Influencer road trips shape 2027 California Road Trips Guide

Visit California hosted a diverse group of influencers on road trips across the state that will become featured itineraries in the 2027 Visit California Road Trips Guide. The initiative brings together influencer partnerships, destination storytelling and content development to extend the life of hosted trips and create a connected experience for travelers.

Building on the success of this approach in the last two editions of the guide, the 2027 edition will feature first-person narratives from influencers who experienced their California road trips firsthand.

The influencers and itineraries were strategically selected to represent a broad mix of California regions, travel styles and audiences — bringing established brand pillars such as family, culinary and outdoor adventure to life through fresh perspectives while also reaching more niche audiences.

The influencers hosted include:

• Chelsie Hill (@chelsiehill): Chelsie and her family explored Southern California, traveling through Joshua Tree and Palm Springs, Temecula and Oceanside. Her itinerary showcased California through an accessibility lens, highlighting the possibilities for travelers with disabilities while incorporating family, adventure and empowerment.

• Lars & Bryan (@themepark_explorers): The duo put California’s world-class theme parks at the center of their road trip utilizing CityPASS’s new SoCal pass, bringing a highly engaged niche audience into the Road Trips Guide.

• Mirna Valerio (@themirnavator): Valerio explored California’s outdoors through her perspective as an inclusive outdoor adventure creator, offering an authentic look at the state’s diverse landscapes and adventures for all abilities.

• Krystalyn Laura (@krystalyn_laura): Laura and her son traveled from Long Beach to Catalina Island and Big Bear, showcasing that a road trip can include multiple means of transportation and offering an authentic perspective on family travel as a single parent.

• Allie & Becca (@ladyandthegentlewoman): The couple explored California’s unparalleled culinary scene through slow-food restaurants and wineries while visiting Mendocino, Monterey County and Paso Robles.

• Rachael Tancock (@thenatureeducator): Tancock combined outdoor adventure with sustainability and nature education, offering a more purpose-driven perspective on California’s Shasta Cascade region.

All six trips have been completed and shared with the influencers’ audiences, creating an initial wave of awareness around the destinations and experiences featured in their itineraries. When the 2027 Road Trips Guide launches in spring, each creator will further promote the guide while calling back to their California road trip, extending the value of each partnership beyond the initial hosted experience.

By strategically pairing creators with destinations and themes that align with their audiences, Visit California developed a connected storytelling approach that carries each road trip from the initial influencer experience into the Road Trips Guide and ultimately to travelers planning their own California adventures.