Trip Planning15 guides
Budgets, permits, packing lists and road conditions, answered before you leave.
Trip PlanningStatewide
California Road Trip Cost: A Realistic Budget Breakdown
What a California road trip really costs: gas, lodging, food, park fees and rental cars, with daily ranges for three travel styles and a sample week.
3 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
America the Beautiful Pass: Is It Worth It in California?
Is the America the Beautiful pass worth it in California? What it covers and doesn’t, the discounted versions, and the math for Yosemite and Sequoia trips.
3 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
California Road Trip Packing List for Every Season
An all-season California road trip packing list: layers for coastal fog and desert heat, car essentials, snow gear, and what you can leave at home.
2 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
Car Camping in California: Free Sites, Permits and Gear
How to car camp in California: booking campsites, where free dispersed camping is legal, the campfire permit, bear rules and gear for a comfortable night.
3 min read
Trip PlanningSierra Nevada
How to Book Yosemite Camping and Curry Village Cabins
How to book Yosemite campsites on Recreation.gov and Curry Village tent cabins on Travel Yosemite, with release dates, Camp 4 tips and backup plans.
3 min read
Trip PlanningCentral Coast
Driving Highway 1 in Winter: Big Sur Closures and Tips
Driving Highway 1 in winter: Big Sur slide closures, where to check road status, detours, storm driving tips, and the elephant seals and whales you’ll see.
2 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
Renting an RV or Campervan for a California Road Trip
How to rent an RV or campervan in California: rental companies, the real costs, vehicle length limits on park roads, where to camp and first-timer tips.
2 min read
Trip PlanningSierra Nevada
Yosemite Packing List: Summer and Winter Checklist
A Yosemite packing list for summer and winter: hiking layers, bear-safe food storage, tire chains, and what to bring for the Mist Trail and Half Dome.
2 min read
Trip PlanningSierra Nevada
Driving Highway 395 in Winter: Chains, Passes and Roads
How to drive Highway 395 in winter: chain control levels, the summits to watch, which Sierra passes close, where to get gas and how to check conditions.
4 min read
Trip PlanningSierra Nevada
How to Get Yosemite Half Dome and Wilderness Permits
How to get Yosemite Half Dome and wilderness permits step by step: the preseason and daily lotteries, trailhead quotas, backup plans and permit pickup.
3 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
California Coast Road Trip on a Budget: Camping and Eats
Road trip the California coast for less: free and cheap camping, budget eats up and down the coast, free sights, and ways to save on gas and parks.
3 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
How to Avoid Crowds in California National Parks
Beat the crowds in Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Joshua Tree and Death Valley with smart timing, quieter trails and entrances, and underrated parks.
3 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
California Bear Safety Guide: Lockers, Canisters, Trails
California bear safety explained: using bear lockers, canister rules in Yosemite and Sequoia, keeping food out of cars and what to do if you meet a bear.
3 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
EV Road Trip California: Charging, Routes and Range
Plan an EV road trip in California: charging networks and apps, Big Sur and Highway 395 charging gaps, national park charging and range tips that work.
2 min read
Trip PlanningStatewide
Best Travel Apps for a California Road Trip
The best travel apps for a California road trip: road conditions, offline maps, hiking, campsite booking, wildfire and air quality alerts, tides and stars.
2 min read