Roadtripping Northern California
Follow our team’s journey along Northern California’s iconic Route 101, from San Francisco to the Redwoods, as they uncover local tips, hidden highlights and first-hand insights for your own road trip.
Part 1: our roadtrip recommendations
Start in San Francisco
Visit coastal towns like Eureka and Mendocino
Hike in Redwood State and National Parks
Drive back down the Sierra Nevada Mountains
Return to San Francisco
Starting in San Francisco is a brilliant way to begin your classic American road trip. The city offers endless things to see and do before you even get behind the wheel.
While you’re here, visit the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, catch a 49ers American football game, explore one of the city’s many museums, or dine at its fantastic restaurants.
Bonus tip: Visiting in September means you can still enjoy excellent weather and sunshine, but without the crowds of the peak season.
Drive to the Redwoods
From San Francisco, once you cross over into the Marin Headlands and drive on Highway 1, you will get spectacular views over the rocky Pacific Ocean coastline.
The route is dotted with beautiful natural scenery, hidden national parks, charming towns and unique wildlife. Stop along the way in the Redwood National Park and Forest.
“Some of our favourite scenic roads from the trip are:
1. Lucas Valley Road
This is a shortcut when driving from San Francisco towards Oregon. Scenic Valley Road boasts amazing pine forests and a nice lake.
When driving North, you will come back to a scenic lookout from Route 101 at Point Reyes Station. From there until Bodega Bay (especially until Hamlet Village), there are a lot of laid-back places where you can enjoy the shoreline and eat oysters at small and laid-back cafes and stands.
2. Hwy 299 Willow Creek
This route takes you towards Redding. You will then drive through both the Six Rivers National Forest & Trinity National Forest. There are not many cafes between Willow Creek & Redding, but there are numerous awesome places to enjoy a picnic. So make sure to pack one when getting in the car!”
- Thies
Stop in Mendocino
Mendocino is a charming, historic coastal town and a lovely stop along the route. It has cosy cafés, friendly locals and several walking trails that follow the coastline.
Depending on the time of year, you may even spot migrating whales in spring or autumn. The town is wonderfully walkable too, making it ideal for exploring at a relaxed pace. Wander through the centre, head down to the cliffs, then stroll across the grasslands and clifftops for as long as you fancy.
From Mendocino, there are plenty of options for additional stops and day trips to nearby highlights. The Redwood National and State Parks are a popular choice, with several trails and entrances just a couple of hours’ drive away. Here, you can see towering redwood trees and local wildlife.
Yosemite is also within a day’s drive. We even spotted a black bear while driving through Yosemite National Park.
The diverse Pacific coastline is also home to fascinating tide pools, where you may spot starfish, sea urchins and other marine life. Mendocino is a wonderful place to experience these unique coastal ecosystems.
Our top recommendation for a day trip from Mendocino is Lassen Volcanic National Park. It’s a rather overlooked national park, but its views rival Yosemite’s, without the crowds.
A particular highlight is the picture-perfect lake viewpoint near the entrance. It’s ideal for a shorter walk and can be completed in around an hour.
There are also plenty of longer trails to explore, depending on how much time you have and how adventurous you’re feeling. You could stop for just a couple of hours or easily spend several days here enjoying the peaceful natural surroundings.
Fun fact: redwoods and sequoias are actually different trees. Both are giants, but redwoods are taller, while sequoias, found further south in California, are much wider.
It’s worth noting that, unlike many national parks with several accommodation options around the park, Lassen Volcanic National Park has just one. Thankfully, it’s both cosy and picturesque, surrounded by trees, with wonderfully welcoming hosts.
“We did the hike with the lake viewpoint, one of the first when you get inside the park, but there are countless other hikes with small tracks that make you feel like you are alone in the park. I really liked this experience because it is very different from walking over concrete or asphalt, like in some other national parks." - Thies
It’s worth noting that, unlike many national parks with several accommodation options around the park, Lassen Volcanic National Park has just one. Thankfully, it’s both cosy and picturesque, surrounded by trees, with wonderfully welcoming hosts.
“We did the hike with the lake viewpoint, one of the first when you get inside the park, but there are countless other hikes with small tracks that make you feel like you are alone in the park. I really liked this experience because it is very different from walking over concrete or asphalt, like in some other national parks." - Thies
From the northern border of California, past Lassen Volcanic National Park, are the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This mountain range offers hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, and even skiing in the winter. This is where you can find the American classic bucket list item: Yosemite National Park.
Part 2: We develop personal relationships with suppliers
We visit our destinations and accommodations ourselves, which means we are well acquainted with our own recommendations because we see it from the same perspective as our customers.
We also work hard to develop and maintain close relationships with our small-scale hosts. The accommodations and activities that we offer all have unique stories, and we are excited for you to experience that yourself!
“We really take the time to comb out the entire areas that we are visiting. We already do what the clients can do there (hikes, restaurants, viewpoints, activities, and accommodations). We engage with the locals. We ask around at bars & restaurants and local tourism offices for the small-offices forscale & hidden gems that no one knows about.” - Thies
A great example of one such host is a historic inn in Requa, which located on the north bank of the Klamath River and is home to the Indigenous Yurok Tribe.
“The inn is operated by Jan (Native American woman from the Yurok people). Our meeting with her was quite extensive, and she showed us around and told us a lot about the history of the Inn and their people. She also showed us a rock that has been sacred to their people.
It was only a short walk, but it was really great to hear the stories that Jan told us about the history and beliefs of her people.” - Thies
Here at Little America, we stand apart from the rest of the travel industry. Our hosts have a unique story, and we aim to share that with you!
To do this, we regularly visit our hosts and travel throughout our destinations ourselves. This means that we are well acquainted with all of our accommodations and find the best for you to enjoy, and we have a close and ongoing relationship with the unique and small-scale businesses we work with.
Our hosts are important to us, and we work to make the experience positive. For example, we pay our hosts well in advance, which also means you don’t have to worry about anything during your stay; simply sit back and enjoy the warm hospitality.
