The trip along California’s coast is beautiful, peppered with various state and national parks that are definitely worth a detour. Whether the draw to visiting California’s parks is a scenic wander, a challenging hike, or a refreshing lake swim, there is something for everyone.
Through central valleys and foothills, you will be wowed by the natural landscapes spanning from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Need a little help along the way from a local expert? Incredible Adventures has a variety of tours to help you explore, including our Yosemite National Park tours and our San Francisco tours.
Depending on your timescale, you may need to cherry-pick the parks that pique your interest and fit in with your travel itinerary. However, if time is no object, you can tick each location off our California parks wishlist!
Yosemite National Park
Just a few hours’ drive from San Francisco, Yosemite National Park is a glacially carved valley with beautiful meadows, roaring waterfalls, and giant granite cliffs. It is the ideal break from being in the city, and a popular choice with more than five million visitors every year.
Yosemite National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada. There’s so much to see in the park, and the variety of attractions is vast. You can hug the giant sequoia trees at Mariposa Grove (while straining your neck to see how high they reach). Enjoy a spot of tranquility with the wildflower-laden Tuolumne Meadows, bike the many winding trails, visit the impressive Yosemite Falls, or just find a serene location in which to sit and reflect.
For those who love wild swimming, there are several pristine lakes to splash about in. The people at Yosemite National Park have put together a swimming guide giving helpful information and tips on enjoying the park’s many lakes and rivers. It even gives a list of all the best swimming spots!
Whether you’re looking for a day tour or a multi-day tour to Yosemite, we’ve got a trip to match the time you have. Check out our Yosemite National Park tours to see which one is the best fit.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park have been jointly administered since 1943 and cover a combined area of 1,353 square miles (3,500 kilometers). This destination offers huge mountains, deep canyons, vast caverns, rugged foothills, and the world’s largest trees.
Carrying on the appreciation of the giant sequoia trees from Yosemite, Sequoia National Park in Tulare County is not only home to the largest species of tree in the world – the Sequoia – but is also home to the largest known single-stem tree on Earth. It is named General Sherman after the American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman and stands 84m (275ft) tall and 11m (36ft) in diameter. It sits 2,109m (6,919ft) above sea level. Find out more about this insanely huge tree at the National Park Service.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks offer hiking, camping, wildlife watching, and scenic drives through the lush forests.
Big Sur (Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park & Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park)
Along Highway 1, between Carmel-by-the-Sea and San Simeon (about 2.5 hours south of San Francisco), you’ll find the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. The Big Sur coastline is one of the most breathtaking stretches of road in the US, and well worth adapting your travel plans to include.
With incredible coastal drives through this area, Big Sur also provides excellent hikes, beautiful sightseeing, and amazing photo opportunities. One such opportunity is the famous McWay Falls in the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. This waterfall cascades onto the beach!
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has beautiful redwood forests to wander through, and also appears in Lonely Planet’s best hikes in Big Sur, under the ‘best for families’ heading. Grab the kids and head to Big Sur!
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Coastal hiking, wildlife watching, beachcombing, and many photo opportunities can be had at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. About two hours south of San Francisco, the nature reserve is located in the picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is often referred to as ‘the crown jewel of the California State Park System’ and it’s not hard to see why!
Those interested in nature and wildlife can see sea lions and sea otters, as well as rare plant communities, and intriguing flora and fauna. The offshore area, part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, forms a rich underwater habitat that is very popular with visitors wanting to dive or snorkel. Check out California State Parks’ information on scuba diving and snorkeling in Point Lobos, including a dive area map.
If conservation piques your interest, you’ll find this nature reserve fascinating! It was once the site of many industrial activities such as whaling operations, abalone canning, and gravel quarries. Come and witness Point Lobos’ incredible ecological recovery.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
As you approach Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area offers plenty of hiking and biking trails with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the largest protected areas of the Mediterranean-type ecosystem.
Bird-watching is another activity enjoyed in the area as the mountains support a wide variety of resident and migrating birds. For serious spotters, this comprehensive list from Avibase will give you an idea of the huge variety of birdlife in the Santa Monica Mountains. More than 380 species can be seen year-round here, including shorebirds, songbirds, woodpeckers, and raptors.
It’s also a great place to explore the diverse landscapes of the mountains, with oak woodlands, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral.
As you can see with this list of California’s national parks, the journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles can be the best part of your travels along the West Coast of the US. We hope this guide will help you see the best of California’s natural beauty.
At Incredible Adventures, we offer California parks highlight tours from San Francisco to Los Angeles covering five days. We also provide the same tour traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco depending on your direction of travel. Contact us with any questions about your vacation to the West Coast!
