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Cruising the highways of California leads one to quaint seaside towns, striking vineyards, breathtaking national parks and a little something called the Golden Gate bridge.

Northern California may not be as glamorous as its Southern California cousin, but there is so much to see that a three-night, four-day get-away is not nearly enough. The first decision that one must make is: Do I go north or south of San Francisco? You really can't do both, so we're headed south for the sheer variety of activities.

DAY ONE

Morning: A run along the Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco is an exhilarating way to start the day. Be sure not to choose a boring chain hotel or motel for your stay as San Francisco has one of the richest palettes of small local choices throughout the city. For a total San Francisco experience, you must, of course, ride the cable cars, as well as visit Fisherman's Wharf and Golden Gate Park. You could spend a whole week just in the city by the bay, but there is so much to see on your long weekend that you'll agonize over your choices.

Lunch: Consider the Cliff House for lunch for one of the best ocean views around – as long as the fog has lifted.

Afternoon: Leave the city via US1 through Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and on to Santa Cruz. The road is slow, but well worth the drive. Each small town along the way gives a different picture of small town California's historic roots.

Evening: Your destination tonight is Monterey – of John Steinbeck fame and home of the world famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Hotel Pacific is a great hotel, but the choices are many. For a total splurge, continue on down the coast a short distance and stay at the Lodge at Pebble Beach or the Inn at Spanish Bay. Both are "wow" experiences, especially if you are a golf fan. But don't miss sightseeing in Cannery Row and downtown Monterey if you decide to head to the Carmel area for the night.

DAY TWO

Morning: Either wake up in the heart of one of the world's golf meccas, or head there for breakfast – maybe at Katy's Place, a cozy Carmel staple. Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of the quaintest towns you'll ever find and is dotted with inns and wonderful small restaurants. Their restrictions on everything have kept it much the way it was in the 1960s. It is still known as an artists' retreat and evidence of that is shown throughout the many galleries sprinkling the courtyards of the town. A great way to see the town is via a self-guided walking tour.

Lunch/Afternoon: As you say good-bye to Carmel, continue down highway 1 through the most spectacular scenery on the west coast – Big Sur. Rugged, isolated, wondrous and rural don't begin to describe the scenery of this area. Small restaurants dot the northern portion of the highway, but a treat would be lunching at either Ventana or the Post Ranch Inn. Be prepared to stop frequently and take in the scenery and allow extra time on this narrow, twisting scenic highway arriving at San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. Be sure to make reservations ahead for this popular destination and allow plenty of time for one or more of the magnificent tours.

Evening: After walking and exploring all day, take just a short drive on into Pismo Beach for the flavor of a true California beach town. There are several reasonably priced ocean-front hotels with good local dining close by. Enjoy the sunset and a great seafood meal before turning in.

DAY THREE

Morning: No visit to California would be complete without a visit to at least one of the remaining 21 California Missions, former stopovers for travelers, community centers, as well as religious institutions. Stop and tour the San Luis Obispo mission built in 1772 in downtown San Luis Obispo – a delightful destination even without the mission. It is the fifth oldest mission and is still an active church.

Lunch: California is legendary for their wine growing regions and the Paso Robles area is quickly gaining recognition for their wines. This wine growing area was made famous by the 2004 movie, "Sideways." Explore several wineries before picking up a picnic lunch and enjoying it on the winery grounds.

Afternoon: After lunch, take a two and half hour drive through both wine country and California's famous agricultural areas following Highway 41 to Fresno and then going north to Merced on Highway 99. Stop along the way at one of the many fruit and vegetable stands and enjoy the local flavor of your choice.

Evening: Merced is a farming community first and foremost and a working class town in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley. A good night's sleep is in order before your assault on Yosemite National Park.

Note: An alternate route would be to continue on into Yosemite Park tonight and stay at one of the four National Park Lodges or other accommodations if you can get reservations. It is about an additional two hours from Merced on Highway 140.

DAY FOUR

Morning/Lunch: California has more national parks than any other state, so a visit to this great state just has to include a visit to at least one of them – and Yosemite is arguably the most famous. If you managed the extra driving yesterday, you are waking up in this glorious park, or you are rising early to arrive in the park by mid-morning. A half-day is not nearly enough time to explore, but it is enough time to take in the valley floor, gaze at El Capitan (look for the rock climbers hanging on the side where they sleep), view Yosemite Falls, maybe drive out to Glacier Point for a picnic lunch (just don't let the chipmunks get it – they are fast!) and a view of Half Dome.

Afternoon/Evening: It is a four hour drive out of Yosemite back to San Francisco, so you'll arrive late and tired, but full of the memories of your quick tour of just a small slice of Northern California.

Carol White is the co-author of the award-winning book, "Live Your Road Trip Dream" – the ultimate road trip planning guide for extended road trips. Carol and her husband Phil have traveled over 50,000 road miles in the past several years, visiting all forty-eight of the contiguous states and having visited all of the National Parks in those states. They now spend their days helping others to live their dreams. For more road trip itineraries and ideas like the ones here, check out the Whites' book.

If summer makes you long for the open road, check the Travel channel all season for insight from road trip experts in addition to tried and true itineraries for great road trips of your very own.