Visit San Francisco, Monterey, Big Sur, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Yosemite NP & Napa

You won't need your rental car for the first few days of this tour, so just grab a cab at the airport and head straight into "The Golden City". Before getting your head down for the night, why not step out on the steep streets of San Francisco and enjoy a meal at one of the city's outstanding restaurants.

After the morning fog lifts, one of the USA's favourite cities will be revealed. Ride a cable car from one visitor attraction to the next, highlights include Coit Tower, Lombard Street and shopping in Union Square area. Packed with Victorian charm and famous movie locations, your essential Road Trip Pack will help you prioritise San Francisco’s visitor attractions. After a full day of exploring San Fran, consider finishing the day with dinner in Chinatown, which is one of the oldest in the USA.

Fisherman's Wharf, The Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island can all be enjoyed together in a single day. Start the day by hiring a bike or tandem from Blazing Saddles, before following the bike path over the Golden Gate Bridge to the delightful small town of Sausalito. After returning your wheels, take a stroll through Fisherman's Wharf and then enjoy a well-earned meal in one of The Wharf's many great restaurants. To complete this epic day, we recommend you take a late afternoon or early evening ferry over to Alcatraz Island.

Collect your car and hit the road, first up is surf obsessed Santa Cruz and its famous Boardwalk. Further down Highway 1 lies Monterey, which was once famous for its whaling and sardine industry. Today, it focuses on marine preservation at the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium. Monterey is also world-famous for its Whale Watching cruises, a must for anyone visiting in Spring or Autumn. Complete the day, with a short drive along “17-Mile Drive” to your hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea. This scenic toll road takes you on a short tour past rugged beaches, millionaire homes and wind-blown cypress trees. Watch Seals bask in the sun and Sea Otters bob up and down in the Pacific.

Carmel-by-the-Sea offers two of the USA's best beaches, backed by a charming small town made up of beautiful homes, high-quality restaurants and quaint streets. To the north of Carmel is the legendary Pebble Beach Golf Course, and to the south is the wild and wonderful Point Lobos State Reserve.

The Golden Triangle is packed with great drives, and only time will tell which will be your favourite. Today you'll drive Big Sur which many believe to be the best drive on the planet. Big Sur is 100-miles of dramatic coastal road, which twists around curvy cliffs, passing by scenic State Parks and spectacular vista pull-ins. The last 135-miles pass through vast farms and pretty mid-coast vineyards before returning to the Pacific Coast. Get an early start and you’ll have plenty of time to explore along the way. Want to shorten the drive? No problem, please just ask for an additional stop in between Carmel and Santa Barbara.

Before leaving upmarket Santa Barbara, spend the morning enjoying its Mediterranean style and attractions. After a short drive, you'll reach Los Angeles. Synonymous with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, this town also contains funky beach towns like Santa Monica and Venice Beach. Spend the afternoon and evening by the Ocean, perhaps hire a bike in Santa Monica and cruise along the boardwalk to neighbouring Venice Beach and back. Watch the sunset whilst you grab dinner on Santa Monica Pier, before shopping till late on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade.

Head up the legendary Sunset Blvd to Beverly Hills, where you can shop with the Stars on Rodeo Drive, and marvel at this exclusive area's mansions. Further up Sunset, lies Hollywood - stroll along the Walk of Fame or perhaps hike up to the iconic sign itself. Universal and Disney both have theme parks in the city dedicated to the entertainment industry. For a more authentic behind the scenes tour; Warner Bros and Paramount still offer guided studio tours.

One can get from Los Angeles to Las Vegas in around 4 hours. We recommend, however, that you swing by Palm Springs for brunch, before cruising through Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave Desert on your way to the lights of Las Vegas. After checking in to your glamorous Las Vegas hotel, get dressed up and hit the town's tables, bars and restaurants - time to paint the town red.

If your head hurts after the night before, then simply relax by the pool or enjoy the hotels' spa. If you're ready for more action, then check out your Road Trip Pack for a list of the cities attractions. In the evening, stretch your legs with a walk along the legendary 'Strip', book tickets to one of the incredible shows or take in some retail therapy. Before leaving town, consider visiting one of the city's legendary hotel buffets. Just be sure you're hungry when you go, the vast range and the high quality of the food will astound you. Want another day here or in LA? No problem, just let us know.

Death Valley has an extreme climate and geology, so get an early or late start to avoid the mid-day heat. This National Park's roads are superb, dipping and leaning around curves before straightening out as you dip down to 85m below sea level in the salt flats of Badwater. You'll then climb to finish your drive by the snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada. It's one of the longer drives this Golden Triangle tour, but its a drive you'll never forget as the landscape is so very different to back home.

California has two famous roads, now you've already experienced Highway 1, and today you'll cruise north up the second - Highway 395. The 395 has baron desert to the east and green snow capped mountains to the west. Once you reach the weird and wonderful Mono Lake, you can head west over the Tioga Pass (June-October) and into majestic Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite National Park is nature at its absolute best. The most popular area of this epic National Park is the main "Valley" area with its gigantic rock faces, crystal clear waters and staggering vista points. Be sure to leave enough time to marvel at the giant redwood trees of Mariposa Grove to the south and then drive up to Glacier Point for sunset - possibly the best view of the entire road trip.

Today you'll leave Yosemite for the Napa Valley Wine Region, which lies 4 hours north-west. As always, your Road Trip Pack will describe all the available route options. One route option to consider is to head north to California's former gold-mining towns before turning west through vast fruit orchids and onto the beautifully manicured vineyards of the Napa Valley. Spend the rest of the day sampling the local product and relaxing, tomorrow you'll drive over The Golden Gate Bridge to complete this epic Golden Triangle adventure. nd offers fine wine and dining as well as the chance to relax before your flight home the following day.