it is a good place to get souvenirs, postcards, and magnets.

The aptly-named Mirror Lake reflects Half Dome peak and is beautiful to visit.

However, it dries up towards the end of summer and is best seen in spring/summer. 

Another must in the Valley if you’re visiting in summer is Glacier Point.

Located along the valley rim, it can be reached only by car or private tour.

The views from Glacier Point are stellar. It is also the base for many of Yosemite’s rim hikes.

We suggest spending one day exploring the valley. Yosemite also offers paid guided tours if you prefer them.

On the next day, you can go up the Tioga Pass road if it is clear of snow.

This is your chance to experience Yosemite devoid of the crowds.

The shuttle bus will take you up the Tioga Pass road to Tuolumne Meadows.

To see Yosemite’s giant sequoia trees, visit the Mariposa Grove.

This area is also accessible by the park shuttle.

End your day by visiting Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Village.

Photographer Ansel Adams’s stunning black and white photos of Yosemite are a great reminder of how Yosemite looked over half a century ago.

Lake Tahoe And Emerald Bay – 1 Day

If you continue along Route 395 from Yosemite, you will reach lake Tahoe.

Note: Route 395 itself does not reach Lake Tahoe, so you will be following 207 from the Nevada side. 

The deep blue water of Lake Tahoe surrounded by snow-clad mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevadas is one of California’s iconic images.

Located on the California-Nevada border, Lake Tahoe is a popular travel destination for Californians throughout the year.

In winter it is popular for snowshoeing, skiing, and sledding.

Summer in Lake Tahoe is made for biking and camping.

In fall, the area around Lake Tahoe comes alive with spectacular fall foliage and is one of the top fall drives in the country .

South Lake Tahoe or the California side is best for enjoying the outdoors and nature with family while the Nevada side has lots of casinos and is more touristy.

Crystal clear waters of Lake Tahoe (CC 2.0 – Christian Abend )

The drive around Lake Tahoe is 72 miles long and takes about three hours.

It is highly scenic and one of the best road trips in California.

Much of the shoreline of Lake Tahoe is public and the views of the lake from the drive are stunning.

The lake looks a pretty shade of blue during the day and taking a beautiful picture of the water is a highlight of your visit.

An essential stop along the drive is the Emerald Bay State Park.

The drive here is spectacular and the views of the turquoise lake are lovely.

There are many other ways to enjoy Lake Tahoe.

You can take a helicopter tour or enjoy watersports on the lake.

The Sierra Nevada mountain ranges are an absolute delight for outdoor and nature lovers.

What you will see in these 4 days is just the tip of the iceberg.

The High Sierras have many beautiful alpine valleys, lakes, ghost towns, waterfalls, and hiking trails worth exploring.

If you can spend more time in the Sierra Nevada, then here are some other must attractions:

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 

These are the two other national parks located in the High Sierras.

The giant sequoias surround you as you drive the park roads creating a surreal and unique experience.

The twisting and turning roads here are not for the faint-hearted (hint: carry some Dramamine!).

Both national parks have great hiking trails and lots of wildlife.

John Muir Trail

While it is not possible to hike in a short time, John Muir Trail deserves a special mention.

This is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada and passes through Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks.

It is as renowned as the Appalachian or the Pacific Crest Trail. 

Bodie Ghost Town

The old mining ghost town of Bodie is an hour away from Mammoth Lakes.

Preserved as a state park, the town is full of historic saloons and deserted buildings.

While Sacramento is not in the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, the city is on the way while returning to San Francisco from Lake Tahoe and makes for a great addition to our California road trip itinerary recommendations.

One of the top attractions in Sacramento is the California State Railroad Museum.

Stretch 4: Along The Wild North Coast

There are many things to do in Northern California including national parks, scenic drives, beautiful coastal towns, and more.

You will need another 5 days minimum to fully explore the Northern part of the state.

Hence, we do not recommend covering the North Coast if you are following this California Road Trip Itinerary for 10 Days – you simply won’t have time.

The best way to explore this region is to plan a separate road trip in the northern part of the state, the details of which you can read here in our post, Ultimate Northern California road trip itinerary .

California’s North Coast is less visited, unspoiled, and partially unexplored compared to the famous central Coast and the crowded southern coast.

The prehistoric coastal redwood trees grow in groves along the road all the way up to Oregon.

Hwy 1 ends at Leggett where it joins Hwy 101.

While the road follows the coast, for the most part, it turns inward in the area of the Lost Coast.

The remote Lost Coast as the name suggests is devoid of major highways and remains the ultimate adventure for a 10 day trip to California.

However, the coast is not the only unique thing about Northern California.

The northern part of the state is also home to geothermal activity.

You can climb lava tunnels at Lava Beds National Monument and see volcanic craters, domes, mud pools, etc at Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Here are a few attractions of the region:

Redwoods National and State Park

The Redwoods National and State Parks were created to preserve the old-growth redwood forests.

The Redwoods are the tallest living trees on Earth and also among the oldest.

The National Park and state parks are also home to a number of endangered animals including spotted owl, species of sea lions, etc.

The unique environment of the dense redwood forests by the coast has resulted in the park being designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Seeing the Redwoods covered in fog during winter or spring is a surreal experience.

Point Reyes

Point Reyes National Seashore, located in Marin County, preserves a large swath of northern California’s coastal wilderness.

Most popular attractions at Point Reyes include Alamere Falls on Wildcat Beach and Point Reyes Lighthouse.

Other attractions include the endangered tule elk herd that can be seen around Tomales Point, Native American redwood houses, earthquake trail, and dramatic cliffside beaches.

Avenue of the Giants

Avenue of the Giants is an over 30 miles long scenic highway that passes through the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and its mighty coastal redwood trees.

Roadside attractions include tunnels cut into redwood trees, giant groves, and unique roadside attractions like a house created from a single redwood log and a Redwood RV.

We suggest hiking in the Redwood groves to experience the truly gigantic trees.

The quaint seaside town of Mendocino is quite different from the coastal towns on the Central Coast.

It reminded me of Maine and the coastal upper East coast due to its Victorian mansions painted in pretty pastel colors.

The town is a historical landmark and very pretty to wander and explore.

Nearby Mendocino Headlands State Park and Russian Gulch State Park are worth a visit.

Nearby Fort Bragg is no fort but a lumber town on the North Coast.

The famous ‘Glass Beach’ of which I’m sure you have seen pics floating around on social media is in Fort Bragg.

The beach is a part of MacKerricher State Park, a state park with amazing views of the undeveloped headlands, beaches, and tide pools.

Another popular attraction in Fort Bragg is the Skunk Train – a railroad built to haul timber logs from the redwood forests.

Other attractions on the North Coast include the pretty Victorian towns of Ferndale and Eureka, Del Norte Redwood State Park, and the seaport community of Crescent City.

More 10 Day California itinerary ideas for slow travelers

You can use our California road trip planner to customize your itinerary based on your interests. 

If you can only spend 10 days in California, then seeing all the above attractions can be overwhelming; here are a few suggestions for those who like slow travel.

California coast road trip itinerary

One great option is to go on a 10 day pacific coast highway trip or 10 day west coast road trip.

That way you can spend more time in the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles while seeing Big Sur at a leisurely pace. 

On this San Francisco to Los Angeles road trip in 10 days, you can tour the lighthouses, hike the trails, picnic on the beach, visit the wineries of the Central Coast, and enjoy nature – seriously the best road trip in California. 

You can even do the San Francisco to San Diego road trip in 10 days.

In that case, we would recommend keeping aside 2 days each for the 3 major cities and spending the rest of the time in the Big Sur region. 

This San Francisco 10 days trip lets you enjoy the beauty of the coast while visiting the Sierra Nevadas and the desert later.

California National Parks itinerary

California has 9 national parks – all of them are unique and make for an exciting California National park road trip. 

You can visit either the most popular ones or all of them, depending on how much time you want to spend in each park. 

We would suggest starting from Los Angeles, then seeing Joshua Tree and Death Valley before visiting Kings Canyon and Sequoia. 

Then see the beautiful Yosemite Valley. From Yosemite, head north to Lassen and then finally see Redwoods parks before returning to San Francisco. 

You can also see Pinnacles and Channel Islands if you have the time, to complete the national parks in California road trip. 

You can also use this route for creating your own California RV trip itinerary, since most national parks have RV campgrounds. 

Northern California road trip itinerary

Another great option for those who like slow travel is to plan a Northern California itinerary for 10 days. 

Start your road trip from San Francisco and drive along the less visited North Coast and see the majestic redwood trees. 

Drive along the Redwoods Scenic Byway before turning towards the mountains and exploring the caves at Lava Tubes National Monument. 

Visit Mount Shasta on your way to Lassen Volcanic National Park and end your trip in Sacramento, a couple of hours away from San Francisco. 

For more information on how to plan a California road trip focusing on the northern part of the state, read our in-depth post on Northern California road trip .

If you have less time: California itinerary 7 days

If you can’t spare 10 days, then we also have suggestions for 7 day California road trip routes. 

With only 7 days in california, we would recommend focusing on one region and exploring it at a leisurely pace. 

Of course, you can opt for a 7 day southern California itinerary or a 7 day California coast road trip along the PCH, but you can also consider some unique road trip ideas in California which explore its most popular attractions. 

Here are our favorites if you want to see the best of California in a week:

7 day road trip from San Francisco to Yosemite

If you are wondering how to spend a week in California but still see the most popular attractions, then this itinerary is for you. 

Start your road trip in San Francisco, see the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Mission District, Fisherman’s Wharf etc in two days. 

Then spend a day in Napa Valley and nearby Calistoga before seeing Sacramento.

In Sacramento, see the state capitol and the railroad museum then make your way to Yosemite National Park. 

Take a tour of the Yosemite Valley and see the famous El Capitan as well as the many waterfalls.

Enjoy the panoramic view from the Tunnel View Outlook. 

Then depending on the season, visit the Tuolumne Meadows area.

Return to San Francisco to complete 7 day road trip in California.

North California coast road trip

This California 1 week itinerary is perfect for slow travel. 

Land in San Francisco and take a day or two to explore it’s many attractions.

Then rent a car and drive north. 

Part of this road trip is on the Pacific Coast Highway 1 till Legett, after which you will be driving along the famous Redwood scenic byway. 

For your first stop, explore the beautiful Point Reyes.

See the lighthouse and the shipwreck, then eat oysters in Tomales Bay. 

Drive along the Avenue of the Giants and pass through the Redwood tunnels. 

Hike in the prehistoric Fern Canyon and visit the glass beach at Fort Bragg, then last stop at Eureka or Crescent City to finish the California coast 7 day itinerary.

7 Day Southern California trip itinerary

For this ca road trip planner, begin your trip with a day or two in San Diego or Los Angeles and then wind your way around Southern California’s desert attractions. 

See famous Joshua Tree and Palm Springs.

Enjoy the fantastic landscape of the Mojave desert and drink a delicious date shake.

See the sculptures in Borrego Springs. 

Then visit Anaheim and enjoy the theme parks.

There are also many things to do in Anaheim besides Disney. 

7 Day California Coast Road Trip

This is one of the most popular california driving holidays itineraries.

Follow this California road trip itinerary 7 days along the world famous Pacific Coast Highway. 

See the major cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Explore the charming mountain side towns of Pismo Beach and Morro Bay. Learn to surf and spot the elephant seals. 

Spend some time hiking and enjoying the wild, rugged vibe of Big Sur.

Take a tour of the Point Sur Lighthouse and hike down to Keyhole Rock. Go whale watching. 

If you have more time: California road trip itinerary 14 days

This two week california driving itinerary is perfect for long summer vacations, when most parts of the state including the High Sierras are completely accessible. 

Just use our main California trip planner, but add in all optional ideas including San Diego and the beautiful northern coast. 

Then see the Lassen Volcanic National Park area and visit the beautiful Burney Falls from Redding.

Spend some time in Mount Shasta and head back to San Francisco to complete California 2 week itinerary.

We hope you liked our California road trip blog.

Now you have everything ready to plan your perfect California trip itinerary, so make the most of it.

Did we miss any hidden gems in the Golden State?

Which part of the road trip did you enjoy the most? Let us know in the comments!

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The original road legend

VW California

The VW California is a true symbol of freedom and adventure. This iconic vehicle combines classic VW design with all the amenities you need for a comfortable and convenient experience. With its compact yet spacious interior, the VW California is perfect for long road trips or weekend getaways. One of the standout features of the VW California is its versatile and customizable interior. With a modular seating and sleeping system, you can transform the space to fit your needs. The rear bench seat easily converts into a comfortable double bed, while the pop-up roof provides additional sleeping space for up to two more people. And with a well-equipped kitchenette featuring a sink, fridge, and stove, you can cook up delicious meals on the go. The VW California also offers a range of convenience features to make your trip as smooth as possible. With automatic gear, rear sensors, and radio with AUX and USB, you can be comfortable on the road. So whether you're planning a long road trip or just a short getaway to your favorite camping spot, the VW California campervan has everything you need for a enjoyable and unforgettable adventure. The VW California comes with all services offered by Indie Campers, like 24/7 support and roadside assistance, a kitchen kit and a cleaning kit.

BlueMotion Coast/Ocean 2.0TDI 150

Seating and beds for 4 people

16'5" x 7'7" x 7'3"

Optional as extra

Lower: 6'7" x 3'9" | Upper: 6'7" x 3'11"

Sep 10, 2023 • 4 min read

The ultimate California road trips take you from sea to mountains and through desert and redwoods © Oleksandr Telesniuk / 500px

Road-tripping is the ultimate way to experience California , so fill the gas tank and buckle up for unforgettable drives through scenery that tugs at your heart and soul.

Get ready for memory-making encounters as you wheel through sensuous wine country, humbling redwood forests, epic desert expanses, endless miles of coastal highway and sky-touching Sierra Nevada peaks. Just make sure that rental car has unlimited miles – you'll need 'em all.

California is the third-largest state in the US , and you could easily spend weeks navigating its rural byways, safely distant from the nerve-jangling, often-jammed interstate system. These five classic road-tripping routes are soaked in enough epic scenery to make each deliciously slow, winding mile worthwhile.

1. Pacific Coast Highway

Best road trip for world-class ocean views & autumn trips Dana Point at Interstate 5–Hwy 101 in Leggett; 656 miles

No matter if you follow the entire 656 miles or just a short stretch of coast-hugging Hwy 1 , you'll hit the Insta jackpot. Posing options include dramatic sea cliffs, sun-soaked surfing towns, playful harbor seals and the Golden Gate Bridge .

Our top pick for classic California dreamin’ snakes along the Pacific coast, although officially, only the short, sun-loving stretch of Hwy 1 through Orange and Los Angeles Counties can legally call itself Pacific Coast Hwy (PCH). Never mind those technicalities, because equally bewitching ribbons of Hwy 1 and Hwy 101 await all along this route.

Local tip: For best results, avoid driving the PCH in the spring and summer months, when the central and northern coastline can be socked in by fog and the rainy season can initiate landslides. Instead, September and October will yield the sunniest skies and some of the best weather as you spend a week checking this beaut off your bucket list.

2. Route 66

Best for iconic drives & weekend drives Arizona border near Needles–Santa Monica; 315 miles

Get your kicks on America's “ Mother Road ,” which brought Dust Bowl refugees, Hollywood starlets and hippies to California. Cruise from the desert to the Pacific Ocean, pulling up alongside retro relics, sleeping in a tipi hotel and fueling up in neon-lit diners.

The Golden State was the promised land at the end of a long and sometimes lonesome road. Today you motor across the Mojave Desert – a relative breeze compared to times of yore – through famous western towns, like Barstow and Daggett, into the San Bernardino National Forest. Emerge in Pasadena and Los Angeles before dead ending into Hwy 1 in Santa Monica for a grand coastal-view payoff.

3. Gold Country and California Highway 49

Best for historic hills & family road trips Oakhurst–Nevada City; 200 miles

Follow Hwy 49 through the rough-and-tumble Sierra Nevada foothills, a stronghold of gold-rush history with thrilling, mostly true tales of banditry, bordellos and bloodlust.

That highway number is significant: it commemorates the ’49ers who came seeking fame and fortune in California’s original Gold Rush. Today the route winds through Gold Country towns such as Placerville and Nevada City, past ghostly Old West mines and Victorian buildings housing inns, restaurants and museums.

You won't want to miss the blend of western history and charming wineries strung along stunning views of the Sierra Nevada. Give yourself three to four days to enjoy this outdoorsy, family-friendly road trip. Summer and early fall are ideal times to go.

Detour: Hwy 49 comes mighty close to Yosemite National Park (15 miles) and Lake Tahoe (75 miles), both wonderful jumping-off points for family camping and natural majesty.

4. Avenue of the Giants

Best for road trips with kids & raw redwood brilliance Stafford–Highway 101 junction; 32 miles

The incredible 32-mile road at Humboldt Redwoods State Park is canopied by the world's tallest trees, some of which were seedlings during the Roman Empire. It’s one of the most justifiably celebrated drives in California, a place where travelers stand with jaws agape and necks craned upward. The best time is in the morning when sunlight glints off dew-drenched ferns.

The route connects a number of small towns with mid-20th-century motels, diners serving “lumberjack” meals and pull-offs packed with Harleys.

Among the majestic groves along the Avenue, like the rightly famous Rockefeller Grove and the Founders’ Grove, the California Federation of Women’s Clubs Grove is home to an interesting four-sided hearth, designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan. Walking trails wind through all the groves for proper tree-hugging.

5. Desert Solitaire in Death Valley

Best road trip for moody moonscapes & winter or spring driving Palm Springs–Death Valley; 290 miles

Tank up and load the water onboard as you road-trip from Palm Springs through Palm Desert and Joshua Tree up to Death Valley . You’ll drive where California pioneers and gold miners once rolled their wagons. 

In Death Valley National Park the magnum forces of natural and human history collide. Artists Drive is nine miles of vividly variegated desert hills, a taster of the area’s sensuous sand dunes, water-sculpted canyons, rocks moving across the desert floor, extinct volcanic craters, palm-shaded oases, soaring mountains and endemic flora.

Local tip: Go between February and April for spring wildflower blooms and cooler temperatures. Give yourself three days to soak up sites like Badwater Basin (the lowest elevation in the US), Mesquite Flat and Emigrant & Wildrose Canyons .

This article was first published January 2011 and updated September 2023

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VW Vanagon Rental in California / Our Vintage Surfari Wagon Adventure

There’s something undeniably special about hitting the open road. The wind in your hair, the sweet taste of escaping the everyday grind, the freedom to stop and go as you please. That feeling of endless potential to explore new places, find adventure, or simply slow down and smell those roses.

If you want to magnify the best things about a road trip, rent a vintage Volkswagen camper bus and watch things really get magical.

Based in the Los Angeles area, Vintage Surfari Wagons rents a groovy fleet of VW camper buses and Vanagons for your California road-tripping pleasure.

When Eric and I decided to explore the California coast before we embarked on our round the world adventure, we took a cue from our bus-living surf-chasing California surfer forefathers and made a plan to surf and camp our way up the coast. When we found Vintage Surfari Wagons we knew we had found the one to make our California surf safari happen.

On a sunny October afternoon, we were greeted by owners Bill and Diane Staggs with smiles and good vibes aplenty at Vintage Surfari Wagons headquarters in Costa Mesa. It didn’t feel like we were renting a camper as much as meeting up with extended family members.

Bill’s relationship with Volkswagens began as a kid, spending summers camping at San Onofre and Mammoth with his family in a VW Sundowner. Bill showed us a framed photo from his childhood that looks like an incredible Volkswagen ad.

Having grown up around VWs and German cars, Bill had an early affection for Volkswagens. “In 1971 I bought my first bus,” Bill said. “I can’t think of any time since the early 80s I haven’t had at least one Volkswagen.”

The idea for Vintage Surfari Wagons came to Bill in 2004 when he and Diane were planning a trip to Hawaii to visit some friends. Bill had a vivid dream they were driving around Hawaii in their own VW camper bus and he woke up thinking how cool it would be to have his bus over in Hawaii on their trip.

Bill told Diane about his dream and they agreed it would be awesome if there was a company in Hawaii that rented VW camper buses. They didn’t find said company, but they were able to find a VW bus to rent, and they ended up having a great trip. Meanwhile, Bill and Diane’s wheels were turning on how to bring their vintage camper rental concept to life.

After doing lots of research, getting feedback from friends, and experiencing a series of random extremely positive affirmations, Bill and Diane officially started Vintage Surfari Wagons in Costa Mesa in 2005.

Bill and Diane are passionate about the VW buses themselves, but they also feel there’s something magical about the experience of traveling in a VW bus. Bill explains,

I don’t really think we’re renting the Volkswagen buses as much as we’re renting an idea. We’re giving people the opportunity to, you know, slow life down a bit. Reconnect with each other and reconnect with their children, and reconnect with the environment. It’s something that everybody seems to want and can’t really get in their day to day life. Somehow or another we’ve tapped into something about the cars that allow people to do that.

After Bill gave us the grand tour and lowdown on our bus, we chatted, played fetch with one of their dogs, and slowly but surely moved our things into our new home on wheels. We hadn’t even gotten into our bus yet and it seemed like we had already started to slow our pace.

All VSW’s buses have names and personalities to match. Our surfari wagon was a 1979 Deluxe Westfalia Pop-Top named Eddie, as in “ Eddie Would Go ,” which was, of course, the perfect companion for our surfing California road trip mission. After taking our sweet time packing up and bidding farewell to our new friends at VSW, we hit the road and headed north.

Instead of getting stuck in Los Angeles rush hour we opted to stop at nearby Huntington Beach for a surf before the sun went down. Eric had a spanking new surfboard, so he sat at the edge of the bus to wax his board while I admired Eddie and snapped some photos.

And just like that, something started to happen. People chatted with us and walked over to get a closer look at Eddie. A model and photographer asked to take photos in front of the bus. And everyone was smiling. It was like Eddie was emanating happy vibes in a radius around him and people couldn’t help but be affected. Us included.

Throughout our trip we exchanged peace signs with strangers, we had many conversations that started with Eddie, and we created memories that probably wouldn’t have happened if our trusty VW bus hadn’t been involved.

The next 10 days we explored the glorious California coast at a mellow pace. We sang along to The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones… and yes, it was totally like an awesome music video up in there. We camped, cooked, scouted for waves, and we surfed.

We napped in a beach parking lot in Ventura (which we later found out is illegal, oops! 🙂 ), we made hot chai on the stove while checking the waves in Big Sur, we stopped at random lovely places to picnic, and we changed our plans on a dime depending on the wave forecast. To summarize in three words: it was awesome.

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Road tripping with a home on wheels gives you a new kind of road trip freedom. And somehow, like a far-out mobile time machine, the Volkswagen bus has a way of taking you back to a different time. A time before technology would begin to keep people constantly connected, a time before the pace of life seemed to propel forward at a neck-breaking speed.

Who knows how the VW bus became some sort of magical time portal, but it just is. In a really good way. So if you’re thinking about the possibility of exploring California in a VW bus, perhaps ask yourself what Eddie would do.

Eddie would go. 

*If you’d like to read more about our Pacific Coast Highway surf trip , check out Part 1 / Huntington Beach to Morro Bay   or Part 2 / Big Sur

• THE SKINNY •

Vintage Surfari Wagons rents a fleet of super sweet retro VW Eurovans, Vanagons, and Westfalia campers. Each bus has its own unique charm, and they’ve been revived with fresh trim and other accents.

The dining/living room couch converts to a full-size bed, and if you rent a pop-top, there’s another full-size bunk up above.

The buses all come standard with essentials such as: stove, sink (with water tank), ice box or refrigerator, dining table, and all the other accessories you’ll need to make it all happen. Like dishes, pots, pans, cutting boards, french press, dishwashing liquid, etc…  the campers are fully equipped. You don’t need to bring anything except clothing, food, and surfboards.

RENTAL LOCATION:  Costa Mesa, California (about an hour drive from Los Angeles International Airport)

PASSENGERS:  4-5 people (sleeps 2-4 adults depending on model)

MILEAGE: 120 free miles included per rental day (Additional miles on Vanagon and Eurovan buses are at .39/mile. Bay Window buses are .79/mile per additional mile.)

PETS:  Pets are welcome with prior approval. A $100 per pet per rental is required (maximum of 2) and they request that dogs be under 45 pounds.

• LOW SEASON $129 – $169 per day /$830 – $1100 per week
• MID SEASON $149 – $189 per day /$985 – $1220 per week
• HIGH SEASON $1200 – $1500 weekly

ONE-WAY FEE: $550 (and a 14-day minimum rental required)

INSURANCE:  $18 – $28 per day

If you are a North American resident and have a full coverage auto policy (liability, comprehensive and collision), then you’re probably insured while driving one of Surfari’s VWs.

GOOD TO KNOW:  These vintage VWs are exactly that–vintage! Because these buses were developed in the 1930s and built with all the technical sophistication of the 1970s, you don’t have some of those modern car conveniences you take for granted. Most of the buses have a manual transmission, there’s no air conditioning or power anything, and VSW asks that you not exceed 65 mph (105 kph).

VINTAGE SURFARI WAGONS

Purveyors of epic self-drive road trips and group camp tours via a fleet of nostalgic VW campmobiles.

check out VWs here >>

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2 thoughts on “VW Vanagon Rental in California / Our Vintage Surfari Wagon Adventure”

Wow! I just found your blog and that’s exactly what I was looking for. I am taking a gap year to travel with my husband and we are thinking about doing a California roadtrip before heading to latin America. Renting a van seems like the perfect way to do so, just one silly question from a #vanlife rookie: how did you manage to get water in the tanks? Did you have battery powered plugs in the van? And what about the bathroom?

Hi Dalal, That sounds awesome! Roadtripping through California is a blast– the landscapes are so diverse and there’s so much to see and do! To answer your questions… different vans have a variety of situations depending on the make and model. With the vintage VW van we rented, we had a potable water tank which we could fill up at campsites and gas stations, and the van also had power outlets where we could charge our tech when needed. Some vans depending on their size have small bathrooms built in, but ours definitely did not, so for bathrooms and showers, we mostly used campsite facilities.

For more California road trip inspiration, check out: PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY SURF TRIP PART 1 / HUNTINGTON BEACH TO MORRO BAY PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY SURF TRIP PART 2 / BIG SUR BEST BEACH CAMPING IN CALIFORNIA FOR SURFING 6 CAMPER VAN RENTALS FOR THE ULTIMATE CALIFORNIA COAST ROAD TRIP

Have fun planning and happy travels!

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