This is a full 2-week road trip up the California Coast, starting from the warm shores of San Diego and ending with the towering redwoods of Humboldt. Some of the days are optional extensions that can be cut if you only have a shorter time.

Each day focuses on NATURE, including our favorite hikes, sunrise & sunset spots, beautiful vistas, and more. We've linked added intel like hiking routes and dispersed camping locations.
We've also added some of our top bakeries, breweries, and other spots to check out along the drive.

This guide has almost 90 individual recommendations and represents the best of our accumulated knowledge over years of road trips. The included interactive map makes it super simple to plot your own route!

Use this as your main resource, or combine it with your own research to craft your ideal journey.

Be sure to tag us in your trip photos! 
@theloverspassport

Coastal California Roadtrip

Dreaming of a few days in Napa, but don't want to plan it all on your own? California Wine Country is one of areas I know best as a travel designer and Bay Area local.

This 3 day itinerary is all about wine tastings, with extra wineries and restaurants to choose from. Everything you need in one place, so you can focus on enjoying your trip! 

Unlock for access to: 

🗺 Daily itinerary with logistics details, wine tasting tips, and destination insights.
🛌 Places to stay: boutique and luxury hotels
🍷 Wineries with suggested tour and tasting experiences
🍽 Places to eat: casual and upscale options

Check the guide below or use the interactive map to look through the options. It’s mobile-friendly and easy to use on the go. 

This is a living guide. You will receive future updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later!

3 Days in Napa Valley | A Wine Tasting Itinerary

While wine country may the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Sonoma, the laid-back Russian River Valley is worth a weekend visit to explore its lush scenery, top notch restaurants and wineries, and eccentric spirit. 

This curated guide highlights my Russian River Valley favorites with plenty of recs for a long weekend trip. Unlock it to access:

🛌 Places to stay: boutique hotels, glamping, airbnbs
🍽 Places to eat
🛶 Things to do: outdoor activities, wineries, wellness
🌳 Essential destination tips
🍷 Lifetime updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later

This guide does not include Healdsburg or Santa Rosa. For recommendations in those areas, take a look at The Sonoma List in my California shop. 

Russian River Valley Black Book

Palm Springs is the ultimate retro glam destination for a relaxing getaway in the desert. As a California local who has visited a  few times, I’ve collected a growing list of the best hotels, restaurants, and things to do in Palm Springs. This curated list shares my handpicked favorites in a mobile-friendly, easy to use format. 

Unlock for access to:

🛌 Boutique hotels
🍽 Places to eat + drink
👙 Things to do: architecture, shops, and outdoor activities
🚗 Day trips
⛱ Future updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later.

The Palm Springs List

The Eastern Sierras are absolutely one of my favorite places to road trip in California. The drive is essentially the drive between LA and Tahoe - the scenic way -  most of it happens on Highway 395. This is a drive I’ve done multiple times, each time stopping at some of the same points, and some different points. You’ll find incredible mountain vistas, hot springs, hiking, camping, and more! 

Use this as a guide for one or multiple trips. The stops are ordered from south to north and are all places that I have actually been to. This is a living guide meaning, each time I visit a new place that is worth mentioning, I’ll add it to this guide, and you’ll get the update automatically.

If you find this information helpful, any tips are appreciated for my work :)

The Best Eastern Sierra Road Trip stops

As a boutique travel designer and Bay Area local, I've collected a growing list of the best hotels, restaurants, and things to do in Point Reyes, a stunning coastal and agricultural region north of SF. Explore it as a day/weekend trip or as a stop on a Northern Coast road trip. This curated list shares my handpicked favorites, including hard-to-find recommendations.

Unlock for access to:

🛌 Places to stay: boutique hotels + airbnbs
🦪 Places to eat
🌊 Things to do: sights, hikes, water activities, food + drink experiences
🐮 Destination tips to help you plan and make the most of your trip.
🌳 Future updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later

Each recommendation includes notes and insights. Use the guide below or the interactive map to look through the options and make plans for your trip. It’s mobile-friendly and easy to use on the go!

The Point Reyes List 

This iconic stretch of California’s central coastline is a must-see for locals and out of state visitors no matter how popular it is. As a Bay Area local, I’ve been lucky enough to explore Big Sur’s iconic essentials and lesser-known gems a number of times. This curated list shares my handpicked favorites in a mobile-friendly, easy to use format. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious or low-key experience immersed in nature, this guide has you covered. 


Unlock this guide for access to:

🛌 Places to stay: boutique hotels + campsites
🍽 Places to eat: breakfast, lunch, and dinner options
🌲 Things to do: hikes, beaches, and wellness
🌊 Future updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later! 

Insider’s Guide to Big Sur, California

A sweet small town in Sonoma County, Healdsburg is my happy place - so much so that I started a company to celebrate everything about it: @when.in.wine.country. Check out my favorite (kinda) fancy places to eat, drink, stay, and play in Wine Country. 

Luxe Healdsburg, California

Hot springs, mountain trails, alpine lakes, desert landscapes and tons of incredible dispersed camping opportunities - just a few things that make the Eastern Sierras an incredible place to visit! Here’s exactly what you can expect from my Eastern Sierras & Hot Springs guide 👇

This guide is the result of dozens of hours of planning, research, and in-person experience. It includes an fun features such as an interactive map, directions that connect directly to your phone’s Google or Apple Maps app, and the exact coordinates to some of my favorite hidden gems & hiking trails in the Alabama Hills & Mammoth Lakes areas!

It lays out instructions to help you plan your perfect trip to this area including dispersed camping locations, camper van rental suggestions, other accomodation options (if camping isn’t your thing), 8 hot spring locations, several hiking trails, direct links to every resource you could need, suggested photo locations, behind the scenes exclusive photos and videos from me, and so much more! It’s mobile friendly when you download the Thatch App for free so you can easily access all of the info right from your phone. 

I have hand crafted this guide specifically for adventure travelers (like me!) and feel so confident you will have an amazing trip with this guide by your side 😏 As a part of your purchase of the guide, here are a few promises I can make you:

1. This is a LIVING guide: I will update it as I find more information and discover more places which means you  have lifetime access to updated information as it’s added!

2. I only make guides based on areas I have not only been to but know well! I include both activities that I have done myself as well as those that are on my bucketlist for next time I visit! I will always call out the ones I have not done yet and provide you the exact resources you need to experience them yourself!

3. These guides are completely transparent! You can be sure that all unfiltered opinions I provide are my own 🙃 If I include any sponsored information or affiliate links, I will be sure to call these out directly. I will only include these if they benefit you (such as a discount code or coupon!)

I can’t wait to hear & see your adventure! Feel free to send me a DM with your feedback, fill out my feedback form at the bottom of this guide & tag me in your photos! @katbennettphoto

California’s Hot Springs: A Weekend Guide to the Eastern Sierras

This is a map of all of my favorite spots in Big Sur, California including places to stay, viewpoints, hikes, dining, and more. 

Use this guide to know where to camp above the clouds, what stops to make along Hwy 1, and where to stretch your legs on the trails. Unlocking this guide will give you lifetime access to this map, including updates I will make each time I return.

If you find this information helpful, any tips are appreciated for my work :)

Destination: Big Sur 

A trip to California's Central Coast is pretty much always a good idea. Located about halfway between LA and San Francisco, San Luis Obisbo, or SLO, is the perfect weekend trip. Whether you're just planning on checking out the town or exploring the nearby areas, it's always worth spending some time here.

This guide contains all of my personal recommendations for places to eat and things to do in the area that I have actually been to. 

In this guide you’ll get;
- All of my favorite restaurants in SLO & the surrounding area.
- Things to do in the area.
- Multiple day trips from SLO, including my full-day trip guide to Morro Bay (a $5), and my full list of recommended stops in Big Sur (a $13 value).

Enjoy :)

San Luis Obisbo & the California Central Coast

Joshua Tree National Park is a desert & nature-lovers dream playground. With giant rock formations to climb on & really cool trees (cacti) to explore, it's one of the most unique landscapes in California.

This guide holds map pins & information for all of my favorite spots, activities, hikes, hang-out spots, camp spots, & more in Joshua Tree. Unlock it to use on one big trip, or multiple small trips - choose your own adventure! 

This is a living map, meaning that every time I return to Joshua Tree & do something new, I'll add to it, and you'll get all of the updates automatically!

If you find this information helpful, any tips are appreciated for my work :)

Destination: Joshua Tree

Hot springs are one of my favorite things to explore anywhere I am, and California has some amazing ones. Here’s an ongoing list of all the ones I’ve explored from SoCal to NorCal, and everywhere in between. Whenever I visit a new hot spring, I’ll add it to this list.

This guide is ever-growing, meaning that I’ll keep updating it with new info and new hot springs whenever I have it. Once you’ve unlocked the guide, you’ll automatically have access to all of those updates.

It also comes with info on how to get to each hot spring and an interactive map to help you along the way!

If you find this information helpful, any tips are appreciated for my work :)

The Best California Hot Springs

This curated guide to San Francisco features my favorite recommendations after living in the Bay Area for 5 years and counting. Whether you’re a local or first time visitor, this guide is one you’ll want to reference again and again for the classics and hidden gems of SF.


Unlock for access to:

🛌 Boutique Hotels + Airbnbs
🍽 Cafes, restaurants, and bars
🌿 Things to do (outdoor activities, landmarks, museums, shops, and scenic viewpoints)
🚗 Day trip ideas

This is a living guide - you will receive  future updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later!

San Francisco Black Book | A California Travel Guide

This is one of my favorite places on the Central Coast. This little town has an amazing beach, the iconic haystack rock, and several cute eateries that are worth checking out (yes, amazing seafood too). It's maintained its old-timey coastal town vibe, and will definitely keep you coming back.

This guide contains all of my personal recommendations for places to eat and things to do in the area that I have actually been to.

With this Guide you’ll get:
- A full day’s itinerary for visiting Morro Bay, including things to do & places to eat.
- An interactive map to guide you!

Enjoy!

A Day in Morro Bay

With temperatures rising for the summer season, we put together a List of some of our favorite coastal campgrounds in California for you to check out and stay cool. 

A lot of these get booked up pretty far in advance on the weekends, so be sure to check their website before you head out to one of them. If you can’t find a spot for this season, mark a time on your calendar to sag reservation for next season! And remember, you can always check out some of these areas as day trips and spend the night inland or at a nearby site. 

As always, midweek camping is always the easiest for First Come, First Served or even reservable spots. So take a few days of work and get to the coast!! 

California Coastal Camping

Mostly sushi, omakase, and some izakaya eats in Los Angeles, East Side biased 🙃

LA Japanese Eats

All of these restaurants on this list are in my opinion the best barbecue places in LA! A lot of these are Japanese or Korean style barbecues that serve some of the highest quality meat. 

Best Premium Barbecues in LA

This comprehensive guide includes essential information, the best hikes, views, eats, and more in Yosemite National Park, California:

✅ Essential info: how to get to Yosemite, transport, entry fees & reservations, when to visit, & how long to visit.
✅ 15 top hikes
✅ 20 top views
✅ Where to stay
✅ Where to camp
✅ What to eat
✅ Current weather
✅ Seasonal recommendations & tips
✅ Other resources
✅ Interactive map
✅ Mobile-friendly 
 
More questions or need more information? DM @roamfreerebecca or email becca@roamfreerebecca.com for an even more customized guide and tips!

Ultimate Yosemite National Park Guide

At just 90 minutes from San Francisco, Bodega Bay is my favorite place to escape to for a long weekend. It's a small, sleepy town on the Sonoma Coast, known for its beaches, hikes, crab, and clam chowder. Over the course of the last 2 years, I've spent several weeks and long weekends in Bodega Bay. Here's a 3-day guide to my favorite places, hikes and activities. 

A Long Weekend in Bodega Bay

This idyllic coastal town is one of my favorite California weekend getaways for scenic vistas and European charm. My curated list shares the best of the coast and countryside with my handpicked favorites in Carmel-by-the-sea and Carmel Valley. The only guide you’ll ever need for all of your future trips to Carmel in a mobile-friendly, easy to use format. 

Unlock it for access to:
🛌 Places to stay (luxury and boutique hotels, airbnbs)
🍽 Places to eat (casual and upscale dining) 
🌊Things to do (beach, nature, wellness, wineries, shopping)
🚗 Day Trips
🌸 Future updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later! 

The Carmel List | A California Travel Guide

Let’s be honest. Los Angeles has everything you need: Beaches, skyscrapers, desert hikes, a foodie scene; the list goes on. However, sometimes you just need a complete change of scenery. Lucky for us, California is filled with adventurous spots that are only a car ride away. Here is a list of the best road trips to take from Los Angeles.

The Absolute Best Roadtrips From LA

San Francisco is at the heart of culture in California. From the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz Island to the Japanese Tea Garden, there is something to fulfill all of your travel desires while stopping through. So, without further ado, here are 23 must-sees in San Francisco!

Must-Sees in San Francisco

California Gold Country holds an incredible amount of history, beautiful outdoor activities, alpine lakes, hiking, food, wine, & more. In my opinion, this section of Highway 49 is the best road trip in the West. The entire 49 is amazing, but in case you're short on time, this guide focuses on my favorite section of it. 

This guide holds everything you need for a 3-5 day trip in this region. It includes information on hikes, swimming spots, small towns, wine, food, history, accommodation, camping, and more. That amount of time will leave you space to have at least one full outdoors day, one full wine & food day, and some other activities in between. 

It's a great trip for someone like me who likes getting dirty & spending time outside and in the backcountry, but also likes really good food and some of the best wine California has to offer. There's something for everyone on this trip. You can walk on a dirt trail for an hour and a half, see wildflowers, swim, go wine tasting, learn about history, and more. 

This trip can be done any time of year. If you visit in the winter, you may want to sub out some skiing for swimming & some of the hikes might be inaccessible without snowshoes or XC skis. If you go in the middle of summer, it will be hot at lower elevations, but still amazing. Spring will give you some incredible wildflowers. 

‌This area is less frequented & should be appreciated. It's a great trip if you're looking to escape the crowds. This trip can easily be done as an add-on to Lake Tahoe or Sacramento. 

Use this guide as a set itinerary, or draw from it to create your own trip!

A Guide to Gold Country

The Shasta-Trinity region of California is one of my favorites & really deserves to be visted more. ‌This area is great for all types of adventurers. There's a lot to do if you're really into outdoor recreation, but there's also a lot you can see by parking at viewpoints, walking short trails, or simply driving around, so it's great for all levels of activity.

This is a really great area to visit during any season, but its worth keeping in mind that summer can be hot at lower elevations. That said, there's also some great swimming spots for cooling off. In the winter, the lower elevation areas can be in the 50s, and Shasta will have more snow on it, which looks really beautiful. In the Spring you get wildflowers, and in the Fall you get Fall colors.

This guide includes everything you need for a 4-7 day trip to this region. If you don't have that much time, you can choose what you'd like to do & come back again to do the rest! It includes details for camping, hotel accommodation, view points, hikes, food & drink, and all the reasons I love this area.



Visiting the Shasta Region

This is a map of all of my favorite hikes in near LA in Angeles National Forest or in Los Angeles. I've included details about each hike & linked out to coordinates and trail maps. I update this map every time I do a new hike that I'd recommend. Unlocking this map will get you all of my future updates. 

Hikes near Los Angeles/Angeles National Forest

This is an ongoing map of all of my favorite hikes in or near San Diego. I've also included some cool places to go that aren't really hikes, but will still get you outside.

I'll keep updating this map whenever I do a new hike in the area. Once you've unlocked it, you'll get those updates forever!

Each hike contains specific info about what to expect as well as coordinates and trail maps.

Must Visit in San Diego

Unlock this map for access to info about all of my favorite waterfall hikes in SoCal. I'll keep updating it every time. I do a new hike. Once you've unlocked it, you'll get access to all of my updates automatically.

Each hike contains specific info about what to expect as well as coordinates and trail maps.

Waterfalls in SoCal 

This Map is all of my favorite hikes and some other scenic places located on the drive between Santa Barbara and Monterey/Big Sur. Each time I visit or do a new one, I'll add it to this map & update it. If you unlock it now, you'll continue getting my updates!

Each hike contains specific info about what to expect as well as coordinates and trail maps.

Hikes & views between Santa Barbara, Monterey, Big Sur

This map contains all of my favorite hikes near the Valley & in the Santa Monica Mountains. Everytime. I do another hike worth noting, I'll update this map, so unlock it now, and you'll get all my future updates!

Each hike contains specific info about what to expect as well as coordinates and trail maps.

Hikes Near the Valley & Santa Monica Mountains

🍷🍽 In Santa Barbara, there’s no shortage of top notch wine tasting rooms and restaurants serving different cuisines from tacos to fresh seafood. If you’re a food and wine lover looking for the best Santa Barbara has to offer, this curated guide has you covered. I'm sharing all of my favorite spots from personal experience and hours of research. Like an upgraded Yelp with fewer, better options in a mobile-friendly format.

The best part: this is a living guide. Shop it at a lower price point now to receive future updates including new places and deeper insights without paying more later! 

A Taste of Santa Barbara 

This is an ongoing list of my favorite spots to eat and drink in Venice, CA. I lived in Venice for 2 years, and still return often. This funky area of Los Angeles has some amazing restaurants & a great vibe.

Use the map function at the top right corner of this guide to see where each place is located while you're on the go!

If you find this information helpful, any tips are appreciated for my work :)

Venice Beach Eats and Drinks

It’s no secret that Los Angeles has a major foodie scene, and brunch is no exception. With outdoor dining opened back up, it’s time for us to start boosting that local economy, one waffle at a time. Though there are endless amounts of hidden gems all over the city, consider this your ultimate guide to brunch in Los Angeles 2021.

Ultimate Guide to LA Brunch

The best places to eat in the City by the Bay from the food editor that put together 7x7’s The Big Eat (100 things to eat in San Francisco before you die). Find all my favorites, from once-in-a-lifetime meals to the local taqueria, plotted on a map with direct links to get directions or reserve a table. Once purchased, this list will automatically be updated with new spots I discover. 