14D Itinerary - California
Connectivity Option: Road Trip/Self-drive
Travel Route
3N San Francisco – 2N Livermore Valley (Tri-Valley) – 2N Lake Tahoe – 2N Mammoth Lakes – 3N Los Angeles
Driving Time
San Francisco – Tri-Valley: 45 minutes
Tri-Valley – Lake Tahoe: 3 Hours 25 minutes
Lake Tahoe – Mammoth Lakes: 2 Hours 45 minutes
Mammoth Lakes – Los Angeles: 5 Hours
Key Experiences
Museums, Shopping, Wine Tours, Ice Cream Trails, Great Outdoors, and scenic places
Boating, Kayaking & Paddle Boarding
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- Sample some of the city’s excellent cuisine.
- Restaurants have created safe and charming outdoor environments where you can sit and enjoy your meal.
- Walk the Embarcadero from Oracle Park in Soma all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf for gorgeous views of the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and Alcatraz.
- Golden Gate Park, within the park, you’ll find hidden treasures like a peaceful lake, a herd of bison, and towering Dutch windmills.
- California Academy of Sciences and the de Young Museum.
- Walt Disney Family Museum.
- Take a tour of Alcatraz
- Keep this day for shopping
- The Marina, has charming boutiques along Union and Chestnuts streets.
- Fillmore St. runs through the Pacific Heights and Fillmore neighborhoods to offer designer clothing.
- Hayes Street near Civic Center has great clothes shopping in close proximity to excellent cafes.
- Haight Street between Masonic Avenue and Stanyan Street is where to go to get your fix of San Francisco’s Summer of Love wear.
- Valencia Street offers everything from antique furniture to independent bookstores to vintage records.
- San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest and largest neighborhood in the U.S. Its narrow streets are lined with unique stores and excellent restaurants.
- Breakfast at the hotel or Sideboard Neighborhood Kitchen and Coffee Bar in Danville.
- Enjoy a nice morning hike at Mt. Diablo
- Visit Tao House, home of Pulitzer-winning playwright, Eugene O’Neill
- For shopping and lunch, head to downtown Danville’s Hartz Avenue and East Prospect Avenue
- Danville Harvest is an excellent option for lunch nearby.
- Visit the Blackhawk Museum in Danville
- Hop on the Tri-Valley Beer Trail, Thirsty Bay, Inc 82, and Caps N’ Taps have precisely what you’re looking for.
- Bottle Taps in Pleasanton has mouthwatering food pairings with beer and wine. Live music starts from 07:00 PM onwards
- Have a delicious breakfast at artisan cafe The Press, Livermore
- Head down to Lake Del Valle in Livermore. Rent a boat or kayak & enjoy some water sports
- Reward yourself with some retail therapy at the San Francisco Premium Outlets in Livermore
- Make way for dumplings at a number of authentic restaurants at Pacific Pearl.
- Wine blending experience at Wente Vineyards.
- Finish off your weekend with an exquisite dining experience at Sabio on Main.
- Meadowlark Dairy Drive-Thru is one of the Tri-Valley Ice Cream Trail’s most popular stops.
Depending on when you’re visiting, if you happen to be here on a Saturday morning, you won’t want to miss the famous Farmers’ Markets in Downtown Pleasanton and Downtown Danville from 9 am-1 pm.
- Start early with a heavy breakfast at Red Hut Cafe
- Take a scenic sightseeing ride on the Heavenly Gondola where the panoramic view from the observation platform will leave you breathless
- Next, aboard the M.S. Dixie II to Emerald Bay, one of the most photographed places in the world or do it yourself and rent a powerboat!
- Head downtown to sample the world-class 24/7 entertainment including headlinershows, nightclubs, renowned dining, and gaming.
- End your day with a delightful meal at Brooks, Edgewood Tahoe
- Breakfast at the hotel or Edgewood Restaurant
- Hit one of the many ski resorts around the lake. There are a lot of them, but some of the best are Heavenly, Kirkwood, and Sierra at Tahoe
- Spend some time at the beach – Zephyr Cove Beach is a regular on “Best Lakes of Lake Tahoe” lists and for good reason
- Steps from the shore, you can grab a drink and bite to eat at the Sunset Bar & Grille with its fabulous views of the lake and laid-back summer ambiance
- Stop into one of the casinos or just relax with Tahoe’s excellent spas
- Enjoy dinner at The Forest Buffet at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe – Year after year, the Forest Buffet is voted “Best Buffet” in the annual Best of Tahoe Reader’s
- Begin your day with American breakfast at Good Life Cafe
- Drive 1.5 hours (one-way) to Bodie State Historic Park, the largest unrestored ghost town in the West and the official ghost town for the State of California
- 45 minutes after you leave Bodie you will encounter the South Tufa’s of Mono Lake. Enjoy Tufa Towers where you are bound to see some of the local wildlife in their natural habitat
- To finish the day, you can enjoy the sights at Hot Creek for golden hour
- Pamper yourself with high-end dining & mountain views at Skadi
- Board the Scenic Gondola at the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center and take the 15-minute ride to the Eleven53 interpretive center where you will have a 360-degree view of the entire Sierra Nevada mountain
- Hike in the Lakes Basin – From the Village at Mammoth, board the free Lakes Basin Trolley and enjoy the scenery as it takes you past the five lakes of the region
- Mammoth Lakes offers an abundance of options for biking. Take in the views on the paved bike path from the center of town to the Lakes Basin
- Drive to Minaret Vista, which is 3.2 km past the Mammoth Mountain Adventure center, and take in the serenity of the mountains as the sunsets behind the iconic Minarets
- Enjoy dinner at The Forest Buffet at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe – Year after year, the Forest Buffet is voted “Best Buffet” in the annual Best of Tahoe Reader’s
- Relax, unwind, and shop until you drop in LA! Or, you can first go to Las Vegas and make your exit from Los Angeles.
Where to Stay | Where to Eat | More Things to Do |
---|---|---|
The Hotel Castro San Francisco | Zuni Cafe, San Francisco | Golden Gate Bridge |
Grand Hyatt San Francisco Union Square | Besharam, San Francisco | Fisherman's Wharf |
San Francisco Marriott Marquis Union Square | Sam's Grill, San Francisco | Chinatown |
Four Points by Sheraton, Tri-Valley | Blue Fox Indian Cuisine, Tri-Valley | Ruby Hill Winery |
The Rose Hotel, Tri-Valley | Blossom Vegan Restaurant, Tri-Valley | Downtown Pleasanton Loop |
Courtyard by Marriott, Tri-Valley | Hap’s Original, Tri-Valley | Hacienda crossings |
Marriott Grand Residence, Lake Tahoe | Riva Grill, Lake Tahoe | Do water sports activities |
The Landing Resort & Spa, Lake Tahoe | My Thai Cuisine, Lake Tahoe | Hike to Easy - Eagle Falls and Eagle Lake |
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe | Goodfellas, Lake Tahoe | Tour Vikingsholm |
The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth Lakes | Smokeyard BBQ & Chop Shop, Mammoth Lakes | Boating, Kayaking & Paddle Boarding |
Mammoth Mountain INN | Mogul Restaurant | Take a day trip to Yosemite National Park |
Sierra Nevada Resort and Spa, Mammoth Lakes | Delicious Kitchen | Drive to Hot Creek Geological site |