Northern California Redwoods Coast & Volcano Loop
Head north along Highway 1 to Mendocino and the Redwoods, then turn toward Redding and Lassen Volcanic before returning to the Bay Area
A loop covering Northern California's coast, giant trees, lakes, and volcanoes, with far fewer crowds than the southern routes. The coastal section has many winding roads and longer driving times, but staying three consecutive nights in Redding as a base helps ease the pace. Ideal for returning visitors who have already driven the southern section of Highway 1. The trade-off is not reaching the Smith River near the Oregon border, nor climbing Mount Shasta.
Lassen Volcanic National Park highway closes for winter, and the Bumpass Hell Trail usually does not open until July.
Day by day
Day 1 · Highway 1 to Mendocino
Napa & Sonoma Wine Country（Bodega Bay） → Mendocino（Point Arena Lighthouse、Mendocino Headlands State Park）
Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head north along Highway 1 through Bodega Bay to Mendocino, taking about 5 hours of pure driving.
The road is very winding; arrive before sunset and avoid driving at night.
Stay: Mendocino Village
Day 2 · Mendocino Coast Slow Travel
Mendocino（Mendocino Village Historic District、Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens、Glass Beach、Pudding Creek Trestle）
Drive from Mendocino to Fort Bragg in about 20 minutes, stopping at the botanical gardens along the way. Driving time for the day is short.
Stay: Fort Bragg
Day 3 · Avenue of the Giants to Arcata
Arcata & Redwood Coast（Avenue of the Giants、Founders Grove、Old Town Eureka）
From Fort Bragg, transfer to US-101 to enter the Avenue of the Giants, reaching Arcata in about 4 hours, driving slowly along the avenue.
Stay: Arcata
Day 4 · Redwood National and State Parks Core Area
Arcata & Redwood Coast（Lady Bird Johnson Grove、Fern Canyon、Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park、Trinidad Head）
Drive north from Arcata to Orick in about 1 hour. Accessing Fern Canyon involves a gravel road and wading. Return to Trinidad in about 50 minutes.
An online reservation is required to enter Fern Canyon from May 15 to September 15.
Stay: Trinidad
Day 5 · Across the Mountains to Redding
Redding（Weaverville Joss House、Whiskeytown Lake (Whiskeytown NRA)、Sundial Bridge）
Drive east along CA-299 to Weaverville in about 2 hours, then continue to Redding in about 1 hour along winding mountain roads.
Stay: Downtown Redding
Day 6 · Shasta Lake and Burney Falls
Redding（Shasta Dam、Lake Shasta Caverns、McArthur–Burney Falls）
Drive from Redding to Shasta Dam in about 20 minutes, then to Burney Falls in about 1.5 hours, returning the same day.
Stay: Downtown Redding
Day 7 · Lassen Volcanic Full Day
Redding（Subway Cave、Manzanita Lake、Lassen Volcanic National Park、Bumpass Hell）
Drive from Redding via CA-44 to the North Entrance in about 1 hour, then follow the park highway to the geothermal area in about 1 hour, returning the same day.
The Bumpass Hell Trail opens late; check park announcements.
Stay: Downtown Redding
Day 8 · South to Old Sacramento
Sacramento（Old Sacramento、California State Railroad Museum、California State Capitol & Capitol Park）
Drive south along Interstate 5 to Sacramento in about 2.5 hours, then explore the Old Town and State Capitol on foot in the afternoon.
Stay: Old Sacramento
Day 9 · Historic Town of Locke back to San Francisco
Sacramento（Locke Historic District） → San Francisco
Drive along the levee road to Locke in about 40 minutes, then transfer to CA-12 and I-80 to return to San Francisco in about 1.5 hours.