California Dream n' Bike

Transfer to the motorcycle rental company in the morning (about 15' by taxi). 

Once the final formalities are completed, get familiar with your bike and enjoy a free day in the City of Angels! The roadbook will be full of tips to help you plan your day.

Several options are available: adopt the 'Californian Attitude' and enjoy the beach at Venice Beach or Santa Monica... 

Head to Hollywood and its Walk of Fame in the footsteps of your favorite stars. Visit the magnificent Getty Center, or climb up to the top of Griffith Park with its observatory and sweeping views over the city and the Hollywood sign. 

For shopping, head to Beverly Hills. And in the evening, hop on the bike for a short night ride on Mulholland Drive, which winds along the ridges north of the city.

Overnight in Marina Del Rey.

Early departure toward Palm Springs, an oasis in the heart of the desert... The suggested route favors twisty roads and mountain riding!

The Angeles Crest Hwy will be the first exceptional road of your trip. Closed in winter (there's skiing in the region), it offers breathtaking views! 

Suggested stop near Wrightwood at the Evergreen Cafe, before descending to Cajon Junction and climbing back into the San Bernardino Mountains. Head toward the Rim of the World Hwy, with a vertiginous descent to San Bernardino. 

Once you've crossed the city, you tackle the switchbacks of the Pines to Palms Hwy, an outstanding road that takes you from the pine forests of San Jacinto to the palm trees—ending with a dramatic series of hairpins down to Palm Desert & Palm Springs.

Overnight in Palm Springs.

Leave early, as today's stage is long. 

Head north for a first stop in the magnificent Joshua Tree National Park, made famous by U2 in 1987 with their eponymous album... The landscapes are unique, with the great twisted Joshua trees. 

Then on to legendary Route 66. Stop in Amboy, home of the famous Roy's Motel, which is no longer operating. 

Follow the 66 through the Mojave Desert, then cross the Colorado and head to Oatman, a former mining town turned must-stop place for pilgrims of the Mother Road... 

Watch out for the donkeys, who rule the main street. After Sitgreaves Pass in the Black Mountains, descend to Kingman on Route 66.

Overnight in Kingman.

Ride to the iconic Hackberry General Store on the historic Route 66. It's a small detour, but a true must.

Then head for Grand Canyon West, on Hualapai tribal land. 

The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River and stretches 450 km, between Las Vegas and Lake Powell. The site's main attraction is the Skywalk, a glass walkway extending over the rim (expensive). General admission includes the shuttle that loops between the 3 viewpoints, all offering magnificent views over the river. Optional helicopter flights (contact us).

Then on to Las Vegas, with an unmissable stop at the famous Fabulous Vegas sign, opposite the huge Harley-Davidson dealership.

Overnight on the Las Vegas Strip.

Note: possibility to attend a Cirque du Soleil show (contact us for the program on your dates).

Head west with an initial detour on the scenic road through magnificent Red Rock Canyon, with its sandstone in countless shades of red and ochre. 

The temperature will rise as you get closer to extraordinary Death Valley. Before entering the park, stop in Shoshone, a small old-school town whose only Californian feature is its geographic location. 

Enter Death Valley. The route takes you all the way up to Dante's View. The view over Death Valley and the Panamint Mountains is one of the most beautiful of the trip!

Descend and take the detour along Artists Drive, with its improbably colored rocks—especially late in the day.

Arrival at the hotel. 

Overnight in the heart of the park.

Small detour to Zabriskie Point to enjoy sunrise. Cross Death Valley and its otherworldly landscapes via one of the country's most beautiful roads. 

After the surprising sand dunes of Mesquite Flat, you gradually leave the desert behind and head toward the Sierra Nevada, which you follow along its eastern flank. 

Lunch break in Lone Pine, the launching point for adventurers heading for Mount Whitney, the highest summit in the USA (excluding Alaska), at 4,421 m.

Optional detour to Lake Sabrina, a lovely little mountain lake hidden in the heart of the Inyo forest. 

After Bishop, arrive in Mammoth Lakes, a pleasant mountain resort nestled against the Eastern Sierra. There's skiing here. 

Overnight in Mammoth Lakes.

Ride to Mono Lake, famous for its tufas—impressive chimney-shaped limestone formations rising out of this highly saline lake. 

Optional detour to explore the ghost town of Bodie, one of the best preserved in the country (allow at least +2 hours / the last 3 km are not paved!). 

Head for Yosemite National Park. Subject to being open at the time of your visit, you'll reach it via the road over Tioga Pass (alternatives exist).

Yosemite is a paradise for nature lovers, with its lakes, waterfalls and granite domes that look perfectly carved, such as Half Dome, the most famous of them, and El Capitan, the Holy Grail for climbers. 

Overnight near the park (El Portal, Mariposa, or Oakhurst, etc.). Possibility to stay inside the park (subject to availability / supplement applies).

A discovery day in the wonderful postcard world that is Yosemite. 

Hiking is the best way to get closer to the many waterfalls scattered throughout the park: there are options for all levels depending on your time and the weather... 

A great motorcycle ride is to reach Glacier Point via the road of the same name (subject to being open when you pass through). The view over the valley and Half Dome from the top is absolutely stunning!

You can also head to the southern area of the park to walk among the giant sequoias at Mariposa Grove. 

Keep your eyes open—you'll spot squirrels, maybe a coyote, or with a bit of luck, a black bear, the park's emblem. 

Overnight near the park (El Portal, Mariposa, or Oakhurst, etc.). Possibility to stay inside the park (subject to availability / supplement applies).

Head for the Pacific coast. The route offers nice roads to leave Yosemite, before crossing California's great central plain with its endless fruit crops. 

A chance to realize the enormous amounts of water these vast stretches consume—for the benefit of our consumption (but not for that of lakes and rivers).

Pass through Fresno, a large city in California's Central Valley.

Ride to Paso Robles, a region home to numerous vineyards.

Stop in this charming small town with Hispanic accents, as shown by the architectural style of many buildings. One of our favorites in California.

Overnight in Paso Robles.

After desert air and mountain air, here come the sea breezes of the Pacific! 

Ride the magnificent coastal road, the Pacific Coast Highway. This section is subject to the road being reopened, as it has been closed for a few years due to major landslides (otherwise we provide an alternative route). 

After Hearst Castle, an oversized mansion overlooking the coast from the heights above San Simeon, it's time for the elephant seals lounging on the beach near the Piedras Blancas lighthouse.

Stop at McWay Falls, beautiful Pfeiffer Beach, and of course the photogenic Bixby Creek Bridge. 

After Point Lobos State Reserve, arrive in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a rather upscale seaside town where Clint Eastwood was mayor in the 1980s. The Spanish mission is worth a visit.

Overnight in Monterey (or Carmel).

Optional morning excursion to watch whales & other cetaceans (contact us). 

Head to the small seaside resort of Capitola, north of Monterey Bay and close to Santa Cruz. With its colorful houses, it's a pleasant spot for a break. 

You can also push on to Santa Cruz, once a stronghold of the Hippie movement. Its boardwalk (with the pier) and beach are nice—you may even spot surfers.

Join Skyline Blvd, a superb scenic road winding along the ridges between the Pacific and San Francisco Bay... 

Arrive in San Francisco, with a detour via Twin Peaks for one of the best views over the city, then descend the famous switchbacks of Lombard Street and reach your hotel.

Overnight in San Francisco.

Ride to the rental company to return the motorcycles, then transfer back to the hotel (possibility to return the bike at the end of the day if you'd like to cross the Golden Gate or the Bay Bridge / supplement applies).

Alcatraz, the island that housed the famous prison until 1963, Fisherman's Wharf and its attractions, a ride on a cable car, the 'switchbacks' of Lombard Street (which you can ride down by motorcycle)... 

Not to mention the views from Coit Tower, on Telegraph Hill...

Options are endless! Near the famous painted ladies, Haight Ashbury is the cradle of Hippie culture (a few traces remain, such as Janis Joplin's former home). 

Mission and Castro are our two favorite neighborhoods, not far from the vast Golden Gate Park, which houses (among others) the Academy of Sciences. 

Overnight in San Francisco.

Stroll around Chinatown, the largest Asian community in the United States, then along the Embarcadero and the Ferry Building with its great covered market...

Union Square is the heart of the city: you'll find shops, malls and many museums, including the excellent San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Don't hesitate to rent bikes at Fisherman's Wharf, then start a ride across the bay. After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, stop in Sausalito, a chic little town north of the bay with its boutiques and famous houseboats, surprising floating homes.

You can take the ferry back with your bikes to Pier 39, or extend the trip to Tiburon, then take the return ferry, which passes in front of Alcatraz.

Overnight in San Francisco.

Depending on your return flight time, enjoy San Francisco. 

Transfer to the airport.

Return flight to Europe. Arrival the next day.

Stay extension or itinerary change: contact us