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When it comes to World Cup fun, it doesn’t matter if you’re a California native or a visitor from distant shores, for when the soccer matches begin in Los Angeles and San Francisco next week, there’s going to be a lot going on up and down the coast between the two host cities.
As FIFA says, the 2026 World Cup “will be the biggest and most exciting edition of the tournament to date, as 48 teams from around the world compete.” The North American tournament ranges across the United States, Canada and Mexico in 16 stadiums, from the first kickoff in pool play of the Round of 48 all the way to the finals to be held in New York New Jersey Stadium – remember that the stadiums do not carry their corporate branding names, as FIFA doesn’t allow that.
So be hip, and call SoFi Stadium the “Los Angeles Stadium” and Levi’s Stadium the “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium” when you talk about the matches in California, which will begin on June 12 and run to July 10. And with tickets to both venues, and a yen to see the gorgeous coastal places between the two cities, we suggest you deck yourself out in your favorite team’s gear, rent a convertible, pop the top and take this World Cup 2026 road trip in between matches.
Cruising Along the Pacific Coast Highway
We’ll take you north from Los Angeles to the Bay Area on our Pacific Coast Highway/PCH/Highway 101 road trip, so just flip the plan to do it going south from Northern California. The drive between the two stadiums can take six hours driving straight through, but our coastal meander is best planned for a four-to-six-day slow roll to see, sail, hike, sip and dine along one of the most beautiful shorelines in the world.
Malibu, Ventura and Santa Barbara: Packed and ready to go by 10 a.m. in Los Angeles means traveling after rush hour, so make your way to Pacific Coast Highway and head north along the ocean toward Malibu. Stop into The Getty Villa museum if Greek and Roman antiquities are your jam or have a sublime beachfront sushi lunch at Nobu Malibu. Take a surfing lesson on Zuma Beach (past Point Dume) or allow time to discover the tidepools and sea caves of Leo Carillo State Park, way up the coast where Malibu ends.
Continuing north to Ventura leads to a vibrant beach community where trips to see the Channel Islands National Park on whale-watching boats is the thing to do. Book an Island Packers three-hour cruise for morning or afternoon to experience this quintessentially California coastal experience. Spend the night here or continue up the coast to Santa Barbara, where luxurious hotels like San Ysidro Ranch, Rosewood Miramar Beach (with its award-winning The Manor Bar) and The Ritz-Carlton Bacara are ready to envelop you in a pampered hillside or beachfront escape. Be sure to hit The Funk Zone, the spot where galleries, street art, craft beers, wine-tasting rooms and plenty of cool restaurants abound.
Stay an extra day to take in State Street, the Santa Barbara Zoo or to just languish on the beach, but beware – the Pacific Ocean is not warm around here (nor in Malibu/L.A., even in summertime)! Continue north on Highway 154 to discover the “Sideways” movie’s wine settings at the Hitching Post II restaurant in the Santa Ynez’s wine AVA microclimates, check out Solvang, the Danish-style village settled in 1911 and don’t miss trying the sublime Sea Smoke Pinot Noir wines from the Sta. Rita Hills AVA at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos, once an old 1880s tavern that’s now a beloved luxury wining and dining spot in the region.
Lompoc/Vandenberg Space Force Base, Avila Beach, Morro Bay and More: Drive west back toward the beach to hit PCH again, to discover the part of the Central Coast that combines rocket ships, antique aircraft and wineries before you meander north toward some of California’s great but lesser-known beach towns.
Lompoc is a small town filled with rocket scientists who work at the Vandenberg Space Force Base, so you might just hit a day when there’s a launch. You cannot go on the base, but there are viewing spots all over town. Check rocketlaunch.org for real-time launch updates.
If airplanes are more your speed, time your visit to see the West Coast Cub and Antique Aircraft Fly-In, the annual mid-July event held at the Lompoc Airport, to witness vintage aircraft swooping and soaring. If you just want a glass, stop into The Hilt Estate Winery, a gorgeous hidden gem just outside of Lompoc, and sample their single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in a breathtaking tasting “barn.”
Adventure is calling further on up the road, especially in Oceano Beach (an hour north from Lompoc), where the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is the place to rent an ATV and zoom across the sand dunes, one of the few places in California where – for now – vehicles are allowed on the beach.
Nearby Avila Beach is a perfect throwback to earlier days, a small slice of sand with ice cream shops and beachfront restaurants like the beloved French bistro/wine bar Blue Moon Over Avila. Sleep here at the cozy Avila Beach Inn, just up the hill from the sand, and spend an afternoon at two of the fine wineries nearby. Try Chamisal Vineyards, who make Rhone-style GSMs to die for, as well as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, offered with nibbles on an expansive patio overlooking their vines in the Edna Valley AVA; then, visit Talley Vineyards nearby in the Arroyo Grande AVA, a beautiful family-owned winery producing fine wines for over 40 years. Time your summer visit for a Sunday, as they have weekly free concerts to pair with brilliant estate-grown Pinot Noirs.
Be sure to stop to see big rock, Morro Bay’s landmark, where you’ll discover a lively beachfront Embarcadero scene, complete with art galleries, cool boutiques and fresh seafood, where The Galley Seafood Grill and Bar is the place for the most delicious (and casual) take on that local staple. Rent a kayak and paddle out where the otters play and if you’re lucky, they will swim right by to say hi.
San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Sensorio: You’ve been in San Luis Obispo County since Oceano, now it’s time to see the city of SLO, which Cal Poly University calls home and Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa has stood since 1772. It’s the fifth mission of the 21 that Spanish priests built from San Diego to Sonoma, beginning in 1769. This one is still a Catholic church and also has a museum for all to visit, as are many others found along this road trip.
Summertime means free Concerts in the Park on Fridays in downtown SLO and on July 3, 2026, the 30th Anniversary Festival of the event will rock five bands all afternoon, plus art installations, food and more. Wonderful restaurants abound, and be sure to see ever-weird Bubblegum Alley, where countless pieces of people’s chewed-up gum are stuck to the wall. Spend the night here at the luxe Hotel Cerro and everything in town will be right out your front door; plus they have a spa.
Every Central Coast trip needs a stop in Paso Robles, that California wine region that’s almost as famous as Napa and Sonoma, and for good reason. With classic luxury resorts like Allegretto Vineyard Resort and smaller boutique hotels including Hotel Cheval and the new AVA Hotel, there are plenty of excellent places to spend the night.
Put Daou Vineyards on your list for wonderful wines (tasting Soul of a Lion is a must), delicious meals and the best sky-high view in Paso, then be sure to take time out to visit other top brands, including newcomer LXV Wine, classic pioneer of the region Eberle Winery, and Robert Hall Winery, where regenerative organic practices are at the forefront. And devote one evening to Sensorio, Bruce Munro’s incredible art installation, that turns light and music into an extraordinary dark skies experience (along with works of other selected artists).
Hearst Castle, Big Sur, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pebble Beach: There’s one more wine stop as you leave Paso Robles and return west to the California coastline, so reserve an early tasting at Epoch Estate Wines on York Mountain. Hidden away up the mountain is this lovely estate that delights in making world-class Rhone- and Bordeaux-inspired wines.
Back on Pacific Coast Highway, feel the wind in your hair as you begin a spectacular section of the Central Coast. This is where cliffs meet the ocean, massive redwoods dwarf everything and every curve opens up another stunning vista of sky, sea and wild landscapes. It’s a blast to drive, but if seeing how the rich once lived is of interest, make a stop at Hearst Castle. That’s where newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst built his pleasure palace, complete with a swimming pool that must be seen to be believed, beginning in 1919.
Then, on to Big Sur. The road has recently reopened to the joy of all who love this route, as there are few things as scenic in the world. Watch for whales going by, stop and see the redwood forests and take a photo at the iconic Bixby Bridge, for it is a stunning manmade creation amidst a riot of natural beauty.
End up in Carmel-by-the-Sea, the quaint small town that once called Clint Eastwood “Mr. Mayor.” It’s a perfect place for a lunch break with a wander around the galleries and shops, perhaps dining at the original Hogs Breath Inn, which Eastwood opened in 1970. Then it’s time to take the otherworldly 17-Mile Drive past Pebble Beach; or stop and play the famed course, or try Spyglass or the Links at Spanish Bay, as any of those three courses will give you bragging rights among your golfer pals (you can rent clubs if you forgot yours).
Santa Clara and San Francisco
Keep driving and follow the signs for Santa Clara, and you’ll have finally arrived where the San Francisco Bay Area stadium sits, with its natural grass field and incredible seat sightlines. That’s where the FIFA World Cup games are being played, near San Jose. It’s about an hour drive to the actual city of San Francisco, as the stadium is not actually in that beautiful, hilly metropolis.
Santa Clara has plenty of its own charm, especially the appeal of being just minutes to the World Cup action. Book a close-to-the-stadium stay at the AC Hotel San Jose Santa Clara for a comfortable home base, then try some cool local eateries like Puesto, with authentic Mexican fare, or Clara’s Junction, a lively sports bar with terrific BBQ and a famous happy hour.
If time allows, San Francisco is one of the world’s great cities, but we suggest you drive north to a BART station to roll into town on public transport, as parking is not for the weak. Plan to see the major sights, like Fisherman’s Wharf, where sea lions lounge in the sun and the ferry over to Alcatraz embarks with a perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge; and hop on a streetcar just for the fun of it. Go up to Twin Peaks for the greatest view of the whole city; see Lombard Street’s crazy bends; and feed your soul with the incredible art at the famed San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Eat seafood while at the wharf and then wander over to Ghirardelli Square, where the namesake chocolate has been made since the 1850s, and top off this epic California road trip with one of the 15 decadent sundaes that Ghirardelli’s scoops every day.
