About this trip
This 5-day trip strings together the big California and Nevada names in one loop, starting in Los Angeles and working up the coast to San Francisco before doubling back through the desert to Las Vegas.
You'll pass through Santa Barbara and Carmel on the drive north, take a Bay cruise past Alcatraz in San Francisco, and overnight at Stevenson Ranch along the way. Depending on when you travel, you'll either hike to a waterfall in Yosemite (summer) or spend time exploring historic Monterey (winter).
The second half of the trip is a shift in gear entirely — the Las Vegas Strip, a free night to spend as you like, and a stop at Hoover Dam on the way back into Los Angeles.
What you'll do
- Drive the coastal route from Los Angeles to San Francisco via Santa Barbara and Carmel
- Cruise San Francisco Bay and see Alcatraz from the water
- Hike to a waterfall in Yosemite National Park (summer departures)
- Explore historic Monterey (winter departures)
- See the Las Vegas Strip and enjoy a free night out
- Visit Hoover Dam on the return leg to Los Angeles
- Partially guided, so some parts of the trip run with a leader and others give you free time
- A fast-moving route — you cover LA, the central coast, San Francisco and Las Vegas in five days
- Yosemite or Monterey depends on your travel season, not your choice
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Getting there
Opens Trip.com, pre-filled — one-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown there.
Where to stay
A night before your tour in Los Angeles · 9 Aug – 10 Aug
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