If you intend to drive, an international driving license is recommended but not necessary. If you are on a fly-drive holiday then a valid driving license is required for each driver. If you have a photocard license you should remember to also bring the green 'paper' counterpart license with you. You should also ensure that your car rental insurance covers occupants of your vehicle and any third party claims, including personal injury.

You should learn US traffic laws before coming to the country. For example, both the speed and drink driving limits are lower than in the UK and Ireland.

It is worthwhile buying a detailed road atlas of the areas through which you are travelling, or rent a GPS navigation system through your car rental company. You can usually rent a navigation system for about $10 a day.

Find out the prevailing weather conditions before embarking on a long journey, e.g. in mountainous and isolated areas where there is increased likelihood of snowfall, or in dry desert areas where you may need extra water and petrol stations could be scarcer than usual. For information on current road conditions, please check The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) before you travel or call the California Department of Transportation for 24-hour information toll free at +1 800-427-7623.   California Road Trips 2008 - This CA Guide features many excursions around the Golden State and includes day, weekend and weeklong itineraries. Compelling photographs and richly detailed maps, that will keep you on the road in California.

View California Road Trips 2008 online. For more California route guides, please visit our Maps & Guides section.

State Size & Drive Times

California is big – real big. If you were to drive the length of the state along Interstate 5, it would take you an estimated 15 hours, with little or no traffic, to get from Oregon to Mexico. At the end of your road trip, you'd have driven nearly 1,287 kilometers (800 miles).

To help you plan your journey better and more efficiently, we have provided a useful tool. Simply fill in your starting and destination locations in the form below and find complete information on driving directions, including distances and driving times.

Below is a chart that shows you driving distances between major cities in California.