SoCal Beaches, Big Sur and Monterey Bay, Yosemite, and Wine Country
Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel
Territory: North America
Region: Pacific Northwest
Trip Price: $8,775
Duration: 15 days/14 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Los Angeles, California / San Francisco, California
National Parklands: Yosemite NP
All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.
No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities
Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration
High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun
The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process
We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.
The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.
The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!
Welcome to California! Los Angeles is a city like no other, diverse, diverse, diverse! This becomes evident in the three days you’ll spend here, taking time for a Hollywood studio tour on one day and surf lessons in Santa Monica on another! Your free time allows for visiting parks, neighborhoods, museums, shops, beaches, parks, and iconic sites – the Santa Monica Pier, the Hollywood sign, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Rodeo Drive.
Pack your bags and hit the road! Travel north along the spectacular Pacific Coast Highway, from Los Angeles to Monterey Bay. We’ll offer up lots of “must stops” along the day – beaches, coastal restaurants, Big Sur, a cookie factory, and Hearst Castle. Monterey Bay is packed with beauty. One day will be set for a privately guided day of tidepooling with a marine biologist and visiting the famed Monterey Bay Aquarium, and another takes you kayaking through Pacific Ocean kelp forests. Free time is reserved for hiking in Los Lobos State Park, walking the Carmel City Beach with the locals at sunset, and driving the 17-Mile-Road through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove. You’ll love it!
Head inland to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and photographer Ansel Adams’ favorite, Yosemite National Park. This park is packed with beauty, with granite towers, tumbling waterfalls, the rambling Merced River, flower-filled meadows, countless hiking trails, and giant sequoias. Spend one day with a local naturalist guide who will lead you along your trail of choice – perhaps the 8.5-mile Panorama Trail, for views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Vernal Falls, and Yosemite Valley?
All this wilderness! City life beckons, but San Francisco does an awesome job of combining urban and nature, which is why it is considered so “livable.” It’s easy to get to know the distinctive neighborhoods in San Francisco by foot and trolley or bus. Also, consider a self-guided (or guided) bike ride, through the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. Have lunch on the water, then catch a ferry ride back (with an entire end of the ship appointed with bike racks) to the Ferry Building. From there, return your bikes via the Embarcadero and Fisherman’s Wharf. (Don’t miss the sea lions at Pier 39!)
Last, but so not least, the Sonoma Wine Region. Less than one hour north of San Francisco, Sonoma is laid back and civilized – a small town with a town square, and a valley with country roads, 17 appellations, and over 400 wineries. Sample wines from the Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Coast, Chalk Hill, Carneros-Sonoma, and more. Eat delicious meals of locally-sourced ingredients. Yum.
On that note… (floral note, spicy note, mineral note, vegetal note), this well-balanced, robust trip that had you swirling around California comes to an end. Fly Home from San Francisco!
Located 67 miles north of San Francisco, Hotel Healdsburg encompasses the Sonoma wine country’s simplicity and charm. The Hotel is set on the western edge of Healdsburg's historic town plaza, and guests can enjoy some of the world's finest vineyards, restaurants and shops within minutes of the front steps.
The Ahwahnee, shines as Yosemite National Park’s most distinctive hotel. Known for its magnificent façade and architecture, the Ahwahnee was specifically designed to highlight its natural surroundings, featuring Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and Glacier Point. You're conveniently located in the heart of Yosemite Valley, with great dining options and easy access to the park's most iconic attractions.
Oceana Santa Monica is a suites-only boutique destination that delivers impeccable sophistication at every turn, best-in-class service, and intimate access to the abundance of adventure essential to SoCal living. Enjoy your stay just steps from the Pacific Ocean!
Located in the gorgeous neighborhood along the crest of Pacific Heights, this wonderful hotel is a real treat for our clients who want to be well-located while avoiding the hustle and bustle of the run-of-the-mill tourist locations in the city. The Drisco has been around for years and offers wonderful rooms and the quiet tranquility of a local neighborhood. Everyone loves wondering the amazing hills of Pacific Heights and this hotel keeps you right in the middle of it all.
One of several excellent options for lodging in the area, L’Auberge is a perfect choice for those seeking to immerse in the charm of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Just one block off Ocean Avenue, L’Auberge is perfectly located to access the beach for morning walks and the outstanding restaurant choices and shops during evening strolls. As with most every Relais & Chateau property, L’Auberge boasts one of the finest dinner menus in the area.
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