Find out how to put together and follow a perfect 12-day itinerary in California. The west coast state has many attractions, and we’ve selected the best ones to visit during this period.
How do you create your itinerary?
If you have 15 days to enjoy California, you’ll have to select a maximum of three cities that you want to visit. That means choosing between Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, San José, Oakland and many others. For a 15-day itinerary in California, we recommend that you visit the first three cities mentioned (LA, San Francisco and San Diego).
After that, it would be ideal to choose between the attractions in Los Angeles, those in San Diego and those in San Francisco.
Day 1 of the 15-day itinerary in California
Considering that you’ll be arriving in San Francisco, we recommend that you visit the following sights on your first day:
- Ride the Cable Car, the city’s famous cable cars. Choose to take it from Powell St station; the line is Powell – Hyde.
- Cross Lombard Street, SF’s most famous zig-zag street.
- Go to Ghirardelli Square for an ice cream and to browse the stores.
- Have lunch (later) in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, where you’ll find typical local dishes.
- Walk to the famous Pier 39. The walk is a little longer, but it’s worth it. The whole region has a lot to see and do.
Day 2 of the 15-day California itinerary
- Start the day by passing the Palace of Fine Art, a super photogenic place.
- Go to Sausalito (by bike, car or ferry). Just cross the Golden Gate and you’ll be there.
- Make the most of the route and visit the houseboats, as well as eating in incredible local restaurants.
Day 3 of the 15-day California itinerary
- Visit Alcatraz Island (buy your tickets online in advance).
- When you arrive on the island, go straight up to the prison and, if necessary, take an audio guide.
- In the late afternoon, head to the Civic Center area, which is the political center of the city. This side of the city can be a little less safe, so avoid going at night.
- Then head to the Little Italy area, which is beautiful and has many wonderful restaurants. You can leave it for dinner at the end of the day or for lunch just after Alcatraz.
- Just next door is Chinatown, full of striking buildings and stores such as the Chinese cookie factory.
- Explore the Nob Hill neighborhood and visit Grace Cathedral.
Day 4 of the 15-day California itinerary
- Visit Union Square, the heart of the city and home to famous shopping malls, the Dewey Monument, sculptures and the Museum of Ice Cream.
- Go to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), which is beautiful and has more than 33,000 works.
- Stroll through the Yerba Buena Gardens public park.
Day 4 of the 12-day California itinerary
- Go to Alamo Square and look at the local houses.
- Pass through the little square between Fell and Oak streets.
- Walk along Haight St, which is very quaint, until you reach Golden Gate Park.
- Enjoy the park and take lots of photos. If you have time, see the Conservatory of Flowers and the surrounding museums.
- Travel to Los Angeles.
Important tip: California is a state that has many tourist cities, with museums, attractions and tours. So, regardless of where you go there, always buy the tickets in advance. We buy everything on this website that has the best price.
Day 5 of the 12-day itinerary in California
This is the first day of the itinerary in Los Angeles. For it, we recommend:
- Take a tour of Warner Studios, which takes some time.
- Visit the Walk of Fame, and don’t miss the Dolby Theater, the Chinese Theatre and Hollywood & Highlands.
- Go to the Hollywood Museum.
- Go and see the Hollywood sign.
- End the day at the Griffith Observatory and see the city from above at sunset.
- If you want to do something in the evening, look for Sunset Boulevard.
Day 6 of the 12-day itinerary in California
- Spend the day at the famous Disneyland park, part of a beautiful complex where you can spend the whole day. It’s located 30 km away from Los Angeles, in Anaheim, so we don’t recommend you book anything else to do that day either – at least, nothing during the day.
Day 7 of the 12-day California itinerary
- Visit Beverly Hills. And don’t forget to take a photo with the sign.
- Go and see Rodeo Drive & the Golden Triangle.
- Stop by the Farmer’s Market and have lunch.
- Visit the LACMA Museum, which is the city’s postcard.
- Finish the day at The Grove shopping mall.
Day 8 of the 12-day California itinerary
- Visit the Getty Villa museum.
- Stroll along the 3rd Street Promenade, a real open-air mall.
- Go to the Santa Monica Pier.
- Visit Venice Beach and the surrounding area.
Day 9 of the 12-day itinerary in California
- Visit Downtown L.A.
- Visit LA Live, the entertainment complex with restaurants, bars and theaters
- Go to the Staples Center, a multi-sport gymnasium where famous events take place – and where you can even watch a Los Angeles Lakers game.
- Pay a visit to the Grammy Museum.
- Pass in front of LA City Hall and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
- Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), full of art, or the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, full of natural history.
Day 10 of the 12-day itinerary through California
- Travel to San Diego.
- Pass through Old Town, a park area with more than 20 historic buildings.
- Visit La Jolla Cove beach.
- Take the opportunity to visit Pacific Beach.
- Visit the Mission Beach area.
- The last stop on the coast is Ocean Beach.
Day 11 of the 12-day itinerary through California
- Visit the San Diego Zoo.
- Visit the gardens of Balboa Park and stroll through them.
- Finish the day in the Gaslamp Quarter, a historic area full of bars and restaurants.
Important tip: to make the most of your trip to California, staying in the best tourist cities is essential. So, if you want, check out our article explaining the main cities and how you can save a lot on accommodation.
Day 12 of the 12-day California itinerary
- Go and see the iconic Cabrillo National Monument, in honor of the Spanish navigators.
- Visit the San Diego Maritime Museum.
- Go to the USS Midway, a kind of museum with a guided tour.
- Take a photo of the Unconditional Surrender, a statue that reproduces Seward Johnson’s famous kiss.
- Visit Coronado Beach.
- End the day at Seaport Village, a complex of stores and restaurants.
Save on tickets to paid attractions in California
There are many free tours in California that are excellent, but there are also some paid tours – such as museums, amusement parks etc. The good news is that you can buy tickets for all of California’s attractions much more cheaply.
The best way is to buy your tickets online, always BEFORE you travel. Tickets are always cheaper than at the box office and you can travel with them safely without running the risk of them being sold out. The cheapest place we’ve found so far is this website.
It’s the world’s biggest website for tickets and tours. It has all the amusement park tickets, tours, excursions and even transfers. It’s the cheapest and most reliable place we’ve found so far.
Save money on your trip to California:
Saving money: do you want to plan your trip while making the most of your budget? Be sure to read our article on how to travel to California cheap, with all the tips to save the most, while still enjoying it!
Car: if you are thinking about renting one this is the best website. It compares the price at all rental companies and finds unbeatable prices. You can save up to 30%!
Mobile chip: we always use this chip. It’s electronic (eSIM), you install it instantly and you can use your cell phone’s Internet anywhere in the world.
Travel insurance: medical care in another country is very expensive and it is extremely important to take out travel insurance for any trip abroad. This is the website we always take out our insurance on. Reliable and at a good price.
Transfer: do you need one from the airport to the hotel? Find out here how to book and for the lowest price!
