27 days in Seattle, Portland & California Itinerary

Nicknamed the "Emerald City" because of its abundant evergreen trees, Seattle is the cultural and business center of the Pacific Northwest, as well as a popular holiday destination.

Do some cultural sightseeing at LeMay - America's Car Museum and Wine Tours & Tastings. You'll explore the less-touristy side of things at Hurricane Ridge and The Summit at Snoqualmie. Change things up with a short trip to Snoqualmie Falls in Snoqualmie (about 58 minutes away). Next up on the itinerary: examine the collection at The Museum of Flight, explore the world behind art at Chihuly Garden and Glass, view the masterpieces at Glasshouse Studio, and test your problem-solving skills at popular escape rooms.

For where to stay and more tourist information, refer to the Seattle trip builder tool.

Tampa to Seattle is an approximately 7-hour flight. You can also drive; or do a combination of bus, subway, and train. Due to the time zone difference, you'll gain 3 hours traveling from Tampa to Seattle. Traveling from Tampa in January, you will find days in Seattle are colder (48°F), and nights are a bit cooler (38°F). Finish your sightseeing early on the 19th (Thu) to allow enough time to fly to Portland.

A big city with a small-town feel, Portland is home to the country's biggest rose test garden, perched on a hill overlooking downtown.

Relax by the water at Cannon Beach and Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site. Head to Powell's City of Books and Live Laugh Love Artfor plenty of shopping. Explore Portland's surroundings by going to Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum (in McMinnville), Namaste Vineyards (in Dallas) and K&M Wines (in Carlton). There's still lots to do: appreciate the views at Willamette Valley, examine the collection at Portland Art Museum, get the lay of the land with Walking tours, and take in the dramatic natural features at Haystack Rock.

To see more things to do, where to stay, photos, and other tourist information, read Portland trip itinerary maker website.

Getting from Seattle to Portland by flight takes about 2.5 hours. Other options: drive; or take a bus. In January, daytime highs in Portland are 46°F, while nighttime lows are 35°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Tue) so you can fly to San Simeon.

When you arrive in tiny San Simeon, which lies halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, you can see why William Randolph Hearst chose this coastal locale for his famous hilltop castle.

Kick off your visit on the 25th (Wed): stroll through Piedras Blancas, shop like a local with Friends of the Elephant Seal Visitor Center, and then explore the historical opulence of Hearst Castle.

For other places to visit, maps, and more tourist information, refer to the San Simeon trip itinerary maker.

You can fly from Portland to San Simeon in 4 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of train and taxi. When traveling from Portland in January, plan for a bit warmer days in San Simeon, with highs around 63°F, while nights are about the same with lows around 37°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 25th (Wed) early enough to drive to Big Sur.

A sparsely populated area with stunning views, Big Sur attracts artists and tourists traveling California’s scenic Highway 1.

On the 26th (Thu), admire the sheer force of McWay Falls, stroll through Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, then admire the majestic nature at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, and finally enjoy the sand and surf at Pfeiffer State Beach.

To find more things to do, maps, other places to visit, and other tourist information, use the Big Sur day trip planning tool.

You can drive from San Simeon to Big Sur in 2 hours. Traveling from San Simeon in January, plan for somewhat warmer nights in Big Sur, with lows around 44°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 26th (Thu) early enough to go by car to San Francisco.

San Francisco is a top holiday destination featuring scenic beauty and great ethnic and cultural diversity.

Do some cultural sightseeing at Alcatraz Island and Exploratorium. Explore hidden gems such as Sapphire Hill Winery and Modus Operandi Cellars. Change things up with these side-trips from San Francisco: Point Reyes Safaris (in Point Reyes Station) and Castello di Amorosa (in Calistoga). Next up on the itinerary: make a trip to Golden Gate Bridge, go for a walk through Lombard Street, visit Fisherman's Wharf, and examine the collection at Cable Car Museum.

To find traveler tips, more things to do, and tourist information, use the San Francisco trip planner.

You can drive from Big Sur to San Francisco in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of taxi and train; or take a bus. In January, daily temperatures in San Francisco can reach 59°F, while at night they dip to 46°F. Cap off your sightseeing on the 30th (Mon) early enough to travel to Yosemite National Park.

Massive granite mountains, towering waterfalls, groves of Giant Sequoia trees, and wilderness as far as the eye can see distinguish the landscape of Yosemite National Park.

Step out of the city life by going to Bridalveil Fall and Vernal Fall. Let the collections at Parsons Memorial and Yosemite Museum Gallery capture your imagination. categoryPhrases.sentence.On_the_day_spend_an_exhilarating_day_on_the_slopes_at. There's lots more to do: take some stellar pictures from Yosemite, Tunnel View, explore the wealth of natural beauty at Pioneer Yosemite History Center, take in the dramatic natural features at Glacier Point, and look for all kinds of wild species at Nature Center at Happy Isles.

To see traveler tips, other places to visit, and tourist information, go to the Yosemite National Park trip planner.

Explore your travel options from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park with the Route module. Traveling from San Francisco in January, expect nights in Yosemite National Park to be much colder, around 13°F, while days are a bit cooler, around 44°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 3rd (Fri) to allow enough time to travel to Death Valley National Park.

Extreme heat and dryness create extreme landscapes in Death Valley National Park.

Kick off your visit on the 4th (Sat): make a trip to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, explore the striking landscape at Devil's Golf Course, contemplate the waterfront views at Badwater Basin, admire all the interesting features of Artist's Drive, then explore the stunning scenery at Golden Canyon, and finally take in the dramatic natural features at Zabriskie Point.

For ratings, more things to do, other places to visit, and other tourist information, use the Death Valley National Park trip website.

The Route module can help you plan travel from Yosemite National Park to Death Valley National Park. Plan for somewhat warmer temperatures traveling from Yosemite National Park in February, with highs in Death Valley National Park at 63°F and lows at 37°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 4th (Sat) to allow enough time to fly to Palm Springs.

Visit Indian Canyons and Sunnylands Center & Gardens for their historical value. Do your shopping at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens and VillageFest.

To see traveler tips, where to stay, more things to do, and more tourist information, use the Palm Springs day trip planning app.

Traveling by car from Death Valley National Park to Palm Springs takes 5 hours. Alternatively, you can fly; or do a combination of bus and train; or do a combination of bus and train. Expect a bit warmer temperatures when traveling from Death Valley National Park in February; daily highs in Palm Springs reach 77°F and lows reach 52°F. Finish your sightseeing early on the 7th (Tue) so you can drive to Los Angeles.

Surrounded by mountain ranges, forests, valleys, beaches, and deserts, the metropolitan area of Los Angeles is home to over 17 million people.

Let the collections at Mission San Juan Capistrano and California Science Center capture your imagination. You'll explore the less-touristy side of things at Dolphin & Whale Watching and La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. There's still lots to do: explore the world behind art at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, see the interesting displays at The Getty Center, wander the streets of Angelino Heights Historic Area, and look and learn at Griffith Observatory.

To see reviews, photos, other places to visit, and more tourist information, go to the Los Angeles trip builder tool.

Traveling by car from Palm Springs to Los Angeles takes 2 hours. Alternatively, you can fly; or take a bus. While traveling from Palm Springs, expect a bit cooler days and about the same nights in Los Angeles, ranging from highs of 71°F to lows of 51°F. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 10th (Fri) to allow time for the flight back home.