14 days in California Itinerary

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

Popular historic sites such as Alcatraz Island and SS Jeremiah O'Brien are in your itinerary. Escape the urban bustle at Muir Woods National Monument and China Beach. The adventure continues: snap pictures at Golden Gate Bridge, get to know the fascinating history of Filbert Steps, tour the pleasant surroundings at Golden Gate Park, and take in the waterfront at Fisherman's Wharf.

To see maps, more things to do, and other tourist information, go to the San Francisco day trip planning site .

Tampa to San Francisco is an approximately 7-hour flight. You can also drive; or do a combination of train and bus. The time zone difference when traveling from Tampa to San Francisco is minus 3 hours. Expect slightly colder temperatures when traveling from Tampa in September; daily highs in San Francisco reach 76°F and lows reach 58°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 22nd (Sat) to allow enough time 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. Kick off your visit on the 22nd (Sat): explore the activities along Monterey Bay and then kick back and relax at Carmel City Beach/Carmel River Beach. On the next day, take in the dramatic scenery at McWay Falls, trek along Partington Cove, then enjoy the sand and surf at Pfeiffer State Beach, and finally immerse yourself in nature at Point Lobos State Reserve.

To find ratings, traveler tips, more things to do, and other tourist information, go to the Carmel holiday planner.

You can drive from San Francisco to Carmel in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of flight and bus; or take a bus. When traveling from San Francisco in September, plan for slightly colder days in Carmel, with highs around 70°F, while nights are about the same with lows around 55°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Mon) so you can drive to San Simeon.

When you arrive in tiny San Simeon, which lies halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, you can see why William Randolph Hearst chose this coastal locale for his famous hilltop castle.

On the 24th (Mon), enjoy the sea views from Piedras Blancas Light Station and then look for all kinds of wild species at Elephant Seal Rookery. On the 25th (Tue), you'll have a packed day of sightseeing: stroll the grounds of Cambria Cemetery, then kick back and relax at Moonstone Beach, and then kick back and relax at Piedras Blancas.

To see photos, reviews, where to stay, and more tourist information, read our San Simeon road trip website .

Getting from Carmel to San Simeon by car takes about 3 hours. Other options: do a combination of bus and car. Traveling from Carmel in September, expect nights in San Simeon to be about the same, around 54°F, while days are slightly colder, around 61°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 26th (Wed) to allow time to drive to Yosemite National Park.

Massive granite mountains, towering waterfalls, groves of Giant Sequoia trees, and wilderness as far as the eye can see distinguish the landscape of Yosemite National Park.

Discover out-of-the-way places like Tunnel View and Tioga Pass. Get in touch with nature at Glacier Point and El Capitan. Step out of Yosemite National Park with an excursion to Bodie State Historic Park in Bridgeport--about 1h 05 min away. There's much more to do: tour the pleasant surroundings at Tuolumne Meadows, take in the dramatic scenery at Vernal Fall, trek along Wawona Meadow, and make a trip to Olmsted Point.

To see maps, traveler tips, more things to do, and more tourist information, use the Yosemite National Park trip itinerary planning tool .

You can drive from San Simeon to Yosemite National Park in 5.5 hours. Other options are to do a combination of bus and taxi; or do a combination of bus, ferry, and taxi. When traveling from San Simeon in September, plan for somewhat warmer days and slightly colder nights in Yosemite National Park: temperatures range from 76°F by day to 38°F at night. On the 30th (Sun), wrap the sightseeing up by early afternoon so you can take a bus to Death Valley National Park.

Extreme heat and dryness create extreme landscapes in Death Valley National Park.

On the 1st (Mon), explore the activities along Badwater, explore the striking landscape at Zabriskie Point, and then contemplate the long history of Harmony Borax Works.

Start your trip to Death Valley National Park by creating a personalized itinerary on Inspirock.

You can take a bus from Yosemite National Park to Death Valley National Park in 5.5 hours. While traveling from Yosemite National Park, expect a bit warmer days and much warmer nights in Death Valley National Park, ranging from highs of 96°F to lows of 64°F. You'll set off for home on the 2nd (Tue).