How I’d Spend One Week in Northern California After Living There for Six Years

California is one of those places where it’s really easy to try to do too much.

When someone tells me they want to visit San Francisco, Yosemite, Los Angeles, Disneyland and San Diego in one week, my first thought is: you’re going to spend a whole lot of your vacation in the car.

My family lived in Ripon, California, in the Central Valley for six years, and we had the chance to explore Northern California in every season. We visited Yosemite in winter and summer, spent days in San Francisco, walked among coastal redwoods and giant sequoias, explored the coast and watched the almond orchards surrounding our town burst into bloom every February.

If you have one week, I’d focus on Northern California and actually enjoy it.

Days 1–2: San Francisco and Alcatraz

Start with two days in San Francisco.

Spend some time around Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, grab clam chowder or fresh fish along the waterfront, walk those famous steep streets and hop on a cable car.

But one thing I would absolutely put on your itinerary is Alcatraz. Take the ferry across the bay and do the tour. We thought it was incredible, and it’s one of those tourist attractions that I think really is worth doing.

Book this one ahead of time because tickets frequently sell out. Purchase through Alcatraz City Cruises, the official authorized ferry provider.

Day 3: Muir Woods

Just outside San Francisco is one of my personal favorite places in Northern California: Muir Woods National Monument.

This is where you’ll walk among California’s coastal redwoods, and there is something almost spiritual about being there. Parts of the forest encourage visitors to be quiet, and I love simply walking beneath these enormous trees without everyone talking around you.

Don’t rush through it. Give yourself time to enjoy the quiet and take it all in.

This stop requires a little advance planning: parking or shuttle reservations are required. Review the current details and reserve through the National Park Service’s Muir Woods planning page before your visit.

If you have more time that day, you could also explore more of the coast before continuing your trip.

Days 4–5: Yosemite National Park

Yosemite deserves more than a few hours.

We’ve visited in the summer and during February, and both were completely different experiences.

In the summer, go early. Yosemite gets busy, and getting into the Valley before the crowds makes a huge difference. Spend time walking around the Valley floor and taking in the waterfalls and granite cliffs.

One of my favorite stops is the Ansel Adams Gallery. I’m a professional photographer and have admired Ansel Adams’ work for years, so getting to spend time in the place he photographed so beautifully is always special to me.

If Glacier Point Road is open, allow about an hour to drive from Yosemite Valley up to Glacier Point and try to be there around sunset. The view overlooking Half Dome and the Valley is spectacular.

We also visited Yosemite in February to see the famous Firefall, when the setting sun can hit Horsetail Fall at just the right angle and make the water appear to glow. It’s weather-dependent, happens only during a short seasonal window and has become very popular, so this takes advance planning. Check the National Park Service’s Horsetail Fall guidance for current details.

Yosemite entry rules and road conditions can change by season and year. Before your trip, review the park’s current reservations and permit information.

Days 6–7: Choose What Fits Your Trip

This is where I wouldn’t give every traveler the same itinerary.

If you’re traveling as a couple or with an adult group, head toward Sonora and California’s Gold Country for wine tasting and a slower day in the Sierra foothills.

Traveling with kids? I love Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Unlike the coastal redwoods at Muir Woods, here you’ll see giant sequoias. There are easy hikes with information about the trees along the way, making this a great choice for families with younger children.

Want some beach time? Head toward Santa Cruz for the beach and boardwalk, and you can even take a train ride through the redwoods.

Another option is to continue to Monterey for a whale-watching trip and more time along the coast.

You could also add Half Moon Bay for more time along the coast, Benicia if you enjoy art and smaller towns, or extend the trip to include Lake Tahoe.

The point isn’t to do all of them. Pick the places that fit the way you like to travel.

California Is Bigger Than You Think

This is one of the biggest things I want travelers to understand before planning a California vacation.

San Francisco and Los Angeles are roughly 380–400 miles apart, and you’re looking at around six hours of driving in good conditions. Add Bay Area or Los Angeles traffic, stops and the normal unpredictability of California highways, and that drive can take considerably longer.

And if you want to drive the scenic California coast? Don’t think of that as simply getting from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Make it part of the vacation and give it multiple days.

That’s why I wouldn’t try to add Los Angeles, Disneyland and San Diego to this itinerary.

If you have one week, choose Northern California or Southern California. You’ll enjoy your vacation a whole lot more than trying to race from one end of the state to the other.

One of my biggest California travel tips after living there for six years: never plan your driving times based only on the number Google Maps gives you when you’re sitting at home in Iowa. California traffic has other plans.

One More Northern California Experience I Love

There’s another part of Northern California that most visitors never think about: the Central Valley.

We lived in Ripon, surrounded by almond orchards. Every February, those orchards would fill with delicate white and pale pink blossoms.

It’s not necessarily something I’d build an entire first-time California vacation around, but if you’re traveling through the Central Valley during almond blossom season, it’s a beautiful side of California that most tourists never see.

And as a photographer, I absolutely loved it.

My Ideal One-Week Northern California Trip

For a first visit, I’d build your trip around:

San Francisco → Alcatraz → Muir Woods → Yosemite → Sierra Foothills/Gold Country

From there, we can customize it. Maybe you’re a family and Santa Cruz and Calaveras Big Trees make more sense. Maybe you’re celebrating an anniversary and want wine tasting and a beautiful hotel. Maybe you’re a photographer and we give Yosemite an extra day.

That’s why I don’t love giving everyone the exact same California itinerary.

After living in Northern California for six years, I can tell you there is far more to see than you can fit into one week. The goal isn’t to see all of California. It’s to choose the right parts of California for you.

Ready to Plan Your California Vacation?

If California is on your list, I’d love to help you put together an itinerary that makes sense, from where to fly and stay to how much time you actually need in each place.

We’ll build the trip around how you want to experience California, without spending half your vacation trying to get to the next stop.

Be a Good Tripper and let’s start planning your California trip. You can begin by submitting an inquiry or emailing me at rachael@goodtrip.biz.