A two-week loop from San Francisco without leaving California: the Napa vineyards, Yosemite, the giant trees of Sequoia, Los Angeles, the Joshua Tree desert, then back up the coast via Santa Barbara and Highway 1 through Big Sur. Shorter than the great American West loop, it leaves out the canyons of Arizona and Utah to spend more time in the parks and on the Pacific.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | San Francisco | Start |
| Day 3 | Napa | 96 km · 1h30 |
| Days 4 to 5 | Yosemite Valley | 307 km · 4h45 |
| Days 6 to 7 | Three Rivers | 270 km · 4h |
| Days 8 to 9 | Los Angeles | 321 km · 4h |
| Day 10 | Joshua Tree | 205 km · 2h35 |
| Day 11 | Santa Barbara | 360 km · 4h25 |
| Day 12 | Cambria | 214 km · 2h55 |
| Day 13 | Monterey | 165 km · 2h30 |
| Day 14 | Back to San Francisco | 183 km · 2h20 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
April to June and September to October: Yosemite's waterfalls at their peak in spring, heat still bearable at Joshua Tree. In summer, the desert becomes dangerous in the hottest hours; in winter, Glacier Point Road is closed and chains may be required in Yosemite and Sequoia.
🚗 96 km · 1h30 of driving from San Francisco
The Golden Gate northbound (free in this direction), the 101, the 37 and the 121 via Sonoma.
🚗 307 km · 4h45 of driving from Napa
The 12 via Rio Vista, the 4, then the 120: a winding climb to Groveland and the Big Oak Flat entrance.
🚗 270 km · 4h of driving from Yosemite Valley
The 41 via Wawona and Oakhurst to Fresno, then the 99 and the 198. Chains sometimes required in winter in Yosemite.
🚗 321 km · 4h of driving from Three Rivers
The 198 and the 99 via Bakersfield, then Interstate 5 and the Tejon Pass, the "Grapevine". Often congested on arrival.
🚗 205 km · 2h35 of driving from Los Angeles
Interstate 10 east via Palm Springs, then the 62 towards Yucca Valley. No filling stations in the park: fill up in town.
🚗 360 km · 4h25 of driving from Joshua Tree
The 62 and Interstate 10 west, across Los Angeles, then the 101 via Ventura. Set off early.
🚗 214 km · 2h55 of driving from Santa Barbara
The 154 over San Marcos Pass to Solvang, the 101 via San Luis Obispo, then Highway 1 via Morro Bay.
🚗 165 km · 2h30 of driving from Cambria
Highway 1 north through Big Sur, clinging to the cliffs, with few filling stations. Viewpoints are on the ocean side: turn left with care.
🚗 183 km · 2h20 of driving from Monterey
Drop Napa, Joshua Tree and the night in Santa Barbara, which becomes a simple stop on the 101 between Los Angeles and Cambria, and spend just one night in Three Rivers, visiting Giant Forest in the morning (9 nights). San Francisco then links straight to Yosemite on the 120.
| Car, San Francisco, January | ≈ $44 a day (€39) |
|---|---|
| Car, San Francisco, June | ≈ $72 a day (€63) |
| SUV, San Francisco | ≈ $87 a day (€76) |
| Car, Los Angeles, January | ≈ $36 a day (€32) |
| Car, Los Angeles, December | ≈ $54 a day (€47) |
| Vehicle | Mid-size saloon or SUV: the whole route is paved, a 4x4 is of no use. |
|---|---|
| Motorhome | Not recommended over 6.7 m between Potwisha and Giant Forest (Sequoia); banned at Point Lobos over 6.4 m. |
| Where to pick it up | San Francisco Airport (SFO), returning there; a one-way hire usually costs extra. |
| Insurance | Take the LDW or CDW (damage to the vehicle) and supplementary liability cover (LIS or SLI). |
| Age | 21 at Enterprise, 20 at Hertz; surcharge of about $25 a day under 25. |
| Licence and card | Hertz requires a licence held for over a year and a card in the driver's name, preferably a credit card. |
| Prices recorded | Kayak averages for September 2026, excluding additional insurance. |
⚠️ Contracts ban unpaved roads and void the cover on them: stay on the asphalt at Joshua Tree as everywhere else.
On an ESTA, a foreign licence is accepted from age 18 in California. An International Driving Permit is strongly recommended.
As in mainland Europe. Automatic gearbox on almost all hire cars.
Up to 70 mph (113 km/h) on freeways where signposted; 55 on two-lane roads, 25 in towns.
0.08% in California, zero tolerance under 21. Any open bottle goes in the boot: remember this when leaving Napa.
Come to a full stop, giving way to pedestrians, unless a NO TURN ON RED sign is posted. Never on a red arrow.
Where every approach has a stop sign; if two arrive together, the vehicle on the right goes first.
While its red lights are flashing, unless the road is divided. Fines of up to $1,000 in California.
Holding your phone while driving is banned in California.
Yosemite (late autumn to early spring) and Sequoia: without the equipment, you may be refused entry.
Joshua Tree: no filling station, no water, very limited signal. Four litres of water per person in summer.
≈ €1.44 per litre ($6.24 a gallon, AAA California average, September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Today's price: AAA Gas Prices →
⛽ 2,121 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €210 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
No filling stations in Sequoia or Joshua Tree: fill up in Three Rivers and in town. With a non-US card, pay inside at the till.
| Freeways | No tolls on the regular roads of the route |
|---|---|
| Golden Gate Bridge | Free northbound; $10.25 to $11.25 southbound, with no booths |
| 17-Mile Drive (Pebble Beach) | Private toll road |
| Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon | $35 per vehicle plus $100 per non-resident aged 16 and over |
| Joshua Tree | $30 per vehicle, 7 days, no non-resident surcharge |
| Non-resident pass | $250 a year, covers all three parks |
| Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Point Lobos | $10 per vehicle each |
| Highway 1 at Big Sur | Reopened in 2026; check Caltrans QuickMap after every storm |
|---|---|
| Glacier Point Road (Yosemite) | From November to around late May or June |
| Mariposa Grove road | Closed to cars, except with a disabled placard; shuttle from May to November |
| Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow (Sequoia) | Closed to cars on summer weekends, and in snow |
| Generals Highway, Hospital Rock to Wolverton | Chains often required in winter |
| Route 180 to Cedar Grove (Kings Canyon) | From early or mid-November to late April or early May |
| McWay Falls beach and surroundings | Off limits all year; trails east of Highway 1 closed |
| Mineral King Road (off the route) | Roadworks and daily closures since 8 September 2026 |
Two weeks for this loop: 13 nights, nine stages, about 2,100 km from stage to stage, plus detours in the parks, rarely more than four to five hours' driving a day. In 10 days, drop Napa, Joshua Tree and Santa Barbara. To add the Grand Canyon and the Utah canyons, allow three weeks.
Excluding flights and accommodation: $470 to $940 of car hire for 13 days depending on the season (Kayak, September 2026), about €210 of fuel at September 2026 prices ($6.24 a gallon), and $250 for the non-resident parks pass. Add parking on the coast ($10 at Point Lobos and McWay Falls) and parking in town.
April to June and September to October. In spring, Yosemite's waterfalls are at their peak. In summer, Joshua Tree means walking before 09:00 or after 17:00 with four litres of water per person. In winter, Glacier Point Road is closed and chains may be required in Yosemite and Sequoia.
Yes. Closed since the Regent's Slide landslide in February 2024, it reopened on 14 January 2026, from Carmel to Cambria for the first time in nearly three years. Cut again for a few weeks, it reopened on 20 February 2026. Winter storms can close it again: check Caltrans QuickMap the day before.
Since 1 January 2026, Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon charge $100 per non-resident aged 16 and over, on top of the $35 per vehicle: $235 per park for a couple. Joshua Tree stays at $30 per vehicle. The $250 annual non-resident pass covers all three and pays for itself from two parks, even travelling alone.
No. On 18 February 2026, the park announced it was dropping timed entry reservations this year. It manages peaks by monitoring traffic and car parks, and advises avoiding weekends and public holidays. Accommodation in the valley, on the other hand, must be booked well in advance.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/california · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
