Travel Itinerary: 1 Week in California (no Disney)

California is one of the top travel destinations in north America. And with so many awesome opportunities for fun, sightseeing, adventure, and relaxation it can be overwhelming to put together a plan for your trip. After many trips around California, north and south, we’ve put together a sampling of some of the top things to pack into a 1 week trip to California – without visiting Disney. If you do want to visit Disney, which of course we recommend since we are HUGE fans, you will need to extend this itinerary or eliminate some days.

Download the Itinerary HERE:

1 Week California Travel Itinerary (prices are for 2 people)!

* PoP Travel Tip: Plan lots of time into your travel times around LA. Traffic can be quite a nightmare, with horrible traffic jams. Do yourself a favor and give yourself plenty of time to get around, and find parking!

Accommodations We Recommend for Your Trip to Southern California

Los Angeles: The key consideration for anyone traveling to LA is to be sure that your accommodation is convenient to where you are spending most of your time, including having easy access to interstates. Another thing to keep in mind is the neighborhood, although many hotels located in popular tourist areas (like near Disney) are overall safe. Personally, I have stayed at the Embassy Suites Los Angeles – International Airport South and it was not only super convenient to the airport, but it was a quality hotel and included a great breakfast! This hotel is also more convenient to the beach areas, while still not being too far from Hollywood and other tourist attractions. I’ve also stayed at the Radisson Hotel Los Angeles Midtown at USC – while not as nice as the Embassy (it was more of a business hotel), it was quite convenient.Other popular hotels are listed below, and even though I have not personally stayed at them, they are centrally located to major attractions and are quite highly rated from other travelers with good reviews. [vc_separator type=’transparent’ position=’center’ color=” thickness=’10’ up=” down=”]

Best Western PLUS Hollywood Hills

Beverly Laurel Motor Hotel

Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles LAX / Century Boulevard

Miyako Hotel Los Angeles

San Diego area: If you are looking for unique experience or a romantic trip in San Diego, then the Hillcrest House Bed & Breakfast is a popular choice and highly rated. However, if you are traveling with kids and want to take advantage of San Diego’s great beaches, then the Hilton Garden Inn San Diego Old Town/Sea World Area is a 2-star hotel that is highly rated and a well-reviewed option. Other accommodation recommendations in San Diego include the following:

Crown City Inn Coronado

La Jolla Riviera Inn