Southern California Road Trip Itinerary
+ Top Attractions

Enjoy the star-studded walkways of Hollywood Boulevard and nearby movie studios, including Universal Studios Hollywood, which doubles as a theme park. From the iconic Griffith Observatory in the Hollywood Hills you can enjoy breathtaking views over the vast urban metropolis of Los Angeles, as well as the nearby Hollywood Sign, which you can even hike up to if you like.

Los Angeles is home to many important museums, such as the Getty Center, LACMA, The Broad, and the La Brea Tar Pits. The city's many world-class restaurants offer an extremely diverse cuisine from around the world. You'll find exciting nightlife scenes in Downtown, Hollywood, and West Hollywood.

Head to the coast to enjoy the picturesque sandy beaches of Venice or Malibu, and walk along the Venice Beach Boardwalk and nearby Santa Monica Pier, which hosts a waterfront amusement park.

California's central coast is located roughly between Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. The route up the coast follows along the coastal cliffs of Highway 1 and 101 and is among the most scenic drives in the world. Along the route are many scenic pull-offs and viewpoints to enjoy the majestic scenery, as well as many beautiful beaches and mesmerizing natural formations.

You'll encounter many unique attractions along the Lower Central Coast, such as the lovely Dutch town of Solvang, the massive Morro Rock which towers above the entrance to Morro Bay, and the famous Hearst Castle, an incredibly opulent mansion housing priceless art and artifacts. The castle is also known for its extravagant Neptune Pool.

Along the breathtaking Big Sur Coastline you'll encounter picturesque bridges, the Pfeiffer Beach Sea Arch, and the gorgeous McWay Falls which cascades onto the beach.

Orange County is located along the Southern California coast between Los Angeles and San Diego and is best known for its beautiful sandy beaches, giant high-end shopping malls, and the original Disneyland theme park.

The coastline of Laguna Beach is lined with countless coves and gorgeous beaches, which sit below tall cliffs. Huntington Beach holds the official title of Surf City, USA, with a very lively atmosphere centered around the iconic Huntington Beach Pier.

If you don't plan on visiting the Disney theme parks or relaxing at the beach, it's recommended to spend one of these day further exploring San Diego or Los Angeles.

San Diego is a magnificent seaside city with many different neighborhoods, located just above the Mexican border. Because of its location, San Diego hosts excellent Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. The city hosts many stunning beaches including La Jolla Shores La Jolla Cove (a year-round seal and sea-lion habitat), Pacific Beach, and Coronado Beach where you can admire the iconic Hotel del Coronado.

Located approximately 2 to 3 hours away from Los Angeles and San Diego is Joshua Tree National Park, which is named for the many unusual-looking Joshua trees spread out over the landscape.

This national park is located across several desert valleys surrounded by tall desolate mountains, with many stunningly beautiful rocky areas spread throughout this extremely scenic national park. Joshua Tree also hosts many amazing short hiking trails such as the Hidden Valley Nature Trail and Barker Dam Nature Trail, as well as striking rock formations, such as Skull Rock, Face Rock, and Arch Rock.