central california coast

Day 1	SAN FRANCISCO
Arrive in San Francisco and proceed to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Whether it's a quick ride on a Cable Car, shopping in Union Square or a stroll through Chinatown, the visit will be memorable. There are also numerous fabulous culinary delights to tempt one’s palate.

Day 2

SAN FRANCISCO – 17-MILE DRIVE – MONTEREY (120 mi / 195 km)

Leave your heart in San Francisco and depart south along the scenic Pacific Coast to Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay. While in historic Monterey, visit California’s first customs house and Cannery Row made famous through John Steinbeck’s book of the same name. Take the 17-Mile Drive, a scenic coastal route through the Del Monte Forest that includes The Lone Cypress Point and world famous Pebble Beach to Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Day 3	MONTEREY – CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST (91 mi / 145 km)
Plan for a leisurely morning before continuing along the spectacular California coast. There is plenty of time today to enjoy everything along the way. Stop for pictures at Hurricane Point, enjoy the redwoods in Big Sur, visit Hearst Castle in San Simeon, walk on the beach in Grover Beach or through the unique turn-of-the-century downtown of Arroyo Grande. Continue to your overnight hotel.

Day 4

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA COAST – SANTA BARBARA – LOS ANGELES (216 mi / 348 km)

Continue south to the well-known community of millionaires and movie stars, Santa Barbara. Located at the base of the Santa Ynez Mountains, this stylish beach community offers a relaxed atmosphere with a Mediterranean climate. California’s “Queen of the Missions” is located on a hillside overlooking the city. Make a stop at the ornate and historic courthouse before continuing on to Ventura, Malibu and finally Los Angeles.

Day 5

LOS ANGELES – YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (319 mi / 513 km)

Leave the sprawling metropolis of Los Angeles this morning and head northeast through Bakersfield and into the Central Valley, part of the “fruit basket of the world,” including Fresno, know as the raisin capital of the world! Continue to the magnificent Yosemite National Park. Go to the Visitor Center to get an orientation and plan your time. Take some time to walk or hike in the area and enjoy the views.

Day 6

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

With so much to see, take advantage of this full day to acquaint yourself with the park. Visit Yosemite Falls, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, or Glacier Point & Badger Pass which offers an overview of the Yosemite Valley and Half Dome. Drive the Tioga Pass Road to see the Tuolumne Meadows and other spectacular views. Choose your favorite method of transportation: drive, take a bus tour, rent a bike, hike or walk. Access to some areas may be limited due to weather conditions, especially in the winter.

Day 7

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK – SAN FRANCISCO (193 mi / 310 km)

Take some time to visit magnificent Yosemite early in the morning. The most picturesque spots in Yosemite can be seen from the valley floor Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Half Dome and Cathedral Spires. Continue to San Francisco in the afternoon as you pass through scenic Gold Rush Country before crossing the Oakland Bay Bridge to enter America’s favorite city by the sea. This cosmopolitan city rests on 40 hills surrounded on one side by the Pacific Ocean and on the other by the San Francisco Bay. There is so much to see with breathtaking views around every hilltop.

Day 8	SAN FRANCISCO
Spend the day at leisure, or take the opportunity for last minute sightseeing before your departure