The Most Affordable Northern California Road Trip Takes You To 8 Stunning Sites For Under $100

A funny thing happens when you drive north on US HWY 101. Once you pass wine country, the traffic dies off, and you have the highway to yourself as you travel north. A road trip up US HWY 101 will expose you to a ton of beautiful nature and quiet small towns, and you can do it all for less than $100! That's right, these affordable trips in Northern California won't break the bank but will give you loads to see along the way.

You can find the entire road trip itinerary here. Feel free to switch around stops or add and delete at your leisure!

This itinerary is perfect for those who don’t want to drive long stretches across the country but crave the sightseeing road trip experience.

If you start this trip somewhat early, you can easily pack all these stops into one day. See our guide below for this budget road trip.

California is so much more than just Los Angeles and San Francisco. The third largest state in the US by land mass, California has tons of beautiful forests to explore. We’re exploring the most sparsely populated part of California. The northernmost part of California contains less than 5% of the state's total population.

1. Grace Hudson Museum & Sun House - Ukiah

Start driving north on US Highway 101, just north of wine country. Our first stop is the town of Ukiah. Here you’ll visit the Grace Hudson Museum & Sun House. This craftsman-style house hosts rotating art exhibits. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for students and seniors, and $12 for families. Entry is free for Native Americans and for standing military personnel with identification. Admission is free for everyone on the first Friday of the month.

2. Mendocino County Museum - Willits

Continuing north for about 30 minutes to Willits. This small town is a place you’ll want to stop and stretch your legs. Walk up the northside of main street. Stop in Willits' Enchanted Toy Shoppe, Moon Lady/Moon Man clothing, and Cats Meow gift shop. You’ll definitely want to visit the Mendocino County Museum. With more than 60,000 artifacts and a rotating exhibit, there’s always a lot to discover. Admission is $5 for adults and $10 for families. Admission is free the first Saturday of every month.

3. Drive-Thru Tree Park - Leggett

As you leave Willits, grab a coffee or snack for the road because the next stop is about one hour away. A major tourist attraction, the Drive-Thru Tree Park in Leggett lets you drive through a 315-foot redwood tree. Stop and get a picture with your vehicle driving through the tree. This private park has a picnic area and a gift shop so you can stop a while. Admission is $10.

4. Confusion Hill - Piercy

Now that you’re on the Redwood Highway, there are a few other stops you’ll want to make to soak in the incredible nature of this area. Confusion Hill is just up the road. A major tourist attraction since it opened in 1949, Confusion Hill has served as a quirky pit stop full of entertainment. Check out the World Famous Gravity House, Mountain Train Ride, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not "World’s Tallest Free Standing Redwood Chainsaw Carving". Admission to the Gravity House is $5. Admission to the Mountain Train Ride is $10.

5. Avenue of the Giants - Garberville

About 30 minutes north, you’ll exit the highway to take the Avenue of the Giants. Located before Phillipsville and at the end of Garberville, this 31 mile road parallels the highway and is lined with towering redwoods. You’ll pass by many photograph opportunities as well as another drive-thru redwood.

6. Shrine Drive-Thru Tree - Myers Flat

The Shrine Drive-Thru Tree is a naturally split redwood in Myers Flat. It’s $10 to drive through the tree.

7. Founders Tree - Weott

Stop by Founders Tree in Weott to see the world's tallest tree from 1931 to 1957.

8. Immortal Tree - Redcrest

Up the road, still on the Avenue of the Giants, you’ll pass by the Immortal Tree. This giant redwood has seen many disasters in its 1,000 years.

As your road trip ends, consider where you want to spend the remainder of your $100. Maybe you stopped at one of the several rock stores along the way to add to your crystal collection. Or perhaps you bought a one-of-a-kind souvenir from a gift shop. If you decide to stay the night, Ferndale– just 20 minutes north, has several beautiful B&Bs. If you want to stay in a chain hotel, just drive north to Eureka, where you’ll find many famous chain hotels.

Have you ever road-tripped up Northern California? What are your must-see affordable vacation spots in NorCal? We'd love to hear from you in the comments section! Also if you have any more affordable road trip suggestions in NorCal, shout those out, too!