The Ultimate California Road Trip Guide

California, the Golden State: home to balmy weather (for the most part), smiling faces, and beautiful rugged wilderness. Many tourists visit California each year - in 2015, over 263 million people from all over the world visited the state of California. One of the most popular activities for tourists and residents alike is to take a California road trip. Since the state has so much to offer in terms of things to do and things to see, taking a classic road trip is one of the best ways to do both. Here is the ultimate guide to see the best that the state has to offer. 

Start in San Diego, California's southernmost city. A huge metropolis, San Diego has so much to offer. Visit the San Diego Safari Park, and its sister establishment, the San Diego Zoo, both of which can be whole-day affairs. Trek through Balboa Park, visiting San Diego's Natural History Museum, Museum of Art, and the History Museum. North Park, neighboring Balboa Park, is the place to go for sampling premier cuisine, and boutique shopping. For the active and adventurous, a trip offshore in a kayak to see California sea lions, harbor seals, pelicans and other seabirds in their natural environment is a treat. After dark, take a trip to the Gaslamp District for exciting nightlife scene. 

Driving north from San Diego will take you through some quite seaside towns. Stop in San Clemente for an up-and-coming town filled with laid back surf dude vibes. Traveling further north and you will enter famed Orange County, home to Laguna Beach - a thriving artistic community but becoming increasingly overrun with CEOs and entrepreneurs. Stop and see it before it completely gentrifies. Several art galleries downtown are worth a look. Continuing north on Highway 1 and you'll enter Huntington Beach which is an epicenter for hipster youth. Stop for some crafted and seriously delicious food at any gourmet hole-in-the-wall shop. 

Los Angeles, the city of Angels is well worth an entire book in its own right. A sprawling metropolis that harbors talented musicians, artists, activists, and dreamers. Visit any of its major centers for truly unique flavors. Grab a Star Map and stalk some celebrities in Beverly Hills. Grab some authentic Chinese food in Chinatown. Walk the pier in Santa Monica. So much to see and do here - the best advice might just be to go with the flow. Think about spending a night or two to fully experience this exciting city. Once you have tried and tasted it all, you'll be ready for all the relaxation due north...

Next stop up the Highway 1 (California's, and possibly the USA's most scenic highway) is Santa Barbara. This region is nicknamed America's French Riviera thanks to its balmy climate and Mediterranean-inspired architecture. Surrounded by the gorgeous Santa Ynez mountains, Santa Barbara is refreshed by a strong Pacific breeze. An added bonus is its proximity to serious quality wine country, and many of the wineries offer daily samplings and tours. 

Leaving Santa Barbara and continuing to drive north up US1, your next stop will be the stunning and seemingly out-of-place Hearst Castle. Completed in 1947 by magazine magnate William Hearst, this castle is open to tours and features a herd of zebra. Just across the highway on San Simeon beach is one of the largest northern elephant seal rookeries in the US, which is a must-see. These animals are, as their name implies, simply enormous and in the winter you may be lucky enough to see two huge bull males fighting for the affections of a female elephant seal. 

Next stop: Santa Cruz. A lovely little seaside town with the feel of a by-gone era - although the hippies from the 60s and 70s are still very active here. Head to the historic Boardwalk for some fun rides, including a ride on the oldest wooden roller coaster in the country. Go to Santa Cruz's lovely downtown for unique shopping and dining. 

Finally, an hour north and you end up in San Francisco - the Bay City, famous around the world for its coastal romanticism and mystical allure. Check out SF's famous and historical Wharf neighborhood, where you can find a range of dining options, as well as shopping and even just people-watching. Head to the top of Telegraph Hill and look for the famous flock of wild parrots. On a clear day you'll be rewarded with a view of the "Devil's Teeth", the famed Farallon Islands in the distance. 

As you can see, taking a road trip north from San Diego to San Francisco - and even further if you have the time and inclination for true wilderness - is full of adventure and opportunity. California enjoys some of the best that our beautiful country has to offer, including California insurance costs, and that's the reason so many people flock to her lands. Enjoy every minute under the California sun.