This edition written and researched by

Sara BensonNate Cavalieri

Beth Kohn

AMAZING ROAD TRIPS35

BEST TRIPSCALIFORNIA’S

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

MAP LEGEND

SYMBOLS IN THIS BOOK CONTENTS

% Telephone Number

h Opening Hours

p Parking

n Nonsmoking

a Air-Conditioning

i Internet Access

W Wi-Fi Access

v Vegetarian Selection

s Swimming Pool

E English-Language Menu

c Family-Friendly

# Pet-Friendly

Tips from Locals

Top Tips

Link Your Trips

Trip Detour

5 Eating

Family

History & Culture

Food & Drink

Outdoors

Essential Photo

Walking Tour

4 Sleeping

CONTENTS

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to California..................... 7

California Classic Trips................... 8

California Highlights.......................12

If You Like....................................... 22

Need to Know...................................24

City Guide........................................ 26

ON THE ROAD

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIPS................................31

1 Pacific Coast Highways............. 7–10 Days 35

2 San Francisco, Marin& Napa Loop.........4–5 Days 49

3 Earthquake Trail............................ 3 Days 61

4 Alice Waters’ Culinary Tour............. 3 Days 69

5 Napa Valley.....................2–3 Days 79

6 Sonoma Valley......................... 2 Days 91

7 Russian River & theBohemian Highway... 2 Days 99

8 Mendocino & Anderson Valley....3–4 Days 107

9 Lost Coast & Southern Redwoods.................. 4 Days 115

Walk Track/Path

River/CreekIntermittent RiverSwamp/MangroveCanalWaterDry/Salt/Intermittent LakeGlacier

BeachCemetery(Christian)Cemetery (Other)ParkForest

Sportsground

International

Cliff

Capital (National)Capital(State/Province)City/Large TownTown/Village

State/Province

StepsPlaza/Mall

PedestrianOverpass

Tunnel

Walk RouteLinked TripTrip DetourTrip Route

Airport

UndergroundTrain Station

Train/Railway

Cable Car/Funicular

Transport

US Interstate Hwy US National Hwy

California State Hwy

ReservationUrban Area

Trip Stop

Tram

Trip Numbers

2

#9

Walking tour

Trip Detour

Hydrography

Areas

Boundaries

Population

Routes

Highway Route Markers

[Ù97

VUÓ5dk44

Trips

Parking

1

LaneTertiary

TollwayFreewayPrimarySecondary

Unsealed Road

2

CONTENTSCONTENTS

a Northern Redwood Coast.......................... 5 Days 125

b Trinity Scenic Byway........................ 3 Days 133

c Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway........... 3 Days 141

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA TRIPS..............................149

d BigSur.............................. 2 Days 153

e Along Highway 1to Santa Cruz........2–3 Days 161

f Around Monterey& Carmel...............2–3 Days 169

g Around San LuisObispo................... 2–3 Days 179

h Santa Barbara WineCountry..................2–3 Days 187

i Lake TahoeLoop.......................2–3 Days 197

j Yosemite, Sequoia& Kings Canyon

National Parks.............. 5–7 Days 205

k Eastern SierraScenic Byway.......3–5 Days 217

l Highway 49 ThroughGold Country.........3–4 Days 227

NorthernCalifornia

p31

CentralCalifornia

p149

SouthernCalifornia

p269

3

Contents cont.

m Ebbetts PassScenic Byway............2 days 237

n Feather RiverScenic Byway.......3–4 Days 245

o Lazy DeltaDawdle....................... 2 Days 253

p Highway 99 ThroughCentral Valley........... 3 Days 261

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRIPS..............................269

q Disneyland & OrangeCounty Beaches....2–4 Days 273

r Fun on the SanDiego Coast...........2–4 Days 283

s MissionTrail............................ 5 Days 295

t SoCal PopCulture....................... 3 Days 303

u Route66...........................3–4 Days 313

v Big Bear & Rim of the World Scenic Byway.......2–3 Days 323

w Life in Death Valley.............. 3 Days 331

x Palm Springs &Joshua Tree

Oases.............................2–3 Days 341

y Palms to PinesScenic Byway........... 2 Days 349

z Temecula, Julian &Anza-Borrego............ 3 Days 357

CALIFORNIA DRIVING GUIDE................364

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LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

AMY STARBIN, LA

SCREENWRITER &

MOM

For a fun way to cool off when

driving through LA along the coast,

bring the family out to Santa

Monica Pier (www.santamonicapier.org).

Not only do you get a great view

of the ocean, you can also get up

close and personal with sea life at

the aquarium (www.healthebay.org).

Then head up top for a spin on the

carousel used in The Sting or the

solar-powered Ferris wheel.

Top: Pool, Hearst Castle,

Left: Lighthouse, Trinidad

Right: Redwoods

make tour reservations

in advance, especially for

living-history evening

programs during the

Christmas holiday

season. About 4.5 miles

further north along Hwy

1, park at the signposted

vista point and amble

the boardwalk to view

the enormous elephant

seal colony that breeds,

molts, sleeps, plays and

ghts on the beach. Seals

haul out year-round, but

the winter birthing and

mating season peaks

on Valentine’s Day.

Nearby, Piedras Blancas

Light Station (www.

piedrasblancas.org; tour adult/

child $10/5; hcall for hr) is

an outstandingly scenic

spot.

54 p 47

The Drive » Fill your car’s

gas tank before plunging north

into the redwood forests of

the remote Big Sur coast (see

p 153 ), where precipitous cliff s

dominate the seascape, and

tourist services are few and far

between. Hwy 1 keeps curving

north to the Monterey Peninsula

(see p 169 ), approximately a

three-hour, 100-mile trip from

Hearst Castle.

8 MontereyAs Big Sur loosens its

condor’s talons on the

coastal highway, Hwy

1 rolls gently downhill

towards Monterey Bay.

The shing community

of Monterey is the heart

of Steinbeck country,

and although Cannery

Row today is touristy

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ARIZONA

San ClementeIsland

San NicolasIsland

M E X I C O

CatalinaIsland

Channel Islands

MojaveDesert

P A C I F I CO C E A N

SaltonSea

PinnaclesNationalMonument

Joshua TreeNational Park

Death ValleyNational Park

KingsCanyonNationalPark

MojaveNationalPreserve

SequoiaNational Park

Anza-BorregoDesert State

Park

SierraNationalForest

ClevelandNationalForest

SequoiaNationalForest

VentanaWilderness

Kings River

n

River

Kern R

iver

Big Sur

Mt Whitney(14,505ft)

TelescopePeak

(11,049ft)

Morro Bay

Beatty

Goffs

PanamintSprings

StovepipeWellsVillage

PasoRobles

Tecopa

Baker

Pismo Beach

FurnaceCreek

Mojave

Amboy

BlytheNewport BeachIndio

Victorville

NeedlesBarstow

La Jolla

Huntington BeachSeal Beach

San ClementeLaguna Beach

Oceanside

San Bernardino

Tijuana

Long Beach PalmSprings

SantaBarbara

Bakersfield

MontereyFresno

Santa Cruz

San Diego

Las Vegas

Yuma

San LuisObispo

Santa Monica Anaheim

Malibu

Mexicali

Los Angeles

Kingman

LakeHavasuCity

0 100 km0 50 miles#e

1 Pacific Coast HighwaysThe ultimate coastal road trip

takes in beaches, redwood

forests and more. 7–10 DAYS

30 Route 66Dillydally through the desert,

then zoom past retro icons

into LA. 3–4 DAYS

32 Life in Death ValleyOld West mining ghost towns,

strange geology and inspiring

panoramic views. 3 DAYS

26 Disneyland & Orange County BeachesMeet Mickey Mouse, then surf

the ‘OC’ coast. 2–4 DAYS

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OREGON

NEVADA

ShastaLake

MonoLake

LakeTahoe

GooseLake

ClearLake

RedwoodNationalPark

Lassen VolcanicNational Park

YosemiteNationalPark

Point ReyesNationalSeashore

InyoNationalForest

TrinityNationalForest

PlumasNationalForest

ModocNationalForest

MendocinoNationalForest

LassenNationalForest

KlamathNationalForest

Trinity AlpsWilderness

ShastaNationalForest

SouthYuba RiverState Park

Six RiversNationalForest

SanJaoquin

R

PitR

iver

Klamath River

Sacramen

toRiver

Sierra Nevada

Mt Shasta(14,179ft)

White Mountain(14,246ft)

PointArena

Weed

Mendocino

JacksonNapa

AngelsCamp

PaloAlto

San Rafael

Volcano

Sonoma Locke

Alturas

Truckee

Bishop

NevadaCity

Coloma

Sonora

StHelena

Yountville

MammothLakes

Sutter Creek

Calistoga

Leggett

Davis

Arcata

South Lake Tahoe

Fort Bragg

RedBluff

Susanville

Eureka

Berkeley

CrescentCity

Placerville

San Jose

Stockton

Santa Rosa

Chico

Redding

Oakland

Reno

Sacramento

San Francisco

Carson City

Columbia

Medford

Winnemucca

Ely#÷

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5 Napa ValleyFabulous winery estates and

celebrity chef restaurants

grace this region. 2–3 DAYS

19 Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks Be awed by giant

sequoias. 5–7 DAYS

21 Highway 49 Through Gold

Country Head for the hills and

California’s historic pioneer

mining towns. 3–4 DAYS

CALIFORNIA

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5Napa Valley Hundreds of wineries inhabit America’s premier viticulture region.

wLife in Death Valley The Badwater salt pan is the lowest point in North America.

qDisneyland & Orange County Beaches Warm sand, art galleries and a walkable downtown await in Laguna Beach.

WHAT IS A CLASSIC TRIP? All the trips in this book show you the best of Cali fornia, but we’ve chosen seven as our all-time favorites. These are our Classic Trips – the ones that lead you to the best of the iconic sights, the top activities and the unique Califor nia experiences. Turn the page to see the map, and look out for the Classic Trip stamp throughout the book

CALIFORNIA

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Mendocino

Eureka

Monterey

San Diego

LosAngeles

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Santa BarbaraBountiful beaches and a nearby wine country

210 miles

San FranciscoBy Golden Gate Park,

cross the famous bridge

550 miles

Around Hearst Castle

Tour a hilltop mansion, then gape at elephant

seals

350 miles

RedwoodNational Park

With the world'stallest trees

850 miles

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Pacifi c Coast Highways

7–10 DAYS 1000 MILES/1610KM

GREAT FOR…

HJG

BEST TIME TO GO Year-round, but July to October for the sunniest skies.

I ESSENTIAL PHOTO

Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay.

K BEST TWO DAYS

Santa Barbara north to Monterey via Big Sur.

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1Our top pick for classic California dreamin’ snakes along the Pacifi c coast for 1000 miles. Uncover beaches, seafood shacks and piers for catching sunsets over boundless ocean horizons.

Big Sur coast Precipitous cliffs dominate the seascape

3534

Look out for the Classic Trips stamp on our favorite routes in this book.

1 Pacific Coast Highways............. 7–10 Days 35

5 Napa Valley.....................2–3 Days 79

j Yosemite, Sequoia &Kings Canyon National

Parks.............................. 5–7 Days 205

l Highway 49 Through Gold Country.........3–4 Days 227

q Disneyland & OrangeCounty Beaches....2–4 Days 273

u Route66...........................3–4 Days 313

w Life in Death Valley.............. 3 Days 331

5

Beth Kohn A lucky long-time resident of San Francisco, Beth lives to be playing outside or splashing in big puddles of water, and there’s always a California atlas stashed in her red pickup truck in case a back road looks particularly promising. An author of Lonely Planet’s Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Mexico and California guides, you can see more of her work at www.bethkohn.com.

My Favorite Trip k Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway Who can get enough of those hot springs and mountain views?

383

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end –

broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Nate Cavalieri Born and raised in rural Michigan, Nate Cavalieri has a sentimental soft spot for the piquant cow pastures, political radicals and sleepy one-stoplight towns of Northern California. One of his favorite trips traced the stunning Feather River and into the exotic wilds of the northeastern corner of the state. He authors guides for Lonely Planet on the US, Central America and the Caribbean, writes about music and maintains several fictional twitter accounts about professional cycling. He lives in Oakland. Look him up at www.natecavalieri.com.

My Favorite Trip u Route 66 Driving California’s Mother Road – windows down, radio blasting, endless blue skies all around – offered the most iconic road trip experience.

Sara Benson After graduating from college, Sara jumped on a plane to California with just one suitcase and $100 in her pocket. She has bounced around the Golden State ever since, including in the Sierra Nevada, where she worked as a seasonal park ranger. The author of over 50 travel and nonfiction books, Sara also coordinated Lonely Planet’s California guide. Follow her adventures online at www.indietraveler.blogspot.com, www.indietraveler.net and @indie_traveler on Twitter.

My Favorite Trip l Highway 49 Through Gold Country I explored the last lonely stretches of a California highway I’d never driven before. Eureka!

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9832nd edition – Feb 2013ISBN 978 1 74179 810 4© Lonely Planet 2013Photographs © as indicated 201310 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely

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MORE.WRITERS

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Read more about Sara at: www.lonelyplanet.com/members/Sara_Benson

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