🍂 THE ULTIMATE CALIFORNIA FALL ROAD TRIP
September 10, 2026
🍂 THE ULTIMATE CALIFORNIA FALL ROAD TRIP
10 days / 9 nights — Bay Area → Coast → Big Sur → Sequoia → Yosemite → Eastern Sierra → Tahoe → Bay Area
This version is essentially a greatest-hits tour of California, but arranged so that the driving itself is part of the experience.
You’ll get:
Pacific Ocean → Monterey → Big Sur → Central Coast → giant sequoias → Yosemite → Tioga Pass → Mono Lake → Eastern Sierra fall colors → Highway 395 → Lake Tahoe → Bay Area
And for fall foliage, the Eastern Sierra is the star. Current 2026 guidance has the color progressing from higher elevations in September downward through October.
DAY 1 — BAY AREA → MONTEREY → CARMEL
Approximately 125 miles
Leave the Bay Area early.
Monterey
Start with:
- Monterey Bay
- Cannery Row
- Old Fisherman’s Wharf
- Monterey waterfront
If you’ve never done it, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is worth several hours.
Then drive down to:
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Spend the afternoon wandering Carmel.
Don’t make this a “drive through town” stop.
Explore:
- Ocean Avenue
- Carmel Beach
- Mission San Carlos Borromeo
- Carmel’s little galleries and shops
Sunset
Go to Carmel Beach.
It’s a spectacular place to begin the trip.
Overnight
Carmel
DAY 2 — CARMEL → 17-MILE DRIVE → BIG SUR
This is your California postcard day.
Morning — 17-Mile Drive
Take the entire loop.
Must-see stops:
- Spanish Bay
- Bird Rock
- Seal Rock
- Cypress Point
- Lone Cypress
- Pebble Beach
Then continue south.
Big Sur
The legendary Highway 1.
Stop at:
Bixby Creek Bridge
Mandatory.
Garrapata
If open.
Big Sur
Have lunch and explore.
Pfeiffer Beach
If open.
McWay Falls
If open.
IMPORTANT 2026 NOTE
As of September 2026, several Big Sur state parks remain closed because of the Timber and Plaskett fires, including Pfeiffer Big Sur and Julia Pfeiffer Burns.
So don’t build the trip around getting into those parks. If they’re still closed when you travel, enjoy the portions of Highway 1 that are open and substitute other coastal viewpoints.
And because Highway 1 currently has a southern closure, don’t plan on driving all the way through Big Sur to San Luis Obispo. Caltrans currently recommends US-101 as the alternate route around the closure.
Overnight
I’d actually return to:
Carmel
rather than staying farther south.
DAY 3 — CARMEL → PASO ROBLES → SEQUOIA
Now leave the coast and head inland.
Morning
Drive toward Paso Robles.
This gives you an entirely different California:
coastal fog → oak-covered hills → vineyards → Sierra Nevada.
Paso Robles
Have lunch and, if wine interests you, visit one or two wineries.
Don’t turn this into a full wine-country day—you’ve got a lot ahead.
Then continue toward:
Sequoia National Park
Your first giant “wow” moment.
See:
General Sherman Tree
The largest known single-stem tree on Earth by volume.
Then:
- Giant Forest
- Congress Trail
- Moro Rock if conditions permit
Overnight
Three Rivers or inside/near Sequoia National Park
DAY 4 — SEQUOIA → KINGS CANYON → YOSEMITE
This is your giant trees → enormous canyon → granite mountains day.
Start early.
Explore more of Sequoia.
Then head into:
Kings Canyon National Park
See:
- Kings Canyon
- Zumwalt Meadow
- Grizzly Falls
- General Grant Tree
Then begin working your way toward Yosemite.
Overnight
LA Travel Tips for the Under 25s: Maximize Your Trip!
Welcome to Los Angeles! Los Angeles, the City of Angels, is a sprawling sun-kissed metropolis brimming with opportunities for adventure,...
Read more
Master Monthly Car Rentals for School, Work, or Internships
Why Choose Monthly Car Rentals Monthly car rentals offer an ideal solution for those needing a reliable vehicle for an extended period...
Read more
Ultimate Guide to Car Rental Under 25 in Los Angeles
Planning a road trip or need a rental car for school but you're under 25? Navigating the car rental landscape in Los Angeles can be tricky,...
Read more