The Loop 18 nights · ≈1,400 miles · 18 Aug – 5 Sep 2026
PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY 395 SIERRA NEVADA CENTRAL VALLEY San Francisco Monterey Carmel Bixby Bridge Big Sur Santa Barbara Los Angeles Lone Pine Bishop Convict Lake Mammoth Lakes Mono Lake Oakhurst Yosemite day tour 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

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