“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” — John Muir
I gave myself three and a half days (and three nights) to visit my favorite spots in Northern California, starting in San Jose and ending in Sacramento. I asked my friend Liz to come along and do some driving so that I could take notes and plan our next stop.
Liz is from Austin, TX like me so we took a nonstop flight on Southwest (for $197) round trip that took 3 hours and 35 minutes. We left super early because we wanted to check out a few attractions in San Jose but drive a bit and spend the night in Santa Cruz on the coast.
But first things first...We landed in San Jose around 7:30 am. Avis makes it easy to get out of the lot quickly if you book your car and join their rewards program. We were heading to San Jose before 8:30am. I've written about San Jose here on a different trip.
I highly recommend stopping for a few hours. You can start with The Tech Interactive or Computer History Museum for a full Silicon Valley immersion. I took Liz to Voyager - St. John in downtown San Jose to fuel up before our drive and watch the city through their large windows.
After San Jose (my #1 place to visit in Northern California), we drove to Santa Cruz (my #2 place to visit in Northern California). We were to spend the night here but we still had a couple of hours to go before check-in at Hotel Paradox.
My highlight? The laid-back brunch at Café Brasil, just a short walk from the beach. I had the acai bowl topped with granola, banana, and honey, plus a strong cup of Brazilian coffee. Bright, fresh, and full of flavor. Between the surfy vibe, the colorful decor, and the energy of the morning crowd, it felt like pure Santa Cruz sunshine in a bowl.
Driving to Big Sur
We were both eager to head out to enjoy a scenic drive to Big Sur (my #3 best place to visit in Northern California). Take a scenic 1.5-hour drive south along Highway 1 to reach Big Sur. Even if you only get to Bixby Creek Bridge, it's worth your time, I promise!
I've been here lots of times and Liz and I didn't have an extra day to spend here but if you do, I highly recommend it. You can go hiking, beachcombing, or just watching the waves. You can easily drive to Carmel and San Simeon from here too!
My highlight? The dreamy cliffside lunch at Nepenthe. I sat on the terrace with sweeping views of the Pacific and ordered the Ambrosiaburger with a glass of local red. Juicy, smoky, and served on a French roll—it tasted even better with the ocean stretching out below. The breeze, the scent of redwoods, and that iconic Big Sur magic made it unforgettable.
Driving on Bixby Creek Bridge
However, unless you want to add a night in Big Sur and check out this beautiful area in detail, I suggest heading back before dark and enjoying a sunset on the Santa Cruz boardwalk which is what Liz and I did.
Day one Driving Map (from San Jose to Santa Cruz to Big Sur and back)
Walking along the boardwalk in Santa Cruz
Back in Santa Cruz, we had dinner at Stagnaro Bros. And, wow, was it worth it just for the views! We spent the night at Hotel Paradox, but there are many places to stay. Basically, the closer you get to the ocean, the higher the room prices here.
I recommend Santa Cruz when someone tells me they want a classic California coastal town. To recap, it’s just about 30 miles from San Jose (45 minutes), tucked on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, and it’s packed with charm. If you’re like me and love beach days, you’ll adore the sandy stretches here. I've spent long lazy days here with my family, but not on this trip!
A short stop in Oakland
Next day it was time to depart Santa Cruz and head to Oakland (my #4 best place to visit in Northern California)! The drive itself was about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
I always think of Oakland as more than just San Francisco’s neighbor across the bridge. It’s truly a place of its own. I used to bring my son here because it's a family-friendly city. My son always had fun at the Chabot Space & Science Center and Children’s Fairyland (when he was little).
Liz and I had a quick lunch in Oakland and kept driving because we planned on spending the night in Sonoma. So we had at least another 2 hours of driving ahead of us.
Day two driving map: Santa Cruz to Oakland and on to Sonoma:
Admiring vineyard views in Sonoma. One negative of this road trip was the we simply needed more time to take in all the beauty
Our drive from Oakland to El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen in Sonoma took about 1 hour and 30 minutes. We were planning to have a gourmet dinner and spend the night here.
After checking in, we were able to forget about the car for a while and stroll everywhere. I recommend this location if you like exploring on foot.
Sonoma County (my #5 best place to visit in Northern California) always feels like I landed in another world. If you love nature, good food, and relaxing in beautiful surroundings, you’re going to adore it too. There are nearly 500 wineries in Napa and Sonoma and I'm sure we could have spent a week here, easily!
But we planned to do a lot more driving next day...
My highlight? The dinner at the girl & the fig on Sonoma Plaza. I started with the fig and arugula salad, followed by duck confit over creamy polenta, paired with a local Rhône-style red. Every bite felt thoughtful and seasonal. The rustic-chic setting, with twinkling lights and soft jazz in the background, made it a perfect wine country evening.
Liz and I both woke up early and decided to get an early start because we were about to do a lot of driving. Our next destination? Yosemite Valley (my #6 best place to visit in Northern California), about 3.5 hours from Sonoma.
I wanted to see this mile-wide, seven miles long valley and I wasn't disappointed. It was absolutely worth the drive. Shaped by glaciers and carved by rivers, it’s framed by towering cliffs and famous granite domes. I recommend more than a day in Yosemite is your schedule permits.
Enjoying a trip to Yosemite. I wished we had more time to hike and admire the scenery. I can see myself camping here on my next trip.
Visiting Gold Rush towns in Calaveras County
We continued our drive towards Calaveras County (my #7 best place to visit in Northern California) because I've always found it to be one of Northern California’s most charming and underrated spots. Since we went to all these touristy spots, I felt like this should be our last stop.
Nestled in the Gold Country and High Sierra regions, Calaveras County has this laid-back, small-town feel. We went to Calaveras Big Trees State Park to see Giant Sequoias and spent the night at Arnold Meadowmont Lodge (rooms from $184).
Day Three Driving Map (from Sonoma to Yosemite to Arnold Meadowmont Lodge)
If you’re up for a bit of adventure (and have the time), I highly recommend exploring the Mercer Caverns. There are some great lakes here too if you are into fishing.
Liz and I had to part ways next day in Sacramento (my #8 best place to visit in Northern California). We both felt happy to return to our daily routines full of new memories.
Jump to a Spot...
- • Driving to Big Sur
- • Driving on Bixby Creek Bridge
- • Walking along the boardwalk in Santa Cruz
- • Steamer Lane Santa Cruz California Lighthouse is right by the road. Just keep an eye out when you are driving along the coast.
- • A short stop in Oakland
- • Strolling and admiring the view of the City Hall of Sonoma at the center of Sonoma Plaza, California
- • Sonoma is a great place to reconnect with friends, savor amazing farm-to-table cuisine paired with the best wines
- • Admiring vineyard views in Sonoma. One negative of this road trip was the we simply needed more time to take in all the beauty
- • Enjoying a trip to Yosemite. I wished we had more time to hike and admire the scenery. I can see myself camping here on my next trip.
- • Visiting Gold Rush towns in Calaveras County