California is an amazing state, so big to visit in one week so we focused on 7 days North California itinerary. Nature and city view available and for sure a lot of kilometers, most of all between San Francisco and Yosemite Park.
7 DAYS NORTH CALIFORNIA ITINERARY
You can add at your itinerary some activities, check the list:
- Wine Tour to the Napa and Sonoma Valley
- Complete San Francisco Tour
- Go San Francisco Card
- Aquarium of the Bay Tickets
- San Francisco Segway Tour
- California Academy of Sciences Ticket (high recommended)
- Walt Disney Family Museum Ticket
- San Francisco Bike Tour
DAY 1 – 2 SAN FRANCISCO
This post goes to the part of San Francisco that I liked best, Fisherman’s Wharf. Pier39, the first one of the most touristic areas of the city. You are in the northeastern part of the city, between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge.
Alcatraz tour is another mandatory visit if you are in San Francisco. The most famous prison in the world even if you are not a fan of this kind of sightseeing I assure you that you will find the story very interesting. I really enjoyed the tour, and the audioguide, I 100% recommend this visit.
I recommend buying tickets for at least one month before the date especially if in summer. This combo ticket includes too the hop on and hops off of the San Francisco Tourist Bus. Allowing you to create your ideal sightseeing itinerary around the city and explore the places that interest you the most. Hungry? Check the 5 things you need to taste in San Francisco!
DAY 3 PALO ALTO
Palo Alto is a charter city located in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city was established by Leland Stanford Sr. when he founded Stanford University. As one of the principal cities of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is headquarters to a number of high-technology companies like Google and Apple.
DAY 4 YOSEMITE PARK
Yosemite National Park was the first park arranged by the federal government of the United States. One of the most visited so today we will discover the Top 5 views in Yosemite park. It is found in the federal state of California, in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Famous for being full of extraordinary natural beauty, dotted with high cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, giant trees, and streams.
Top 5 views in Yosemite:
- Glacier Point
- Mariposa Grove
- Yosemite Valley
- Half Dome
- El Capitan
We strongly recommend that you make reservations for camping or lodging if you plan to spend the night. I chose to stay at the Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite. The Evergreen Lodge is located in the center of Yosemite park, the nearest airport is Oakland (OAK) or San Francisco International Airport.
DAY 5 MARIPOSA GROVE
One of the most beautiful areas of Yosemite National Park is Mariposa Grove with his giant sequoias and the fauna that lives there will remain etched for the rest of your life. Many tourists only enter Yosemite to drive to Yosemite Valley, or to go to Glacier Point. Personally, I recommend you sleep two nights in the park, I recommend the Evergreen dedicate the first day to Yosemite Valley and the second to Mariposa Grove. Read here for how to plan your trip to Yosemite.
Located in the southern portion of Yosemite, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite and is home to over 500 mature giant sequoias. Arriving at the car park (free), you can take the buses provided by the park to get to the starting point.
DAY 6 – 7 SAN FRANCISCO
I’m a huge fan of graffiti and murals, and this year I was lucky enough to see the 5 most beautiful murals of San Francisco. I want to share this list with all the street art lovers, I think murals make a city more beautiful, obviously respecting the spaces and laws. Many of the graffiti I added to the list are linked to non-profit associations. Others are just dedicated to famous people that the citizens of San Francisco love. This tour includes the Mission and Castro neighborhoods and Chinatown.
Since my trip to California, one of the best memories has remained the food, so I decided to write about 5 things you need to taste in San Francisco. We know that American cuisine does not stand out for its creativity, however for its taste and quantity. I always want to try new things, once I have booked the hotel and the flight, I start looking for restaurants to try. Check my list here.
