The Ultimate California Outdoors Road Trip: Sequoia National Park, Napa Valley, and Monterey Bay
- Wanderlust Mike
- May 23
- 12 min read
Updated: May 28
We love our diverse and golden state of California! It's a place full of superlatives - the most massive trees, the finest wines, the deepest bay. Here's how you can enjoy a 10 day road trip to experience the majestic trees of Sequoia National Park, the famous wine country of Napa Valley, and the tranquil waterfront communities of Monterey Bay. Let's go!
Instagram reel - Sequoia, Napa & Monterey
YouTube short - California road trip
10 day itinerary during May:
Day 1 - Drive from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sequoia National Park (200 miles/321 km)
Days 2 & 3 - Sequoia National Park
Day 4 - Drive to Napa, California (272 miles/437 km)
Days 5 & 6 - Napa Valley
Day 7 - drive to Monterey, California (152 miles/244 km)
Days 8 & 9 - Monterey Bay area
Day 10 - return to Los Angeles via Pacific Coast Highway (350 miles/563 km)
TRANSPORTATION
We drove from Los Angeles since that's where we live. But a closer major airport between these locations would be San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Distances from SFO:
Sequoia National Park (260 miles/418 km)
Napa, California (60 miles/96 km)
Monterey, California (100 miles/160 km)
The distances between locations would remain the same:
Sequoia National Park to Napa, California (272 miles/437 km)
Napa Valley to Monterey, California (152 miles/244 km)
The closest major airport to Sequoia National Park is Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), which is 60 miles (96 km) away. And the closest major airport to Monterey is San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) at approximately 70 miles (112 km) away. You could fly in to one and fly our of the other instead of purchasing a round-trip ticket through San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
There are also regional airports around Napa Valley in Napa (APC) and Santa Rosa (STS), and in Monterey (MRY) as well.
SEQUIOA NATIONAL PARK
Sequoia is considered the land of giants! Deep in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, the most massive trees in the world reside here. A sequoia tree's height, width, and bright cinnamon-colored bark definitely stand out among the lush evergreen forest. You'll also see sugar pine, cedar, spruce, and flowering dogwood trees in the Spring!
Here you'll also find huge granite rocks and cliffs, vibrant green meadows, and rugged mountains. Wildlife we've spotted here include black bears, mule deer, yellow-bellied marmots, pika, swifts, woodpeckers, vultures, and mountain quail!
We always stay at Wuksachi Lodge within the park. Breakfast and dinner are available at The Peaks Restaurant. There's nothing like peering out of your bedroom window and seeing mule deer and mountain quail just a few feet away!
Waksachi Lodge is at an elevation of 7,050 ft. It receives snow! Pellet-shaped snow, also known as soft hail or graupel, fell twice while we were there in May! Truly magical! But not to worry, it melted away quickly, and never settled on the roads.
Hiking
We enjoy the following hiking trails in Sequoia so much, we've hiked each of them twice!
Sherman Tree, Congress, Trail of the Sequoias, and Tharp's Log Loop
This hike is our favorite, and is a combination of multiple trails. We've spotted black bears and yellow-bellied marmots on this trail. The trails will take you through the heart of the giant sequoia forest. You will tour of many of the famous monarch sequoias in the Giant Forest, such as The Senate Grove, McKinely Tree, The President Tree, Chief Sequoyah Tree, Chimney Tree, and General Sherman Tree. Around 2,100 years old, 37 feet wide, and 275 feet tall, General Sherman is the most massive living tree in the world!
Length: 7 miles
Total elevation gain: 1,253 ft
Estimated time: 3h 19m
Type: Loop trail
Trailhead: Park at General Sherman Tree parking (closer to trailhead, largest parking area)
Tokopah Falls
The trail to Tokopah Falls starts just beyond the Marble Fork Bridge in Lodgepole Campground. It is an easy 1.7 mile (2.7 km) one-way walk along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River to the impressive granite cliffs and cascading waterfall of Tokopah Canyon. Tokopah Falls is 1,200 feet (365.8 meters) high, and is most impressive in late Spring and early Summer!
Like Yosemite Valley, Tokopah Valley was shaped by a glacier. This trail leads you under the canopy of pines and firs as you pass meadows and creek-crossings with the rewarding Tokopah Falls at the end. The trail offers a good diversity of woodlands with the river running next to you and some large boulders made of granite near the end of the trail. This is the perfect trail to get a varied landscape: an old growth forest, rocky boulder areas, rushing river, and cascading waterfalls!
Prior to reaching the trailhead, you'll pass Lodgepole Market, which has grocery items, souvenirs, and hiking/camping gear as well. It also has a grill restaurant, public showers and laundry.
Length: 4 miles
Total elevation gain: 616 ft
Estimated time: 1h 47m
Type: Out & back
Trailhead: Tokopah Trailhead
The Big Trees Trail
This trail offers several educational displays focusing on the giant sequoia ecosystem. It passes by the Giant Forest Museum, the Clara Barton Tree, Round Meadow, and various Giant Sequoia and young Sequoia groves. This trail is paved and accessible.
Length: 1.2 miles
Total elevation gain: 108 ft
Estimated time: 28m
Type: Loop
Trailhead: at Giant Forest Museum
Moro Rock
To reach the top of the dome and viewpoint, take the route from the Moro Rock parking area up a steep staircase that climbs 300 feet to the summit. From the top, you’ll see the Great Western Divide peaks, the San Joaquin Valley, and the wilderness of Sequoia National Park. Consider summiting Moro Rock at dawn or before dusk for a beautiful sky. It offers a huge expanse of night sky, a rare view in forested parts of the parks. This route is one of the best places in the parks to see sunset and moonrise.
Length: 0.5 miles
Total elevation gain: 183 ft
Estimated time: 19m
Type: Out & back
Trailhead: Moro Rock Trail
Crescent Meadow
Much larger than the popular Round Meadow on the Big Trees Trail, Crescent Meadow allows for the potential spotting of more wildlife. We spotted a large, yellow-bellied marmot right next to the trail!
This trail is close to Moro Rock. Continue past Moro Rock until you reach the end of the road at Crescent Meadow. You'll pass the gorgeous Parker Group of sequoias along your way.
Length: 1.3 miles
Total elevation gain: 131 ft
Estimated time: 30m
Type: Loop
Trailhead: Park at the end of Crescent Meadow Road
On the drive from Sequoia to Napa Valley, we stopped by Huckleberry's in Turlock, California (location), for lunch. We enjoyed the huckleberry lemonade, salad, Louisiana catfish, and fresh beignets for dessert! It's Cajun bayou-style food and decor was a lot of fun to try!
NAPA VALLEY
Known as the wine capital of the United States, Napa Valley contains over 400 wineries spread over 45,000 acres. The first vineyard was planted in the 1830s, and the first commercial winery was established in 1861. Today, Napa Valley is known not only for it's fine wines, but has also become a fine dining and outdoor destination as well.
We stayed in the town of Napa, towards the base of the valley. Lodging at The Napa Inn & Spa, a moderately priced bed and breakfast, we sought activities and destinations outside of just wine tasting. You see, we don't actually drink wine. So here's what we enjoyed!
Oxbow Public Market
Oxbow Public Market is an intimate indoor shopping mall full of fresh foods, drinks, and more! Here you'll find cuisines from Morocco, Argentina, and Japan as well as craft beers and fine wines.
Napa Valley Wine Train
The Napa Valley Wine Train is a nostalgic trip through time! The Napa Valley Railroad first began operations in 1864. In 1989 the rail line and train were successfully renovated and reopened.
While there are currently many railway options available on the train today, we took the Grgich Hills Estate Tasting tour, which included a delicious lunch, wine tasting at Grgich Hills Estate, and dessert upon our return. Additional tour options could include a full day of wine tasting or even a murder mystery dinner!
Hot-air Ballooning
Have you ever been on a hot-air balloon ride? We enjoyed an extraordinary and romantic hot-air balloon ride with Napa Valley Aloft @nvaloft!
Launching before sunrise from the town of Yountville, California, we slowly drifted South towards the town of Napa. Witnessing the gorgeous sunrise and early morning beauty of Napa Valley and surrounding hillsides was an incredible experience!
Two additional balloon companies in Napa include Balloons Above the Valley and Napa Valley Balloons.
Napa Farmers Market
Ever fans of farmers markets worldwide, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore the Napa Farmers Market as well! Taking place every Saturday and Tuesdays (except Winter) from 8 am until noon, they showcase local farmers, food producers, and artisans.
Their mission is to support local farmers and provide an inclusive place for their community to purchase farm-fresh, sustainably grown produce, specialty foods and artisan goods directly from the source.
Castello di Amorosa
Even though we don't drink alcohol, we still enjoy the beautiful settings at wineries. I searched for one I thought would be unique, and discovered Castello di Amorosa! Envisioned by Dario Sattui and opened in 2007, this 107 room, 14th century-styled Tuscan castle sits on 171 acres of land near the town of Calistoga, California.
We enjoyed the Diamond Mountain Estate Tour & Reserve Wine Tasting, where we toured the chapel and wine cellar. The wine cellar even has an armory and a torture chamber!
In addition to white, red, and sparkling wines, they also produce a non-alcoholic wine and grape juices, olive and grapeseed oils, and many other items as well in their gift shop. We left with three bottles of grape juice, olive oil, vinegar, two candles, a coaster, and a shopping bag! lol
So, how long do grape vines produce fruit? A mature vine will produce fruit for decades! However, typically after 30 years, a grape vine's production decreases.
And how long do they use the same wooden barrels to store and age wine? The typical barrel can be used up to five times before it's properties are no longer useful for aging and flavoring wine. Castello di Amorosa replaces their barrels after two uses.
Since we were early for our wine tour, we stopped in the nearby town of Calistoga beforehand. It has a unique Old West themed shopping district on Lincoln Avenue!
Napa Art Walk
The Napa Art Walk is a public collection of sculptures and murals situated primarily along Main and 1st Streets. The sculptures are off of the sidewalk, tucked away in walkways and courtyards. All of the sculptures are available for sale. See if you can find them all!
During the Napa Lighted Art Festival in January and February, additional sculptures are displayed on the streets of downtown Napa, along with evening light shows on some of the larger buildings!
For more information about the works of art and artists, you can go to the Napa Art Walk organization website.
Napa Valley Vine Trail bike path
We didn't get a chance to do this, but we think we'd enjoy a bicycle ride along the Napa Valley as well! After speaking with a local resident at the Napa Valley Welcome Center, it was determined that the St. Helena to Calistoga leg of the trail (8.2 miles) was the most scenic.
You can rent a bike in St. Helena from Napa Valley Bike Tours (location) or from Calistoga Bikeshop (location) in Calistoga.
This bike route passes through the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park and the Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park, both of which are worth stopping by to explore!
MONTEREY BAY
Monterey Bay is one of our favorite vacation destinations in California! Rocky shorelines inhabited by seals, sea lions and sea otters, windswept cypress trees, charming costal towns, outdoor activities like hiking and kayaking, historic wooden piers, and long stretches of sandy beach are all features that draw us there.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Did you know you don't have to drive all the way to Redwood National and State Parks to enjoy the giant redwoods of California? On the drive from Napa to Monterey, if you have time, we highly recommend stopping along the way and enjoying Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park! The Redwood Grove Loop Trail is a flat, 0.8 mile loop that you can walk in under an hour.
We are always in awe of the tall, majestic redwood trees as we hike through one of the southernmost redwood groves in California. Just outside of Santa Cruz in North Monterey Bay, this state park is near the CA-17 highway. Use this address to get to the trailhead: 101 N Big Trees Park Rd, Felton, CA 95018
We kept hearing a steam engine train whistle while we were hiking. Curious, I searched and found Roaring Camp Railroads in the nearby town of Felton. Although we didn't have time ourselves, I would recommend a fun, nostalgic train ride through the forest!
Shadowbrook Restaurant
On the drive down Monterey Bay, we stopped by Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola. Established in 1947, and nestled amongst the trees overlooking Soquel Creek, you can take a fun and unique funicular ride down to the restaurant from the parking area!
The location and atmosphere of a restaurant are always most important to us, so once I discovered this gorgeously picturesque restaurant seated along the hillside I knew we had to check it out! The cuisine and service were both excellent!
Monterey
The downtown Monterey shopping district is on Alvarado Street. Instead of grabbing a drink at Jamba Juice, we recommend going to TZone for exotic boba teas and fresh fruit smoothies like PMS (passion fruit, mango, strawberry and fresh diced fruit)! They're based solely in the San Francisco Bay area.
We walked around Monterey and found a prolific amount of wildlife like sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals and leopard sharks, at the Coast Guard Pier and along the waterfront!
We lodged at the Victorian Inn in Monterey. This motel had a spacious bedroom and bathroom, adequate breakfast offerings, and a nice wine in the afternoons. Parking was below the motel, with an elevator to take you to the first, second, or third floors. It seemed to be popular for families with small children.
For more to see and do in Monterey, see my post: Discovering the Best Activities to Do in Pacific Grove and Monterey Bay!
Lighthouse Cinema
When we travel, we prefer to patronize local movie theaters instead of large, corporate multi-cinemas. When we visit the Monterey area, we enjoy catching a movie at the nostalgic Lighthouse Cinema located in historic downtown Pacific Grove!
Old Fisherman's Wharf
The Old Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey is a fun place to spend some time. Along with shops and restaurants, you can go on a whale watching tour, glass bottom boat ride, or even try your hand at sport fishing!
Point Lobos State Reserve
The Point Lobos State Natural Preserve is a beautifully scenic cliffside area blanketed by cypress trees and turquoise waters fading to deep blue seas. There are many scenic trails along the cliffs. Along these trails we've spotted deer resting under the trees, harbor seals on the beach, and sea otters in the water!
Parking along Cabrillo Highway (CA-1) just outside of the park, we hiked the Camelo Meadow Trail to the Granite Point Trail. We took that trail around Whalers Cove, past a parking lot full of scuba divers, up some stairs to the beautiful and scenic North Shore Trail.
From the North Shore Trail we continued around the popular Cypress Grove Trail, then took the Lace Lichen Trail through the woods back to the park entrance.
Note: You could also complete this loop from the Whalers Cove or Sea Lion Point parking lots within the reserve.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Approximately 4 miles South of Monterey is the quaint, coastal shopping town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. We love the rustic, European-themed cottages and restaurants.
Ensure you explore some of the shopping alley ways and courtyards off of Ocean Avenue sidewalk. And peruse the streets that cross Ocean Ave as well. Some of our favorite shops include Pepper Drive Living, for home and garden, and Xocolatl Garden for exotic imported chocolates! Yum!
At the bottom of Ocean Avenue is Carmel's large, crescent-shaped white sand beach, with rocks and tide pools located on the South end!
For more information on additional things to see and do in the Monterey Bay area, see my blog post Discovering the Best Activities to Do in Pacific Grove and Monterey Bay!
California is definitely one of the most diverse and amazing states in the country! While there are almost infinite road trip opportunities, this one is a great showcase of our natural beauty. Temperate forests with massive trees, rolling hills through scenic vineyards, and breathtaking beauty along our coastline. We encourage you to discover our great state for yourself!
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