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 1086-kilometre loop delivers. Starting at the mountain-ringed Lake Tahoe and weaving to the waterfalls and cliffs of Yosemite National Park, the itinerary 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 neighbouring 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 journey. Start in Redding – 2.5 hours north of Sacramento – with a day of kayaking or paddle boarding down 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 dramatically boiling volcanic springs.

Eat and drink your way across California’s gourmet heartland, Central Valley. You’ll be spoilt for choice on this 457-kilometre drive from Bakersfield (two hours north of LA) to Galt (30 minutes south of Sacramento). Taste Bakersfield’s French and Spanish history on “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 classic comfort foods, including doughnuts and peach pie, will keep this road trip well-fuelled.

Hang ten 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 910-kilometre drive by surfing the massive waves at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay.

The best representation of SoCal in food form 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 iterations, 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 six-to-eight-day road trip from San Diego to Santa Clarita (60 minutes north of Los Angeles). Meet penguins and sea lions at SeaWorld, get hands on with LEGOLAND’s colourful brick creations, 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 710-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 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 288-kilometre stretch in the south that highlights the state’s thriving craft beer scene. Embrace seasonal and regional flavours by tasting your way 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 hotel with a beer concierge on staff.

Cinematic history comes to life on this exploration of famous set locations. The 870-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 IV - Return of the Jedi). Things take a gunslinging turn at the Museum of Western Film History, a treasure-trove of memorabilia amid 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, starting four hours north of San Francisco in Weaverville, takes in time-capsule townships such as Eureka, a 50-kilometre avenue of redwoods and the geothermally active landscape 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 California sunshine along the state’s most iconic stretch of coastline? This 334-kilometre journey kicks off at Santa Monica’s famous pier and amusement park, serving up moments of fun on the sand, local culture and good food along the way to wine-friendly San Luis Obispo, better known locally as SLO. Highlights include the microbreweries of Ventura and antique shops of charming Lompoc.

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

LA’s palm-lined boulevards offer up the perfect excuse to hire a convertible; ditto the road north to wine country. You can cruise along both on this six-day greatest-hits collection of California sights, passing through buzzy Santa Monica and watching out for Hollywood celebrities 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 517-kilometre route embraces the wild and eerie landscapes of the most arid spot in North America. En route 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