California Road Trip: Glamping, Meteor Shower & Swimming Holes

August 10-14, 2024
5 days / 4 nights
Ethical Roamers (Yep, that’s you!) meet in San Francisco, California, USA.
Airport Codes: SFO, OAK, or SJC

Yosemite Add-on: August 14-17, 2024
3 days / 2 nights
Continue on with the group or join in at Yosemite National Park

• 5 day/ 4 night glamping trip led by Bay Area natives (as we born and raised locals all ourselves)

• Walk among old growth coast redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument

• Cross the Golden Gate Bridge in a restored 1971 FJ43 Land Cruiser

• Explore the bohemian art scene in historic Sausalito

• Local knowledge of the best, off the beaten path swimming holes in California

• River equipment: Inner Tubes and Stand Up Paddle Boards

• Camping Equipment—Everything you need for a goodnight sleep in California’s stunning forests

• Gold Rush history and spot at a 5 mile house

• Transportation between sites

• 2 nights in Mount Tamalpais State Park with views of the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, and Farallon Islands

• 2 nights sleeping in Glamping Cabins in Nevada City

• Conservation Talks

• 24/7 Expedition Leader

• Carbon/GHG offsets

Meals

• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Daily

• Welcome cocktails

• Beer and wine at dinner

Optional Add-Ons

• Bike Tour of Yosemite Valley

• Half-day hike in Yosemite with views of Half Dome, El Capitan, and Glacier Point

Not Included

• Airfare to and from San Francisco

• Gratuity

• In California the bays, peaks and valleys create a variety of microclimates. Days are warm, but nights are cool. Dressing in layers is a must!

• CA is an environmental haven. Follow the principals of Leave No Trace.

$400 deposit

Gold Rush Glamping: $2309
Extended Yosemite: +$1500

Prefer to pay in EUR? Interested in a cash discount? Both are possible! Contact us for more details.

Deposits are non-refundable. We use these deposits not only to reserve your space on the log, but also to improve cash flow for the local businesses we support. Any additional payments may be refunded when canceled more than 90 days prior to the expedition date. Deposits may be transferred once to another trip departing within 12 months and incur a $100 rebooking fee.

For this Expedition, should you choose to book with deposit only, the remaining 50% is due no later than six weeks before the trip.

Read the complete booking terms and conditions.

Proof of travel insurance is required to protect you and your investment in the expedition.

If you prefer not to purchase travel insurance, please sign our opt-out waiver.

Meet your guide and fellow ethical roamers at San Francisco’s Palace of the Fine Arts, an iconic remnant from the 1915 World’s Fair.

Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge in-style with a restored 1971 FJ43 Land Cruiser, making your way to your glamping tent which is nestled in the forests of nearby Mount Tamalpais. Enjoy a sunset happy hour and campfire before resting for the next day’s big adventure.

Your glamping site is a short hike from Muir Woods National Park. We’ll crest the hills with scenic views of San Francisco to the South and the seaside towns of Stinson and Bolinas to the North. Stand amongst 800 year-old, old-growth redwoods in Muir Wood’s Redwood Cathedral. Look up! You’ll have plenty of time to admire the 250-foot-tall giants.

Don’t forget to bring your binoculars and camera!

Spend the afternoon exploring Sausalito, an idyllic town just North of San Francisco with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and East Bay. Alternatively, the group may opt for a tour of the Marine Mammal Center in the nearby Marin Headlands.

We start our journey along the same trail taken by fortune seekers during California’s historic Gold Rush. The 3-hour dive takes us through California’s Central Valley (where 50% of the USA’s produce is grown) and West along the Yuba River into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Stopping along the river, and down a dirt road, you’ll retreat from the Summer heat in the cool water.

We’ll make camp within walking distance of Nevada City, one of the larger mining towns on our route. Here you can glamp in style, hitting the bars for cocktails and live music in the evenings. You can even take a hot shower and charge up your electronics.

Enjoy a luxe breakfast spread at camp or opt for a barista-made coffee in town.

Spend the day as it pleases you: sunbathing, swimming, reading, journaling, stand-up paddle boarding or simply floating. Consider taking a Mountain Biking Tour or, if the fish are biting, a fly-fishing class along the water’s edge.

Most 49ers’ journeys ended here, among the mining town of the South Fork of the Yuba. They either settled or moved-on to bigger cities, like the Port of San Francisco.

Some ethical roamers make the same choice: Returning to the San Francisco Bay Area via transfer to the SFO airport.

Remaining ethical roamers will follow the trail South to learn the gold rush led Europeans to discover Yosemite Valley, a secret held by the indigenous Miwuk people until 1851.

Road trip to Yosemite Valley. Along the way we’ll stop for lunch at a road-trip classic: In N’ Out (trust us).

Arriving in Yosemite Valley is an experience all its own. It will be a memory to last a lifetime. Settle into your new accommodations then join your Expedition Leader for an afternoon bike tour as you orient yourself along the valley floor.

Tour through Yosemite’s greatest hits: Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Glacier Point, Tunnel View, and view of Half Dome and El Capitan.

Still craving a dip? Yosemite waters require caution, but there are plenty of spots for a relaxing swim.

Yosemite is also a photographer’s dream. Spend some time playing with its magical light, a study made famous by the legendary Ansel Adams.

Have solo ambitions? If you are in good shape and well prepared, we welcome you to forge your own path in the park! Don’t let us stop you from summiting Half Dome! Just make sure you’ve acquired the proper permits.

Return to the San Francisco Bay Area. Say goodbye to your ethical roamer family, Half Dome, and El Capitan. We’ll see you again for your next adventure!

Alternatively, we can leave you behind! ;-) Opt to spend more time in Yosemite or Sequoia National Park, or to continue your road tripping journey solo to Los Angeles!