The holiday’s are over, the family has gone home, now what? How about taking a road trip to some of these great California destinations that are great for late winter and early spring!
Fresno County Blossom Trail A few hours north of LA is one of America’s largest produce growing regions and in the early spring it is blossom time, with a fast-and-frenzied spectacle of blooming fruit and nut trees. Starting in mid-February and lasting only about three weeks, the Fresno County Blossom Trail, made up of the county’s orchards, is festooned in rosy sprays of peach and nectarine petals, pink bouquets of apricot blossoms, and white blazes of almonds, plums, and apples. Drivers, bicyclists, and photographers can revel in the flowery glory on this colorful 62-mile loop southeast of Fresno. Find driving directions and great places to stop along the way here.
Pacific Coast Highway If you have spent much time in California, chances are good you have done this trip or at least parts of it before. The Pacific Coast Highway is well known as one of the most scenic drives in the world. Starting from California’s northern border with Oregon and stretching all the way down to San Diego the route takes round ten hours to complete at a leisurely pace with no stops. Over 1000km you’ll see stunning coastal views, seaside villages, untouched forest and make your way through some sunny wine making districts too. Click here for some new ideas about where to stop along the way.
San Bernardino Mountains A short drive from Southern California, an entirely different landscape emerges: the mountains, lakes, and scenery of the Inland Empire. Head east from San Diego, Orange County, or Los Angeles, and take a California road trip along the 110-mile-long Rim of the World Scenic Byway, nicknamed for its stunning views along the cliffs of the San Bernardino Mountains. Here are five great stops to make along the way, culminating at Big Bear Lake.
San Diego to The Desert From the beaches of La Jolla or Del Mar, take State Road 56 east to Highway 67, which winds through rural Ramona, dotted with farm stands. Then turn onto Highway 78 and into the Cuyamaca Mountains toward Julian, the mountain town known for its apple crops. Then ease back down the road’s twists and turns into the desert, where the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is home to an explosive wildflower bloom every year, around February and March. Stay the night at a local hotel like Casa del Zorro, and be sure to stay up late: Borrego Springs is an International Dark Sky Community known for its epic stargazing.
