California wine and dine
Day by day
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Day 1 Land at San Francisco (SFO), drive to San Francisco About 20 km (10 mi), 20 min
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Days 1–3 · 3 nights
San Francisco, CA
The Ferry Building, oysters and dim sum
Highlights
- The Ferry Building and its Saturday farmers' market
- Oysters and crab at the counter of Swan Oyster Depot
- Dim sum in Chinatown and espresso in North Beach
- Burritos in the Mission and bread from Tartine
- The Golden Gate Bridge and Sausalito
Another night here? With a fourth night: the ferry to Sausalito and the redwoods of Muir Woods.
Inn at Union Square
★★★★★ · 9.4
Chancellor Hotel on Union Square
★★★★★ · 9.0
€€
from €120 a night
White Swan Inn
★★★★★ · 9.0
from €150 a night
Petite Auberge
★★★★★ · 9.0
€
from €190 a night
Hyatt Place San Francisco/Downtown
★★★★★ · 8.7
€
from €190 a night
Inn at Union Square
★★★★★ · 9.4
- Breakfast
- Swimming pool
- Air conditioning
- Restaurant
- Fitness
Chancellor Hotel on Union Square
★★★★★ · 9.0
- Free wifi
- Swimming pool
- Air conditioning
- Parking +€15 a day
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €120 a night · 3 nights €370
White Swan Inn
★★★★★ · 9.0
- Free wifi
- Parking
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Spa
- Electric car charging
from €150 a night · 3 nights €440
Petite Auberge
★★★★★ · 9.0
- Free wifi
- Parking
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Electric car charging
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €190 a night · 3 nights €560
Hyatt Place San Francisco/Downtown
★★★★★ · 8.7
- Free wifi
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €190 a night · 3 nights €570
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Day 4 San Francisco, drive to Healdsburg About 110 km (70 mi), 1 h 30 min
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Days 4–5 · 2 nights
Healdsburg, CA
Sonoma: tasting around the plaza
Highlights
- Thirty tasting rooms around the plaza, on foot
- Zinfandel in Dry Creek Valley, by bike
- Pinot noir and chardonnay in the Russian River Valley
- The Jordan Winery estate in Alexander Valley
- Dinner at SingleThread, three Michelin stars (book well ahead)
Another night here? With another night: the coast at Bodega Bay and Jenner, with fresh crab.
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Day 6 Healdsburg, drive to Napa About 80 km (50 mi), 1 h 10 min
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Days 6–8 · 3 nights
Napa, CA
Napa Valley: cabernet and Yountville
Highlights
- Oxbow Public Market in Napa
- Yountville: The French Laundry (book two months ahead) and Bouchon Bakery
- Cabernet at Robert Mondavi and in the Stags Leap District
- Sparkling wine on the terrace of Domaine Carneros
- The Culinary Institute of America's school in St. Helena
- The mud baths of Calistoga
Another night here? With a fourth night: a hot-air balloon over the vineyards at sunrise.
Poetry Inn Napa Valley
★★★★★ · 10.0
Serene Napa Retreat w/ Pool Access & Patio!
★★★★★ · 10.0
€
The Giraffe Inn at Old Parks Manor
★★★★★ · 10.0
1801 First Luxury Inn
★★★★★ · 9.6
€
Elm House Inn
★★★★★ · 9.6
Poetry Inn Napa Valley
★★★★★ · 10.0
- Free wifi
- Parking
- Breakfast
- Air conditioning
- Restaurant
- Fitness
Serene Napa Retreat w/ Pool Access & Patio!
★★★★★ · 10.0
- Free wifi
- Breakfast
- Swimming pool
- Air conditioning
- Parking +€15 a day
The Giraffe Inn at Old Parks Manor
★★★★★ · 10.0
- Free wifi
- Breakfast
- Air conditioning
1801 First Luxury Inn
★★★★★ · 9.6
- Free wifi
- Breakfast
- Air conditioning
- Fitness
- Parking +€10 a day
Elm House Inn
★★★★★ · 9.6
- Free wifi
- Swimming pool
- Air conditioning
- Spa
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Day 9 Napa, drive to Monterey About 240 km (150 mi), 3 h
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Days 9–10 · 2 nights
Monterey, CA
Carmel and the chowder of Cannery Row
Highlights
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Clam chowder on Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row
- The tasting rooms of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Carmel Valley
- 17-Mile Drive and Pebble Beach
Spindrift Inn
★★★★★ · 9.2
€
from €270 a night
Victorian Inn
★★★★★ · 8.7
€€
from €200 a night
Stage Coach Lodge
★★★★★ · 8.6
from €130 a night
Hampton Inn Monterey
★★★★★ · 8.6
€
from €220 a night
Ramada by Wyndham Monterey
★★★★★ · 8.5
from €120 a night
Spindrift Inn
★★★★★ · 9.2
- Free wifi
- Air conditioning
- Fitness
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €270 a night · 2 nights €540
Victorian Inn
★★★★★ · 8.7
- Free wifi
- Air conditioning
- Restaurant
- Parking +€30 a day
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €200 a night · 2 nights €400
Stage Coach Lodge
★★★★★ · 8.6
- Free wifi
- Air conditioning
from €130 a night · 2 nights €260
Hampton Inn Monterey
★★★★★ · 8.6
- Free wifi
- Parking
- Swimming pool
- Air conditioning
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €220 a night · 2 nights €440
Ramada by Wyndham Monterey
★★★★★ · 8.5
- Free wifi
- Swimming pool
- Electric car charging
from €120 a night · 2 nights €240
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Day 11 Monterey, drive to Paso Robles About 190 km (120 mi), 2 h 20 min
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Days 11–12 · 2 nights
Paso Robles, CA
Zinfandel and Rhône wines in the hills
Highlights
- Big Sur and Hearst Castle on the way, then over Highway 46 into the hills
- Rhône wines at Tablas Creek
- The view from DAOU on its hilltop
- Restaurants around the downtown square
- Sensorio, a field of lights after dark
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Day 13 Paso Robles, drive to Los Olivos About 140 km (90 mi), 1 h 50 min
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Days 13–14 · 2 nights
Los Olivos, CA
Santa Ynez Valley, the land of Sideways
Highlights
- Twenty tasting rooms along Grand Avenue, on foot
- Pinot noir from the Sta. Rita Hills
- Oak-grilled steak at The Hitching Post II in Buellton
- The Danish village of Solvang and its aebleskiver
- On the way to LA: the Urban Wine Trail in Santa Barbara's Funk Zone
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Day 15 Los Olivos, drive to Los Angeles About 210 km (130 mi), 2 h 40 min
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Days 15–16 · 2 nights
Los Angeles, CA
Grand Central Market and tacos
Highlights
- Grand Central Market downtown
- Food-truck tacos and Korean barbecue in Koreatown
- The Santa Monica farmers' market (Wednesday and Saturday)
- Seafood on the Malibu coast
Another night here? With a third night: Hollywood, Griffith Observatory and Venice Beach.
FOUND Hotels, Santa Monica, Series by Marriott
★★★★★ · 9.0
€€
from €200 a night
Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles LAX/Century Boulevard
★★★★★ · 8.8
€
from €150 a night
Holiday Inn Express Hollywood Walk of Fame by IHG
★★★★★ · 8.8
€
from €220 a night
Holiday Inn Express West Los Angeles by IHG
★★★★★ · 8.8
€
from €350 a night
Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
★★★★★ · 8.7
€
from €190 a night
FOUND Hotels, Santa Monica, Series by Marriott
★★★★★ · 9.0
- Free wifi
- Air conditioning
- Restaurant
- Fitness
- Pets allowed
- Parking +€30 a day
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €200 a night · 2 nights €390
Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles LAX/Century Boulevard
★★★★★ · 8.8
- Free wifi
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Pets allowed
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €150 a night · 2 nights €300
Holiday Inn Express Hollywood Walk of Fame by IHG
★★★★★ · 8.8
- Free wifi
- Swimming pool
- Air conditioning
- Restaurant
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €220 a night · 2 nights €430
Holiday Inn Express West Los Angeles by IHG
★★★★★ · 8.8
- Free wifi
- Air conditioning
- Restaurant
- Spa
- Breakfast +€30 a night
from €350 a night · 2 nights €700
Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
★★★★★ · 8.7
- Free wifi
- Spa
- Parking +€10 a day
from €190 a night · 2 nights €380
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Day 17 Los Angeles to Los Angeles airport (LAX), fly home to Amsterdam About 30 km (20 mi), 30 min
Arrange something yourself
A few days with family or friends, a train ride, local transport: a part of the trip you arrange yourself. No hotel and no tours of ours; without the car, no kilometres and no hire those days. Enter what it costs and it counts in the total.