The Open Road Travel

Best Place To Stop On A Perfect San Diego To San Francisco Road Trip – Los Angeles, California

The 2^nd most populous city in the U.S., behind New York City, and the 8^th largest by area in the contiguous United States, Los Angeles was settled in 1781, before being declared a city in 1835. The epicentre of the “moving picture” boom of the early 1900s, Los Angeles is the beating heart of the world’s movie industry.

Famous movie studios, filming locations, and sites dedicated to stars can be found throughout the city, including the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame. Combined with its warm climate, stunning beaches, and iconic landmarks, it’s no surprise that Los Angeles is one of the world’s most popular cities, with an average of 50 million visitors each year, second in the U.S. only to New York City.

With so much to do and see, Los Angeles is easily the best place to make an extended stop on a San Diego to San Francisco road trip. For more information on “The City of Angels”, check out our guide on where to stay in Los Angeles.

Best Hotel To Stay At In Los Angeles, California – Regent Santa Monica Beach

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is an exquisite, 5-star beachfront resort in Santa Monica. Its elegant rooms are all furnished with stylish, cosy décor, and include amenities such as air conditioning, a flat-screen television, a minibar, and Wi-Fi that is accessible throughout the premises. Some also feature private balconies with views of Santa Monica Pier and the Pacific Ocean.

Communal features include a 4th-floor pool with an ocean view, a sun deck, 13 campfire-style fire pits, an excellent restaurant and coffee shop, outdoor and indoor meeting facilities, and a fully equipped fitness centre. Room service is also available.

Top Attractions On A Perfect San Diego To San Francisco Road Trip

San Clemente, California (Both Routes)

San Clemente, California, is a beautiful coastal town affectionately known as the "Spanish Village by the Sea," due to its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, including red-tile roofs, white stucco walls, and charming courtyards. The town boasts many popular attractions found in scenic settings.

Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens hosts art exhibits, concerts, and educational programs. San Clemente Pier has great fishing and ocean vistas. Avenida Del Mar boasts boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. The San Clemente Coastal Trail offers exhilarating hiking. T-Street Beach is popular with surfers and bodyboarders, and San Clemente State Beach boasts scenic bluffs and family-friendly amenities.



Dana Point, California (Both Routes)

Dana Point is a beautiful harbour town best known as the southern terminus of the legendary Pacific Coast Highway. Its marina and waterfront establishments exude a sophisticated, cultured, relaxed environment, and visitors can enjoy daily cruises or the many bars and restaurants that overlook the marina.

Laguna Beach, California (Scenic Route)

Laguna Beach is a small beach town famed for its vibrant art scene and numerous galleries displaying works of all styles by both local and international artists. It also features amazing beaches and an abundance of tide pools, where you can enjoy the ocean vistas without worrying about the region’s strong tides. Other Laguna Beach attractions include wilderness areas, underwater parks, and public gardens.

Irvine, California (Short Route)

Irvine, California, is ideal for lovers of the great outdoors, thanks to its over 16,000 acres of parks and open spaces. Orange County Great Park features attractions such as the Great Park Balloon, sports complexes, and the Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena (the Anaheim Ducks' practice facility). The 5-mile Jeffrey Open Space Trail connects various parks and communities. San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary is ideal for birdwatching and tranquil walks.

Not every attraction in Irvine is nature-related, though. You have the Irvine Barclay Theatre. The Irvine Spectrum Center features more than 150 stores, a 21-screen movie theater, and attractions like the Giant Wheel and a seasonal ice skating rink. Pretend City Children's Museum boasts interactive exhibits. Tanaka Farms hosts seasonal activities, including pumpkin patches and strawberry picking. Old Town Irvine is a scenic area designated a California Historic Landmark.



Huntington Beach, California (Scenic Route)

Huntington Beach is among the most popular surfing areas in the United States, thanks to its wonderful beaches and strong currents that cater to surfers of all ability levels. Its boardwalk is filled with surf shacks and stores selling surfer-centric products, and the International Surfing Museum displays historic surfboards and memorabilia.

Santa Ana, California (Short Route)

Santa Ana, California, is a vibrant city with a strong Latino heritage. Downtown Santa Ana (DTSA) boasts art galleries, trendy bars and restaurants, and weekly events including the Downtown Art Walk. The Bowers Museum showcases world-class art and cultural history exhibitions. Discovery Cube Orange County is a hands-on science centre perfect for families with young children.

Santiago Park flaunts Santa Ana’s natural side, while the Heritage Museum of Orange County and its preserved Victorian homes explore its history. John Wayne Airport displays a fantastic sculpture of “The Duke” for fans to take a photo with.

Sunset Beach, California (Scenic Route)

Sunset Beach, California, is one of the nation’s best beaches. It’s 1.5 miles of idyllic sands ideal for sunbathing, beachcombing, surfing, and various water activities. The adjacent 14-acre "Green Belt" park features lush areas where you can enjoy leisurely walks, picnics, and historical attractions such as the iconic Water Tower House and sites linked to the Prohibition era.

Sunset Beach’s Huntington Harbour is a great spot for activities like kayaking and paddleboarding, and there are many fabulous local shops and eateries along the Pacific Coast Highway. These include Captain Jack’s, which is known for its surf-and-turf, and Woody’s Diner, a nostalgic spot with a 1950s surf theme.

Orange, California (Short Route)

Orange, California, centres around Old Towne Orange, a beautiful, preserved historic district known for its early 20th-century architecture. Its central plaza, nicknamed “The Orange Circle,” is filled with antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, farmers' markets, bars, cafes, and restaurants.

Other attractions include Chapman University (and its picturesque campus), the Hilbert Museum of California Art, Irvine Regional Park, and the Orange County Zoo. It also hosts fabulous seasonal events, including the annual International Street Fair.

Long Beach, California (Scenic Route)

Long Beach, California, is a vibrant, laid-back coastal city that is home to the iconic Queen Mary, a historic, permanently docked 1936 ocean liner that’s been converted into a hotel and maritime museum. You also have California’s largest aquarium, the Aquarium of the Pacific. This is home to more than 11,000 marine animals and exhibits, including Shark Lagoon and the June Keyes Penguin Habitat.

The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) is the nation’s only museum dedicated to modern and contemporary Latin American and Latinx art. 4th Street Corridor, also known as Retro Row, offers vintage shopping opportunities, eclectic eateries, and the historic Art Theatre. Cambodia Town celebrates Long Beach's rich Cambodian heritage with authentic cuisine and annual festivals. The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden offers a tranquil setting with koi ponds and traditional landscaping.

Anaheim, California (Short Route)

Anaheim, California, is home to Disneyland Resort. Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park feature Disney’s iconic rides, themed lands, and countless entertainment options for all ages. The Downtown Disney District is full of shopping, dining, and live entertainment options, including the Anaheim Convention Center, one of the West Coast’s largest convention centres.

The Honda Center and Angel Stadium are home to the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and MLB’s Los Angeles Angels, respectively. Anaheim Packing District is a trendy food hall in a historic citrus packing house full of gourmet dining options and lively social activities. You also have many nearby beaches and shopping centres.



There is even Knott’s Berry Farm, a beloved theme park that combines thrilling rides, family-friendly attractions, and rich American West history, which is known as one of the best places in America to spend Halloween with kids.

Angeles National Forest (Short Route)

Angeles National Forest covers 700,000 acres in the San Gabriel Mountains and is littered with impressive peaks (including Mount Baldy, Los Angeles County’s tallest), woodlands, lakes, canyons, and waterfalls, including Sturtevant and Eaton Falls.



It is immensely popular for activities like hiking, camping, fishing, picnicking, mountain biking, swimming, and rock climbing, as well as driving the Angeles Crest Highway and enjoying winter sports at resorts like Mount Waterman.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (Scenic Route)

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the world’s largest urban national park, spanning almost 157,000 acres. Set just north of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, it is full of mountains, geological formations, wildlife, and breathtaking views, and popular for activities including hiking, camping, climbing, or unwinding in its scenic surroundings. 

Castaic Lake State Recreation Area (Short Route)

Castaic Lake State Recreation Area was established around Castaic Lake in the Sierra Pelona Mountains in 1965. The eponymous lake spans 320,000 acres and is renowned for its bass fishing, surrounding hiking trails, and beaches. Popular for activities like tubing, swimming, hiking, and nature watching, you’ll also find a second lake, Pyramid Lake, and the historic Slide Mountain Fire Lookout Tower.

Malibu, California (Scenic Route)

Malibu, California, is an upscale beach town also called "The Bu". An infamous hub for celebrities and the wealthy, it is abundant with iconic seaside properties and establishments, and one of the longest, most picturesque stretches of gold sand in the U.S., known as the "21 miles of scenic beauty."

It is also globally renowned for surfing, as powerful currents and waves surround several of its beaches, including Surfrider Beach, the first beach on Earth established as a World Surfing Reserve in 2010.



For anyone seeking an in-depth review of what to do in Malibu, we have an article dedicated to the topic, which can be read here.

Fort Tejon State Historic Park (Short Route)

Fort Tejon State Historic Park is a 5-acre park founded in 1940 to safeguard the eponymous 1854 fort, which was used for a decade to combat cattle theft while California was being settled, before it became a state. Now a living museum, its restored, reconstructed, and preserved buildings house artefacts and displays illustrating the fort’s establishment and history.

Listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and a California Historical Landmark since 1954, it boasts graves, historical markers, 400-year-old trees, and Civil War reenactments that make it ideal for learning about California’s past.

Channel Islands National Park (Scenic Route)

Channel Islands National Park contains five of Southern California’s eight Channel Islands. Often overlooked, daily ferries from Oxnard and Ventura harbours take visitors on both one-day and overnight trips to see its secluded landscapes, stunning ocean vistas, unique attractions like kelp forests rising from 100 feet below the ocean surface, and wildlife including sea lions, whales, dolphins, seals, spiny lobsters, the island fox, and almost 400 bird species.



A popular destination for activities like camping, trekking the Anacapa Island Loop, snorkelling or scuba diving in the kelp forest, and more, anyone seeking a comprehensive analysis of Channel Islands National Park will find the article we published on it here.

Los Padres National Forest (Scenic Route)

Los Padres National Forest spans almost two million acres and is immensely popular for hiking, camping, horseback riding, picnicking, and scenic drives.

Its landscape is filled with rugged mountains, oak and redwood forests, cliffs, streams, stunning shorelines, waterfalls, wildflower-adorned hills, varied ecosystems, rich wildlife, well-known paths like the Pine Ridge Trail and the Sespe Wilderness routes, hot springs, hidden beaches, expansive viewpoints, and parts of the famed Big Sur coastline.

Bakersfield, California (Short Route)

California’s ninth most populous and 5^th-largest city, Bakersfield is famed for its art, energy, agriculture, and music. The birthplace of the Bakersfield Sound country subgenre, it has strong connections to classical, doo-wop, heavy metal, jazz, and rock, which can be embraced in the city’s countless bars and live music venues.

Other attractions include theatres, such as California’s oldest community theatre, Bakersfield Community Theatre, buildings listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, California Historical Landmarks, fairs, festivals, live events, and museums.

San Simeon, California (Scenic Route)

San Simeon is a quaint village known for two things. First is the Piedras Blancas Rookery, a northern elephant seal nesting area.

The other is Hearst Castle, William Randolph Hearst’s 20th-century estate that sits in the hills overlooking the village. Built using 19th and 20th-century revival architectural styles, including Spanish Colonial and Mediterranean, it is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places, as a California State Park, and as a California and United States National Historic Landmark.



Its interior boasts remarkable furnishings, artistic works, Hearst’s collection of art and antiques, and a museum. Its grounds then feature stunning elements such as pergolas and swimming pools. They also house the estate’s famed zebra herd, which was intended to be part of a zoo that was never completed and has roamed the estate for decades, growing substantially!

Big Sur, California (Scenic Route)

The Big Sur region is often regarded as the most stunning in the contiguous United States. This is thanks to its breathtaking ocean views, towering mountains, and abundance of beaches, forests, trails, and wildlife. Its crown jewel is Big Sur State Park, which spans over 1,000 acres and features campgrounds and a lodge from where guests can unwind and enjoy some of its most stunning spots.

Big Sur Village is a charming small community in the heart of the Big Sur Valley, surrounded by redwood forests, wildlife, beaches, and cliffs. It also has the biggest and best selection of dining, drinking, shopping, and educational opportunities you’ll find in a 70-mile radius.

Carmel-By-The-Sea, California (Scenic Route)

Carmel-By-The-Sea is a town recognised for its beautiful architecture, vibrant culture, and rich history, which was developed following the establishment of one of the earliest Spanish missions in the United States. The Mission San Carlos Borromeo De Carmelo was constructed by settlers in 1770; it is one of the oldest and most traditional Roman Catholic missions in the U.S.

Designated a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is impeccably maintained. It is also the last one remaining in California that retains its original bell and tower. It operates as both an active parish church and a museum housing exhibits that detail the history of the structure and its surrounding area.

Pinnacles National Park (Both Routes)

Pinnacles National Park is not directly on either route but is easily reached from both and is more than worth the detour. Created to preserve its distinct volcanic terrain and variety of ruggedly stunning geographic features, it was established in January 2013, spans 26,686 acres, and gets 166,000 yearly visitors, ranking it among the nation’s newest, smallest, and quietest national parks.

Well-known for its caves, spires, pinnacles, and other rock structures, Pinnacles National Park is extremely popular for caving and rock climbing. Its wildflowers, bats, bobcats, deer, foxes, and over 180 bird species, including the California condor, also make it popular with hikers, nature enthusiasts, and birdwatchers.



Those seeking more information can find our comprehensive Pinnacles National Park guide here.

San Jose, California (Scenic Route)

California’s third most populous city, behind San Diego and Los Angeles, and the United States’ 10th most populous, San Jose is widely recognised as the heart of "Silicon Valley," the core of the U.S. technology sector and one of the world’s main technology hubs.

A city always at the forefront of innovation, San Jose is full of modern architecture and attractions, as well as some of the best art and dining venues in the nation, perfectly complementing the natural, picturesque journey we are drawing to a close.

Oakland, California (Short Route)

Oakland is California’s eighth most populous city and sits across the San Francisco Bay from San Francisco. A very understated city, with a wonderful, yet often overlooked range of attractions, such as clubs, galleries, museums, theatres, and art, culture, and music venues, it’s an excellent location to let loose and enjoy yourself as our road trip draws to a close, as it is far cheaper than San Francisco.

Final Thoughts On A Perfect San Diego To San Francisco Road Trip

That concludes our guide to planning the perfect San Diego to San Francisco road trip itinerary. You should now have everything you need to make the drive, including the duration, the ideal route, and the best time to travel, attractions, and places to stay. We also have separate guides on where to stay and what to see in San Francisco, as well as travelling from San Francisco to Seattle, for anyone who wants to drive the entire Pacific Coast Highway.

All that’s left is to decide what to take with you, and then you can start booking and budgeting everything, so you can look forward to enjoying it all for yourself as soon as possible. Anyone looking to continue their journey may also appreciate our selection of road trips from San Francisco. This includes:



A road trip from San Francisco to the Grand Canyon

A road trip from San Francisco to Yellowstone National Park

A road trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas