SF Road Trip in 6 Days on a Budget
Six days keeps the 5-day route , Yosemite overnight and Big Sur day trip, whole, then fixes the one thing that route gets away with rather than does right: it turns the rushed Redwoods day trip into an overnight, the way that long drive actually deserves to be done. Same destination, one extra day, a much better version of day five. The road trips guide has the full distance table behind every leg.
Book these before you go:
- A rental car in San Francisco for all six days.
- A room in Groveland or Mariposa for the Yosemite night.
- A room in Garberville or Redcrest , Humboldt County’s Redwoods gateway towns, booked before you leave rather than found on arrival.
| From San Francisco to… | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Yosemite Valley (via Hwy 120) | ~170 mi | 3-4 hrs |
| Big Sur / Bixby Bridge (via 101/1) | 130-140 mi | ~2.5 hrs |
| The Redwoods (Avenue of the Giants) | 200-211 mi | 3.5-4 hrs |
| Lake Tahoe (via Hwy 50) | 190-220 mi | 3.5-4.5 hrs |
Day 1: San Francisco and the rental car
Give San Francisco itself the day, the in-city itineraries are worth their own separate trip. Pick up the rental car in the afternoon and keep dinner simple; you’re driving early tomorrow.
Day 2: The drive up and Yosemite Valley’s easy stops
Leave by 7-8am for the 170-mile, 3-4-hour drive via Highway 120 (check current conditions first). No day-use reservation applies for 2026, but Valley parking still fills by mid-morning. Spend the afternoon on Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall’s short trail, and Yosemite Village. The entrance fee is $35 for seven days, plus $100 per person at the gate for non-U.S. residents, a new 2026 charge. Overnight in Groveland.
Day 3: A full day in the park, then back to the coast
Glacier Point Road or the lower Mist Trail to the Vernal Fall footbridge, then the 3-4-hour drive back to San Francisco by evening.
Day 4: Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway
Leave by 7am for the 130-140-mile, 2.5-hour drive to Bixby Bridge via 101/156/1; check bigsurcalifornia.org or Caltrans QuickMap first, since Highway 1 still sees occasional slide-repair closures after reopening in January 2026. Stop at Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls if the road allows, then turn back for the city by mid-afternoon.
Day 5: North to the Redwoods, this time staying over
Leave by 8-9am, a genuinely civilized start compared to the day trip version of this leg, for the 200-211-mile, 3.5-4-hour drive north on Highway 101 to the Avenue of the Giants. Spend the afternoon walking Founders Grove and Rockefeller Forest at an actual pace instead of a clock-watching one. The park is free to enter and free to drive; only the Williams Grove day-use area charges anything, $8 a vehicle. Overnight in Garberville or Redcrest rather than turning the car around.
Day 6: More of the Avenue, then home
Spend the morning finishing the 31-mile Avenue of the Giants scenic drive, stopping at whichever groves you skipped yesterday, then start the 3.5-4-hour drive back to San Francisco after lunch so you’re not driving the whole stretch on an empty stomach or in the dark.
Is the Redwoods overnight worth the extra day over a day trip?
Yes, more than any other stop on this route. The day-trip version of this leg spends more hours driving than among the trees; staying over turns a rushed 7-8-hour round trip into two relaxed half-days in the groves, for the cost of one more hotel night.
Book the Garberville or Redcrest room before you leave San Francisco, not on the drive up; Highway 101’s cell coverage through the redwoods is patchy enough that same-day booking isn’t reliable.