Northern California is home to some of the best travel destinations in the state. From stunning national parks to beautiful beaches to exciting attractions, Northern California is the perfect place for a road trip. Book your flight to San Francisco National Airport (SFO), pick up a SFO car rental, and let the good times begin!
What California road trip would be complete without at least one trip to the beach? Start off your trip by driving your San Francisco car rental to the beautiful Moonstone Beach. Surfers can enjoy hitting the waves while explorers can enjoy scouring the beach for shells. During low tide, visitors can check out the caves and tide pools.
Kids can spend time splashing in the water of the slow-moving Little River as well. The beach is animal-friendly, so feel free to bring the family dog—or even a horse for riding.
If you’re visiting between April and October, you’ll want to arrive before or after peak hours (9 am-5 pm) unless you’re willing to deal with traffic—especially in Yosemite Valley.
There are plenty of things to do within the park including hiking, backpacking, camping, and more. The park also offers guided tours and ranger programs. The park boasts incredible scenery with countless waterfalls, beautiful wildflowers, majestic rock formations, quaint meadows, and striking mountain views.
Think of Lassen Volcanic National Park as the Yellowstone of California. The park features many hydrothermal wonders such as mud pots, fumaroles, boiling pools, and more. The hot, molten rock beneath the park heats up water, which rises and boils to the surface, forming these hydrothermal features throughout the area.
There are plenty of trails and hikes throughout the park to explore including Subway Cave, Sulphur Works, Devils Kitchen, Cold Boiling Lake, and more.
Next, drive your rental car north to Ocean World in Crescent City, CA. While there, enjoy a 45-minute guided tour to explore the world under the sea. Learn about the marine treasures of the Pacific Northwest at the Touch-and-Feel Tide Pool, laugh through the Seal and Sea Lion Performance, and make memories you’ll never forget when you touch a real, live shark.
The final stop before returning to San Francisco is the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Not many places to visit can boast stunning cliff-top gardens with an ocean view, but that’s just what you’ll get when you visit this popular tourist spot. The Gardens are particularly known for the beautiful Rhododendrons that grow there.
Along with the many beautiful species of plants, the gardens also offer many bird watching opportunities, with over 160 types of birds that can be found throughout the year.
Avis Rent a Car in San Francisco can make your road trip a breeze to plan. Choose from a variety of high-quality cars to meet your individual needs. Worried about figuring out the toll roads? Avis E-toll makes the process easy, so you can focus on the best parts of a road trip—new places, old friends, and countless memories.