California Driving Tours & Major Highways

With dozens of scenic highways throughout California, escapes exist around the next curve. Experience a sightseeing vacation that lets you turn off for a picnic, stop at a countryside winery, or breathe in the diverse scenery - from coastal bluffs to historic inland towns. With every direction your drive, the scenery changes and picturesque vistas keep your eyes open as you experience the freedom of the road!

Choose one of our fine California Choice hotels for your next California vacation. You'll enjoy a wide array of hotel accommodations conveniently located near California's most scenic highways and byways.

Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1)
California's heavenly drive, Pacific Coast Highway (Route 1) hugs the coast from the sandy beaches of Southern California to the rugged coastline of the Pacific Northwest. The serpentine highways winds through quaint coastal towns, pristine beaches and coves, national parks, wildlife refuges, and towering cliffs that drop hundreds of feet above the ocean. Along PCH, you'll discover Hearst Castle in San Simeon, Big Sur, Monterey, San Francisco, Sonoma, Northern California's stunning wine regions and the heart of redwood country.

17 Mile Drive
Discover Nature's wonder as you explore the majesty of Del Monte Forest. Experience a scenic tour that reveals breathtaking scenery and attractions like Fanshell Beach, Lone Cypress, Seal and Bird Rocks, Point Joe and the Restless Sea. Along 17-Mile Drive, you'll encounter a menagerie of bird and marine life in their natural habitat, colorful wildflowers, the serene seashore, preserved dunes and the emerald fairways of The Links at Spanish Bay, Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach Golf Links. Stop for a gourmet lunch at the Pebble Beach Market. Cyclists and walkers enjoy free admission.

Angeles Crest Scenic Byway
The most scenic drive in Southern California, the Angeles Crest Highway offers a getaway from Los Angeles. Winding along the San Gabriel Mountains, Route 2 affords panoramas of natural beauty - mountains, valleys and wilderness. The 55-mile route delights with gorgeous vistas of the San Gabriel Mountains, Mojave Desert, San Gabriel and Pomona valleys and the Los Angeles Basin. Originating in La Canada, the highway climbs to 7,901 feet at Dawson Saddle and ends at Bernardino County. From the byway, you'll discover Mt. Wilson, fantastic views of Los Angeles, and scenic forest trails.

Valley of the Moon Highway
Valley of the Moon (Route 12) is a scenic, 12-mile road in Sonoma Valley. The winding highway - from Annadel State Park to Sonoma - takes travelers through lush vineyards, picturesque wineries, flowering meadows, historic sites, and scenic hiking trails. This journey lead you to fishing at Lake Ilsanjo, bird watching at Ledson Marsh, Glen Ellen, home of Jack London State Historic Park, Agua Caliente in old town Sonoma, and Sonoma State Historic Park.

Redwood Highway (Route 101)
Within Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, the 12 miles of Route 101 traverses California's sublime coastline and redwood forests. From old-growth coastal redwoods to roaring waves pounding the coastline, this scenic byway is surrounded by California's most beautiful scenery at every turn. Grab your binoculars and hike along the coast. This drive is an unforgettable journey.

Death Valley Scenic Byway
Traversing Death Valley National Park, Death Valley Scenic Byway is one of the most inspiring routes on the West Coast. A gateway to 3.3 million acres of spectacular desert scenery, this byway travels through rugged landscapes of salt flats, colored volcanic deposits, wind-blown sand dunes, expansive panoramas of rock crevices, sculpted hills and cultural sites. Breathtaking highlights include Dante's View in the Black Mountains, Telescope Peak, Devil's Golf Course, and Furnace Creek Badlands. Artist Drive will inspire wonder as you breathe in the painted landscape.

Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway
Explore the beauty of a dramatic volcanic landscape from California's Lassen Volcanic National Park to Oregon's Crater Lake National Park. Encounter spectacular scenery, mountain terrain, ancient natural forces that shaped mountain lakes, charming towns, abundant wildlife and extraordinary recreational, historical and cultural opportunities. Carving through national forests, parks and monuments, past soaring mountain peaks and deep volcanic lakes, the 500-mile byway delivers travelers to a hiking, fly fishing, camping, and kayaking destinations.

Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road
The highest in California, this Byway offers a spectacular passage over the Sierra Nevada and elevation changes of one mile. As you travel Tioga Road/Big Oak Flat Road, you'll see glacier-carved granite peaks, pristine lakes, wild-flowered meadows and evergreen forests with Giant Sequoia groves in a serene, rugged landscape. Made famous by Ansel Adams and John Muir, this scenic byway instills a philosophy of environmental awareness in everyone who treks here.

Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway
In the heart of the Sierra Nevada - between Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe - Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway meanders and climbs through miles of natural wonders, untouched wilderness, pristine lakes, massive sequoias and redwoods, glacially-carved valleys and canyons, volcanic peaks and granite, snow-capped ridges. With two state parks, Stanislaus National Forest, and designated wilderness areas, the land surrounding Ebbetts Pass is the wildest of any Sierra road. Driving through the backcountry of California will rejuvenate your spirit.

Arroyo Seco Parkway (Route 110)
Arroyo Seco Parkway connects Los Angeles and Old Pasadena through the colorful landscape of the Arroyo Seco. With gentle curves, lush landscaping and scenic vistas, the parkway travels through the most culturally and historically vibrant areas in the West, taking you past the turn-of-the-century Arroyo Seco Arts and Crafts Movement, exquisite parks, intriguing architecture, and stunning natural beauty. Southern California's past is revealed in museums such as the Pasadena Museum of History, Southwest Museum, El Pueblo de Los Angeles, and Lummis Home. Along your journey you'll find Elysian Park, Dodger Stadium, and Arroyo Seco Park, with hiking, biking and horseback trails.

US Route 66
One of the original federal routes, U.S. Route 66 winds 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. The California stretch extends from the Colorado River near Needles, through the Mojave Desert to the Pacific Ocean. Traveling through deserts, mountains, ghost towns, metropolitan areas, and beach communities, California's 320 miles of the "Mother Road" provide a variety of geography, scenery, culture, architecture, and history. As you trek along this historic route, you will discover historic landmarks, museums, such as the Route 66 Museum and Exotic World Museum, and vintage rest stops, such as Roy's Café. Stop by the world's first McDonalds in San Bernardino and the Route 66 Visitors Center and Museum in Rancho Cucamonga. From Pasadena, the original road survives for 80 miles through Los Angeles until you reach the western end at the Santa Monica Pier. Get a peek at the historic Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles, and the stars in Hollywood.

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