The Ultimate California Road Trip: My guide to the West Coast (Part 1)

The Ultimate California Road Trip: My guide to the West Coast (Part 1) 

Last year, my family and I spent most of July travelling down the West Coast of America and exploring the famous "Golden State". Although I have been privileged enough to have visited the US many times, this trip was full of new challenges, adventures and experiences that were so different from the other states I had visited. 

Planning your trip 

California is vast and sprawling with so many different climates, attractions and natural wonders. Although initially it may seem intimidating to scale the third largest state in the USA, I believe that breaking it down to small manageable chunks can make for a much smoother road trip.

A very foggy view of the Golden Gate Bridge 

The first step to planning your trip is choosing what you would like to do and where in California you would like to visit. 

For us, we chose to plan by cities and towns - our first destination would be San Francisco, stops would include Monterey, Carmel-by-the-sea, Santa Barbara, Malibu and finally we would finish in Los Angeles. 

We first flew from London Heathrow to San Francisco International Airport on a sunny day in mid July. However, with an 11 hour flight ahead, I made sure to download as many Netflix films as physically possible and mentally prepared myself for the delicious plane food (haha who just loves aeroplane food?!). 

San Francisco: 

I personally adored San Francisco and let me tell you as a girl who loves the sun, even the freezing and windy weather couldn't spoil this beautiful city. Joking aside, I was not prepared for how cold it would be - even in mid-July, everybody was wearing jeans, jumpers and trainers and boy did that wind really whip! 

I would recommend spending around 3/4 days here to maximise the best of the city and ensure that you get the time to walk and explore. Oh and bring suitable shoes for walking because those San Francisco hills feel like you're climbing Mt Everest! 

Day 1 - Pacific Heights and Presidio 


Hotel Recommendation - We stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Union Square, which was clean and cosy with a good central location. If you are looking for somewhere less touristy and retail-orientated, check out this article on the different areas of the city. 


Top Picks of the day 

Lombard Street 

• Lombard Street - the famous zig-zag road nicknamed the "most crooked street in America". It is always very busy and very steep so wear suitable footwear but still iconic so a must-do. 

• Mrs Doutfire's House - located on 2640 Steiner Street and a must-do if you're a fan of the film or film locations in general. Very close to Lombard Street so plan these on the same day. 

• Pacific Heights - a wealthy neighbourhood known for its billionaire residents. The houses all differ in architectural style so very fun to walk around and admire the HUGE homes. 

• The Walt Disney Museum - located in Presidio, the museum is about a 20 minute walk from Pacific Heights. It really captures the life and legacy of Walt Disney and I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in Disney himself or the history of animation in general. 

Day 2 - The Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown and Sausalito 

Top Picks of the day 

• In my opinion, the best way to see the Golden Gate Bridge is actually by bike. There are many guided tours that take you from Fisherman's Wharf to Sausalito and along the Golden Gate Bridge itself. There are a lot of steep hills though so make sure everyone in your group is physically fit. Companies like Blazing Saddles and Bay City Bike are both great. 

• Sausalito is a lovely town with cute shops and places to eat. The bike tours take you to there as the furthest point and you can explore the surrounding area by foot. I would recommend getting back on the ferry to Fisherman's Wharf early as the boat taking both passengers and bikes can get extremely busy. 

• To see the diversity of the city, make sure you visit Chinatown located over 24 city blocks. As the oldest of its kind in North America, the architecture is beautiful and unique and Grant Avenue is great place for little shops and eateries. 

Day 3 - Alcatraz and Pier 39 

Top Picks of the Day 

The Seals at Pier 39

• One of my top top picks for San Francisco would be the tours of Alcatraz Island and the former federal prison itself. As a functioning penitentiary from 1934 to 1963 and home to the likes of Al Capone, the guided audio tours offer a fantastic insight into the historical significance of the prison and how it functioned on a daily basis. Make sure you purchase your tickets as soon as possible from the official seller, Alcatraz Tours, as they sell out well in advance. 

• As the Alcatraz Ferry docks back at Pier 33, this is a perfect opportunity to walk down to Pier 39. The Pier itself is a popular tourist attraction with shops and arcades but my favourite part was watching the Sea Lions on the docks of the Pier - they were so funny and cute!