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    Itinerary

    Discover California

    Enquire
    The holiday ideas on our website are just examples of the amazing trips we offer
    Amy Metcalfe

    Travel Specialist

    01242 386 474

    01242 386 474

    Globe
    Best Time To Go

    May - October

    Calendar
    Holiday Length

    10 nights

    Label
    Price guide

    From £2,395pp

    The price shown is a guide - based on two people sharing and generally includes economy flights. Your holiday will be tailor-made to suit you and there are many factors that can influence the price, such as standard of accommodation, class of flight and time of year. Ask your travel specialist for more information.
    map marker
    Holiday type

    Tailor-made

    Highlights

    Discover California

    Discover California on this 10-night holiday. Its rugged coastal beauty and gorgeous golden sand beaches are combined with laid-back locals, extraordinary sights and excellent vintages. Rent a bike and see San Francisco – a city with freewheeling cool in spades. Get behind the wheel and cruise past Ford Ord Dunes State Park on the way to Carmel. Take a detour and drive the famous ’17 Mile Drive’ – a road on many bucket lists. Go dune buggying on Pismo Beach. Sample local producers’ vintages on the Urban Wine Trail in Santa Barbara. Eat your way around San Diego, a city rapidly earning the title of California’s foodie mecca. Mexican influences abound so expect California burritos, guacamole, fish tacos and artisan-made tequila.

    Trip details

    Here's a taste of your next A&K holiday
    Click for day-by-day details >
    Days 1 - 2
    San Francisco
    Days 3 - 4
    Carmel
    Day 5
    Pismo Beach
    Days 6 - 7
    Santa Barbara
    Days 8 - 9
    San Diego
    Day 10
    San Diego - UK
    Click for day-by-day details >

    San Francisco

    Kick off your Discover California holiday in San Francisco. Surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco is an ideal introduction to the sunny state of California. Collect your hire car and head to the Hotel Zeppelin San Francisco. From your base, you can explore the historic downtown area and Union Square – both of which are close to the hotel. Or venturing a little farther afield, you can explore the waterfront neighbourhood of Fisherman’s Wharf or admire the lofty views from Coit Tower.

    Carmel

    Drive the scenic Pacific Coast Highway for two hours to the upmarket beach town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. Here you’ll spend two nights at La Playa Carmel, located a short stroll from the golden sands of the town’s stretch of beach. Carmel is separately from Monterey by the iconic 17-Mile Drive. This private road offers soaring coastal views and the chance to ogle some envy-inducing homes. In Monterey, visit the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium.

    Pismo Beach

    The most scenic section of the Pacific Coast Highway awaits, where the road hugs the cliff and the ocean crashes below. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop for photos or simply to admire the incredible scenery. In the quirky, surf-loving town of Pismo Beach you’ll spend the night at Cliff’s Resort. The next morning, climb into a dune buggy to whiz around the Oceano Dunes for a two-hour driving experience. Nowhere else in California can dune buggies be driven on a public beach, so take advantage of the unique opportunity. Safety gear and instruction are included as standard.

    Santa Barbara

    It’s off to pretty Santa Barbara for the next two nights. You home will be the beautiful Harbor View Inn. Quintessentially Californian, bijou Santa Barbara is big on personality. There’s the beach, the Mission, the zoo, the botanic gardens, but be sure not to miss out on Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trail. Located in the Downtown, pick and choose from approximately 30 tasting rooms to sample wines from boutique producers at work in Santa Barbara County.

    San Diego

    Your last stop is colourful San Diego, with its fascinating military history and a rich historic centre known as the Gaslamp Quarter. Kimpton Hotel Palomar Hotel is a newly renovated boutique hotel right at the heart of downtown. Explore the town described as ‘the birthplace of California’. Portuguese explorers claimed the area for Spain in 1542 so there’s history in spades. During your sightseeing, be sure to snack on delicious hand-rolled tortillas.

    San Diego - UK

    Bid farewell to sunny California and return to the UK.

    North America team

    Whether it's an epic road trip, a relaxing escape or a whale-watching expedition, our North America team know how to plan the ultimate holiday
    Meet the team

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