California Holidays
California holiday ideas
A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started
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Travelling with Teenagers - A California Road Trip from San Francisco to LA
Soak up SoCal on this two-week family adventure between San Francisco and Hollywood
14 days, from £3000 to £5950
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Spring or Autumn in LA, Las Vegas and the National Parks - A Seasonal Road Trip Through the American West
Venture across the American West on a 13-day road trip, soaking up the views along the way
13 days, from £3150 to £4350
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Ten Days in Southern California - From Iconic Los Angeles to Laid-Back San Diego
Discover the glamour of ‘The Golden State’ on this ten-day adventure in Southern California’s leading locales
10 days, from £3150 to £5100
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Northern California Road Trip - From San Francisco to Napa Valley
Live the California dream on this 13-day road trip from stylish San Francisco to the beautiful Napa Valley
13 days, from £3250 to £5000
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Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon - Summer Family Adventure in Western USA
Hit the road for a 17-day family adventure through the American West, enjoying wide-open roads and unforgettable views along the way
17 days, from £3450 to £4800
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The Grand Tour - An Iconic US Road Trip
Hit the road for 27 days across America’s West Coast, soaking up the views of the diverse landscapes
27 days, from £3750 to £5250
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A California Duo of LA and Palm Springs - Vintage Cars and 50’s Glamour
Hit the road in style on a 7-day California drive, coasting from LA’s glamour to Palm Springs’ desert chic in a classic Cadillac
10 days, from £4100 to £6150
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City Action and Island Chill - Family Fun in Los Angeles and Hawaii
Live the Californian dream and discover Hawaiian paradise on this 16-day journey from Los Angeles to Oahu, Maui and the Pacific coast
16 days, from £4450 to £5750
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City Fun & Scenic Drives - A Classic California Road Trip
Experience California dreamin’ on a 15-day road trip, cruising sun-soaked coastlines, sweeping vineyards and sparkling cities
15 days, from £4600 to £7350
California Guide
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Blog
Autumn in California
What you can find in California that you won't find anywhere else?
San Francisco or Los Angeles are the likely starting points for any Californian trip, and the two cities dovetail beautifully; San Francisco the understated, walking friendly, hipster hangout with great shopping and excellent Oriental cuisine, and LA the quirky and exuberantly OTT city of neighbourhoods you'll probably feel you knew before even arriving, thanks to the iconic status of places like Rodeo Drive, Venice Beach and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Speaking of iconic status, the stretch of coastline and road between these two cities is generally regarded as one of the most dramatic and beautiful in the world, and a Big Sur Road Trip is right at the top of several of the Original Travel team's holiday bucket lists. En route are many Californian highlights such as the giant redwood forests, and attractive towns such as Carmel, Monterrey and Santa Barbara.
There's more. South of LA and a stone's throw from the border with Mexico, San Diego is a vibrant mish mash of North and Central American culture. More relaxed than the frenetic Los Angeles but with even better beaches, it is a place to unwind; made even easier by the city's reputation for having the best craft beer in the country. And on the subject of 'liquor', very few wine regions on the planet are as pleasant to visit as the beautiful Sonoma and Napa Valleys north of San Francisco, as famous for their scenery and restaurants as their excellent wines.
After a stint in the wine region, there's no place better for burning off the excess than the jaw-droppingly beautiful Yosemite National Park, which you can find out more about in our American West section.
All this, and we haven't even mentioned the seriously impressive ski conditions in Lake Tahoe and the multitude of family-friendly things on offer in California, ranging from the obvious (Disneyland, Legoland and Universal Studios anyone?) to seeing the sea lions in San Francisco and even just enjoying a bit of good old fashioned bucket and spade work on the many beautiful beaches.