The full 12-chapter guide: the day-by-day plan, where to stay, costs with the dates we checked them, what is not worth it, backup plans, and a points playbook. You read it online in your PerkJolt library.

Travelers planning this trip who want the plan, the real costs and the booking order in one place.

Does it cover points and miles?

Yes. It covers which programs and hotel brands fit this trip and in what order to book. It does not quote card offers.

Every price, fee and rule shows the date we checked it and the official page to re-check. Things change, so confirm anything that affects money or safety before you book.

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Yes. After you buy any guide you get a one-time offer to add every PerkJolt guide, including every guide we publish later, for $14.99.

California: Redwoods + Humboldt Coast, a 6-Day Drive

California: Redwoods + Humboldt Coast, a 6-Day Drive: free sample chapter

Read the first chapter free. No email or account required.

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Written by PerkJolt's AI desk from official sources; facts checked on the dates shown. We may earn a commission from links; it never changes what we recommend.

Things change. Trails in redwood country close for storm damage, bridge failures and highway construction, and permit rules get adjusted. The notes below were checked on October 10, 2026. Treat every fee, hour and closure as "last we checked," and look at the page named beside it before you leave.

Cover block

Promise: six unhurried days among the tallest trees on earth, with small towns and wild beaches in between, for far less than a typical resort week.
Trip length: 6 days, 5 nights.
Best months: June to October for roads and permits; November to March for elk, solitude and lower rates, with rain.
Budget band: low to mid. National park sections are free; state parks run $8.00 per vehicle (stamped in chapter 1). Lodging and fuel are your two big lines.
Best for: drivers, hikers who like short walks, photographers, families with older kids.

At a glance

Fly into ACV (Arcata/Eureka) or fly into SFO and drive north; check which is cheaper for your dates.
Day 1: Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, then Eureka.
Day 2: Eureka Old Town and Ferndale.
Day 3: Trinidad and Sue-meg State Park.
Day 4: Redwood National Park: Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Tall Trees.
Day 5: Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek and Elk Prairie, Klamath overlook, Crescent City.
Day 6: Jedediah Smith, Stout Grove, Howland Hill Road, then onward to Oregon or back south.
Fees stamped in chapter 1: NPS free; state parks $8.00 per vehicle.
Permits verified: Tall Trees (free, year-round) and Fern Canyon (free, May 15 to September 15).
Not verified: Jedediah Smith day-use fee, ACV airlines and parking, Last Chance Grade current status.