The Rough Guide to California (Travel Guide with Free eBook)

By Rough Guides

This practical travel guide to California features detailed factual travel tips and points-of-interest structured lists of all iconic must-see sights as well as some off-the-beaten-track treasures. Our itinerary suggestions and expert author picks of things to see and do will make it a perfect companion both, ahead of your trip and on the ground. This California guide book is packed full of details on how to get there and around, pre-departure information and top time-saving tips, including a visual list of things not to miss. Our colour-coded maps make California easier to navigate while you're there. This guide book to California has been fully updated post-COVID-19.

The Rough Guide to California covers: Los Angeles; San Diego; the Deserts; Death Valley; the Sierra; the Central Coast; San Francisco; the Gold Country; Lake Tahoe and Northern California.

Inside this California travel guide you'll find:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER
Experiences selected for every kind of trip to California, from off-the-beaten-track adventures in  Yosemite Valley, to family activities in child-friendly places, like Venice Beach, or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like Salvation Mountain.

PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS
Essential pre-departure information including California entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more.

TIME-SAVING ITINERARIES
Includes carefully planned routes covering the best of California, which give a taste of the richness and diversity of the destination, and have been created for different time frames or types of trip.

DETAILED REGIONAL COVERAGE
Clear structure within each sightseeing chapter of this California travel guide includes regional highlights, brief history, detailed sights and places ordered geographically, recommended restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and major shops or entertainment options.

INSIGHTS INTO GETTING AROUND LIKE A LOCAL
Tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots for surfing or climbing the saw-toothed peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS NOT TO MISS
Rough Guides' rundown of Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Big Sur, San Diego's best sights and top experiences help to make the most of each trip to California, even in a short time.

HONEST AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWS
Written by Rough Guides' expert authors with a trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, this California guide book will help you find the best places, matching different needs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter of this travel guide to California features fascinating insights into California, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary.

FABULOUS FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
Features inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Yosemite National Park and the spectacular Bixby Creek Bridge.

COLOUR-CODED MAPPING
Practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys for quick orientation in  San Francisco, Napa and many more locations in California, reduce the need to go online.

USER-FRIENDLY LAYOUT
With helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Sep 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781839059469

Rough Guides

Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

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Contents

Introduction to California

Where to go

When to go

Author picks

things not to miss

Itineraries

Basics

Getting there

Getting around

Accommodation

Eating

Drinking

The media

Festivals and public holidays

Sports and outdoor pursuits

Shopping

Travel essentials

Los Angeles

Downtown LA

Northeast LA

East LA

Central LA

South LA

Hollywood

West LA

Santa Monica and around

Malibu and around

The South Bay

Long Beach and Santa Catalina Island

The San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys

Orange County

San Diego and around

San Diego

Coronado and around

The North County coast

Inland North County

The deserts

Palm Springs

Around Palm Springs

Morongo Basin

Joshua Tree National Park

The Imperial Valley and the Salton Sea

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

The Western Mojave

Old Route 66

Mojave National Preserve

Death Valley, Owens Valley and the Eastern Sierra

Hwy-127: The southern approach to Death Valley

Death Valley National Park

Owens Valley

Mammoth Lakes and around

Mono Lake and around

San Joaquin Valley and the Western Sierra

San Joaquin Valley

Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks

Sierra National Forest

Yosemite National Park

The Central Coast

Ventura and around

Channel Islands National Park

Santa Barbara and around

Santa Ynez Valley

Pismo Beach and around

Avila Beach

San Luis Obispo

Morro Bay to Cambria

Hearst Castle and around

Paso Robles and the Salinas Valley

Big Sur

Monterey Peninsula

Santa Cruz

San Francisco and the Bay Area

San Francisco

The East Bay

The Peninsula

Marin County

The Gold Country and Lake Tahoe

Sacramento

The Central Mother Lode

Southern Gold Country

Northern Gold Country

Lake Tahoe and around

Reno and around

Northern California

The Wine Country

The Sonoma coast

The Russian River Valley

Clear Lake

Mendocino County

Humboldt County

The Redwood National and State parks

The Sacramento Valley

Plumas County

Lassen Volcanic National Park and around

Redding and around

Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area

Mount Shasta

Lava Beds National Monument and around

Modoc County

Contexts

History

Environment and wildlife

Film

Books

Small print

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Introduction to California

Few regions of the world have been as idealized and mythologized as California – and yet it seldom fails to live up to the hype. The Hollywood glamour, surf beaches and near-endless sun of the Southern California coast are rightly celebrated, but from here you’re only a few hours’ drive from majestic snowy mountains (and even ski resorts), Wild West ghost towns and barren deserts studded with Joshua trees. Further north, boutique wine regions mix with primeval redwood forests, wild seascapes and the cities of the Bay Area, with captivating San Francisco as its heart. The Golden State’s almost unequalled diversity is packed into nearly 164,000 square miles – an area more than twice the size of Great Britain – and yet California ranks as only the third largest state in the US, after Alaska and Texas.

To outsiders – and even a certain percentage of its residents – California represents the ultimate now society, where urban life is lived in the fast lane, conspicuous consumption is often paramount and, in some circles, having the right hairstyle, wardrobe and income is crucial. And while there’s some truth to this stereotype of the state’s infamous superficiality, the fact is that California’s staggering array of cultures and lifestyles, determined as they are by everything from socio-economic factors to simple geography, could never allow a homogenous statewide identity to take root. The state’s rich and constant penchant for invention, followed by instant re-invention, ensures that there’s far too much going on for a single notion of California to swamp the rest.

This enormous state somehow encompasses America’s second city and home of the movies Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Disneyland, along with the staggering natural wonders of Yosemite National Park, towering redwoods and enigmatic rock carvings left by Native Americans. In the south, the unforgiving, mythical landscapes of the Mojave Desert and Death Valley contrast with the golf courses, resorts and Coachella festivities of Palm Springs, while the big names of Silicon Valley – Facebook, Google, Apple – lie short rides from the isolated coast of Big Sur. You can sip your way through the vineyards of Napa, visit the abandoned mines of Gold Country and pan for gold or climb the saw-toothed peaks of the Sierra Nevada, setting out into territory where bears and pumas roam.

While California certainly has a strong focus on the here and now, it also has a fascinating past. Hunter-gathering Native Americans had the place to themselves until Spanish missionaries arrived from what’s now Mexico and built a string of missions, from 1770 onwards. Contact with the world at large was minimal and on a small scale until the Gold Rush began in 1848 – the ensuing era bestowed California its Golden State moniker. Migrants of all social and political stripes flocked here, a pattern that has continued ever since and has undoubtedly contributed to making this one of America’s most polarized states, home to right-wing bastions such as Orange County and San Diego and yet also a principal source of America’s most dynamic progressive movements: environmentalism, women’s liberation, and LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights. Some of the fiercest protests of the 1960s took root here, and in many ways this is still the heart of forward-looking America, as California continues to set the standard in terms of social activism.

Put simply, this is a place that can be all things to all people. Whatever you want California to be, you’ll find it somewhere; and no matter what you expect, it’ll always surprise you.

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The rugged coastline

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Where to go

It’s worth keeping in mind that distances between California’s main destinations can be huge, and naturally you won’t be able to see everything on one trip. In such a varied state, much will depend on what kind of holiday you’re looking for. You may well start off in Los Angeles, the second-most populous city in the US (after New York), a vast, sprawling metropolis boasting Hollywood, the beaches of Malibu, the bars of Sunset Strip, Venice Beach and some exceptional museums, beginning with the Getty Center. From here, you can make the short trip south to San Diego, set snugly against the US/Mexico border, with its broad, welcoming beaches, world-famous zoo and laidback vibe. Alternately, head inland to California’s vast deserts, where the resort community of Palm Springs invites poolside lounging and other languid pursuits. If you’d rather explore national parks, Joshua Tree and, further afield, Death Valley – as its name suggests, an inhospitable landscape of volcanic craters and windswept sand dunes that becomes one of the hottest places on earth in summer – are unparalleled in their arid beauty.

Also from Los Angeles, you can make the steady journey up the Central Coast, a meandering run that traces the gorgeous Pacific shoreline and takes in some of the state’s most dramatic scenery. Along the way, you’ll visit a few of California’s liveliest mid-size cities, particularly Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz – each with its own character and markedly different from the next. Along the jagged coastline between San Luis Obispo and Monterey on twisting Hwy-1, you’ll encounter the uniquely opulent mansion known as Hearst Castle and the park-rich region of Big Sur.

On shaky ground

With an estimated 500,000 tremors detected each year, California is a seismic time bomb, bisected by the most famous faultline in the world, the San Andreas, which runs loosely from San Francisco to Los Angeles and marks the junction of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. Although the San Andreas has a fearsome reputation, it’s not, in fact, the most active fault at the moment – that honour goes to one of its connected faults, known as the Hayward.

Despite the infamy of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it wasn’t actually the quake itself that levelled most of the city, but a homeowner cooking breakfast on a gas stove the next morning. With the chimney badly damaged, the fire ignited the kitchen and raged across the city for three days, razing 28,000 buildings and leaving at least 3000 dead. Since then, there have been several significant quakes, most recently in 1989, when San Francisco again shook during the Loma Prieta, named after its epicentre close to Santa Cruz and responsible for the horrifying collapse of an Oakland double-decker highway, and in 1994, when the Northridge quake tore through the north side of Los Angeles, rupturing freeways and flattening an apartment building.

Of course, everyone’s waiting for the so-called Big One, a massive earthquake that, it’s feared, could wipe out Los Angeles or San Francisco. Speculation has intensified over the last few decades, as experts have pegged the typical interval between major ruptures in the southern reaches of the San Andreas at 140 years: the last such quake was Fort Tejon in 1857.

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Houses on the bluffs in Capitola, Santa Cruz

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The Central Coast marks the transition from Southern to Northern California – a break that’s more than just geographical. San Francisco, California’s earliest metropolis and today its proud second city, is quite different from Los Angeles down the coast. In the West Coast’s most compact, romantic and European-styled city, Victorian houses cling to a series of steep hills that tumble down to water on three sides. From the San Francisco Bay Area, you have access to some of the state’s most extraordinary scenery, not least in the national parks to the east, far across heavily agricultural San Joaquin Valley. Yosemite, where powerful waterfalls cascade into a sheer glacial valley immortalized by Ansel Adams – and countless others in search of the definitive landscape photograph – is the unquestioned highlight of the Sierra Nevada mountains. South from here are the huge parks of Sequoia and Kings Canyon, while to the north you’ll find an intriguing mix of inviting Gold Rush-era towns such as Nevada City and the year-round resort of Lake Tahoe.

Fact file

California’s Golden State nickname is perpetuated by the golden poppy, or Eschsholtzia californica, which appears all over the state each spring and is the state flower.

California raised the flags of Spain, England, Mexico and the short-lived Bear Republic before it was admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the thirty-first state.

Each year, California becomes home to more immigrants than any other state. Most settlers now hail from Latin America and Asia, though a smattering arrive from Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Nearly a third of all immigrants to the US settle here.

The third-largest state in the US in land area, California boasts an 840-mile coast along the Pacific and around 25,000 square miles of desert. It’s also the most populous state, at around 40 million inhabitants. In 2010, for the first time since the Gold Rush, California-born residents made up the majority of the state’s population.

Based on agriculture and the electronic, aerospace, film and tourism industries, the state’s economy is the strongest in the US. Indeed, if it were a country, California’s economy would rank as the fifth largest in the world. As of 2023, it was estimated that there were over one million millionaires and a staggering 178 billionaires in the state.

A notorious land of extremes, California is home to not only the highest point in the US outside of Alaska (Mount Whitney in the southern Sierra Nevada, at 14,497ft), but also the lowest point on land in the western hemisphere (Badwater in Death Valley National Park at -282ft) – and they’re located less than 85 air miles from one another.

North of the San Francisco Bay Area, the population thins drastically and the landscapes change yet again. The climate is wetter up here and much more akin to that of the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington; as a result, the valleys are that much greener and flanked by a jagged coastline shadowed by towering redwoods, the tallest trees in the world. Though many visitors choose to venture no further than the Wine Country of Napa and Sonoma valleys on weekend forays from the Bay Area, it’s well worth taking time to explore the state’s northernmost regions, which are split distinctly in two. The coastline is simultaneously rugged and serene, guarded by mighty forests best enjoyed in Redwood National Park and a series of adjacent (and equally enjoyable) state parks. The region’s interior, meanwhile, is dominated by the lofty peaks of majestic Mount Shasta and burly Lassen Peak – a volcano-scarred land that’s as different from the stereotype of California as you could imagine.

EPICUReAN CALIFORNIA

The rich diversity of food and wine in California holds many contradictions. Los Angeles is the land of protein bars, salads and the faddy diets of wannabe actors and models, but it’s also known for its burgers and the innovative pizza of Wolfgang Puck. In Northern California, the San Francisco Bay Area spawned the state’s signature California cuisine, a style of cooking that emphasizes the use of seasonal ingredients; it’s also the birthplace of the ever-popular, enormous slab known as the Mission-style super burrito.

Celebrity chefs

California cuisine got its start in Berkeley in the early 1970s, when Alice Waters set about preparing French recipes using the best local ingredients she could find, adjusting the menu of her restaurant, Chez Panisse (see page 359), according to the seasons; Los Angeles’ Wolfgang Puck of Spago (see page 120) helped further popularize the cuisine. Other celebrated California chefs have included Michael Mina and Gary Danko each of whom has an eponymous restaurant in San Francisco, plus Nancy Silverton (Los Angeles), Niki Nakayama and Dominique Crenn, who all appeared on the Netflix series Chef's Table. Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in Napa Valley’s Yountville (see page 427) has repeatedly been ranked as the finest restaurant in the US.

Burritos and burgers

California dubbed its own take on Mexican cuisine Cal-Mex, a style that is often less saucy than the better-known Tex-Mex and incorporates plenty of vegetables and seafood. The hand-held monstrosity known as the super burrito (see page 340) became the state’s signature Cal-Mex item by the 1980s, two decades after it was first concocted in San Francisco’s Mission district. The worldwide popularity of the hamburger, meanwhile, can be traced to mid-century Southern California, where the McDonald brothers capitalized on the region’s burgeoning car culture by opening their first drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino in 1940. These days, In-N-Out Burger, another Southern California-born chain, is widely loved for its made-to-order burgers and hand-sliced fries.

Fruits of the vine

California is by far the largest and most famous wine-producing state in the US, its vintners the first to prove that great wines could be made outside Europe. Various regions around the Golden State consistently turn out superb wines, from the celebrated vineyards of Napa and Sonoma, further south to the Santa Cruz Mountains and down to Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara.

When to go

In Southern California, count on full days of sunshine between May and October, and warm, dry nights – though Los Angeles’ notorious smog is at its worst in August and September. Along the coast, mornings can be hazily overcast, especially in May and June, though you can still easily tan – or burn – under grey skies. In winter, temperatures drop, but weeks of rain can cause massive mudslides. Inland, the deserts are warm in winter daylight but can be freezing at night and they’re unbearably hot (42°C is not unusual) in summer. For serious white stuff head to the mountains, where hiking trails at the higher elevations are blanketed with snow from November to June: skiers can hit the slopes in the Sierra Nevada mountains and around Lake Tahoe. The Northern California coast is wetter and cooler than the south, its summers tempered by sea breezes and fog, and its winters mild but damp. San Francisco can be chilly all year, with summer fog often rolling in. Head across the bay to Oakland and Berkeley, however, and you’ll often be back in the sun.

Average temperatures and rainfall

Jan April July Oct

Death Valley

max/min (˚F) 66/39 89/62 118/86 92/61

max/min (˚C) 19/4 32/17 48/30 33/16

rain (inches/mm) 0.4/10 0.1/3 0.0/0 0.1/3

Eureka

max/min (˚F) 55/41 57/44 63/53 61/48

max/min (˚C) 13/5 14/7 17/12 16/9

rain (inches/mm) 5.9/150 2.9/74 0.2/5 2.4/61

Lake Tahoe

max/min (˚F) 41/15 53/26 79/40 62/26

max/min (˚C) 5/-9 12/-3 26/4 17/-3

rain (inches/mm) 6.9/175 2.5/64 0.5/13 2.2/56

Los Angeles

max/min (˚F) 68/48 73/54 84/65 79/60

max/min (˚C) 20/9 23/12 29/18 26/16

rain (inches/mm) 3.3/84 0.8/20 0.0/0 0.4/10

San Diego

max/min (˚F) 66/50 69/56 76/66 74/61

max/min (˚C) 19/10 21/13 24/19 23/16

rain (inches/mm) 2.3/58 0.8/20 0.0/0 0.4/10

San Francisco

max/min (˚F) 56/43 64/48 71/55 70/52

max/min (˚C) 13/6 17/9 22/13 21/11

rain (inches/mm) 4.5/114 1.2/31 0.0/0 1.0/25

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Author picks

Our author recommendations don’t end here. We’ve flagged up our favourite places – a perfectly sited hotel, an atmospheric café, a special restaurant – throughout the Guide, highlighted with the ê symbol.

We’ve traversed California’s soaring mountains, sinuous coast, wide-open deserts and liveliest cities to bring you our favourite Golden State places.

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A Cherry Headed Conure, telegraph hill

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Lush hillside paths Laid out in wooden planks and brick, San Francisco’s parallel Filbert and Greenwich steps cling to the steep eastern flank of Telegraph Hill and provide a dizzying combination of fragrant honeysuckle and roses, lovely gardens, extraordinary bay views – and even a giant flock of wild parrots. See page 321

Film among the spirits Summer weekends at Los Angeles’ romantic (and slightly creepy) Hollywood Forever Cemetery feature an open-air cinema showing

classic movies such as Pulp Fiction and The Graduate shown under the stars. See page 88

Ale ahoy Along the wild Mendocino shore, Fort Bragg’s North Coast Brewing Co. produces some of California’s finest craft beers, including its celebrated Red Seal Ale; stop by en route to the redwoods for a brewery tour, pint and hearty pub meal. See page 437

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Six Flags Magic Mountain

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Year-round outdoors playground The Lake Tahoe region is California’s best place for winter pursuits, while the rest of the year sees exceptional opportunities for kayaking, rafting, boating and beach-going, as well as hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail, which circles the azure lake for 165 miles. See page 405

Thrillseekers’ paradise Six Flags Magic Mountain boasts its share of superlatives: the world’s tallest and fastest looping rollercoaster and highest drop tower ride (among many others), to say nothing of its staggering line-up of coasters that range from classic wooden to ultramodern 5th dimension. See page 112

High desert soaking Just inside California in remote Mono County, Benton Hot Springs is the place to head to after a day of Mammoth Mountain skiing or Eastern Sierra hiking, where outdoor tubs are filled with mineral-rich water under a starry desert sky. See page 215

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things not to miss

It’s not possible to see everything that California has to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows is a selective taste of the state’s highlights, from its bustling beaches to its deserted Gold Rush outposts. All highlights are colour-coded by chapter and have a page reference to take you straight into the Guide, where you can find out more.

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1 Big Sur

See page 286

Enjoy Pacific Ocean views from the secluded beauty of Big Sur’s ninety miles of rocky coastline.

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2 HISTORIC ROUTE 66

See page 192

Cruise a stretch of the original Mother Road as it cuts across the Mojave Desert, home to the atomic-era Modernism of Roy’s Motel & Café and the classic Americana of the Wigwam Motel.

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3 San Francisco Pride

See page 347

In late June, the San Francisco Pride parade takes over the city’s Castro district and Civic Center in colourfully exuberant fashion.

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4 Hearst Castle

See page 282

Of all California’s lavish dreams, none quite rivals William Randolph Hearst’s monument to himself, which boasts a Mudejar cathedral facade.

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5 Sequoia National Park

See page 237

The trees after which this park is named are the world’s largest – and some of its oldest – living things.

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6 PALM SPRINGS MODERNISM

See page 172

The verdant desert oasis of Palm Springs features some of the nation’s greatest examples of Mid-century Modern architecture, best sampled on a guided tour.

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7 Hiking Mount Whitney

See page 209

Trek to the top of the tallest mountain in the contiguous US, which caps the knife-edge ridge of the mighty Sierra Nevada range.

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8 Riding a cable car

See page 319

No visit to San Francisco is complete without a ride on one of these antique trolleys – the best way to scale the city’s punishing hills.

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9 Tufa towers of Mono Lake

See page 220

Marvel at the fluffy, sand-castle-like tufa spires that have frothed up from below the surface of this ultra-saline body of water.

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10 Yosemite Valley

See page 250

California has no shortage of stunning geology, but nothing surpasses Yosemite Valley, where the humbling and awe-inspiring monoliths of El Capitan and Half Dome await.

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11 RAFTING, on the KERN RIVER

See page 231

The Kern River offers some of the most exciting whitewater rafting anywhere in the country.

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12 VENICE BEACH

See page 102

Los Angeles comes to play at the sun-soaked promenade between Santa Monica and Venice, home to surfers, muscle-men and street performers.

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13 Surfing

See page 103

From the gargantuan waves at Mavericks to the hot-dogging longboard heaven of Malibu, California’s consummate pastime can be enjoyed year-round all along its coast.

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14 the Coast Starlight

See page 50

The best – and often, only – way to view the stunning 100-mile-long coast between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo is aboard this Amtrak train.

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15 Lava Beds National Monument

See page 463

The eerie black volcanic landscape and massive network of nearly 750 lava tubes are also the site of some grim history.

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16 Mexican food

See page 340

Duck into a roadside taquería to enjoy one of the state’s signature cuisines.

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17 GETTY CENTER

See page 99

This massive art museum, set on a hillside with sensational views of Los Angeles, is a trove of Grand Masters, sculpture and decorative arts.

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18 Redwood National Park

See page 444

The tallest trees in the world – some nearly 380ft high – preside over this dramatic national park, home to Roosevelt elk, black bears and hiking trails leading through serene groves.

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19 Disney Hall

See page 78

Although Frank Gehry’s architectural marvel was designed in 1987, sixteen years passed before it was finally built; today, this inspired sculptural creation serves as the monumental home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

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20 Salvation Mountain

See page 185

This only-in-California creation is a kaleidoscopic mound of concrete, hay bales and vast quantities of paint, peppered with biblical quotations.

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21 Mojave National Preserve

See page 193

The Mojave Desert can be shocking in its extremes: some of the imposing sand dunes in this enormous preserve soar as high as 4000ft above sea level.

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22 Bodie state historic park

See page 221

Well past its 1880s gold-mining heyday, Bodie is now an intriguing time-capsule of some 150 atmospheric wooden buildings.

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23 snowboarding

See page 405

Hit California’s celebrated slopes; Lake Tahoe is home to exceptional downhill skiing and snowboarding.

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24 Whale watching

See page 377

Springtime offers your best chance to spot grey whales during their annual migration in the Pacific.

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25 GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

See page 324

Still America’s most famous and most beautiful suspension bridge, often engulfed in low-slung fog over San Francisco Bay.

Dreamstime

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Itineraries

Create your own itinerary with Rough Guides. Whether you’re after adventure or a family-friendly holiday, we have a trip for you, with all the activities you enjoy doing and the sights you want to see. All our trips are devised by local experts who get the most out of the destination. Visit www.roughguides.com/trips to chat with one of our travel agents.

The following three itineraries take in much of what makes California so special, from its electrifying major cities to its formidable mountains, serpentine coastline and arrestingly beautiful deserts. Be sure to budget at least ten days to fully enjoy each route, as the vastness of the state is best absorbed at a gentle pace. Each gives a flavour of what California has to offer and what we can plan and book for you at www.roughguides.com/trips. 

classic California road trip

Explore a broad swathe of California with this grand tour, visiting a host of landscapes.

1 Los Angeles Visits to world-class museums, Venice Beach and Universal Studios are among the countless attractions of this megalopolis. See page 70

2 Central Coast Wind your way up Hwy-1, with stops in the vibrant towns of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz, leaving time for Hearst Castle and Big Sur. See page 260

3 San Francisco Spend a few days exploring the city’s distinct neighbourhoods, with side-trips to redwood forests, elephant seal breeding grounds and the Wine Country. See page 306

4 Gold Country Head east across San Joaquin Valley to the Sierra foothills. See page 380

5 Yosemite Gaze slack-jawed at the granite domes, waterfalls and sequoias. See page 248

6 Owens Valley Get a glimpse of pioneer life, photograph Mono Lake’s bizarre tufa towers and see the world’s oldest trees. See page 208

7 Death Valley Visit the hottest place on earth – an arid region of narrow canyons and, at its higher elevations, pine forests. See page 200

8 Joshua Tree Freakish trees, sensual boulders and the nightly howl of the coyote make camping in this park a real treat. See page 180

9 Palm Springs Sip a cocktail by the pool at a stylish resort and ride the tram up 10,834ft San Jacinto Peak. See page 168

BEST OF the COAST

Trace a southbound route along the Pacific Ocean for unimpeded vistas.

1 The far north The roughhewn coast of Del Norte and Humboldt counties forms an otherworldly region of fern-lined canyons, fog-enveloped beaches and stands of soaring redwoods. See page 416

2 Mendocino to Marin The inviting coasts of Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties include the extraordinary Point Reyes National Seashore and the precious weekend-getaway town of Mendocino. See pages 377 and 433

3 San Francisco The west side is bound by a long and sandy shore, with a northwest corner that’s an enclave of bluff-top trails and the ruins of bygone amusements. See page 306

4 Santa Cruz and Monterey Freewheeling Santa Cruz and family-friendly Monterey boast seaside rollercoasters and a top-tier sea-life museum. See pages 300 and 292

5 Big Sur This storied, nearly 100-mile stretch of rocky shore has inspired innumerable artists and writers; it’s also the southernmost home of coastal redwoods. See page 286

6 Southern California The south’s sun-drenched coastline stretches from the yawning sands of Malibu to party-central Mission Beach in San Diego. See pages 103 and 131

Image ID:MAP001Itineraries

california high country

It’s just a couple of hours’ drive from central Los Angeles to the wild mountains in the northwest of the state.

1 San Jacinto Mountains Access 10,834ft San Jacinto Peak via the popular Palm Springs Aerial Tramway from the east, or take in the pine-covered slopes of this so-called Sierra of the South at the charming mountain town of Idyllwild. See pages 171 and 174

2 Southern Sierra Nevada Encompassing the eastern reaches of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks as well as the staggering 14,497ft Mount Whitney, the southern section of this range is its most rugged: no highway crosses it. See pages 237 and 209

3 Central and northern Sierra Nevada This takes you to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, an incomparably gorgeous high country that’s accessible year-round. See pages 248 and 402

4 Cascade range The southernmost region of this dramatic volcanic range; Lassen Peak and colossal Mount Shasta are both unmissable sights. See pages 453 and 458

5 Klamath Mountains The remote Klamaths in Northern California can be penetrated on a 285-mile loop along a trio of beautiful, river-hugging state highways (CA-299, CA-3 and CA-96); keep your eyes open for Bigfoot. See page 444

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Basics

Getting there

The second largest state in the continental US, California is readily accessible to both domestic and international visitors. All the major airlines operate daily scheduled flights to San Francisco and Los Angeles from all over the world, and the state is easily accessible by road and rail too. California is a year-round destination but fares tend to be highest over summer (June–September) and around Christmas.

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Highway 190 death valley

Shutterstock

Flights from the UK and Ireland

There are nonstop flights from London to Los Angeles and San Francisco (both 10hr 30min–11hr) with British Airways (http://britishairways.com), American Airlines (http://americanairlines.co.uk), United Airlines (http://united.com), and Virgin Atlantic (http://virgin-atlantic.com). British Airways also fly direct to San Diego and San Jose. Other flights may be labelled as ‘direct’ because they keep the same flight number, but in fact stop off elsewhere en route. The first place the plane lands is your point of entry into the US, which means you’ll have to collect your bags and go through customs and immigration formalities there, even if you’re continuing on to California on the same plane. Most other routings involve a change of aircraft.

Britain remains one of the best places in Europe to obtain flight bargains, though fares vary widely according to season, availability and inter-airline competition. Fares, including taxes, can drop below £400 return in low season, rising above £1000 at peak periods, especially for nonstop flights.

Aer Lingus (http://aerlingus.com) fly direct from Dublin to Los Angeles and San Francisco – expect to pay €7500 to €1250. Flights via London may cost less, but you pay slightly more tax.

‘Open-jaw’ tickets can be a good idea, allowing you to fly into LA, for example, and back from San Francisco for little or no extra charge. This is a convenient option for those who want to avail of a fly-drive deal. Although there are usually surcharges for dropping a rental car off in a different city, it often works out cheaper.

Packages – fly-drive, flight-accommodation deals and guided tours – can work out cheaper than arranging the same trip yourself, especially for a short-term stay. The obvious drawbacks are the loss of flexibility and the fact that most schemes use hotels in the mid-range bracket, but there is a wide variety of options available.

One-way tickets

One word of warning: it’s not a good idea to buy a one-way ticket to the States. US immigration officials usually take them as a sign that you aren’t planning to go home and you are unlikely to be allowed even to board your flight, let alone enter the US.

A better kind of travel

At Rough Guides we are passionately committed to travel. We believe it helps us understand the world we live in and the people we share it with – and of course tourism is vital to many developing economies. But the scale of modern tourism has also damaged some places irreparably, and climate change is accelerated by most forms of transport, especially flying. We encourage all our authors to consider the carbon footprint of the journeys they make in the course of researching our guides.

Flights from the US and Canada

Most domestic flights are likely to take you to one of the following international airports: Los Angeles (airport code LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Oakland (OAK), San Jose (SJO) or San Diego (SAN). Some flights use smaller airports in the vicinity of those metropolitan areas and you can also fly direct to minor cities such as Sacramento or Reno (in Nevada) for the Lake Tahoe region.

Flying is the most convenient and sometimes the cheapest way to travel within the US and Canada. Return prices midweek in summer on the major airlines start at around $330–400 from New York and other eastern seaboard or Midwest cities, and $400–700 from Toronto and Montréal. What makes more difference than your choice of carrier are the conditions governing the ticket – whether it’s fully refundable, the time and day, and, most importantly, the time of year you travel.

In addition to the big-name scheduled airlines, various smaller-scale carriers run no-frills flights, which can be great value, especially if you have a flexible schedule; try JetBlue (http://jetblue.com), Frontier Airlines (http://flyfrontier.com), or Canada’s Westjet (http://westjet.com), for example, who can often get you across the continent and back for around $300, if booked well in advance.

Flights from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa

If you are coming from Australia or New Zealand, there’s very little price difference between airlines and no shortage of flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco, either via the Pacific or Asia. Most flights crossing the Pacific are nonstop, with twelve to fourteen hours’ travel time between Auckland/Sydney and LA, though some include stopovers in Honolulu or the South Pacific islands. If you go via Asia (a slightly more roundabout route that can work out a little cheaper), you may have to spend the best part of a day (or a night), in the airline’s home city.

Flights from eastern Australia to Los Angeles, the main US gateway airport, tend to start at around Aus$1500 in low season, or more like Aus$2000 in summer. Flying from western Australia can add around Aus$300–400. Seat availability on most international flights out of Australia and New Zealand is limited, so it’s best to book at least several weeks ahead.

From New Zealand, the cost of flying from Auckland or Christchurch to LA or San Francisco ranges from roughly NZ$2000–3000 across the year.

From South Africa, transatlantic flights from Cape Town or Johannesburg are not as expensive as they used to be, costing around SAR3,000–4,000 to LA or San Francisco, depending on the time of year.

Round-the-world tickets

If you intend to take in California as part of a world trip, a round-the-world (RTW) ticket can work out far more economical than booking separate flights. The most US-oriented are the 26 airlines making up the Star Alliance network (http://staralliance.com), which offers two to fifteen stopovers worldwide, with a total trip length from ten days to a year. Another option is One World (including Qantas, American and British Airways; http://oneworld.com), which bases its rates on the number of continents visited, allowing three to six possible stopovers in each, and also offers a Circle Pacific option. RTW fares from London are often the best value: expect to pay around £1750 for a basic itinerary, more like £2750 for something quite comprehensive. Set aside around Aus$5000–6000 from Australia, NZ$5000–6000 from New Zealand, and SAR10,000–15,000 from South Africa.

Trains

If you are willing to pay for extra creature comforts and have the time and inclination to take in some of the rest of the US on your way to California, then riding Amtrak (http://amtrak.com) may be just the ticket. The most spectacular train journey of all has to be the California Zephyr, which runs all the way from Chicago to San Francisco (51hrs 20mins; departs 2pm daily), via the exquisitely scenic Rockies west of Denver and the mighty Sierra Nevada, as it traces the route of the first transcontinental railroad. It actually terminates in Emeryville, where you change onto a bus for the twenty-minute ride into San Francisco. Two other useful services are the Southwest Chief (43hr 10min; departs 2.50pm daily), which also starts in Chicago and travels through chunks of the Midwest and Southwest before eventually arriving in Los Angeles, and the Coast Starlight, which follows the entire West Coast between Seattle and Los Angeles.

Amtrak fares can work out considerably more expensive than flying, though off-peak discounts, special deals and passes (all detailed on the website) can make the train an economical and appealing choice. If you want to travel in a bit more comfort, costs rise quickly – sleeping compartments, which include meals, small toilets, and showers, start at around $400 per night for one or two people, including three meals.

Buses

Travelling by bus is the most tedious and time-consuming way to get to California but can save you a lot of money if you don’t mind the discomfort. Greyhound (http://greyhound.com) is the main long-distance operator and has an extensive network of destinations in California. An alternative, in every sense, is the San Francisco-based Green Tortoise bus company (see page 53).

Agents and operators

Abercrombie & Kent worldwide http://abercrombiekent.com. Well-tailored, somewhat upmarket tours worldwide, with a handful in California, including the Wine Country.

American Holidays Ireland http://americanholidays.com. Package tours to the US, including California, from Ireland.

Backroads worldwide, http://backroads.com. Cycling, hiking and multisport tours.

Bon Voyage UK http://bon-voyage.co.uk. Flight-plus-accommodation deals all over California.

Contiki Travel UK http://contiki.com. West Coast coach tours aimed at 18–35-year-olds eager to party.

Flight Centre Australia http://flightcentre.com.au; New Zealand http://flightcentre.co.nz; South Africa http://flightcentre.co.za; UK http://flightcentre.co.uk. High-street agency frequently offering some of the lowest fares around.

Kuoni UK http://kuoni.co.uk. Flight-plus-accommodation-plus-car deals featuring the big cities, beaches and national parks. Special deals for families.

Mountain Travel Sobek worldwide http://mtsobek.com. Hiking tours in the California mountains.

North South Travel UK http://northsouthtravel.co.uk. Friendly, competitive travel agency, offering discounted fares worldwide. Profits are used to support projects in the developing world, especially the promotion of sustainable tourism.

Trailfinders UK & Ireland http://trailfinders.com. One of the best-informed and most efficient agents for independent travellers.

Travel CUTS Canada http://redtags.ca. Canadian youth and student travel firm.

USIT Ireland http://usit.ie. Ireland’s premier student travel centre, which can also find good non-student deals.

Virgin Holidays UK http://virginholidays.co.uk. Packages to a wide range of Californian destinations.

Wotif.com Australia http://wotif.com. Efficient online travel agency offering good fares, hotels and car rental.

Entry requirements

Citizens of 40 countries – including the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most Western European countries – can enter under the Visa Waiver Program if visiting the United States for a period of less than ninety days. To obtain authorization, you must apply online for ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) approval before setting off. This is a straightforward process – simply go to the ESTA website (http://esta.cbp.dhs.gov), fill in your info and wait a very short while (sometimes just minutes, but it’s best to leave at least 72 hours before travelling to make sure) for them to provide you with an authorization number. You will not generally be asked to produce that number at your port of entry, but it is worth keeping a copy just in case, especially in times of high security alerts – you will be denied entry if you don’t have one. This ESTA authorization is valid for up to two years (or until your passport expires, whichever comes first) and costs $214, payable by credit card while applying. When you arrive at your port of entry you will be asked how long you are staying and may have to prove that you have an onward ticket and adequate funds to cover your trip. The customs official may also ask you for your address while in the US; the hotel you are staying at on your first night will suffice. Each traveller must also undergo the US-VISIT process at immigration, where your fingers are digitally scanned and a digital headshot is also taken for file. All passports need to be machine readable but that is now standard procedure.

Prospective visitors from parts of the world not covered by the program require a valid passport and a non-immigrant visitor’s visa for a maximum ninety-day stay. How you’ll obtain a visa depends on what country you’re in and your status when you apply; check http://travel.state.gov. Whatever your nationality, visas are not issued to convicted felons and anybody who owns up to being a communist, fascist or drug dealer. On arrival, the date stamped on your passport is the latest you’re legally allowed to stay. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has toughened its stance on anyone violating this rule, so even overstaying by a few days can result in a protracted interrogation from officials. Overstaying may also cause you to be turned away next time you try to enter the US. To get an extension before your time is up, apply at the nearest Department of Homeland Security office. INS officials will assume that you’re working in the US illegally, and it’s up to you to convince them otherwise by providing evidence of ample finances. If you can, bring along an upstanding American citizen to vouch for you. You’ll also have to explain why you didn’t plan for the extra time initially.

US Customs

Upon your entry to the US, customs officers will relieve you of your customs declaration form, which you receive on incoming planes, on ferries and at border crossing points. It asks if you’re carrying any fresh foods and if you’ve visited a farm in the last month.

As well as food and anything agricultural, it’s prohibited to carry into the country any articles from such places as North Korea, Iran, Syria or Cuba, as well as obvious no-nos like protected wildlife species and ancient artefacts. Anyone caught sneaking drugs into the country will not only face prosecution but be entered in the records as an undesirable and probably denied entry for all time. For duty-free allowances and other information regarding customs, visit http://cbp.gov.

Consulates in California

AUSTRALIA

Los Angeles 2029 Century Park E, 31st Floor, CA 90067; 310 229 2300, http://dfat.gov.au/missions.

San Francisco 575 Market St, Suite 1800, CA 94105; 415 644 3620.

CANADA

Los Angeles 550 S Hope St, 9th Floor, CA 90071; 884 880 6519, http://international.gc.ca.

San Francisco 580 California St, 14th Floor, CA 94104; 884 880 6519.

New Zealand

Los Angeles 2425 Olympic Blvd, Suite 600E, Santa Monica, CA 90404; 310 566 6555, http://mfat.govt.nz.

SOUTH AFRICA

Los Angeles 6300 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 600, CA 90048; 323 651 0902, www.dirco.gov.za.

UK

Los Angeles 2029 Century Park E, Suite 1350, CA 90067; 310 789 0031, http://gov.uk/world/usa.

San Francisco 1 Sansome St, Suite 850, CA 94101; 415 617 1300.

Getting around

Although distances can be great, getting around California is seldom much of a problem. Good bus links and a reasonable train service connect the major cities and some of the smaller towns, , but to see much of the state you will need a car.

By car

Throughout most of the state, driving is by far the easiest way to get around. Los Angeles, for example, sprawls for so many miles in all directions that your hotel may be fifteen or twenty miles from the sights you came to see. Away from the cities, points of interest are much harder to reach without your own transport; most national and state parks are only served by infrequent public transport as far as the main visitor centre, if at all. What’s more, if you plan to do a fair amount of camping, renting a car will save you money by allowing you access to less expensive, out-of-the-way campgrounds.

Car rental

Expect to pay anything from $200 to $450 per week to rent a car. Look for cheap fly-drive deals when you book your flight; otherwise, rental rates are often cheaper from city locations than airports, and it’s worth checking the wider urban area of the city you want to rent from; you might, for example, find a car $100 per week cheaper from Richmond than from San Francisco or Oakland. Always be sure to get free unlimited mileage and be aware that leaving the car in a different city to the one where you rent it can incur a drop-off charge of $200 or more. That said, some companies do not charge drop-off fees within California itself, so check before you book if you’re planning a one-way drive. If you intend to venture outside California, enquire if there are any limitations; some companies don’t allow travel beyond Nevada or into Mexico, while others simply ramp up their insurance charges, which are typically $18–25 per day.

Drivers under 25 years old who wish to rent a car may encounter problems, and will probably get lumbered with a higher than normal insurance premium — and if you’re under 21, it’s unlikely you’ll be permitted to rent at all. Car rental companies also invariably expect you to have a credit card.

The American Automobile Association, or AAA (http://aaa.com), provides free maps and assistance to its members and to members of affiliated associations overseas, such as the British AA and RAC. If you break down in a rented car, call one of these services if you have towing coverage, or ring the emergency number provided by the rental company. Note that cars invariably have automatic transmissions.

City-to-city distances

Distances between cities in miles.

Los Angeles Sacramento San Diego San Francisco

Bakersfield 115 272 231 297

Eureka 694 314 800 272

Los Angeles - 387 116 412

Monterey 335 185 451 116

Palm Springs 111 498 139 523

Redding 551 164 667 223

Sacramento 387 - 503 87

San Diego 116 503 - 528

San Francisco 412 87 528 -

San Jose 367 114 483 45

Santa Barbara 95 406 211 337

RV rental

Campervans and mobile homes, usually known as RVs (recreational vehicles) in the US, are extremely popular with domestic tourists. The largest and most expensive ones really are like houses on wheels, with water pipes for showers and electrical wiring that can be connected to the mains at campsites via RV hookups.

If you wish to rent such a vehicle, numerous companies can arrange one for you. Unlike cars, they do not usually come with unlimited mileage, so an estimate of the distance you expect to travel is factored in when booking. For a week in California with one thousand miles, you can expect to pay from around $500 for a van-sized camper, up to well in excess of $2000 for a monster mobile home. Bear in mind that these vehicles are gas guzzlers, so fuel costs will be high, and insurance premiums also add to the price. However, savings in accommodation costs will offset that to some extent.

Bear in mind that most rental companies do not allow drivers arriving on transatlantic flights to pick up their RV for at least twenty-four hours after landing.

Insurance

When you rent a vehicle, read the small print carefully for details on the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) – sometimes called a Liability Damage Waiver (LDW) or a Physical Damage Waiver (PDW) – a form of insurance that is not usually included in the initial rental charge. Americans who have their own car-insurance policy may already be covered (check before you leave home), but foreign visitors should definitely consider taking this option. It specifically covers the car that you are driving, as you are in any case insured for damage to other vehicles. Smaller companies may offer low-cost CDW that still leaves you liable for, say, the first $500 of any claim. Before stumping up for their optional Personal Accident Coverage (or similar), consult your travel insurance policy, which may cover you for a certain amount of rental vehicle excess, eliminating the need for this extra cost. Alternatively, your credit card company may cover your rental when you use its card for the transaction; however, policies can vary widely, depending on the company, and there may be strict limitations on the liability coverage offered, with collision coverage even less common. European residents can also spare themselves such costs by buying a much cheaper annual policy from the likes of Questor (http://questor-insurance.co.uk) or Insurance4CarHire (http://insurance4carhire.com).

Car rental companies

Advantage http://advantage.com

Alamo http://alamo.com

Avis http://avis.com

Budget http://budget.com

Dollar http://dollar.com

Enterprise http://enterprise.com

Hertz http://hertz.com

National http://nationalcar.com

Payless http://paylesscar.com

Rent-A-Wreck http://rentawreck.com

Thrifty http://thrifty.com

RV rental companies

Camper Travel USA http://campertravelusa.com

Cruise America http://cruiseamerica.com

Rules of the road

Foreign nationals from English-speaking countries can drive in the US using their full domestic driving licences (International Driving Permits are not always regarded as sufficient). Driving in the US is on the right. Once you have rented a vehicle, you’ll find that gas (petrol) is fairly cheap compared to Europe, though California is one of the more expensive states t; athe average cost of a US gallon (3.8 litres) of unleaded was around $4.73 at the time of writing. In California, most gas stations are self-service and you always have to prepay; full-service pumps, where available, often charge upwards of 30¢ extra per gallon.

There are several types of roads. The best for covering long distances quickly are the wide, straight and fast interstate highways, usually at least six-lane motorways and always prefixed by I (eg I-5). Even-numbered interstates usually run east–west and those with odd numbers north–south. Drivers change lanes frequently; in California, you are also permitted to stay in the fast lane while being overtaken on the inside, although common courtesy dictates that slower drivers stay to the right. A grade down, and broadly similar to British dual carriageways and main roads, are the state highways (eg Hwy-1) and the US highways (eg US-395). In rural areas, you’ll also find much smaller county or rural roads, sometimes topped with dirt or gravel, or even more challenging forest service roads, for which four-wheel-drive vehicles may be required.

The maximum speed limit in most of California is 65mph, with some freeways allowing 70mph. Lower limits – usually around 35–55mph and 20mph near schools when children are present – are signposted in urban areas. If the police do flag you down, don’t get out of the car, make any sudden movements, or reach into the glove compartment, as they may think you have a gun. Simply sit still with your hands on the wheel; when questioned, be polite and don’t attempt to make jokes. Speeding fines usually start at around $300.

As for other possible violations, US law requires that any alcohol be carried unopened in the boot (US trunk) of the car – driving under the influence (DUI) is a very serious offence (see page 64). At intersections, one rule is crucially different from many other countries: you can turn right on a red light (having first come to a halt) if there is no traffic approaching from the left, unless there is a no turn on red sign; otherwise red means stop. Stopping is also compulsory, in both directions, when you come upon a school bus disgorging passengers with its lights flashing; not to do so is regarded as a serious infraction. Blinking amber lights indicate that you should cross the intersection with caution but do not need to come to a complete stop. And at any intersection with more than one stop sign, cars proceed in the order in which they arrived; if two vehicles arrive simultaneously, the one on the right has right of way. Three other rules to be aware of: it is illegal to park within ten feet of a fire hydrant anywhere in the US; when parking on a hill in California, your wheels need to be angled towards the kerb if you’re parked downhill, and if you’re parked uphill, your wheels need to be angled towards the left; and California motorcycles are allowed lane-splitting – riding the line between cars in traffic – an unnerving experience for drivers not used to seeing choppers passing a few inches away.

Road conditions

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) provides up-to-the-minute details of road conditions throughout the state on at http://roads.dot.ca.gov and a toll-free 24-hour information line (800 427 7623). For the latter, simply input the number of the road (5 for I-5, 299 for Hwy-299, etc.) and a recorded voice will tell you about any relevant weather conditions, delays, detours, snow closures, and so on.

By train

California is well covered by the Amtrak rail network (http://amtrak.com), which operates several routes complemented by Amtrak Thruway buses that bring passengers from the many rail-less parts of the state to the trains. The train is more expensive than Greyhound – for example, $60 one-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco (by way of Oakland or Santa Barbara and a bus connection) – but most major cities are connected and the carriages are rarely crowded, though delays can be frequent since Amtrak shares rail lines with commercial freight carriers.

Probably the prettiest route is the Coast Starlight, which runs between Seattle and Los Angeles by way of some of the state’s most attractive scenery, from an evening trip around Mount Shasta to coastal views between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Shorter in-state routes include the Pacific Surfliner, which connects San Diego to San Luis Obispo; Capitol Corridor, from Sacramento to San Jose; and the San Joaquin, connecting Oakland to Bakersfield across the San Joaquin Valley. Other routes – Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle – connect to places such as Chicago, Texas and New Orleans.

AMTRAK Rail passes

It can be worth considering one of Amtrak’s rail passes, available from Wamtrak.com. The USA Rail Pass ( /$499) is only really helpful if California is part of a wider US tour. It covers the entire Amtrak network for 30 days, though you can only make a maximum of 10 individual journeys. The better value California Rail Pass buys you seven days’ travel in a 21-day period within the state for $159.

By bus

If you’re travelling on your own and making a lot of stops, buses are the cheapest way to get around. The main long-distance service is Greyhound (http://greyhound.com), which links all major cities and many smaller towns. Out in the country, buses are fairly scarce, sometimes appearing only once a day; as a result, you’ll need to plot your route with care. Along the main highways, though, buses run around the clock to a fairly full timetable, stopping only for meal breaks (almost always fast-food dives) and driver changeovers.

It used to be that any sizeable community had a Greyhound station; now in some places, the post office or a gas station doubles as the bus stop and ticket office, while in many others the bus service has been cancelled altogether. Advance reservations, either in person at the station or on the toll-free number, are useful for getting cheaper tickets but do not guarantee a seat, so it’s still wise to arrive in good time and join the queue at busy stations.

An advance online fare from Los Angeles to San Francisco tends to cost around $40.Though long-distance travel by bus is inefficient, it’s the best deal if you plan to visit a lot of places.

Bear in mind that fair distances can be covered for very little money – if also very slowly – using local buses, which connect neighbouring districts. It’s possible, for example, to travel from San Diego to Los Angeles using Metrolink and Coaster systems for around $10–20, but it’ll take all day and at least three changes of bus to do it. And consider the hippie-ish Green Tortoise (http://greentortoise.com), which offers various itineraries around the state and beyond.

By plane

Air travel is obviously the quickest way to get around California, and less expensive than you may think. Airlines with a strong route structure in the state include Alaska, American, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, Spirit, United and Virgin America. At off-peak times, flights between Los Angeles and San Francisco can cost as little as $50 one-way, though they will require booking well in advance and may well be topped up with extra charges. If you’re flying between other cities, such as Sacramento and San Jose or Santa Barbara and San Diego, bear in mind that a stopover in Los Angeles or San Francisco may be necessary, even if it means flying twice the distance.

By bike

In general, cycling is a cheap and healthy way to get around the big cities, though hilly San Francisco will test your legs. Even cycling in Los Angeles has its appeal, mostly along the beaches and in the mountains. Some cities have cycle lanes and local buses equipped to carry bikes, strapped to the outside. In rural areas, certainly, there’s much scenic and largely level land, especially around Sacramento and the Wine Country.

Bikes can be rented for $25–50 a day, and $125–250 a week from most bike stores; local visitor centres will have details. Apart from the coastal fog, which tends to clear by midday, you’ll encounter few weather problems (except perhaps sunburn), but remember that the further north you go, the lower the temperatures and the more frequent the rains.

For long-distance cycling, a route avoiding the interstates – on which cycling is illegal – is essential, and it’s also wise to cycle north to south, as the wind blows this way in the summer and can make all the difference between a pleasant trip and a journey full of acute leg aches. Be particularly careful if you’re planning to cycle along Hwy-1 on the Central Coast since, besides heavy traffic, it has tight