Feel on top of the world with this epic journey into the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Whether it’s winter snow or summertime hikes you’re after, the 1200-kilometre loop delivers. Starting at the mountain-ringed Lake Tahoe and weaving to the waterfalls and cliffs of Yosemite National Park, the route is punctuated by clear mountain streams, vertiginous views and the astounding giant redwoods of Sequoia National Park.

California lets its freak flag fly on this six-day excursion from San Diego to Baker, a small town next to the Mojave National Preserve near the Nevada border. Along the way you’ll encounter a gigantic scrap-metal menagerie at Borrego Springs, spend a night at Pioneertown – an 1880s-themed film set turned real-life township – and join a healing sound bath at the Integratron’s wooden dome. You’ll also see natural wonders such as the boulder-strewn In-Ko-Pah Mountains and the Sahara-like Kelso Dunes.

Swim, hike and marvel at Northern California’s spectacular waterfalls on this 360-kilometre expedition. Start in Redding, 2.5 hours north of Sacramento, with a day of walking or cycling along the Sacramento River Trail and finish at Deer Creek Falls, where an idyllic swimming hole awaits (it’s chilly year-round but worth the dip). In between, wander the short, shaded trail to Hedge Creek Falls – be sure to check out the cave tucked behind the waterfall – and hike to Lassen Volcanic National Park to see the dramatic boiling springs.

Eat and drink your way across California’s gourmet heartland of Central Valley. You’ll be spoilt for choice on this 470-kilometre drive from Bakersfield (two hours north of Los Angeles) to Galt (30 minutes south of Sacramento). Taste Bakersfield’s French and Spanish history on its “Basque Block” – the Old Town Kern neighbourhood with one of the highest concentrations of Basque restaurants in the country – then sample zinfandel in Lodi, a sustainable wine region outside San Francisco, or shop for artisanal produce at the Vineyard Farmers Market in Fresno. Stops for comfort food, including doughnuts and peach pie, will keep this road trip well-fuelled.

Hang 10 along the wave-crashing expanse of California’s iconic coastline. Start your adventure at La Jolla’s legendary reef break, Windansea, then drive 90 minutes north to hike the 2.4-kilometre nature trail to Trestles at San Onofre State Beach. Stop off at the vibrant Venice Beach and the laid-back towns of Pismo Beach and Encinitas before completing your 990-kilometre drive by surfing the massive waves at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay.

The best representation of SoCal in food is the humble taco, making it a suitable focus for a 12-stop tasting tour winding from Los Angeles to the Mexican border. This trip highlights the popular street food in all its varieties, including the avocado-sauce-smothered versions at East LA’s historic Cielito Lindo, the Cal-Mex style of Tito’s Tacos in Culver City and the tripe and beef tongue fillings at Chula Vista’s Tacos El Gordo.

California’s theme-park prowess is on full display during this eight-day road trip from San Diego to Santa Clarita (60 minutes north of Los Angeles). Meet penguins and sea lions at SeaWorld, get creative with Legoland’s colourful bricks, embrace movie magic at Universal Studios Hollywood and ride stomach-flipping roller-coasters at every stop, including the legendary Disneyland Resort.

Escape the crowds on this 730-kilometre road trip exploring California’s pretty seaside villages and under-the-radar beaches. The wild coastline between Trinidad (5.5 hours north of San Francisco) and Wilder Ranch State Park (124 kilometres to the city’s south) offers forested trails, geological wonders, whale sightings and quaint towns such as Ferndale, with its intricately painted Victorian houses. Come prepared and pitch a tent overlooking the Pacific at the largely deserted Westport Union-Landing State Beach.

Californians call it the “Hops Highway”, a 155-kilometre stretch in the state’s south that highlights the thriving craft beer scene. Embrace seasonal and regional flavours by tasting brews from the mountains outside San Diego to the sea in Long Beach. The nine-stop road trip takes in a tour of North Orange County’s buzzing microbreweries, including Stereo Brewing and Backstreet Brewery, plus a night at Kimpton Hotel Palomar, a San Diego stay with its own beer concierge.

Cinematic history comes to life on this exploration of famous set locations. The 950-kilometre route winds from LA’s Griffith Observatory (seen in Rebel Without a Cause and La La Land) to the oft-immortalised desert glamour of Palm Springs (Don’t Worry Darling) and Death Valley (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi). Things take a gunslinging turn at the Museum of Western Film History, a treasure-trove of memorabilia in the arresting rocky landscape of Lone Pine.

California’s far north is a wonderland of snow-capped peaks, mirror-clear lakes and towering trees. This mountainous journey starts in Weaverville, four hours north of San Francisco, and visits time-capsule townships such as Eureka, a 50-kilometre avenue of redwoods and the geothermally active site of Mount Lassen. Finish at dormant volcano Mount Shasta and its quirky foothill city, where you can shop for crystals and go caving or river rafting.

Fancy chasing the sunshine along California’s most famous stretch of coastline? This 340-kilometre journey kicks off at Santa Monica’s famed pier and amusement park and serves up fun on the sand, local culture and good food all the way to wine-centric San Luis Obispo, better known locally as “SLO CAL”. Highlights include the microbreweries of Ventura and the antique shops of charming Lompoc.

Linking Santa Barbara and San Diego, the 394 kilometres of the southern Pacific Coast Highway (the PCH) delivers the SoCal of popular imagination. Soak up the sparkling blue ocean as you discover the resort-town sophistication of Long Beach, Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach. A boat trip to the Galápagos-like Channel Islands National Park from Ventura is an essential detour.

LA’s palm-lined boulevards offer up the perfect reason to hire a convertible, as does the road north to wine country. You can drive through both on this six-day greatest-hits collection of California sights, passing through vibrant Santa Monica and watching for Hollywood stars in beach-lined Malibu. Embrace the charms of the Danish village of Solvang before hitting the cellar doors of Santa Maria and Los Olivos.

The road from cosmopolitan LA to Death Valley is like a portal to another world. This 744-kilometre route embraces the eerie terrain of the most arid spot in North America. On the way to the national park, you’ll pass the dramatically angled Vasquez Rocks and the stunning Red Rock Canyon – visit at sunrise or sunset, when the blush-coloured cliffs seem to glow.

14 Surprising Places You Didn’t Know Were in California