The Loop 18 nights · ≈1,400 miles · 18 Aug – 5 Sep 2026
PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY 395 SIERRA NEVADA CENTRAL VALLEY 1 San Francisco 2 Monterey Carmel Bixby Bridge 3 Big Sur 4 Santa Barbara 5 Los Angeles 6 Lone Pine Bishop Convict Lake 7 Mammoth Lakes Mono Lake 8 Oakhurst Yosemite day tour 9 Kings Canyon Sequoia CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP 18-day San Francisco loop · Coast · Eastern Sierra · Yosemite · Sequoia ≈ 1,400 miles · 18 Aug – 5 Sep 2026 LEGEND Start / end — SF & LA Pacific Coast Highway Eastern Sierra · Hwy 395 Yosemite & Sequoia 1 Numbered pin = where you sleep

Tap a glowing stop on the map to open that area’s page.

The full loop

A San Francisco loop: down the Pacific Coast Highway to LA, back up the Eastern Sierra on Highway 395, then through Yosemite and Sequoia before dropping back to SFO.

Arrive: LHR → SFO, landing ~3pm Tue 18 Aug — pick up the hire car at the airport.
Depart: SFO → LHR, 11pm Sat 5 Sep — car back by 4pm.

Stop 1

San Francisco

Land, breathe, explore.

Tue 18 – Thu 20 Aug 3 nights
Start / end
Stop 2

Monterey

Aquariums, cypresses, fairy-tale Carmel.

Fri 21 – Sat 22 Aug 2 nights
Pacific Coast
Stop 3

Cambria / Morro Bay

Big Sur all day. The drive is the point.

Sun 23 Aug 1 night
Pacific Coast
Stop 4

Santa Barbara

The American Riviera.

Mon 24 Aug 1 night
Pacific Coast
Stop 5

Los Angeles

Four days, grouped by side of town.

Tue 25 – Fri 28 Aug 4 nights
Start / end
Stop 6

Lone Pine

Western movie country under Mt Whitney.

Sat 29 Aug 1 night
Eastern Sierra
Stop 7

Mammoth Lakes

High alpine basecamp on the 395.

Sun 30 – Mon 31 Aug 2 nights
Eastern Sierra
Stop 8

Oakhurst

South-gate base for the Yosemite tour.

Tue 1 – Wed 2 Sep 2 nights
Yosemite & Sequoia
Stop 9

Kings Canyon & Sequoia

The deepest canyon. The largest tree on Earth.

Thu 3 – Fri 4 Sep 2 nights
Yosemite & Sequoia

Book these now

The time-sensitive ones, in the order they sell out.

  1. 1
    Guided Yosemite tour Wed 2 Sep

    Small-group Highlights tours from Oakhurst sell out weeks ahead — lock this before anything else.

    Find a tour
  2. 2
    Alcatraz San Francisco · 18–20 Aug

    Tickets routinely sell out weeks in advance. Grab a daytime or early-evening sailing.

    Alcatraz City Cruises
  3. 3
    Hearst Castle tour Sun 23 Aug · Big Sur day

    Timed-entry tours; the Grand Rooms tour is the classic. Book a slot that fits your drive.

    Hearst Castle tickets
  4. 4
    Sierra lodging Mammoth · Oakhurst · Grant Grove

    Gateway towns fill fast on the Labor Day run-up (3–4 Sep especially). Lock these rooms first.

  5. 5
    Disneyland Fri 28 Aug · optional

    Buy dated tickets and set up the app's Lightning Lane / queue passes ahead of the day.

    Disneyland tickets