Explore San Francisco & Los Angeles in one California holiday. stay 4 nights in Fisherman's Wharf next to Alcatraz / Pier 39 and more! Then enjoy 6 nights in Los Angeles (2 nights Hollywood and 3 nights Santa Monica) where you can explore everything from Universal Studios Hollywood to the infamous Santa Monica Pier! Charter Travel are leading holiday specialists, established in 1988. ABTA and ATOL Protected.
Duration: 10 Nights
Quote CHH87
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Itinerary Highlights:
Total Expected Local Fee: $165
Resort fees are paid locally and subject to additional local taxes. The amounts shown are based on current rates and may vary depending on the hotel and travel dates.
See California's two most famous cities on this 10-night San Francisco and Los Angeles twin centre holiday. Spend four nights in San Francisco riding cable cars, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and visiting Alcatraz, then take a short flight south for three nights in Hollywood and three by the beach in Santa Monica. Flights from the UK, the internal flight and all your hotels are included, and you fly into San Francisco and home from Los Angeles, so there's no backtracking. Every holiday is tailor-made, so we can change the hotels, the number of nights or the order of the cities.
| Route | London → San Francisco → Los Angeles → London |
|---|---|
| Length | 10 nights |
| Stays | San Francisco (4 nights), Hollywood (3 nights), Santa Monica (3 nights) |
| Between cities | About a 1½-hour flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles |
| Best for | A first visit to California, couples and families |
| Includes | UK flights, internal flight, 10 nights' hotels |
San Francisco and Los Angeles are only an hour and a half apart by air, but they feel like different worlds, which is what makes them such a good pairing. San Francisco is compact, hilly and walkable, with distinctive neighbourhoods to explore on foot and by cable car. Its icons are the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the cable cars and Fisherman's Wharf. The weather is mild all year but often cool and foggy, even in summer. Easy day trips include Muir Woods, Sausalito and Napa Valley wine country.
Los Angeles is sprawling and sunny, with beaches, film studios and a touch of glamour. Its icons are the Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame, Santa Monica Pier and Rodeo Drive. It's warm and sunny for most of the year, and because the attractions are spread out, a car or taxis are useful. Day trips include Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland and Malibu.
Starting in San Francisco and finishing in Los Angeles means you end your holiday with sunshine and time on the beach before the flight home.
Every Charter Travel twin centre holiday is tailor-made. Tell us when you'd like to travel and what you want to see, and our USA specialists will arrange your flights, hotels and transfers, with the right number of nights in each city. We've been arranging holidays for UK travellers since 1988, and you'll speak to the same specialist from your first enquiry until you're home. Fully ABTA and ATOL protected.
This sample itinerary is a starting point. We can add nights, change hotels or include extra stops along the way.
Fly direct from London to San Francisco and check in to your hotel near Union Square, close to shops, restaurants and the cable car lines. Over the next few days:
You won't need a car in San Francisco: the city is compact and easy to explore on foot and by public transport.
Fly about an hour and a half south to Los Angeles and check in to your hotel in Hollywood or Universal City. Spend your days:
Finish with three nights by the beach in Santa Monica. Ride the Pacific Wheel on Santa Monica Pier, walk or cycle the beach path to Venice Beach and its canals, shop on Third Street Promenade, and drive up the coast to Malibu for lunch with an ocean view.
A hire car is optional in Los Angeles. It's useful for Malibu, Disneyland and Griffith Observatory, but you can also use taxis and tours. Decide whether to include it as standard.
Included in your holiday are internal flights between San Francisco and Los Angeles - about 1½ hours in the air. It's the quickest option and gives you more time in each city. Alternatively you could adapt this itinerary and drive between the cities (its about 6 hours) or drive the coast on Highway 1 (allow an additional 2-3 days with overnight stops for Big Sur, Monterey and Santa Barbara along the way).
Hotels can be changed to suit your budget and preferences.
All our holidays are tailor-made and can be adapted by changing hotels durations and destinations to suit the individuals tastes and requirements – please do get in touch so we can start planning.
We recommend 10–14 nights in total, with around four nights in San Francisco and five or six in Los Angeles. Los Angeles is more spread out and has more to see, including Universal Studios, Disneyland and the beaches, so it usually needs a little longer.
We usually suggest San Francisco first, then Los Angeles. You finish your holiday in the sunshine with time on the beach, and Los Angeles has plenty of direct flights back to the UK.
The flight takes about an hour and a half, and there are many flights each day. It's much quicker than driving, which takes around six hours inland or two to three days along the coast.
Not in San Francisco, which is compact and easy to explore on foot, by cable car and by public transport. In Los Angeles a car is useful because attractions are spread out, but you can also use taxis, ride-share apps.
Yes. The coast road through Big Sur is one of the most scenic drives in the world. We'd recommend allowing two or three days, with overnight stops in places such as Monterey and Santa Barbara. See our California Highway 1 road trip for a suggested route.
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) are ideal for both cities. San Francisco is often warmest in September and October, while summer can be surprisingly cool and foggy. Los Angeles is warm and sunny for most of the year.
