Best Road Trip Routes in California: 7 Epic Drives You Need to Take
The best road trip routes in California are Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway), the Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway, Highway 49 through Gold Country, the Redwood Highway, Death Valley's Badwater Road, the Joshua Tree to Palm Springs loop, and the Shasta Cascade Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. Each one looks almost nothing like the others, which is what makes California such a good road trip state.
Whether you have a long weekend or two full weeks, California's highways pay off — ocean cliffs, ancient forests, volcanic peaks, desert starscapes, sometimes within a single tank of gas of each other. Here's everything you need to plan your drive.
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1. Highway 1 — Pacific Coast Highway (PCR)
Distance: ~656 miles (Los Angeles to San Francisco) Best time to go: April–October
No list of California road trips is complete without the Pacific Coast Highway. Highway 1 hugs sea cliffs above the Pacific and connects Los Angeles and San Francisco through Malibu, Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Santa Cruz. It's the obvious choice for a reason.
Must-Stop Highlights
Malibu's El Matador State Beach — rugged sea stacks and hidden coves Big Sur's Bixby Creek Bridge — the most photographed bridge in California McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park — a waterfall that drops directly onto a beach Hearst Castle, San Simeon — a hilltop estate that's worth the detour even if you're not normally a museum person
Pro tip: Drive south to north so the ocean stays on your left. Pull-offs are easier to access, and the afternoon light is better for photos.
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2. Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway (US-395)
Distance: ~200 miles (Lone Pine to Bridgeport) Best time to go: June–October (fall foliage peaks in late September)
US-395 along the Eastern Sierra Nevada is probably the most underrated road trip in the state. The route passes through Alabama Hills, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes, and the ghost town of Bodie. Most people driving between LA and Reno treat it as a corridor. They're missing the point.
Must-Stop Highlights
Alabama Hills, Lone Pine — Arch Rock frames Mount Whitney in a way that feels almost staged Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve — limestone towers rising from a glassy lake. It looks like another planet. June Lake Loop — a short alpine detour through four glacier-carved lakes Bodie State Historic Park — one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the West, and genuinely eerie
Pro tip: Book accommodation in Mammoth Lakes well in advance for September. Fall color seekers fill the town fast.
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3. Avenue of the Giants — Redwood Highway (Highway 254)
Distance: ~32 miles (as a standalone loop off US-101) Best time to go: Year-round; misty mornings are worth setting an alarm for
For sheer scale and quiet, driving through Humboldt Redwoods State Park on the Avenue of the Giants is hard to beat. Coast redwoods — some over 300 feet tall and 1,500 years old — form a canopy over the two-lane road that makes you feel genuinely small. Pair it with US-101 through Redwood National and State Parks near Crescent City for a full northern California redwood trip.
Must-Stop Highlights
Founders Grove Nature Loop Trail — home to the Founders Tree, once considered the tallest in the world Rockefeller Forest — the largest remaining old-growth redwood forest on Earth Drive-Thru Tree Park, Leggett — kitschy, yes, but fun
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4. Highway 49 — Gold Country
Distance: ~325 miles (Nevada City to Oakhurst) Best time to go: Spring (wildflowers) or Fall (harvest season)
Named for the Gold Rush '49ers, Highway 49 winds through the Sierra Nevada foothills past Victorian towns, working wineries, and rivers where you can still pan for gold. This is a good route if you care about history and food as much as scenery — maybe more.
Must-Stop Highlights
Nevada City — a well-preserved Victorian downtown with better restaurants than you'd expect Sutter's Mill, Coloma — where the California Gold Rush started in 1848 Columbia State Historic Park — a living-history Gold Rush town that doesn't feel overly sanitized Murphys — a small wine town with Calaveras Big Trees a short drive away
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5. Death Valley — Badwater Road & Artist's Drive
Distance: ~50 miles within the park Best time to go: November–March (summer temperatures regularly exceed 120°F — this is not a joke)
Death Valley is the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the country, and one of the stranger road trip experiences you can have. Badwater Road takes you to salt flats sitting 282 feet below sea level. Artist's Drive loops through a hillside of oxidized minerals in pink, green, purple, and gold. Neither one looks real.
Must-Stop Highlights
Zabriskie Point — the classic sunrise viewpoint; get there early Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes — best in golden hour Artist's Palette — peak color hits around 3–4 PM when the sun angles into the hillside Dante's View — a 5,000-foot overlook with views across the entire valley floor
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6. Joshua Tree to Palm Springs Loop
Distance: ~120-mile loop Best time to go: October–April
This loop connects Joshua Tree National Park with Palm Springs. The contrast is part of the appeal — boulder fields and Joshua trees, then mid-century architecture and poolside cocktails. It's one of the more fun routes in the state, and photogenic enough that you'll stop more than you plan to.
Must-Stop Highlights
Skull Rock Nature Trail — an easy walk past the park's most recognizable rock formation Keys View — wide views over the Coachella Valley and Salton Sea Pioneertown — a 1940s Wild West movie set with a legendary live music venue (Pappy & Harriet's). Go on a weekend night if you can. Palm Springs Aerial Tramway — desert floor to alpine forest in about 10 minutes
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7. Shasta Cascade — Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway
Distance: ~500 miles (Chester to Lava Beds National Monument) Best time to go: June–September
California's northernmost road trip connects Lassen Volcanic National Park to Mount Shasta, McArthur-Burney Falls, and the lava tube caves of Lava Beds National Monument. If you want volcanic wilderness with almost no one around, this is your route. Most Californians have never driven it, which is their loss.
Must-Stop Highlights
Bumpass Hell, Lassen Volcanic NP — a 3-mile hike to the park's largest hydrothermal area, with bubbling mud pots that smell exactly like you'd expect McArthur-Burney Falls — a 129-foot waterfall that Theodore Roosevelt called the "Eighth Wonder of the World." He wasn't far off. Mount Shasta — a snow-capped stratovolcano you can see from over 100 miles away Lava Beds National Monument — over 700 lava tube caves, and the park loans you a helmet and flashlight for free
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Planning Your California Road Trip: Quick Tips
Gas up early. Several routes, especially US-395 and Death Valley, have stretches of 50+ miles with no services. Download offline maps. Cell coverage disappears regularly on Highway 1 and through the Cascades. Reserve campsites ahead. California's most popular parks fill months in advance, particularly on weekends. Big Sur is brutal for last-minute bookings. Check Caltrans road conditions. Highway 1 in Big Sur closes after landslides more often than you'd think. Verify at quickmap.dot.ca.gov before you leave. Pack layers. Ocean fog, alpine cold, and desert heat can all happen in the same day depending on your route.
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California road trips work because the state is big enough and varied enough that no single drive covers the same ground twice. Pick the route that actually interests you, not just the most famous one, and you'll get more out of it. Then load up a playlist and go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) is the best starting point for first-time California road trippers. The route between Los Angeles and San Francisco passes iconic landmarks like Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Malibu, and is well-serviced with accommodation, gas stations, and restaurants throughout. Plan for 3–5 days to enjoy it without rushing.
Late spring (April–June) and early fall (September–October) are the sweet spots for most California road trips. You'll avoid peak summer crowds, enjoy mild temperatures, and catch wildflowers (spring) or fall foliage (fall) depending on your route. For Death Valley, stick strictly to November through March to avoid dangerous heat.
The drive is approximately 656 miles and takes around 10–12 hours of pure driving time, but most travelers spread it over 3–5 days to fully enjoy the stops. Big Sur alone deserves at least a full day. Avoid trying to rush it in a single day — you'll miss what makes the route special.
Yes, Highway 1 is safe for most drivers, but it does require comfort with narrow, winding two-lane roads along steep coastal cliffs. Drive at a relaxed pace, use pull-offs to let faster traffic pass, and always check Caltrans road conditions before departing, as sections occasionally close after landslides or storm damage.
US-395 along the Eastern Sierra Nevada is widely considered the most underrated California road trip. It offers dramatic mountain scenery, the ghost town of Bodie, the alien landscape of Mono Lake, and incredible fall foliage — all with far fewer crowds than the Pacific Coast Highway or Yosemite. September is the ideal month to drive it.
