Day 1 Saturday

Collect your rental car from San Francisco International Airport.  A short drive takes you to our first hotel to meet with the rest of the group. Time to relax and get to know everyone before heading off on one of the best road trips California has to offer.

Day 2 Sunday           104 miles, Approximately 2hr. 15 min. driving

After breakfast we head out of San Francisco and pick up highway 1 near Half Moon Bay. Heading south we keep to the coast and stop at Santa Cruz. Founded in 1907 just 11 years after Blackpool's pleasure beach Santa Cruz is home to California's oldest surviving seaside amusement park. Time to park up, visit the boardwalk and enjoy the funfair before heading back onto the highway and our destination of Monterey.

Day 3 Monday

Free day to relax and enjoy a stroll around Monterey, home of the world famous "Sardine Factory" restaurant. Explore Cannery Row with its boutique shops and restaurants. Only a few minutes drive away is Pebble Beach and 17 mile drive through the Del Monte Forrest. Also the beautiful little town of Carmel By The Sea. well worth a visit and if time permits call in to the Hog's Breath Inn, Clint Eastwood's bar, and enjoy a drink.

Day 4 Tuesday         124 miles, Approximately 3 hr. 15 min. driving

Continuing North we head across Bixby Bridge, seen in more publicity shots of highway 1 than anything else. Then through Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach, Raged Point and San Simeon. If we are lucky we might catch the elephant seals sleeping on the beach. Time permitting we will make a short detour to look around Hearst Castle, the home of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst between 1919 and 1947. Then onto Morro Bay for our next overnight stop.

Day 5 Wednesday    223 miles, Approximately 4 hr. 15 min. driving

Continuing on Highway1 we head through Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara and onto the Ventura Freeway. Staying on the freeway we leave the coast and head inland. At South Arroyo we leave the freeway and drive along a short section of Old Route 66 as we head across the Colorado Street Bridge and into Pasadena for our next overnight stop.

Day 6 Thursday       286 miles, Approximately 5 hr. 00 min. driving

Leaving Pasadena we take the Angels Crest highway and and head north east out of Los Angeles before picking up Highway 15. Another chance to experience a short section of Route 66 as we take a detour from the highway at Victorville, head through Oro Grande, past Emma Jean's Holland Burger cafe. Opened in 1947 this historic diner is still owned and run by the same family and has featured in a number of Hollywood films. On to Barstow and back onto Highway 15 all the way to Las Vegas, our destination for the next two nights.

Day 7 Friday

Free day to explore Las Vegas. With everything from the huge casino's and the shows. Museums such as the Shelby, Hollywood Cars and Nostalgia Street Rods. The home of TV shows Sin City Motors and Counting Cars. There is plenty to keep you occupied.

Day 8 Saturday      130 miles,  Approximately 2 hr. 30 min, driving

Leaving the glitz of Las Vegas behind we head off into the desert and Death Valley.

Day 9 Sunday          160 miles, Approximately 2 hr. 47 min. driving

Continuing through Death Valley National Park we head South as we go towards Yosemite and our next overnight stop.

Day 10 Monday        140 miles, Approximately 3 hr 00 min. driving

Heading North we go through the Sierra National Forest to Yosemite where we will spend the next three nights.

Day 11 Tuesday,  Day 12 Wednesday

Free time to enjoy exploring Yosemite

Day 13 Thursday     177 miles, Approximately 3 hr. 30 min. driving

Leaving Yosemite we head back to San Francisco. Our hotel for the night is in Sausalito, just across the golden gate bridge and just a few minutes walk to the ferry which takes you across the bay past Alcatraz and into San Francisco.

Day 14 Friday

Free day to explore San Francisco or head north through Muir Woods and Mount Tamalpaid National Park to see some of the redwoods.

Day 15 Saturday

The end of our California adventure. Time to say goodbye to new found friends and return the rental cars to San Fransisco International airport and head home.