An Alternative Californian Road Trip from San Francisco to Napa Valley

Rise and shine, it’s your first full day in San Francisco and there’s not a moment to waste. Between rolling green hills and cable cars, the city’s iconic colourful Victorian residences unfold from Union Square to Golden State Park and from Lombard Street to Fisherman's Wharf port. After breakfast this morning you’ll be met by a friendly local resident-guide and taken on a historic walk through some of the city’s most emblematic neighbourhoods. You’ll trace the city’s legendary ‘Summer of Love’ (when, in the summer of 1967, nearly 100,000 young people flocked to the bohemian streets of San Francisco for a hit of free-spirited hedonism) with a stroll through trendy Haight Ashbury, the epicentre of the hippie revolution. There is also Union Square for shopping, Ocean Beach for leisurely walks and the districts of Castro and Mission for bar-hopping. The walk is relaxed and based around you, so you can be entirely spontaneous. The rest of today is yours to play with, you could stroll through Castro, the historic heart of San Fran’s gay community; admire the street-art of Clarion Alley, with its many political, cultural and historical messages; or spend an evening wining and dining in the stylish eateries of the SoMA district.

Today you’ll be delving into one of San Francisco’s darker, creepier but utterly fascinating sites: the infamous island-prison of Alcatraz. This legend of a prison received its first inmates in the 1850s, when it was still a military fortress. In 1933, the island became the property of the United States Department of Justice, which incarcerated the most hardened criminals, such as seasoned gangster Al Capone, for the following thirty years. Anyone who tried to escape was met with cold waters plagued with sharks or were captured, facing harsh punishments. It goes without saying that your experience here today will be much less treacherous. You’ll head to the island aboard a ferry, which offers beautiful views across the bay, before exploring the fascinating prison at your own leisure.

Your road trip through northern California officially starts today with a four-hour journey to Lake Tahoe, a beautiful freshwater lake surrounded by mountains. After breakfast this morning, collect your hire car, fuel up on some tasty snacks and hit the road. You’ll leave San Francisco via the Bay Bridge to Oakland and, later, Richmond. The route then passes through the agricultural plains of Sacramento and the forested landscapes of the Eldorado National Forest before reaching mythic Lake Tahoe. On arrival, check in for two nights in a beautiful hotel on the shores of the lake and spend the rest of the day enjoying your new outdoorsy surroundings. You could head out for a walk, take a dip in the water or head into the city for an evening drink.

Perched at an elevation of over 6,000ft and surrounded by emerald forests, Lake Tahoe is the largest high-altitude lake in North America. The shores of the lake are bordered by a smattering of charming towns and villages that span California and neighbouring Nevada. The water of the lake stands out in particular for its startling blue colour, which is down to the purity of the high-altitude air and its sea-through clarity. Today you’ll be able to really savour this distinctive blue with a guided session of clear-bottom kayaking. You’ll be paddling along the eastern shore, which gives you the opportunity to see down to a depth of up to 100ft, as well as to admire the jagged cliffs that border the shoreline. You can then round off your lake adventure with a swim in a small sandy cove in Cave Rock National Park.

Today you’ll be swapping the shores of Lake Tahoe for those of Lake Almanor, journeying three hours northwest to Chester. You’ll briefly dip into Nevada, driving through the small city of Reno, so if you fancy sampling a slice of life in the Silver State then make sure to stop here for a little explore before continuing on to Chester. On arrival, check in for one night in a simple yet comfortable hotel near the southern entrance to the beautiful Lassen Volcanic National Park. The rest of today is yours to play with. Our team can recommend a collection of gentle hiking trails if you fancy stretching your legs, or you can simply kick back and relax.

You’ll be hitting the road again later this afternoon, but first you’ll be heading into the dramatic landscapes of Lassen Volcanic National Park in the company of an experienced guide. The park’s landscapes are vast and varied, from great plains and desert areas to an incredible concentration of volcanic features such as fumaroles, all situated at the crossroads between iconic Death Valley and Yellowstone Park. When you leave the park, you can take a detour north to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park to discover one of the best-kept secrets in the state of California: Burney Falls. Isolated in an area that, from a distance, looks like nothing more than a collection of ancient cinder cones and broad plains, this near 13ft-high, fern-draped waterfall seems to spring from nowhere to create an enchanting sight. This afternoon you’ll be dropped back at the hotel to freshen up before heading two hours west to Redding. On arrival, check in for the night in a comfortable motel and enjoy a good night’s rest after a busy day.

Similar to yesterday, you’ll have all of today to explore the many scenic and cultural offerings in and around Redding before continuing on to your next destination later this evening. You’ll have rental bikes at your disposal for the whole day, so we recommend heading to the various viewpoints that look out to Mount Shasta, one of the highest mountains in California. While here, we also suggest visiting the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, with its futuristic Sundial Bridge designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. You can walk or cycle along, or simply sit on the water’s edge and admire the locals fishing for trout. There is also the McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, which are full of flora native to California, as well as Shasta Lake, one of the state’s most popular recreational reservoirs. You can kick back on the shoreline, or rent a small fishing boat to greater explore the scenic views across the lake and surrounding mountains. Later this afternoon, hop back into your hire car and drive three hours west to reach Humboldt Bay and the former mining town of Eureka, where you’ll hang up your hat for the night in a small and elegant guesthouse.

A former hub of Gold Rush activity, Eureka charms visitors with its coastal atmosphere and historic past. The Old Town is home to a collection of superb mansions dating back to the Victorian era – make sure to swing by Carson Mansion with its enchanting architecture that looks as though it’s come straight out of a children’s book. There is also the bustling port with its flurry of fishing activity, as well as the lively downtown area, which is full of craft breweries and stylish art galleries. And finally, one of our absolute favourite things to do here is visit the spectacular Redwood National Park, with its mythical giant trees stretching high into the sky. This afternoon, hit the road to your next destination: the small coastal town of Mendocino, a three-hour drive away along California’s iconic State Route One. Settle in for the night in a small and simple hotel overlooking the beautiful ocean.

Perched on a rugged slice of cliffside overlooking the steel blue ocean, charming Mendocino attracts artists, romantics and lovers of the great outdoors with its colourful architecture, windswept beaches and plentiful walking trails. Take this morning to kick back and relax in this zen environment before hitting the road again. The next step of this this northern Californian road trip takes you into the heart of one of the country’s most prestigious wine regions: the beautiful Napa Valley, a three-hour drive southeast from Mendocino. Your home here will be a lovely hotel in the heart of the vineyards, where you’ll be staying for the next two nights. The rest of today is yours to spend settling into your new countryside surroundings. You could enjoy an evening glass of wine at a nearby winery, or simply enjoy the hotel’s facilities after a busy day.

Today is entirely dedicated to soaking in the pristine beauty of two internationally-renowned wine regions: Napa and Sonoma, separated by less than an hour’s drive. We’ve gone ahead and booked you in for a tour and tasting at the very prestigious Robert Mondavi wine estate, where some of the world’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines are produced, but you can also explore the regions freely by car. When you’re a little wined out later this afternoon you can soak in some of the region’s other cultural offerings. Gastronomes can enjoy an exquisite meal at one of the region’s many Michelin-starred restaurants, culture-buffs can learn about the legendary creator of Snoopy with a stop at the Shulz Museum in Santa Rosa and those in the market for some good old-fashioned pampering can head to the luxuriant spas and hot springs of Calistoga. If you fancy some more time in nature then you could embark on hike up Bald Mountain to soak in its superb views across the entire region.