2 weeks(ish) California road trip

Question

We are looking to plan a California road trip (next Spring, so we have plenty of time). We are into hiking and other outdoorsy things like kayaking/ paddle boarding, horse riding etc, and we also love the ocean and taking in amazing scenery, so keen to mix PCH with some national parks. We’d like a spot of wine country too.

We are trying to make the most of being in Cali, but also not rush through and not enjoy it/ exhaust ourselves so much we need another holiday!

We have an guideline itinerary below. Would appreciate any thoughts. We live in a big city (London, UK) so while we don’t mind cities, we would prefer to be in nature and not that fussed about LA:

Day 1- Land San Fran (mid afternoon)

Day 2 - San Fran

3 - San Fran

4 - travel to Monterrey /carmel by the sea - afternoon activity (lunch Santa Cruz?)

5 - Monterey/ Carmel by the sea

6 - drive to Cambria / Morro Bay / San Luis Obispo - overnight

7 - early morning drive to Sequoia/ Kings NP via Big sur

8 - Sequoia/ Kings NP

9 - drive to Yosemite - Yosemite

10- Yosemite

11 - Yosemite

12 - drive to Lake Tahoe

13 - Lake Tahoe

14 - LT to Sonoma/ Napa

15 - Sonoma / Napa

Day 16/17 (can be flexible)- drive and fly back from SF

Is this a good itinerary? Not rushed? We did consider squeezing in Joshua Tree, but I think we’d be too rushed and we could always do in in a future trip, either with LA/ SD and Death Valley, or with GC, Zion, Bryce Canyon etc.

Thanks

Answer

Overall: this is a lovely itinerary and hits a great mix of coast, redwoods, high-country Sierra, lake time and wine country — but it’s borderline ambitious in places. You have several long driving legs and some seasonal/road constraints (Big Sur closures and Tioga Road) that should shape how you sequence days and where you add buffers. Below I give a practical read of each chunk of your plan, timing & driving notes, where to consider slowing down or rearranging, plus alternatives to reduce stress while keeping the highlights.

Big-picture recommendations (summary)

Keep 3–4 nights in Yosemite (you already have 3) — that’s good. Yosemite’s trails and scenery reward slow pacing.
Expect several long driving days (5+ hours) if you link Big Sur → Sequoia → Yosemite; build in an extra overnight or split a long leg. Big Sur → Sequoia is a long drive (5–6+ hours depending on route and stops).
Check Highway-1 / Big Sur closures before you lock plans — a significant 6–7 mile closure has impacted continuous PCH travel in recent seasons and can force inland detours. If the Big Sur coastal stretch you want is closed, plan the inland route (US-101/CA-46/CA-41) instead.
Tioga Road (Yosemite’s east-side, connecting to US-395 and useful for some Tahoe routes) opens seasonally and can be late May → early June on average — don’t assume it will be open in “early” spring; check NPS for the exact year you travel as it depends on snowpack. If you want to drive over the Sierra via Tioga (or enter/exit Yosemite that way), plan dates around its opening.
Allow at least one “buffer” day (or half-day) between heavy drive+park days so you’re not exhausted — you mentioned not wanting to rush, so use that buffer to swap in extra time at a favorite spot.

Day-by-day review + tips

Day 1–3: San Francisco (arrive mid-afternoon, 2 full days)

Good plan — 2–3 nights in SF is ideal for recovery from a long flight and seeing highlights (Golden Gate, Muir Woods, a short coastal walk, foodie neighborhoods, ferry to Sausalito or Alcatraz if you like).
If you want more nature and less city, consider one day trip (Muir Woods + Point Reyes) rather than extra SF time.

Day 4–6: Drive to Monterey/Carmel → Monterey/Carmel → Cambria/SLO

SF → Monterey/Carmel is a comfortable coastal drive; without heavy sightseeing it’s ~2–3 hours, but with stops (Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, 17-Mile Drive) plan a full day. Expect traffic leaving SF and near Santa Cruz on weekends.
Monterey/Carmel are great for kayaking/paddle boarding, point-lobos hiking, and coastal scenery — perfect match to your interests.
Cambria / Morro Bay / SLO is a sensible overnight after the Monterey area; the coastal stretch south of Carmel (Big Sur) is amazing but may require longer driving time or an early start. If you plan lots of stops along Big Sur, either start early or break the coastal drive over two days. If the Regent’s Slide / Highway-1 closure is still in effect, you’ll need to detour inland and lose some coastal time.

Day 7: Early morning drive to Sequoia/Kings Canyon via Big Sur (— rethink)

This is probably the most ambitious single day on your plan. Big Sur → Sequoia is a long haul (commonly 5–6+ hours of driving not counting stops) and that leg combined with an early start makes for an exhausting day. Consider instead:
Option A: After Cambria, drive inland to the Central Valley / Visalia / Three Rivers area and overnight there — gives you a shorter approach to Sequoia the next morning (more restful, easier access to Giant Forest). This breaks the long drive into two manageable days.
Option B: If you really want to do Big Sur and then Sequoia without an extra night, accept a long driving day and plan minimal stops — but be aware you’ll lose time in the parks the next day and fatigue will be an issue.

Day 8: Sequoia / Kings Canyon

2 days in Sequoia/Kings is fine for key hikes (General Sherman, Moro Rock, Crescent Meadow) and some quiet exploring. Book lodging early (spring/summer fills) and check road/entrance status since there can be spring road repairs or lingering closures.

Day 9–11: Drive to Yosemite → 3 days Yosemite

Driving Sequoia → Yosemite usually takes ~3–4 hours (depending on which entrances you use). Your plan to spend 3 days in Yosemite is sensible — gives time for valley hikes (Mist Trail/ Vernal Falls if you’re fit), Glacier Point (seasonal), or exploring Tuolumne Meadows if Tioga Road is open.
Important: Tioga Road (east entrance/Highway-120) is seasonal — plowing begins in mid-April and opening often happens late-May to early-June (average late May). If you intend to cross the Sierra via Tioga (eg to/from Mono Lake / Lee Vining / Mammoth Lakes / Tioga Pass), confirm the road status for your travel dates. If Tioga is still closed, your Yosemite routing options change substantially.
Yosemite may have day-use reservation requirements on busy weekends/peak months — check the NPS reservation policy for the year you travel (especially Memorial Day → August).

Day 12–13: Drive to Lake Tahoe → 2 days Lake Tahoe

Yosemite → Lake Tahoe is plausible but depends on route and whether Tioga is open; typical drive times are 3–5 hours depending on which pass and traffic. Tahoe is great for hiking, kayaking/paddle boarding and lakeside relaxation. Two nights gives you a nice taste but is a little short if you want real downtime.
If Tioga is closed you’ll drive down/out then over a longer route — allow extra time.

Day 14–15: Lake Tahoe → Sonoma/Napa → 2 days wine country

Lake Tahoe → Napa is ~3 hours (allow 3–4 hrs). Two days in wine country is a good quick visit: pick either Sonoma or Napa as a base (Sonoma for a more relaxed/less formal vibe; Napa for acclaimed tasting rooms and more reservation-driven experiences).
Book winery tastings/reservations in advance (spring weekends can fill).

Day 16/17: Return to SF / depart

Short drive back to SF from Napa/Sonoma — keep a buffer for traffic and airport drop off. If you fly out from SFO allow extra time vs. OAK/SJC.

Route / pacing suggestions (concrete edits to reduce rushing)

Insert one extra overnight between Big Sur and Sequoia: stay inland (Paso Robles / Atascadero / Fresno area) so you approach Sequoia fresh the next morning.
Or swap the order: After Monterey/Carmel head inland to Sequoia/Kings, then go north to Yosemite, then to Lake Tahoe, then down to Napa → SF. This reduces backtracking in some variants but still needs careful road checks.
If the Big Sur PCH closure impacts your dates: consider doing Monterey/Carmel but skip the full Big Sur stretch, or approach Big Sur from the north and plan your inland transfer to Sequoia from Cambria via 46/41/99 instead of hugging the closed coastal segments.
Consider adding one extra night in Lake Tahoe if you want kayaking/horse riding and a genuinely relaxed vibe — two nights can feel rushed after big parks.

Activity ideas that map to your interests

Monterey/Carmel: kayaking in Monterey Bay, Point Lobos hiking, coastal paddle boarding.
Big Sur: short coastal hikes and scenic vistas (Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach) — if open.
Sequoia: guided ranger walks, Giant Forest hikes, Moro Rock sunrise, easy horseback rides outside the park (nearby stables may offer rides).
Yosemite: Mist Trail (Vernal/Nevada Falls), Lower/Upper Yosemite Falls, Tuolumne Meadows hiking if Tioga is open, rock-rim viewpoints. Book any special guided hikes or horseback rides early.
Lake Tahoe: paddle boarding/kayak on the lake, Eagle Rock / Rubicon Trail hikes, horseback rides available nearby.
Napa/Sonoma: vineyard bike rides, winery tastings, hot-air balloon or easy hikes among vineyards.

Practical logistics & bookings

Reserve Yosemite lodging/campsites and any necessary day-use reservations as early as possible (Yosemite can require reservations for busy periods).
Book key lodging in Sequoia and Lake Tahoe in advance (spring weekends, especially around holidays, get busy).
Check Highway-1 / Big Sur status in the months before travel — some closures last for many months/years and force inland detours.
Plan driving times conservatively (allow for scenic stops, park shuttles, traffic, and mountain/curvy roads).

Final verdict

Your itinerary is excellent in terms of highlights and variety, but it’s slightly optimistic on drive pacing around the Big Sur → Sequoia → Yosemite sequence. To avoid exhaustion and really enjoy hiking, kayaking and relaxed wine time, either add one extra overnight (suggestion: break the Big Sur → Sequoia leg) or rearrange so you don’t pack multiple 5–6 hour driving days back-to-back. Also, watch Tioga Road opening and the status of Highway-1 when you firm up dates — those two factors will materially affect routing and timing.