14 days in California Itinerary

San Francisco is a top holiday destination featuring scenic beauty and great ethnic and cultural diversity.

Bring the kids along to Exploratorium and Wine Tours & Tastings. There's much more to do: tour the pleasant surroundings at Alcatraz Island, take in nature's colorful creations at Japanese Tea Garden, examine the collection at Cable Car Museum, and make a trip to Lombard Street.

To see reviews and tourist information, you can read our San Francisco travel planner.

London, UK to San Francisco is an approximately 14-hour flight. You can also do a combination of train and flight. Traveling from London to San Francisco, you'll gain 8 hours due to the time zone difference. Traveling from London in December, things will get somewhat warmer in San Francisco: highs are around 17°C and lows about 8°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 19th (Tue) early enough to drive to Carmel.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated on October 31, 1916. Keep things going the next day: enjoy the sand and surf at Carmel City Beach/Carmel River Beach, trek along Point Lobos State Reserve, and then stop by The Cheese Shop.

To find where to stay, other places to visit, reviews, and tourist information, you can read our Carmel day trip website .

Traveling by car from San Francisco to Carmel takes 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of flight and taxi; or take a bus. In December, daily temperatures in Carmel can reach 18°C, while at night they dip to 7°C. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 21st (Thu) to allow time for travel to Los Angeles.

Surrounded by mountain ranges, forests, valleys, beaches, and deserts, the metropolitan area of Los Angeles is home to over 17 million people.

Kids will enjoy Disneyland Park and Getty Center The Publications. When in Los Angeles, make a side trip to see Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, approximately 40 minutes away. Pack the 25th (Mon) with family-friendly diversions at Universal Studios Hollywood. And it doesn't end there: see the sky in a new way at Griffith Observatory, explore the fascinating underground world of Bronson Caves, and don't miss a visit to Hollywood Walk of Fame.

To find reviews, maps, and other tourist information, use the Los Angeles tour itinerary maker tool .

You can do a combination of taxi and flight from Carmel to Los Angeles in 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of bus and train. Prepare for somewhat warmer weather when traveling from Carmel in December: high temperatures in Los Angeles hover around 23°C and lows are around 11°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 25th (Mon) so you can drive to Santa Monica.

A famed resort town since the early 20th century, Santa Monica sits on the picturesque Santa Monica Bay, bordered on three sides by the city of Los Angeles.

Start off your visit on the 26th (Tue): find something for the whole family at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Here are some ideas for day two: take in the waterfront at Santa Monica Pier, then admire the majestic nature at Santa Monica Beach, and then examine the collection at The Getty Villa.

To see more things to do, photos, maps, and tourist information, you can read our Santa Monica travel route planner .

Santa Monica is just a stone's throw from Los Angeles. In December in Santa Monica, expect temperatures between 21°C during the day and 11°C at night. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 28th (Thu) to allow enough time to travel back home.