Ultimate guide: how to find California's hidden gems beyond the tourist traps

Nothing screams California road trip like driving home from an NFL game in the bright lights of LA in an Uber, with a Native American behind the wheel, glued to a live police chase being streamed on his iPhone.

Wild.

San Francisco to Los Angeles: seven days, 400-odd miles (about 640 kilometres) down Highway 101, bustling cities, changing landscapes, stopovers in the picturesque San Luis Obispo County (SLO CAL), America's Riviera, Santa Barbara, and finally LA and Venice Beach.

The journey is a living timeline of California's history.

Leaving San Francisco, you depart a city shaped by the Gold Rush and the Beat Generation, now a hub of innovation and cultural rebellion.

Travelling south, you encounter remnants of the Spanish colonial era. Missions along the original El Camino Real stand as a reminder of a bygone era.

The landscape is a dramatic and ever-changing panorama - from the rolling hills and fertile valleys of Northern California to the sun-drenched Salinas Valley, known as "The Salad Bowl of the World", and then to the mesmerising oak-studded hills of the Central Coast. Approaching LA, vineyards give way to the suburban sprawl.

The Santa Monica Pier, with its famous Ferris wheel, marks the end of the road and the transition into a vibrant metropolis.

The lure for this Aussie male sports hack was an NFL blockbuster between fierce rivals, the LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers, at the futuristic SoFi Stadium.

What I experienced was so much more, and a must for Aussie travellers seeking more than big-ticket attractions.

The City by the Bay is full of surprises. And most of them delight. It's a quirky mix of history, culture, charm and cool. Every neighbourhood has its own personality. The city's gritty underside is part of the appeal.

Of course, there is the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, cable cars and steep hills.

Move away from the travel brochure and you discover another world.

RIDE IN A WAYMO: Have I been teleported to 3025? Am I somehow in a Jetsons cartoon? A Waymo robotaxi is a glimpse into the future of travel. These driverless, all-electric Jaguars navigate San Fran using a sophisticated array of sensors and AI. To order a ride, you simply use the Waymo app.

"What the hell? How is it doing that?" my daredevil, teenage son replies on WhatsApp after I send him a video.

DEAR SAN FRANCISCO: This exhilarating show is a modern love letter to the city with a Cirque du Soleil twist. It's a non-stop journey told through high-flying acrobatics, stunning choreography and live music, all performed just metres away from the audience. The production was born from the creative minds behind the popular circus company, 7 Fingers.

Off the beaten track: San Francisco boasts the oldest Chinatown outside Asia. Next door is North Beach - AKA Little Italy. Stretchy Pants Food Tours is the perfect way to explore both. Our guide, Rob, lives in the adjacent neighbourhood, Nob Hill. This is his world. He knows the restaurants, the owners, the hidden alleyways and the stories behind them.

For the sporty: With every pedal on the e-bike, the striking presence of the Golden Gate Bridge magnifies.

Our guide from Blazing Saddles takes us past some of the richest real estate in San Fran, we admire the Palace of Fine Arts (San Fran's Eiffel Tower), before arriving at the foot of the Golden Gate. The wind - and we are told it was a mild day - slaps you in the face.

Where to eat: Head to Crab House at Pier 39 - the 45-minute wait for a table signals the popularity of the waterside favourite known for its "world famous" Killer Crab.

Where to stay: Hotel Nikko is a luxurious oasis that blends Japanese-inspired hospitality with a prime location in Union Square. The pool pavilion and health club are equal to those found in any resort.

After the hustle and bustle of San Fran, the trip - and life - drops back a gear as you head south. SLO CAL, with its rolling farmland, terraced vineyards and welcoming small towns, is the stuff of postcards.

Paso Robles is the gateway to more than 200 vineyards. A short drive away is Morro Bay, Cambria and Cayucos Beach - each has its own distinct landscape, its own personality, its own allure.

The only disappointing aspect of SLO CAL is that we didn't have more time to explore it further.

SENSORIO: Have you ever been blown away? Completely blown away. In the heart of Paso Robles wine country, Sensorio is an extraordinary outdoor art installation that invites visitors to wander through a shimmering landscape of pathways and exhibits.

The understated entry disguises a galaxy of colour. The main exhibit, Field of Light, by Bruce Munro, features 110,000 solar-powered spheres that blanket the hills in a stunning, colour-changing display. The exhibit is twice the size of Munro's installation at Uluru, which has been enthralling visitors since 2016.

It is impossible to select a favourite. Each display is a bewitching blend of colour and sound. There are bars, food trucks, places to sit with firepits and exclusive VIP areas along the enchanting route.

Off the beaten track: We haven't even launched our kayaks, and are greeted by two curious California sea otters. For the next two hours, we are special guests in our own David Attenborough-type documentary. With our guide, Ray, from Central Coast Outdoors, plotting the course, we discover harbour seals, fur seals and a catalogue of birds as we paddle across the glassy waters of the bay and through the wetland.

For the sporty: Covell Ranch in Cambria is one of the few places in the world where you can ride a Clydesdale. The two-hour guided trail ride takes you through the picturesque Monterey pine forest on the family-run property.

Where to eat: Niner Wine Estate blends award-winning cuisine with a stunning vineyard backdrop. At the front gate, you're greeted by the iconic sight of Heart Hill, a natural grove of oak trees that has formed a perfect heart shape on the hillside.

Where to stay: The Ava Hotel in Paso Robles opened in August last year. The Esperanza restaurant and bar, and heated pool on the rooftop, have a great vibe.

Hotel San Luis Obispo is a modern urban resort in the vibrant heart of downtown.

Pop star Lana Del Rey was strolling along State Street when she heard a familiar tune - local band Fastest Kids at School performing a cover of her 2014 hit West Coast. So Del Rey popped into Institution Ale brewery and joined the band on stage.

That's Santa Barbara.

Dubbed the "American Riviera", the popular escape is nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains and is known as much for its people as for its stunning landscape.

One of my travel buddies, American Jacob, is a regular visitor and sums up the area's vibe: "It is a luxury destination, but not intimidating like Bel Air or Malibu. Here, the culture is laid-back. It has an approachable quality to the city that makes it easy to navigate."

People watch: Santa Barbara, particularly the affluent enclave of Montecito, is a hot spot for A-Listers. Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Katy Perry, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Lopez and Kevin Costner are among the stars to call the area home. If you are to run into a celebrity, it will most likely to be at a restaurant, bakery or boutique in Montecito.

Get in touch with your spiritual side: The Sacred Space is a Balinese-inspired sanctuary that transports visitors to another time and place. We are here specifically for a sound bath. And for the next 60 minutes, I am placed into a deep state of relaxation by our sound healer, Brandon, who plays a collection of gongs, crystal bowls, bells, drums and chimes. The vibrations and frequencies are said to help reduce stress, fatigue and anxiety. I certainly feel relaxed.

Off the beaten track: We meet chef Vicken Tavitian, from Bouchon Santa Barbara, at the farmers' market, which takes over a section of State Street on Tuesday and Saturday afternoons.

We are handed menus and asked to select a starter, main and dessert from the California Wine Country cuisine. I ask Vik for his favourite and tick the pan-seared fresh Pacific Sea bass paired with white beans, chorizo, pickled fennel and sauce vierge.

For the next hour, we are taken on a "foodie stroll" as Vik selects produce to prepare that night from the hundreds of organic farm stalls.

The stalls are a kaleidoscope of colours. The air is filled with the smells of fresh-pulled herbs and the sweet scent of ripe, seasonal fruit.

For the sporty: Santa Barbara will, in August, become the home of the new USL team Sky FC. In the meantime, East Beach volleyball courts host daily pick-up games and tournaments.

Where to eat: The Little King Coffee is a favourite of locals - and now Aussie tourists. Located at The Post in Montecito, the family-run cafe overlooks the Andree Clark Bird Refuge.

Where to stay: Santa Barbara Inn is an intimate boutique hotel overlooking East Beach.

Venice Beach is a living canvas of art, sport and bohemian culture, and the perfect base to explore LA. It is stuck in time in the best way.

Along the boardwalk is the legendary Muscle Beach, where body-builders flex in the open air. Past the basketball courts and pickleball complex is the skate bowl. Everywhere you look, there is something or someone to watch.

NFL Game at SoFi Stadium: I've been lucky enough to go to plenty of big sporting events in my time, but the NFL (that's gridiron for those who don't know) is on another level. Experiencing the futuristic SoFi is entertainment in itself. There is so much going on, you don't know where to look. Forget the notion that NFL is too stop-start.

Off the beaten track: The distinctive "Dreamcatcher" is the first thing I notice when we jump in the Uber ride from Venice Beach to SoFi Stadium. Our driver, Jeremiah, is up for a chat and explains he is a Native American, and a dreamcatcher is typically hung above a bed to catch nightmares. His ornament is attached to the rear-vision mirror and is, in fact, a "money catcher". Welcome to LA. When Jeremiah is not driving Ubers, he runs a production company and is a sometime roadie for the Jonas Brothers. He is also a pseudo tour guide.

The ride home is a repeat of the first, only this time Jeremiah's phone lights up with a notification. He swivels his phone to show a livestream of a police pursuit near downtown. We "ooh" and "ahh" as the wantaway sedan swerves through traffic before striking misfortune in the form of a concrete barrier.

For the sporty: A guided VIP tour of SoFi Stadium takes you into the locker rooms of the LA Rams and the LA Chargers. Test your arm like the quarterbacks do on the field. The 60-minute experience takes you beyond the stands at the most expensive stadium in the world.

Where to eat: Great White Cafe is owned by Aussies Sam Cooper and Sam Trude and embodies the neighbourhood's laid-back, yet stylish, vibe. The Breakfast Burrito lives up to its lofty reputation.

Where to stay: Venice V Hotel is located in the heart of Venice Beach. Originally known as the Waldorf, the reimagined 1915 landmark was once a hangout for the Hollywood elite.

The writer was a guest of Visit California, Visit SLO CAL and Los Angeles Tourism