I made a list of my favorite California road trips. Here's the summary. PM if you are interested in detailed directions:

Las Vegas to Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara to Hwy 1 PCH Ragged Point.
Ragged Point to Monterey Peninsula (including detour due to road closure).
Monterey Hwy 1 PCH to San Francisco Golden Gate.
San Francisco Hwy 1 PCH to Jenner.
Hwy 1 PCH Jenner to Redwoods Parks and Oregon Border
Jenner to Napa & Wine Country Loop.
Sacramento to Hwy 49 Historic Gold Country & Yosemite Valley.
Yosemite Valley over Tioga Pass to Lee Vining Hwy 395. Closed in winter.
Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe Loop.
Hwy 395 to Death Valley & Las Vegas
San Diego 5P Loop (Palms, Pines, Pie, Palomar, Pacific).

 

All great rides, done every one, several of them many times.

 

This is a very useful post for me as I am planning a ride down the PCH from Olympic National Park. We are trying to decide how far South to go before turning around. Certainly no further than SF. I am a bit nervous riding around or in Big Cities but it would be a shame to go so far and not cross the Golden Gate Bridge. Do you have any tips? Such as best day of the week, best time of day? Is it possible to (easily) cross back and forth? We are thinking of heading across to Sonoma and then heading back North up to Oregon before heading back East to Maine from whence we came.

(Tried to send a PM but couldn't seem to make it work!)

 

try sending PM again I had then disabled. If that doesn't work I will post the info

 

PM still appears to be disabled - I tried sending an e-mail!

 

Sorry. Here are the trips that may interest you, as far as San Francisco Golden Gate. It is written coming south to north. You will adjust north to south.
You may not have time to do the Sacramento to Yosemite Valley. But do try to make Sacramento to Lake Tahoe, and 1/2 Lake Tahoe Loop returning to Sacramento on I-80 and I-5 to Oregon Border.

Hwy 1 PCH Jenner to Redwoods Parks & Oregon Border. 350 miles. Hwy 1 north to Leggett Hwy 101. Hwy 101 to Humboldt Redwood State Park (200 miles). Continue north on HWY 101&1 through more Redwood Parks to Crescent City, Ca and Oregon border (150 miles). If you want, you can cutover from Hwy 1 to Hwy 101 at Fort Bragg Hwy 20 between Jenner and Leggett.

San Francisco north Hwy 1 PCH to Jenner. 80 miles. Hwy 101 north across Golden Gate Bridge. Hwy 1 to Jenner, CA.

Jenner to Napa Wine Country. 190 miles. Hwy 116 east along Russian River to Guerneville. Continue Hwy 116 to Sebastapol. Hwy 12 to Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Napa (75 miles). From Napa, Hwy 29 north through wineries to Rutherford. Hwy 128 north through Calistoga to Geyserville. Hwy 101 south to Santa Rosa and Hwy 12 back to Napa (115 miles). PS. You can shortcut to Napa from San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. 50 miles. Hwy 101 past San Rafael. Hwy 37 to Sears Point. Hwy 121&12 to Napa. Then make Wine Country loop.

Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe 105 miles. Hwy I-50 east to Placerville. Continue I-50 to South Lake Tahoe Stateline Nevada. OR scenic route. 135 miles. Hwy 16 east & 49 to Jackson, CA. Hwy 88 east over Carson Pass to Hwy 89. Hwy 89 north to Hwy 50. Hwy 50 to Lake Tahoe Stateline NV.

Lake Tahoe Loop. 75 miles. Hwy 89 north to Tahoe City, CA. Hwy 28 to Incline Village, NV. Hwy 28 south to Hwy 50. Hwy 50 south to Stateline, NV

Sacramento to Hwy 49 Historic Gold Country & Yosemite Valley. 185 miles. Hwy 16 to Hwy 49 Sutter Creek. Hwy 49 south to Mariposa, CA. Hwy 140 east to Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite Valley over Tioga Pass to Lee Vining Hwy 395. 60 Miles. Closed until June. Hwy 120 to Hwy 395 Lee Vining. Check if Hwy 120 Tioga Pass is open. It usually opens by June. Hwy 395 north to Carson City, NV & Reno, NV.

 

Perhaps someone on this thread can help me. I just got back from a trip to Sonoma and Napa. I rented an Indian Tourmaster from Eaglerider San Francisco and based out of downtown Sonoma. On day 2, I plugged a Napa winery into the bike's GPS and the default setting was "quickest". The route took me on an awesome twisty road between the valleys. Regrettably, the GPS just listed the road as "unnamed". Would anybody know the name of this road and/or the route number? When I return to the area, I'd like to re-ride this road. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Subscribed. I Iike to visit California, and when I retire, I would love to tour out there. Weather, scenery, restaurants, and people, are great.

 

Be glad to help but need more info. Where did you start/finish. Do you recall any wineries or monuments you passed

 

Check the high mountain passes in CA before you go as many are buried in record snow including Tioga Pass which will not be opened for a long time.