California West Coast Road Trip: The Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate West Coast Road Trip: San Francisco to Las Vegas

Our West Coast road trip was honestly one of the best holidays we’ve ever done. The food, the scenery, the beaches…we could go on. And we will, just in an orderly fashion!

Here’s everything we did, what we didn’t do, and what we wish we’d done – your ultimate guide to a California West Coast road trip. It’s a slightly longer read because of the trip length, but hopefully it will be worth it!

🗺️ West Coast Road Trip: Mini Itinerary

San Francisco → Carmel-By-The-Sea → Big Sur (day trip) → Pismo Beach → Santa Barbara → Los Angeles → Palm Springs → Las Vegas

• Stop 1: San Francisco (3 nights) — Pier 39, Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz
• Stop 2: Carmel-by-the-Sea (2 nights) — Carmel Beach, 17-Mile Drive, Monterey & Big Sur
• Stop 3: Pismo Beach (1 night) — Short stopover, dinner in Cambria
• Stop 4: Santa Barbara (1 night) — Coastal cycling, Montecito, Santa Barbara FishHouse & Validation Brewery
• Stop 5: Hollywood / Los Angeles (3 nights) — Malibu, Venice Beach, Universal Studios, Pink’s Hot Dogs, Walk of Fame
• Stop 6: Palm Springs (1 night) — Big Bear Lake detour, desert relaxation, Margaritaville Resort
• Stop 7: Las Vegas (3 nights) — MGM Grand, Bellagio Fountains, Ka show, Grand Canyon day trip

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Before You Go: Quick Trip Info

Route:
Our route took us from San Fransisco, along the coast to Carmel-By-The-Sea, a day trip along the Big Sur, a quick stop at Pismo Beach, on to Santa Barbra and then to LA. We carried on through the desert, calling at Palm Springs and then leaving California to finish the trip in Las Vegas.

Car Hire:
We picked our car up on the day we left San Francisco, which saved us parking stress and potential car break-ins (sadly, they’re quite common).
You can easily compare rental prices on Expedia or Rental Cars – both have good options for one-way trips.

Trip Length:
We did ours in just over two weeks, which felt perfect; enough time to explore without rushing. If you’ve got longer, slow down and spend more time around Santa Barbara or LA.

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Stop 1: San Francisco (3 nights)

We spent the first three days of our holiday in San Francisco. We’d heard a few reports of car crime in the area, especially targeting tourists, so we decided to start here before picking up our hire car. Definitely the right choice – it meant we could explore the city stress-free before hitting the road.

There’s loads to do in San Francisco, but some of our highlights were…

Seeing the sea lions at Pier 39 and strolling around Fisherman’s Wharf.
They’re really close to each other and you can easily spend an afternoon in this area. There are restaurants, shops, and of course, the famous sea lions!

Visiting Chinatown was at the top of our list, and it did not disappoint. Even if you don’t end up trying some of the amazing dumplings, it’s worth a visit just for a look around. The shops, the decor…it’s a really cool place to explore.

Click to check out our blog post: San Francisco Bucket List: 10 Things You’ll Love on Your First Visit!

Catching a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge from Baker Beach was, well, a bit of an ordeal if we’re being totally honest! Look, it was fine in the end, but something we wish we’d known before waking up really early, catching the bus, and walking to the beach was that there’s quite often a morning haze along the California coastline. So if you want to actually see the bridge (and not just a bunch of clouds), probably go a little later in the day. We did eventually see it, and whilst we waited for the mist to clear, we enjoyed watching the seals playing in the waves!

We also got tickets to see the Oakland A’s. Ngl, baseball isn’t really our thing (it’s a bit… long), but it was such a fun experience, and our other halves loved it!

One of the other must-do things in San Fran is, of course, Alcatraz. If it’s your first time visiting the city, it’s definitely worth it; it’s an important piece of history for the area, and the views from the island are incredible. It’s also quite harrowing to think of the people once locked up there, staring back at San Francisco from behind bars.

Real talk though: outside, it smells really bad. Everything is covered in bird poo, so watch out from above!

Where we stayed: Hilton San Francisco Union Square

We stayed at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, and it was a great base for exploring the city. It’s not the cheapest, but it’s in a really convenient location with good amenities and plenty of restaurants nearby. We’d definitely recommend it.

*Want more details? Check out our 3-Day Guide to San Francisco for tips, food spots, and what not to miss!*

Stop 2: Carmel-by-the-Sea (2 nights)

Our second stop was the absolutely charming Carmel-by-the-Sea — and when we say this place felt like something out of a fairytale…we mean it. The storybook-style cottages, the beautiful white-sand beach (one of the only beaches in California where you can legally drink alcohol!), and the relaxed, magical atmosphere made it feel like another world.

Click to check out our blog post: Carmel, Monterey & Big Sur: 10 Things You’ll Love on Your First Visit!

Two things stood out for us in Carmel:

The sunset at Carmel Beach – to this day, the most beautiful sunset we’ve ever seen.

The chocolate chip cookie from Carmel Bakery – hands down the best cookie we’ve ever had. And we’ve had a lot of cookies. Like, really, a lot. None have beaten it yet!

Before I get carried away talking about that cookie (which I absolutely could), another must-do is the 17-Mile Drive. It was glorious; stunning beaches, dramatic coastal views, and plenty of photo stops along the way.

We also spent some time in Monterey, a lovely coastal town nearby. There are hundreds of sea lions lounging around the harbour, and we had the best whale-watching experience there. An unforgettable highlight of the trip.

Carmel is also close to Big Sur, so we took a day trip there as we continued our drive south. We made the rookie mistake of going too early in the morning – the fog was so thick we couldn’t see much at first! By the time it lifted, though, the views were incredible. We stopped for lunch at the famous Nepenthe, which, at the time, offered a great view of…clouds. So take our advice and go in the afternoon when the haze clears!

Where we stayed: Coachman’s Inn

We absolutely loved this hotel. It was quaint and welcoming, the rooms were beautiful, and they even had a daily cheese and wine hour, which was right up our street! The staff were lovely, the location was perfect, and it ended up being one of our favourite stays of the trip.

Want more details? Check out our full guide to Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey, and Big Sur for everything not to miss!

Stop 2: Pismo Beach (1 night)

We stopped at Pismo Beach on our way down to Santa Barbara. Now, no disrespect to Pismo, but this was probably the one stop on our trip that we’d skip next time. It’s a lovely place, but honestly, there’s just not a lot to do. And to be fair, it was raining the whole day we were there, which probably didn’t help!

We only stayed for a few hours before moving on, so we didn’t get to explore too much. That said, we did stop in Cambria for dinner on the way down, and absolutely loved it. We ate at Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill — the food was great, the atmosphere was really cosy, and the town itself had such a nice vibe. If we did this road trip again, we’d definitely stay there instead of Pismo.

Where we stayed: Seaventure Beach Hotel

The hotel itself was really nice, and we’d recommend it if you are planning to stay in Pismo. It’s central, right on the beach, and within easy walking distance to everything.

Stop 4: Santa Barbra (1 night)

We LOVED Santa Barbara and honestly wish we’d stayed longer. We did squeeze in almost two full days here, but it still didn’t feel like enough — this place completely stole our hearts.

We rented bikes and cycled along the coast into Montecito, had an incredible dinner at Santa Barbara FishHouse, and spent our evening at Validation Ale Brewery, which ended up being one of the most fun nights of the trip.

All in all, Santa Barbara is one of those places we still think about daily. The atmosphere was relaxed, friendly, and full of sunshine – just immaculate vibes. We can’t wait to go back.

Where we stayed: Harbour View Inn

This hotel was perfect. Right on the waterfront, close to everything, and with a bike rental shop on site, which was so handy for exploring!

Stop 5: Hollywood (3 nights)

Well, where to start? There’s just so much to do in Los Angeles – and honestly, I don’t think we even scratched the surface!

On our way from Santa Barbara, we stopped for lunch in Malibu at Malibu Farm. It’s right on the pier, overlooking the ocean, and we were even lucky enough to spot a pod of dolphins from our table, such a pinch-me moment.

After that, we headed to the famous Venice Beach, which was a real gear change! It’s chaotic, colourful, and definitely worth stopping at on your way to Hollywood. If you have time, it’s also worth going back in the evening to nearby Santa Monica for the pier and sunset views.

Once we arrived in Hollywood, we tried to fit in as much as possible. Though it was hard to leave our dreamy hotel (more on that below!).

Here’s what we got up to…

We spent a full day at Universal Studios Hollywood, and honestly, we wouldn’t rush back. It was a bit underwhelming. Most of the “rides” are motion simulators, which aren’t really our thing. That said, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was great, and Super Nintendo World was worth checking out too. And of course, a trip to Springfield for a giant Homer Simpson donut made it all worthwhile!

We’d heard about two viral food spots – Pink’s Hot Dogs and Mel’s Diner -and expected total tourist traps. But…we have to eat our words (literally). Both were 100% worth it! In fact, Pink’s Hot Dogs might be a must-do if you’re visiting Hollywood.

We also did a bit of sightseeing, visiting the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was surprisingly fun early in the morning before the big crowds. (There was someone dressed as a full-on Transformer even then, so you can imagine how lively it gets later in the day!). We wandered along Rodeo Drive (purely window shopping — we’re definitely not Beverly Hills gals!) and of course visited Lake Hollywood Park for a perfect view of the Hollywood Sign.

Where we stayed: The Garland

This was hands down our favourite hotel of the trip, and maybe ever! It was just perfect. The décor was warm and retro, the pool area with fairy lights and an outdoor cinema was stunning, and the staff were amazing. We actually had to talk ourselves into leaving to go sightseeing! Bonus: they offer a free shuttle trolley to Universal Studios.

Stop 6: Palm Beach (1 night)

We were sooooo sad to leave The Garland, but another stop was waiting for us – so off to Palm Springs we went!

We decided to take a little detour and spend the afternoon at Big Bear Lake, which was such a lovely change of scenery. It honestly felt like stepping into a movie set – mountains, cabins, and peaceful lake views. We absolutely loved it and would definitely recommend a visit if you have the time.

By the time we finally made it to Palm Springs, it was hot. Like, 47°C hot. Stepping outside felt like getting into a bath! Luckily, we found the coldest beer imaginable at a lovely Thai restaurant, and the food was amazing, too.

We didn’t do too much here and used it more as a rest stop, which turned out to be perfect.

Where we stayed: Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs (Now Riviera Resort & Spa)

The hotel was lovely, with a big pool area and a great bar. The rooms were simple but spacious and had everything we needed. They have a couple of restaurants on-site too, but since there was an event happening that evening, we decided to eat out in town instead.

Stop 7: Las Vegas (3 nights)

Disclaimer: we do not promote or advise gambling in any way.

For the final part of our road trip, we drove from Palm Springs to Las Vegas, stopping along the way at Joshua Tree National Park. I can imagine that place is really something special at night, but during the day it felt very samey. And it was extremely hot! Also, the road to Joshua Tree is filled with Joshua Trees, so by the time we arrived, we kind of felt like we’d already had our fill.

Anyway, once we got to Vegas, we checked in the MGM Grand and went to straight to the casino and never left, the end.

I’m kidding.! Okay, half kidding. We did spend a lot of time in the casino, (when in Rome, right?) but we also got out to see the sights, explore the amazing hotels, and watch the Bellagio Fountain show. We ate at Hell’s Kitchen, which is absolutely worth a visit, and wandered through The Venetian Hotel, which was just stunning.

You also have to see a show in Vegas. We saw Ka, which was the resident show at MGM Grand. In all honesty, we weren’t planning on seeing it but – and I wish I was lying – we were in the casino playing craps, with no intention of seeing a show, when a group of lovely ladies offered us two free tickets. Their friend was in the show and a couple of people hadn’t shown up. Thanks to them, we tore ourselves away long enough to see it — and it was worth every second (and had we spent any money on the tickets, it would’ve been worth that too!).

One thing we didn’t do, but wish we had, was visit old Vegas and head to Fremont Street.

We also drove to the Grand Canyon, which you really just have to do, don’t you? It was incredible, though I did keep thinking I might fall in! Luckily, we had our own car, but if you don’t, there are plenty of day tours from Las Vegas.