Top California Day Trips

From the Hollywood sign to the sunny beaches of Santa Monica to the glitz of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles is so full of iconic sights it can be tricky to see them all. This guided tour seamlessly transports you by coach to all of the city's top attractions—from Venice Beach to the Sunset Strip to Griffith Park and more—so that you don't need to worry about missing a thing.

Drive down one of the most scenic roads in California on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Cruise along the coast-hugging Highway 1, passing the mansions of Pebble Beach on the iconic 17-Mile Drive. Enjoy free time to explore Monterey, where you can stroll down Steinbeck’s Cannery Row or visit the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Browse the ritzy boutiques of Carmel-by-the-Sea and get a glimpse of Silicon Valley’s tech campuses on the return drive to San Francisco.

Wander through an ancient coastal redwood forest and explore the artistic bayside enclave of Sausalito on this half-day tour from San Francisco. Travel across the Golden Gate Bridge to visit Muir Woods, home to some of the oldest and tallest trees on Earth. Then, soak up stellar views of the San Francisco skyline and browse art galleries along the Sausalito waterfront. At the end of your tour choose between getting dropped off at either of the two departure points or taking the Sausalito ferry back to San Francisco (Pier 41).

For one of the best wine country tours from San Francisco, combine a visit to Northern California wine country with a Muir Woods experience for a truly fabulous day out. This Super Saver provides two popular tours at one discount price, allowing you to see and taste the delights of Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties. You’ll begin with a walk through Muir Woods National Monument with an informative guide to stare up in wonder at the towering redwood trees. Then you'll visit three wineries, with wine-tasting included. You’ll also cross the Golden Gate Bridge and have free time on Sonoma Plaza to buy lunch if you haven't opted to upgrade to the lunch option.

Discover the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada on this full-day trip to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco. Travel aboard a comfortable van through historic Gold Rush towns to reach the park, where you’ll be amazed by supersized natural wonders like Yosemite Falls and the granite cliffs of Half Dome and El Capitan. Take a hike among ancient sequoia trees, and enjoy several hours to explore the park’s wonders on your own.

Escape to California’s famous wine country on this full-day tour from San Francisco. Taste regional varietals at multiple wineries in Napa and Sonoma, including both big-name and family-run estates. Learn about the winemaking process during guided tours of vineyards and barrel rooms, and savor the area’s gourmet culture with a stop for lunch in charming Sonoma Square Plaza.

Spend your day exploring the ‘City by the Bay’ before a scenic drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods National Monument and the nearby waterfront of charming Sausalito. This narrated small-group tour takes in all of the San Francisco highlights, from Golden Gate Park and Haight-Ashbury to the Palace of Fine Arts and Presidio. Then wander on foot under California’s giant coastal redwoods before exploring the gift shops and galleries of Sausalito.

See the sights of Hollywood on this tour by open-top Mercedes minibus, which allows you to enjoy unobstructed views as you go. Traveling with an on-board guide, you'll pass by attractions such as the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood Sign, Rodeo Drive, and movie studios. Plus, get a look at some of the mansions where past and present stars have lived.

Explore Sonoma Valley wine on a small-group tasting tour from San Francisco to boutique wineries, making sightseeing stops along the way. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, enter Sonoma's rolling landscape of golden hills and vineyards, and enjoy a series of guided tastings, learning about Sonoma wine varietals and terroir as you sip. After your time in Sonoma, pause in the artists' colony of Sausalito, with the option to return to San Francisco by ferry for great views across the San Francisco Bay.

Explore one of California's most iconic settings from the beauty of San Francisco Bay. This narrated Golden Gate Bay cruise journeys alongside Alcatraz and Angel Island State Park, past the shores of Sausalito and beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. You can choose to view the sights from inside your boat or out on deck.

Known for its steep granite cliffs, waterfalls, towering sequoia groves, and diversity of wildlife, Yosemite National Park is something you don’t want to miss. On this small group day trip, you can leave the logistics to a tour guide so all you have to do is enjoy the great outdoors. You have both guided sightseeing and free time, ensuring you see the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s major attractions, like Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite Valley, with the chance to explore more of the park however you wish.

Explore Monterey, Carmel, and the Pacific Coast Highway without the hassle of renting a car during this full-day tour from San Francisco. Wind down the coast through Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove, 17-Mile Drive, and Carmel-by-the-Sea. Pickup and drop-off at downtown San Francisco hotels included.

Take an evening cruise wining and dining aboard the ‘Spirit of San Diego,’ enjoying top-notch food and drink, plus sparkling skyline views during this San Diego dinner cruise. Dig into your included gourmet meal, accompanied by a complimentary cocktail and live on-board entertainment, as you cruise 25-miles worth of California’s beautiful coastline and gaze at the twinkling stars above. You can also upgrade your cruise to include an unlimited open bar for an additional price.

The California coastline is dramatic, iconic and rugged, but also difficult to enjoy when you're trapped behind the wheel of a car rental. So take this day trip to Carmel and Monterey, and enjoy the cliffside and ocean views from the window seat of your coach.

Combine gorgeous scenery, and wine tasting on the ultimate Bay Area / Wine Country tour. Visit Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve - home to some of the oldest and largest Coastal Redwoods in the world. Stop at two wineries where you can explore the vineyards and taste a number of locally produced wines and stop for a picnic lunch in the Russian river valley. Leave the hassles of driving and navigating to your guide and enjoy the day.

Spend a few hours relaxing, sunbathing and sightseeing in the placid waters just off San Diego during this 1 or 2 hour San Diego Harbor cruise. Sit back and relax as you take in a fully-narrated tour, offering top-notch sight lines of the San Diego skyline, a cruise under Coronado Bridge, a look at the bustling US Naval fleet and a chance to spot some of the harbor’s resident sea lions. Choose between 1 and 2 hour cruise options, offering you two trips to fit your schedule and interests.

For wine enthusiasts, the Sonoma and Napa Valleys are often the pinnacle of the North American wine experience. However, for the uninitiated, choosing where and when to go can be a little daunting. This coach tour shuttles you in style to famous wineries in northern California and stop for lunch in Downtown Sonoma Square or Yountville, where you'll find a bevy of dining options and boutique shops for exploration.

Get two classic San Francisco experiences—a bike ride starting at Fisherman’s Wharf and a visit to the notorious prison island of Alcatraz—in one combined tour package. Take a scenic ferry ride to Alcatraz Island, where you can explore at your own pace on a self-guided audio tour. Use the flexible 1-day bike rental on the day of your choosing and enjoy a safe ride with a helmet included.

Spend an evening on the San Francisco Bay during this dinner cruise, including a 3-course gourmet meal of fresh, local ingredients prepared on board. After dinner, dance to the DJ's music or enjoy the nighttime views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the city skyline from the exterior deck.

Gain admission to the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco, located at Pier 39 between Fisherman’s Wharf and the Alcatraz ferry landing. A general admission ticket provides direct access to all of the aquarium’s main exhibit areas, which house more than 20,000 sea creatures. Learn what is typically found in San Francisco Bay and the nearby Pacific, including sharks, river otters, and even octopuses. The aquarium features interactive exhibits, as well as walk-through glass tunnels where schools of anchovies and fluorescent jellyfish swim overhead and around you.

Sail across San Francisco Bay at twilight to admire the city skyline as it begins to light up for the night. With an experienced captain at the helm, you’ll glide past Alcatraz Island and cruise underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

Ride a double-decker sightseeing bus to San Francisco's most famous landmarks with a choice of 2 different passes. Explore the city's 49 square miles, including stops at big-name attractions like Pier 39, the Palace of Fine Arts and Union Square. Go at your own pace, hopping off at any of 16 stops, exploring at your leisure, and then hopping back on when you're done. Choose the Premium pass to include a night tour or a Deluxe pass for an additional 24 hours of hop-on-hop-off and a night tour.

Escape the city and explore San Francisco’s North Bay, on this guided tour. See massive redwood trees that are over 1,400 years old in a magical redwood forest. Cruise up the coast for a walk on Stinson beach and lunch in the town of Stinson. Enjoy views of the city from the Marin Headlands before stopping in Sausalito where you have the option to take the ferry back.

Zoom around the waters of San Diego Bay on a jet boat ride that provides speed, splashes, and spins. As you race through the scenic waterway, your captain points out landmarks including the USS Midway, Coronado Island, Seaport Village, the Embarcadero, and the city skyline. Hang on as your captain takes your boat into power slides, 360-degree spins and other thrilling maneuvers—a high-octane twist on sightseeing in San Diego.