A drive up or down the coast is recommended at least once as well as a Lake Tahoe or Mammoth lakes excursion. For the grand tour Leave from LA go through Yosemite up to Mammoth then up to Carson City, NV up the back side of the sierras. Cross back over the sierras at Lake Tahoe. Then west to San Francisco (drive through, don't stay) and South down Pacific Coast Highway all the way to San Diego. That doesn’t even take in the Equally gorgeous northern part of the state where the redwoods are.