California Covid Road Trip
Date of Trip: August 2020
2020…what a gift. I was super excited going into 2020 because I had figured out how to stretch all my vacation and sick days to go on multiple trips. I was supposed to go to Ireland, Portugal, Morocco, Mexico and Australia….then lockdowns struck the day I was supposed to fly to Ireland.
Me and the same friend I traveled to Africa with were optimistic and we both had a break in August and planned to take a trip then, but waited until closer to book and plan since we did not know where would be open for travel. “As a backup, we could just go to Hawaii if we can’t travel internationally”
A big haha to both.
Hawaii wouldn’t be open by August either. Living in California my whole life, I am lucky to have seen many of the national parks throughout and it truly is a state where you can see every type of landscape. Despite this, there is still so much that I haven’t seen and even living in Southern California for 4 years for college, I still hadn’t been to Joshua Tree. With that in mind, I came up with a 5 day road trip that would hit Joshua Tree National Park, Sequoia National Park, and Paso Robles to finish for some wine tasting.
Joshua Tree National Park
Our starting point was Pomona so it was not too long of a drive to Joshua Tree. We spent one night at Joshua Tree Tents—a glamping spot I would 100% recommend as it also has a pool which is definitely needed in the summer heat. Since we were going in the middle of the August heat into the desert, we only spent one day hiking and exploring—there is so much to see and do in Joshua Tree, but better to err on the safe side.
If going to anywhere extremely hot (over 100°F) and when you’re hiking in that heat, you must bring a ton of water, snacks, fruit and opt for the shorter hikes. Taking a short hike then cooling off in the air conditioned car and refuel was a great system and we did not feel overheated or dehydrated throughout the day. Because it was so hot, the trails were pretty empty which is always a plus.
Must See: Cholla Cactus Gardens
These “jumping cactuses” are truly a sight as they move towards you if you get close—and can be difficult to get off. The best time to see them is at sunrise or sunset when the sun reflects off them
Must Hike: Hidden Valley Trail
A short 1 mile hike was perfect for a blistering hot day where we still wanted to see the infamous Joshua Tree scenery. After this we mostly just drove through the park and explored at marked points rather than more lengthy hikes.
Must Do: Return at sunset
After a long day of hiking and site seeing in the heat, we checked into our “tent” and cooled off in the pool. We returned to the park for sunset and drove until we got to a point we liked to get out at watch. Staying after the sunset, you can see the type of star-filled night sky you can only see far from civilization
Sequoia National Park
After a 5 hour or so drive from Joshua Tree, we got to the Sequoia area. We stayed at a hotel in Three Rivers nearby which served as a great entryway to the park. (It was a Comfort Inn—worked fine but nothing to rave home about or outright recommend). We stayed two nights here and spread our hiking over these days.
The roads in Sequoia are very windy and it takes some time to drive through the park. We thought we would be able to go further into the park to explore, but ended up staying more towards the entrance because we’d rather do more hiking than driving.
Must Hike: Morro Rock
One of the more popular hikes with a great view—the actual hike up the rock is a steep, but short distance. You can lengthen the hike to be about 2 miles round trip from a point off the main road. Afternoons are more busy as expected so if you are able to plan any hike it’s best to start as early as possible to avoid crowds.
Must Hike: Marble Falls
About 7 miles total out and back, this trail was my ideal hike. Long enough to make a day out of it, but I was not miserable through hiking it. Granted, the return felt somewhat miserable because the sun and heat was beating directly down on us, but the heat made it difficult, not so much the terrain. We also spent an hour or two at the actual water falls and there was no one there until a couple came when we were leaving.
Must See: General Sherman Tree
Another popular hike/sight is the easy hike down to the General Sherman tree. It is the largest known tree on Earth in terms of volume
Must Eat: Gateway Restaurant & Lodge
Granted, after a long day of hiking anything will taste good, but Gateway Restaurant a little ways outside of the park was a perfect pitstop for dinner. You can sit on the deck overlooking the river and the food was great!
Paso Robles
After a few days of hiking and sweating, it was nice to be a little boujee and do some wine tasting. It was only a couple hours from Sequoia, so we only spent one night and spread the wine tastings and brewery visit out. Because of Covid, wineries required reservations and some planning so we did two the first day and one the next before driving home.
Winery 1: Eberle
Great wine and had a great view over the vineyard
Winery 2: Tobin James
One of my favorite wineries ever. I grew up and lived most my life in the Bay Area in California so being close to Napa, Sonoma, and living in the smaller wine region of Livermore, I always had great wine close by. The main thing I love about Tobin James is it is great wine for an affordable price. I’m used to paying a little more for local wine, but I found Tobin James affordable while having a great product.
Must Eat: Firestone Walker Brewing
Great place for dinner! I had always wanted to visit here after drinking 805 and Easy Jack for years. With Covid, brewery tours were not available, but it was just as nice to eat at the restaurant and taste more of their beers
Winery 3: Justin
In the morning before taking off, we stopped at Justin winery for a final tasting. Justin is probably the most renowned of the region, so it was more expensive, but they have great wine
The drive home we opted to take the scenic route rather than the quickest route—along the coast, a stop at the beach near Santa Barbara and taking the Pacific Coast Highway before having to take the boring route inland
Some of my favorite activities are wine tasting and hiking so it was great to combine those in a road trip and visit everywhere I hadn’t been yet. As much as Covid put pause on many people’s lives, I have also heard stories of people exploring more of what is in their own backyard, including myself.