California tours & holidays

Overall, the best time to visit California is in the spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) for pleasant weather and typically fewer crowds. Wildflowers bloom in spring and the waterfalls of Yosemite roar from the melting snow. This is a great time to hike and explore national parks.  

For Joshua Tree in particular, November to March is the best time to visit to avoid the high heat of summer, but in the other parks, summer (June to September) is the best time to go camping for longer daylight hours and warmer days and nights.  

Yes, California can be a great destination for solo travellers, especially on a small group trip. Exploring national parks and remote landscapes can be tricky without your own vehicle, so travelling with a group helps make it easier to reach those harder-to-access places without worrying about public transport. Plus, your local leader can help with navigation, trail etiquette and practical safety tips along the way.  

The best way to see California is on a road trip, especially if you want to go beyond the cities and spend time in national parks. Travelling with a small group and local leader makes it much easier to cover long distances, reach remote landscapes and skip the stress of planning every route yourself. You'll also get local insight along the way, from practical tips to stories that help bring the places you visit to life. Even during free time or solo exploration, you can lean on your leader for best tips and recommendations.  

There are nine official national parks in California, but Yosemite, Joshua Tree, Sequoia and Redwood are some of the big hitters. Yosemite is all granite cliffs, waterfalls and mighty mountain views, while Joshua Tree brings the out-of-this-world desert scenery. Sequoia and Redwood are where you go to feel small (in the best way) among some of the tallest and oldest trees on Earth.  

It technically snows in California, but mostly in the high mountain areas and not in the lower elevations. You'll see snow-capped peaks in places like the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe during winter but not in lower elevations and coastal cities. The valley floor in Yosemite sometimes gets a blanket of snow but often melts quickly and doesn't stick around

Depends where you go and what you're doing, but in general, pack comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots, sun protection and light layers you can easily take on and off. A mix of pants and shorts, and T-shirts and long sleeves are best for variable weather and if you're going into the parks or mountains, bring warm layers for chilly evenings. Oh, and a reusable water bottle!  

If you're sticking to the major cities, you can explore LA and San Francisco using public transportation. But if you want to head into the national parks and remote landscapes, those are hard to access without a vehicle.  

We believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Although some destinations and itineraries may be more accessible than others, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs, make reasonable adjustments where possible or guide you toward the most suitable trips. Get in touch with our friendly adventure consultants to chat about your options.

Our Tailor-Made team can also help you plan a customised trip just for you.