Although I live in San Francisco, Ive yet to visit several of these places on this list. Thank you so much for sharing this informative article with all of us. Let me know if you have any other questions while planning or on the road! Pacific Coast Highway (1982)(Datasoft)(US)PlatformAtari 8-bitReleased1982Published byDatasoft,. Great name btw . Tim and Janice. The Pacific Coast Highway is the ultimate road trip - and it's certainly the best one in America. Should we go down the coast only (plus say Portland & Crater Lk), or head inland given how much time we have? The West Coast especially is fantastic. September and October are definitely best for visiting NorCal, so I recommend that time of year too! If you decide to drive the PCH, Im happy to give you any tips! I would love to receive the PDF version of this, please. Thanks again. Its the best time for good weather on the whole coast! Thanks for reading, Lynda! 4 Baths. Best of all, theres no cell service so theyll have to look around to see them . I stopped here to eat a to-go lunch I had purchased earlier in the drive, with my toes in the sand. Making the drive in 2 days. Or. Would you have any other suggestions since I am using 4 more days and not going south to Sa Diego and strarting in Vancouver? Crescent City is the first city youll enter when driving southbound into California along the Pacific Coast Highway (or last if youre headed northbound). Also being from Colorado, we would love to camp oceanside, do you have any recommendations on campsites? In this forest, youll find amazing old growth trees and is incredibly verdant. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: None! We were planning on a 7day road trip with our 8, 6 and 20 month olds in June. Thanks for reading, Angel! Have a great trip! An unanticipated problem was encountered, check back soon and try again Let me know if you need any extra tips whenever you start planning! My only additional rec for anyone would be to add the Great Tide Pool in Monterrey to check out little worlds of marine life. Glad to help, Ashley! Have a safe trip!! Kavinsky - Pacific Coast Highway (Official Audio) - YouTube 0:00 / 6:18 Kavinsky - Pacific Coast Highway (Official Audio) Record Makers 225K subscribers Share 12M views 11 years ago #Kavinsky Thanks for reading, Oleg. 99. I would rather guess on the high side than the low side so Im prepared. Right, Mel? This sounds like a great adventure. Well be camping out at most stops except for SF. Gov. Im definitely going to try to do it sometime! Follow the highway south as it winds inland and along the coast. Getting excited. Question, if we were to add a stop, possible one night stay at Crater Lake, where would you suggest doing this from without missing much, (or any?) Thanks for reading, Teena! Hi Valerie, I am doing the PCH drive southbound from Seattle and as far as we can go for 5 days. 3. I havent been to Yellowstone so I cant say if its worth it, unfortunately. Thanks so much from a couple of Canucks! We stayed in Seattle and drove south to Olympia, to pick up the beginning of the 101. It'll take you about three hours to reach Big Sur from San Francisco, and by then you'll be ready to stretch your legs. I was a truck driver for 29 years and could not drive that road. Also, niece is vegan and I am meat eater. 01 of 04 You wont have as much time to spend in each city, or to take a few of the long drives, but youll see it all in a short span of time. I am planning a 10 day trip the last two weeks in May down the entire PCH from Seattle to San Diego. How Long is it? NEW CONSTRUCTION. Three tips for the Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops Day 1: San Francisco to Santa Cruz Day 2: Santa Cruz to Carmel Day 3: Carmel to Big Sur Day 4: Big Sur to Paso Robles or Cambria Day 5: Paso Robles/Cambria to Santa Ynez Valley Day 6: Santa Ynez Valley to Los Angeles PCH Road Trip Planning Essentials Explore More of California Kim, December should be a pretty good time, but plan for classic marine layer weather (chilly and cloudy this is whats normal on the Pacific coast!). My wife and I were planning to fly to San Diego to start the trip, but your point about southbound visibility makes total sense. The best time of year to do this will be in the summer (June/July/August), probably sooner in the year rather than later. The ocean is my happy place. https://www.valisemag.com/pacific-coast-highway-guide/ https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/ Both include info on the area between San Diego and Santa Monica. Before launching into a bunch of details for where to stop along the Pacific Coast Highway, I need to define a few things: Now that you know the details, lets dig into the logistics of planning your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary! Downtown is a series of taffy-colored storefronts filled with beach gear, kitschy coastal crafts, and the Funland Seaside Arcade, which harkens back to the heydays of coastal vacations. Do you happen to know or can you suggest a source with info about the road conditoin in the light of recent terrible weather in California. Im going to publish a suggested 7-day PCH guide soon! It sounds like youll have an awesome trip, and happy early birthday to him! In a few weeks, we intend to start a 10-ish day loop from San Jose, drive up on the inland route to Seattle, and do a southbound coastal drive. Fort Bragg is home to a beautiful glass beach, pictured above, where the entire beach is made of sea glass from past trash dumps. Booking this trip for late Oct. Id like to fly in ( from East Coast) somewhere north of San Fran. Its a very winding cliff-side road and doing it in an RV is going to be laboriously slow and probably make you a bit nervous at times. Manny from Massachusetts. You thinks thats safe or should I make some. Pinterest. 1. BEST PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY STOPS Sun, sand, and surf. Thank you . 2. Reading through this your article is going to be a huge help as our family plans our two-week trip. Is it worth waiting to do this trip in summer? Pismo is a popular camping destination, so the most common amenities youll find if you decide to stay longer than a few hours are camping-oriented. We are from Ohio. Taking your advice, flying into Seattle (from KC), and heading south. Santa Cruz. Are people moving about freely or are things locked down with the covid? Ive done Yosemite and Sequoia, so no need for inland stops. Nope, headed northbound is not a bad way to go its actually the way I went on my first drive! Are you hoping to do a one-way rental car for your PCH drive? "Golden state of mind." 3. Chinquel, nice to hear from you! Have a great drive! Is this time of year realistic for an enjoyable adventure, or should we maybe plan to go somewhere else? The most important thing you need to decide first when driving the Pacific Coast Highway is which direction you prefer to travel the Pacific Coast Highway (northbound or southbound). I am not fond of the cold and a bit fearful of icy driving in the mountains. In Northern California, the best weather of the year happens between September and October. Therefore, its an amazing place to start your Pacific Coast Highway trip! Here's an example PCH itinerary: Day 1: Seattle WA, to Forks, WA. You could do this road-trip in as little as five days, but I recommend taking at least seven or maybe 10 if you have the time! Feel free to comment back here if you have questions while planning your trip . Okay, now youve got your car, youve got your basic itinerary. As I mentioned above, both are southbound itineraries. You did a fantastic job with this giude, everything is straight to the point but provided in a fun and educational way. I have been reading your blog posts about the PCH and think I read where you mentioned a couple of crossover vehicles that would be good rental cars. Your help is appreciated. Is this possible?? Hood. Here are some different starting/ending points for a PCH road trip: As you can see, you have options! Did you try searching my site using the search in the sidebar? I hope you had a good trip! Thanks for reading, Dale. I know we wont see everything, but its the only time frame we have. Have you seen these two posts? Yes, we intend to stay a couple of nights in Portland and 2 or 3 in San Francisco but well probably look for hotels on the outskirts and travel in to the cities by car or public transport each day. At low tide, you can hike down into the hole or go tide pooling; at other times you can have a picnic while trying to spot whales off the coast. I can think off the top of my head that you could do the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. I see we can head to Mendocino and then over to a larger highway to San Francisco or.drive all the way down the PCH to Point Reyes Station & then head over San Francisco but that would be a lot of driving. WOW! We will be coming from Anaheim and want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway to Half Moon Bay. Just one small thing, its not the PCH, its just PCH. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head west along U.S. 101 until it turns south along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Thanks for your comment, Erin! The Pacific Coast Highway runs along two highways: In Washington and Oregon, the best weather of the year happens between June and September. Hoping to do this mid Sept 2020. It was a great help! While the glass is technically part of MacKerricher State Park and you cant take it home you can still spend time out of the car searching for different colors and shapes of beautiful sea glass that wash up from the Pacific Ocean. I loved the harbor and wharf, was surprised by the food scene, and lightly dabbled in the historical significance of Santa Barbara enough for me to want to return. You can stretch your legs with a short walk before getting back on the road. However I actively lament that I was on the wrong side of the road in the present tense (as in, if you ask me today, I still lament it); I didnt really realize I was on the wrong side until after my trip was over and its not like you can change your route once you start! Pacific Coast Highway Attractions, those must-see sights along PCH, include Hearst Castle, Big Sur, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Golden Gate Bridge. Thanks again! Thank you very much for providing a road map! While driving southbound, youll approach Marshall first. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south on CA-1, the Pacific Coast Highway. I dont plan to change any of my travel plans based on the Coronavirus unless there are required quarantines. Thank you so much for passing on your wisdom and experience. Even an email answer is fine!! I am traveling with my husband, brother and our 4 year old. Have you heard any issues with the Covid and being able to rent places on the way down? Thank you, Archimedes. One of the longest state routes in California (after Interstate 5 and U.S. 101), California 1 sees some of the most . Thanks so much, Lois and glad to help! Highway 1 Self-Driving Audio Tour (Pacific Coast Highway) 11 Adventure Tours from $24.99 per adult Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive - Full Day Tour from San Francisco 310 Bus Tours from $105.00 per adult Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco 584 Full-day Tours from $199.00 per adult (price varies by group size) A one-week Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary will allow you to see the highlights without feeling rushed. This gorgeous building mostly survived the 1906 earthquake and captures Victorian glory with modern amenities. California 1 is the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Cabrillo Highway, following the coastline from San Juan Capistrano in Orange County in Southern California to Leggett in Mendocino County in Northern California. A frequent Cali traveler warned me of smog in the late summer and recommended late Sept. early Oct. What are your thoughts? Read more in my Privacy Policy. Glad to help, Dan! We will go from Seattle to San Diego using your itinerary as our planning guide. It's renowned as one of the most scenic road trips in America, and of course there are dozens of fun places to stop and check out along the way. It is best known for the stretch along the Californian coast, with spectacular ocean views and awesome attractions as you travel. I love that the Pacific coast has those little hideaways! Wifey and I did the PCH trip a while ago, shortly after we got married. Seaside is a picturesque coastal town, a western interpretation of the East Coast summer destinations along the Atlantic. What a great and comprehensive post! 5 Beds. The first time, we (I) had it all planned out. And other than his military time at Ft Lewis many years ago, we have never lived nor toured the west coast at all. lol. My wife doesnt particularly like high bridges or steep drops (one reason we are driving north), so any advice on where we might avoid such things is appreciated. Best Quotes about the West Coast There are many quotes that sing praises and are written as an ode to the beauty of the West Coast. Thanks, Id take those days and visit the San Juan Islands: https://www.valisemag.com/visit-san-juan-islands/, You could also give yourself more time in the cities: https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-seattle/ https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-san-francisco/ https://www.valisemag.com/portland-city-guide/, Valerie, My husband and I are wanting to fly from Denver to California on December 27th. Well, now we will have to wait to see how this Covid-19 progresses. I will definitely use all the info youve provided. Thanks Teena. Whats your thought on late availability rooms at that time of year? We then headed to San Fran, our ending point. 0:42. Thanks for reading, Brianna! Just wondering about restrictions? We are planning a west coast trip and are considering renting an RV one way from Portland or Seattle to San Francisco. Though hard to believe, you have to find out that on the Pacific Coast Highway the phone signal will be almost inexistent most of the time. Valerie, valuable tips ! I am thinking 5 days from Portland to LA. of the PCH? Sorry, I could not get past it, and I may not even be correct, but I truly loved this page. This will be a great tool in planning. I wouldnt advise doing this one in an RV, to be honest. Great question So Crater Lake is pretty far inland. The Pacific Coast Highway, also called California State Route 1, Coast Highway, or shortened by locals to be "PCH," is 650 miles of road. In particular, plan a long foray out to Point Reyes State Park and Lighthouse. Thank you for the recommendation! Be sure to stop at Nicks Cove in Marshall, CA for a meal or Hog Island Oyster if you love oysters! Thanks so much for sharing your experience for others to know its worth doing!! We are going to go the middle of September 2022 and take a flight from Phx to somewhere around Crescent city. March is a fine time to drive the PCH the weather on the Pacific Coast is pretty similar all year long! Located in the heart of Washington's Olympic Peninsula, Hurricane Ridge is an iconic spot to stop and stretch your legs on a Pacific Coast Highway road trip. I love road trips & he tolerates them so I am looking forward to all these sights to see! Also wondering if you can tell me where I could get a printable version of your article. Pacific Coast Highway (@thepacificcoasthighway) Instagram photos and videos 2,612 Followers, 118 Following, 94 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Pacific Coast Highway (@thepacificcoasthighway) That said, there are plenty of nice ones depending on which part of town you want to stay in. Thanks for your help in advance!!!! The speed limit ranges from 55mph to 25mph theres really no helpful way to give an average! There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach for more than an overnight stop! (As of July 2018, the PCH reopened after a 2017 mudslide!). Its really up to you to decide where you want to end and figure out the closest rental car/airport option from there, but there are airports of all sizes throughout the region. Then flying back to Michigan. I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. Blow your budget and stay the night at Fairmont San Francisco, one of the nicest hotels in town. We will only have 7 days. I travelled alone from San Francisco to LA while on a work trip years ago and havent stopped thinking about getting my husband out there. Depending on the timing of your itinerary, you may want to do an overnight here. And thanks for confirming what I thought (hoped) that southbound is the best way to go. I had lots of recommendations from a friend, specific to Big Sur, but your article was so encompassing and complete. Drive safe in between those beer stops! Would be every much appriciate if you can provide tips and recomendattions where to stop, what to see/do and eat the drive on high 1 from San Diego to Santa Monica. So doing our 101 bucket list too, but want a 2-3 days near Ocean Beach, CA. With colorful historic seaside homes and great hiking trails and other outdoor activities, Mendocino is good for at least an overnight stop dont be surprised if you want to spend even longer here once you arrive! San Simeon Drive for 45 minutes and start the day with a 15-minute excursion inland to San Simeon to tour the elaborate Hearst Castle. Im driving with our 5 kids (ages 1 -13) and my wife. I have been to Europe, for 2 years, and nothing compares to this coastal trip. The weather should be okay but be prepared for coastal fog and chill (as you would experience pretty much all year long!). Great trip! I love small beaches and in less popular destinations like this! I recommend researching/contacting each one individual to confirm theyll be open. Thank you for all this information. Its not a long drive from Seattle to Olympia, so I recommend just making a waypoint stop here to stretch your legs before the rest of your driving today whether thats to Port Angeles or Portland. I agree, go north to south. If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. Carry on the fantastic work!|. Unfortunately, when I drove the PCH it was pretty foggy and cool most of the week. I have suggestions on dates earlier in the article to help you figure out how long to do the trip and where to stop. Now my only problem is trying to figure out how many extra days were going to need! Its less than 10 minutes drive from Newport to Devils Punch Bowl. What do you think about making this drive in November? Congrats on the trip, Michael! Starting in San Francisco, you'll cruise south along the Pacific Coast of California, visiting vibrant cities, secluded beaches and stunning State Parks as you go. So, don't just rely on Google Maps, instead download an offline map in advance, so there's no chance of getting lost. The majority of this California road trip will take place on Highway 1, AKA the Pacific Coast Highway, AKA the PCH, AKA Cabrillo Highway, AKA Shoreline Highway, AKA The Prettiest Highway in the World. Technically, it starts in Washington State, but it's best known for the stretch through California from the stunning redwood forests and wild, rugged coast down to the sun-drenched beaches of San Diego. Looking forward to follow your tips. Im thinking of doing this trip from Seattle to San Diego. I dont feel we missed a lot of Oregon coast the views we seen before & after Crater lake were absolutely stunning. Hi Valerie, we are planning a trip from Crescent city back home to Phoenix traveling along PCH. Have a wonderful trip! Thanks for your comment, Vicky! I love Portland and San Diego. I would like to follow the route on the map. What would be a good hopping on point? 1 question: weve booked hotels at both end (Seattle and LA) and would prefer not to book hotels until were on route and know how far were along and how long we want to stop in each place. Have a great trip!! If youve ever seen The Goonies, you know exactly what I mean. If you're starting your PCH drive from Seattle . Free or royalty-free photos and images. Thanks for your comment, Jorge! Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. Start here. Seeing some nice beaches is also of interest. Thanks for your points. We will probably book Airbnb if cost effective. Here are my twenty five favorite stops on PCH from south to north. Hello, Thanks for sharing your trips and valuable tips. We are from FL and east coast and know very little about west coast, so this is great!! Thats it! From the beach boardwalk to the lush redwoods, Santa Cruz is one of the best places to stop on the Pacific Coast Highway. ), a Jeep Liberty, or most Subarus. Thank you for the pointers! If youre a fan, make sure to stop in Aberdeen to see the house where he grew up. Hope to rent a car there? Great article! My stop in Fort Bragg was relatively short, but it was worth it! I am planning to start my road trip in Vancouver BC and ending in San Francisco. I do too (ish Im in Oakland!). Ronald, I dont know for sure as I dont recommend people drive in an RV. Whether youre planning a San Diego to San Francisco, Seattle to San Francisco, San Francisco to San Diego, Seattle to San Diego road trip, or somewhere in between (Los Angeles! First thank you for all the work you put into this! Where is the Pacific Coast Highway? We just booked Patrees room! I dont think you can do Yosemite in a day its a four hour drive from the coast to Yosemite (one-way) and youll probably want a full day in the park at minimum. My problem is going to be deciding what not to do because Ill only have so much time (and money). So I am very, very thankful to have found THIS resource!! You probably wont have any snow its usually just rain in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon & Washington). Thanks for reading, Jan. Would there be a place where the rental could be left in those regions? 4,329 Sq. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is only open to visitors from Fridays to Mondays (weekends) from 10am-4:30pm. Valerie, First off, congratulations on your recent wedding! Yes, I do have San Francisco guides! Maybe Im AAAA ? Adrian, great to hear from you! Youd need to drive about 7-10 hours out of the way depending on the bridge, and miss major stretches of the road . Hello good morning my name is Cherie Carmona, Wealth to California a little over a year ago I love it I live in Dana Point California, my husband will be moving here in a few weeks and Im so excited my daughter lives in Seattle so we were considering a road trip to Seattle realistically how long do you think it would take thank you so much God-bless. Were making a shortlist of 3 or 4 likely hotels for each expected stopover. A couple of reasons: 1. This blog has been incredibly helpful. My blog posts likely contain affiliate links, including for the Amazon Associates program.If you click, book, or buy from one of these links, I may earn a commission. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. Very nicely done thanks ever so much !! Got to save some $$$$$. Hi there, I am desperate to do the road trip next year however, I am not keen on driving over bridges (I am fine on coastal roads/cliff edges), so are there any places that i definitely need to avoid or that you cant get through/past without crossing a bridge? Thanks for asking, Helen! ENJOY the sightseeing trip of a lifetime. Planning a mother/son trip after my son graduates HS next year. Overwhelmed by the vastness of it all. Again, thank you so much!! They all offer budget rentals, run regular deals and specials, and have one-way rental options. Thanks for reading, Laurie! Ive been to Napa, Sonoma and Russian River Valley but curious if there are any great places you are aware of. Located on the Pacific side of the Olympic Peninsula, Hoh Rainforest qualifies as a rainforest due to the amount of precipitation that occurs each year. I am planning a trip for next year, saving and researching. I have one question where is the best place to fly into? One of the ultimate road trip destinations has to be the Pacific Coast Highway, or Highway One, which spans 600 miles of the California coastline from San Diego in the south to San Francisco in the north. I dont have it I just want to make sure businesses are open? Day 4: Redwood State Park, CA to San Francisco, CA. Thanks for the great ideas! Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary Options, How to Choose a Car for the Pacific Coast Highway, Step-by-Step Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Directions, this gorgeous 3-bedroom oceanfront property, plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego, https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/, Wandering the Olympic Peninsula - Valerie & Valise, https://www.theoutbound.com/theoutbound/camping-along-the-pacific-10-seaside-campsites-for-your-west-coast-road-trip, https://www.valisemag.com/visit-san-juan-islands/, https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-seattle/, https://www.valisemag.com/3-days-san-francisco/, https://www.valisemag.com/portland-city-guide/, https://www.valisemag.com/pacific-coast-highway-guide/. The ocean's energy is magical. Did you drive it alone and what do you think about being able to see well driving north to south? My favorite place is Mendocino if the skies are clear! I have looked up the different uses of the word and grammatically correct samples, and I believe you needed to use it in past-tense. We both have a lot of vacation all the time, so 10 days or more would be fine. I would love to take this vacation but not fall short on money. To ensure accommodations, I was thinking to book all of the hotels in advance. Can you recommend where to spend time and in which cities to plan to spend the night? Crater lake was amazing!! This will be tricky as there are no rental cars in Crescent City or anywhere near it. Your second choice is where to start your road trip. The most easily accessible and breathtakingly stark part of the PCH is a short drive (about 3 hours) sound of San Francisco, so many people in the Bay Area do it as an overnight or weekend trip. Heres a Pacific Coast Highway map and schedule for 5 days: If youre lucky to have a few more days for your PCH road trip, a week is a pretty fantastic amount of time to see all that the Pacific Coast Highway has to offer. If you need to stretch your legs on your day of driving between Los Angeles and San Diego, Huntington Beach is a great spot to stop. Hah, sounds like a good bonding experience, Angela! Have a great drive! If youre not sure (or not loyal to any particular car rental company), consider using a tool like Kayak or TripAdvisor to compare a bunch of options (yes, TripAdvisor does rental cars!). Heres a Pacific Coast Highway map and schedule for 10 days: One of the most popular questions I get about driving the Pacific Coast Highway is about when to drive the PCH. This was a 6 day trip. There are a number of epic hiking trails in the area, ranging from a 0.5-mile loop to 16-mile out-and-back trails. What do you think of Coos Bay/North Bend or better places for overnight, seemed a good split between Seattle and San Francisco? OPEN SUN, 1PM TO 4PM. Its worth it! From here on south, it's miles-upon-miles of beautiful sand beaches, palm-lined streets, and thriving coastal cities. Driving south on the right-hand side of the road, youll have a great view of the ocean and coastline. Travelling from Australia and would like to spend 3 weeks driving around . Mendocino Your Pacific Coast Highway road trip begins at Leggett, so naturally, the first stop is the wonderful Mendocino.