Discover tailor-made California holidays for 2027 and 2028 with Charter Travel. From Los Angeles, San Francisco and the beaches of the Pacific Coast to Disneyland California, Yosemite National Park and classic California road trips, we create holidays around the places you want to see.
Our California specialists arrange UK flights, hotels, car hire, transfers and selected attraction tickets, whether you're planning a family holiday, a California fly drive, a city and beach break or a longer multi-centre trip across the USA and to Hawaii. Charter Travel has been arranging holidays for UK travellers since 1988, and every flight-inclusive holiday is ABTA and ATOL protected.
Tell us what you have in mind and we'll tailor your California holiday around you.
Explore California holidays with Charter Travel, from iconic cities and Pacific Coast beaches to world-famous theme parks, national parks and classic American road trips. Our tailor-made California holidays can combine the destinations and experiences you want into one itinerary, with options for couples, families and multi-centre adventures from the UK.
A selection of popular ways to see California. Every holiday is tailor-made, so we can change the hotels, length of stay and route to suit you.
A 10 night San Francisco and Hawaii twin-centre holiday makes a great trip for all.
This 17 day tailormade holiday includes city breaks in Las Vegas and San Francisco and a luxury holiday stay on Oahu and Maui.
Plan your holidays to Melbourne and enjoy the best of Australia and Europe as one. Many travellers say that getting a slice of Australia a
Enjoy 7 nights in the vibrant Los Angeles plus a 7 night relaxing break on the beautiful beaches of the island of Maui
Self-drive holidays from San Francisco to Los Angeles, along the Pacific Coast and into the national parks, with car hire included.
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Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, with hotels and park tickets, and easy add-ons such as Universal and the beach.
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Hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the beaches, as a city stay or part of a longer trip.
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The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and cable cars, with easy trips to Napa Valley, Yosemite and the coast.
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Combine San Francisco and Los Angeles, or pair California with Las Vegas, New York or Hawaii.
More on California Multi-Centre Holidays
Granite cliffs, waterfalls and giant sequoias, usually combined with San Francisco or a California road trip.
More on Yosemite National Park Holidays
California is one of the most varied holiday destinations in the USA, and most California holidays combine two or more places. Los Angeles brings together Hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood, shopping and beaches, while Anaheim in Orange County is home to Disneyland Resort. Santa Monica pairs a Pacific beach stay with easy access to LA.
Further north, San Francisco is famous for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf. The Central Coast includes Santa Barbara, Monterey and Carmel, and Yosemite National Park offers granite cliffs, waterfalls and mountain scenery. We can also include Palm Springs, San Diego, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe, depending on the length and style of your holiday.
California is one of the easiest places in the world for a fly drive. Distances are manageable, roads are good, and cities, coastline and national parks are all within reach. A popular first road trip runs between San Francisco and Los Angeles along the Pacific Coast. Longer trips add Yosemite or Death Valley, or cross into Nevada and Arizona for Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.
We arrange your flights, car hire and hotels at each stop, and plan realistic driving days so you aren't rushing. See suggested routes on our California Fly Drive Holidays page.
You don't have to drive to see more than one place. San Francisco and Los Angeles are linked by a short internal flight, and Las Vegas is about an hour's flight from LA. California also combines well with New York for a coast-to-coast trip, or with Hawaii, around a six-hour flight from the West Coast.
We can mix international flights, internal flights, transfers and car hire however your trip needs. See ideas on our California Twin Centre Holidays page.
Disneyland Resort is in Anaheim, Orange County, about 25 miles south-east of downtown Los Angeles. It has two parks, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. Universal Studios Hollywood is in Universal City, close to Hollywood.
Many families split their stay: a few nights near Disneyland, a few near Universal, then time on the beach in Santa Monica or San Diego. For hotels, tickets and planning advice, see our Disneyland California Holidays page.
A California holiday can easily mix sightseeing with time by the Pacific. Los Angeles pairs naturally with Santa Monica, while Santa Barbara and San Diego offer a more relaxed coastal pace. San Francisco makes a good starting or finishing point, and Palm Springs adds desert sunshine and spas. Because every holiday is tailor-made, you choose how long to spend in each place.
California's landscapes are as memorable as its cities. Yosemite National Park is the best known and fits into many road trips and multi-centre holidays. Joshua Tree sits close to Palm Springs, and Death Valley can be included on a route towards Las Vegas. Longer trips can continue to the Grand Canyon and other national parks of the American West.
Flights from London to Los Angeles or San Francisco take around 11 hours, so most people spend their first evening settling in. As a rough guide:
| Length | Works well for |
|---|---|
| 7–10 nights | One or two places, e.g. Los Angeles and Santa Monica, or Disneyland plus the beach |
| About 14 nights | Several highlights, e.g. San Francisco, the Pacific Coast and Los Angeles |
| 2–3 weeks | A longer fly drive with national parks, or California plus Las Vegas, Arizona or Hawaii |
These are guidelines, not rules. Our specialists will help you balance travel time with time to enjoy each place.
Every Charter Travel California holiday is tailor-made around your dates, destinations and budget. Our USA specialists arrange UK flights, hotels, car hire, internal flights, transfers and selected attraction tickets, so your whole holiday is booked in one place.
Whether you already know where you want to go, or need help choosing between a fly drive, Disneyland holiday, city and beach stay or multi-centre trip, talk to us about your California holiday for 2027 or 2028.
The most popular are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Disneyland in Anaheim, Santa Monica, San Diego and Yosemite National Park. Many people also add Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, Napa Valley or Lake Tahoe. Most California holidays combine a city, a stretch of coast and some scenery, and we can tailor the mix to suit you.
Around 7–10 nights suits one or two destinations, such as Los Angeles and the beach. About 14 nights lets you combine San Francisco, the coast and Los Angeles. Two to three weeks gives time for a longer fly drive with national parks, or a trip combining California with Las Vegas or Hawaii.
Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) bring warm weather and fewer crowds. Summer is the busiest time for families. It can be very hot inland, while San Francisco is often cool and foggy. Winter is mild in Southern California, though some mountain roads, including Yosemite's high Tioga Road, usually close until late spring.
For most holidays, a hire car gives you the most freedom, especially along the coast and to the national parks. You don't need one for every trip, though. San Francisco and Los Angeles are linked by short internal flights, and a Disneyland or city-and-beach holiday can work with transfers. We'll suggest the best option for your itinerary.
Yes. Charter Travel arranges California fly drives from the UK including return flights, car hire and hotels along your route. You can follow one of our suggested itineraries or create your own, and we'll help plan realistic driving times. See our California Fly Drive Holidays page for ideas.
Yes, it's one of the most popular combinations. The cities are about 380 miles apart, around a 1 hour 20 minute flight, a full day's drive inland, or two or more days along the coast. We can arrange flights into one city and home from the other, so you don't have to double back.
Yes. Disneyland Resort in Anaheim fits easily into most Southern California holidays, either as a short visit or as the main focus. We can include hotels near the parks and theme park tickets, and combine Disneyland with Universal Studios Hollywood, Santa Monica or San Diego.
Very. California combines theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood with beaches, cities and national parks. Families can mix busy park days with time at the coast. We can arrange family rooms, transfers and park tickets, and pace the holiday to suit children of different ages.
Yes. Las Vegas is about an hour's flight from Los Angeles, or around four to five hours by road, so it works well as a twin or multi-centre holiday. Drivers can also include Death Valley, Palm Springs or the Grand Canyon on the way.
Yes. Hawaii is around a six-hour flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco, so many people break the journey with a stay in California on the way out or back. A typical combination is a few nights in San Francisco or Los Angeles, then a week or more on one or two Hawaiian islands.
Yes. Every California holiday we arrange is tailor-made, and we're already planning trips for 2027 and 2028. Our specialists can arrange flights from the UK, hotels, car hire, internal flights, transfers and attraction tickets. Call 01635 551011 or send an enquiry to start planning.
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