Be sure to stop at Nicks Cove in Marshall, CA for a meal or Hog Island Oyster if you love oysters! Its less than 10 minutes drive from Newport to Devils Punch Bowl. For each spot, I share whether I consider it an Overnight stop (where you should spend a night) or a Waypoint stop (where you should stop to stretch your legs and/or see the sights). 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 am planning a 10 day trip the last two weeks in May down the entire PCH from Seattle to San Diego. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Guide - Brian Eagen 2016-09-23 A stunning visual guide for a road trip along the entire United States pacific coast. Should we go down the coast only (plus say Portland & Crater Lk), or head inland given how much time we have? Hi, I love Portland and San Francisco. Thanks for your comment . That gives you a lot more to do each day to wear the kids out and much more suitable for an RV. We then headed to San Fran, our ending point. Thank you. This blog has been incredibly helpful. WOW! If you go as big as a Suburban or Tahoe, youll be way to big and clunky to enjoy the road! I was considering driving from San Jose with overnight stops at Mt Shasta or Lassen NP, Crater Lake, Portland, and Seattle (maybe a few nights in the cities). Stop 2: Santa Cruz and its boardwalk. Thank you for this wonderful review. If you would like a customized itinerary, I offer that for a fee to help cover the time it takes me to put those tips together. If you know which car you want, I recommend renting from Fox Rent-A-Car or Sixt. Crescent City is a great spot for an overnight stop (or longer) depending on your itinerary. Karen, great question! We will be stopping to see the sights along the way but not for strenuous hikes. My wife and I have been to Cali a couple of times, our daughter once from Diego to Fran (Berkeley) and loved it, and just us once to Seattle and Portland, but flying in and out only. Anyway, we are looking to do the very same drive. Thanks for your comment, Vicky! 1-2 days in Portland to visit college and check out Portland. Thanks for reading though , Thanks so much for an in depth post. P.S. BEST PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY STOPS Sun, sand, and surf. Pacific Highway Route information Existed 1913-1926 [a] Major junctions South end San Diego, CA North end Vancouver, BC Location Country United States States California, Oregon, Washington, (also Vancouver in British Columbia) Highway system Auto trails Pacific Highway is the name of several north-south highways in the Pacific Coast region of the Western United States, either by . Do you recommend any of your overnights for golf fireworks for 4th of July? If you go to the Big Sur Crater, you will be a full one mile (1.6 km) above sea level while remaining only three miles (5 km) inland from the ocean. hi planing to do the PCH however we will be in Las Vegas and driving to San Francisco will be there for 2 or 3 days and dont know witch is better to do San Francisco to L A back to Vegas or go north San Francisco to Seattle and then drive to Vegas i will have a extra 3 to 4 days what is your thoughts, we are nature and wildlife lovers not to big into visiting towns. If you dont have the time, plan an overnight stop and make a late start after brunch at one of Portlands many amazing restaurants. Hello, my name is Sonia and I am from Puerto Rico. Thank you so much for sharing this informative article with all of us. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange . Very nicely done thanks ever so much !! We are going to go the middle of September 2022 and take a flight from Phx to somewhere around Crescent city. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow California Highway 1 south. Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most famous and beautiful road trips on earth. Similar to Haystack Rock, your experience stopping at Devils Punchbowl will depend on the tides. Also, for a map, I use the app Roadtrippers, which is linked in the post. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head west along U.S. 101 until it turns south along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. I drove part of this back in 2009 from LA to San Francisco (northbound..) and would also recommend stops in Morro Bay and Monterey I enjoyed both very much! I am going to mostly follow the path you outlined in your 10 day itinerary. I would like to follow the route on the map. Its worth it! Thinking of maybe making this where we would b me somewhere different for 4th of July. Or. I hope you had a great drive, Mindy! Any ideas? Also, I love your pictures! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Seattle, head south along US Highway 101 to Olympia. Eileen, thanks for your comment, and for reading! The best way to enjoy southern California is by diving straight into the beachside culture. Ive been to Napa, Sonoma and Russian River Valley but curious if there are any great places you are aware of. LA's vast size may seem daunting, but if you plan what you want to see and do, it can be a really rewarding place to visit. Thanks so much from a couple of Canucks! A weekend of sea, sand, and sunscreen. Sep 26, 2017. ai traffic expansion highway 1 layout mod pacific coast pch. Enjoyed this 14 day article! But never mind those technicalities, because equally bewitching ribbons of Hwy 1 and Hwy 101 await all along this route. Im glad to surpass the AAA level. Enjoying the Unexpectedly Cool Pitchwood Ale House, All words and images 2013-2023 The Kolibro Group LLC. I love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. Angie, thanks so much for your comment! Thanks for sharing this! There and back that is? In particular, plan a long foray out to Point Reyes State Park and Lighthouse. I hope you can see it for yourself someday too. Start with a stop for fresh pastries at Caf Aquatica in the tiny town of Jenner (population: less than 200), 11 miles from Bodega Bay. That includes missing the Devils Punchbowl and Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in the southern part of the state; you would however get to drive through Oregons Redwoods on your way from Crater Lake to Crescent City. Hurricane Ridge. Also, further north, you could fly to Portland and do the Oregon coast too. Day 3: Cape Kiwanda, OR to Redwood State Park, CA. Thats it! Glad this was helpful! The Pacific Coast Highway is up there with the most beautiful drives in the world. 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. Thanks for your comment, Anthony! Maybe worth checking another site thats more expert in RV travel! Love it. We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! Thanks so much for this comprehensive look at the PCH. Hi, and thanks for this terrific resource. When in doubt, stay on the coast. Thanks for the great ideas! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: None! I wish I could remember the name of the mountain turnoff in Washington. But all of those are just ways to say "The 1.". ), a Jeep Liberty, or most Subarus. Mike, great to hear from you and thanks for reading! Id check out the California DOT website for the most up-to-date information. Have a great trip!! OPEN SUN, 1PM TO 4PM. Ending at a beach front hotel in Diego for 2-3 days to visit that college, unwind and settle a little bit before leaving. Want to know more? Fort Bragg is home to a beautiful glass beach, pictured above, where the entire beach is made of sea glass from past trash dumps. The sweetest shade of blue. We both have a lot of vacation all the time, so 10 days or more would be fine. Southern California. It was actually quite a lot colder than I expected so I usually ended up too cold with the top down. I appreciate all the information! It may have been in a reply to someone elses comment, but I cant seem to find it now. Mendocino Your Pacific Coast Highway road trip begins at Leggett, so naturally, the first stop is the wonderful Mendocino. Cant say enough how appreciative we are. Sounds like it will be well worth it. I had the chance to spend a weekend in Huntington Beach a few years ago and loved the vibe in this surf town. The Pacific Coast Highway is the ultimate road trip - and it's certainly the best one in America. Were on day 2 of our 8-day PCH Tour.and its great to have your help! I have no idea what the case will be for forest fires next year, unfortunately! Any thoughts on this as it pertains to weather? We are planning to stay overnight at the Madonna Inn. Pacific coast highway road trip with kids. Victoria Beach. Regarding I recommend an automatic car with a low center of gravity but skip the convertible! do you have a printable version of this? I appreciate this guide. Starting at San Francisco ending San Diego. Stretching from Washington to California, the Pacific Coast is picturesque, with cliffs, sea stacks, gorgeous urban spaces, and the raging ocean. haha. The ocean's energy is magical. Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! I am doing this trip with the boyfriend end of this month. This will be a great resource for the trip that we are planning. Thanks for reading, Brianna! I hope that helps! Thanks, Larissa! Lane closure lasting 5 hours on Conventional Hwy for Electrical Work affecting #3, R T Lane #1, Right Shoulder, Bike Lane, Sidewalk lane(s) in District: 12 From: MAIN ST (DOWN TOWN) Huntington Beach to Beach Blvd, Rte 39 Huntington Beach End 300ft going SB on Rte 1 after Beach Blvd intersection My wife and I were planning to fly to San Diego to start the trip, but your point about southbound visibility makes total sense. 4 Baths. What would be a good hopping on point? Sorry, I dont have any special suggestions for kids! Hi Valerie, Great tips! Donna, thanks for your comment! On your stop here, be sure to walk out along the pier and keep an eye out for surfers working the breaks along the beach. A few years ago I started saving (unbeknownst to my husband) for his 50th birthday this summer. I hope this helps! If your PCH road trip includes the Olympic Peninsula, follow U.S. 101 west and then north along the eastern side of the Olympic Peninsula toward Port Angeles. This post was originally published in August 2014, and was updated regularly including most recently in May 2022. I was a truck driver for 29 years and could not drive that road. Aretta, thanks for your comment! With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands. How do I do it? Wondering about forest fires and how they affect the trip. You could see Canada and the river valley. Sea the possibilities. 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! I was wondering if you would recommend any wine tasting spots along the way? Tim & Janice, what kind words! In fact, we serve over 15 000 different locations worldwide. Hoping to do this mid Sept 2020. Long Beach is and always will be one of my favorite destinations in Washington. The Pacific Coast Highway is located in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and California. 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. Stay safe. Hope that helps you plan! Planning a mother/son trip after my son graduates HS next year. Maybe Im AAAA ? I will be driving alone and he thought I would be able to enjoy the view better looking to my left than to my right while driving. Awesome, Tim! Now I want to take a trip there from San Diego to the Canadian border while sitting on a Honda Goldwing trike. Blow your budget and stay the night at Fairmont San Francisco, one of the nicest hotels in town. Crescent City! We are planning our trip for the first half of April, SF to LA. Is this going to be a big disappointment? I am not a family travel expert so I dont have advice there! You can even stretch it out by spending a few extra days exploring some of the cities along the route if you want to. Along the way we plan to stop at the Benbow Inn near Garberville, CA and in Newport. Also, niece is vegan and I am meat eater. Do you have any tips? It sounds like youll have an awesome trip, and happy early birthday to him! You probably wont have any snow its usually just rain in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon & Washington). Dont drive down to SD and back up to LA. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary: Day 3 Take in the majestic sights of the Central Coast while cruising across the famous Bixby Bridge in Big Sur. My husband and I plan to do this trip in June. Can you share with me how long this should take us?? Login or Register an account to download this content. Many thanks, alex, Alex, unfortunately, this might not be the trip for you. Also, we were thinking with the additional days to do a detour over to Yosemite. Send me a pic if you remember . It probably means deviating from PCH for a bit and were ok with that. 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! Thanks again for this excellent resource. If you want to spend part of one day during your Pacific Coast Highway road trip beachcombing or hiking, Big Sur is the place to do it. Right, Mel? Weve spent time in SF already so dont need to stay there. And it's hard to miss: you'll be driving right through, so when you see roller coasters, it's time to stop. Youre all set to start filling in the gaps! We definitely want to visit the redwood forest, which is the main reason we want to go so far north. I hope this helps. If you see an error, please contact me. I drove one and I hardly ever got to enjoy it! Sonja, glad to help! The redwoods are a definite. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is only open to visitors from Fridays to Mondays (weekends) from 10am-4:30pm. I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington. I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. We are only going to be there once though and want to make the most of it. There are no reasonable alternatives for some of the routes like the one across Bixby Canyon Bridge (shown above). These are just ten of the many places off Highway 1 that you'll want to experience. We live in Colorado, so more interested in Ocean more than hiking, so 101 is ideal. Taking your advice, flying into Seattle (from KC), and heading south. Youre very welcome, Wilbert! Southern California has great weather year-round. Though I have visited a few cities in California over the years, I (we) are looking forward to that California coastal drive. Youd need to fly into. Making the drive in 2 days. Portland has loads of great hotels, but my favorite is the, For vacation rental options, consider this. I will be driving from Dallas to Seattle. This will be tricky as there are no rental cars in Crescent City or anywhere near it. Sorry; I dont have any suggestions for that! The Pacific Coast Highway is arguably one of the most famous drives in the entire world. 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. Hi, My wife and I are planning a 7-day drive from San Fran to Portland in late June of this year. I havent stayed at any L.A. hotels, so I dont feel comfortable recommending any. Day 4: Redwood State Park, CA to San Francisco, CA. This is such a great article. If you are connecting to Highway 1 from the Sacramento area, take I-80 West for about 50 miles, connect to US-101 S from there, and then connect US-101 North. Awesome, Im hoping to do the PCH and NorCal next summer. Seattle is one of my favorite destinations in the world. I do not plan to do any shopping at stores, so our money would be spent on a rental vehicle, hotels, gas, and food. This is great information and very helpful! For bigger cities, there are probably enough options that you can wait until you arrive to book, even during that time of year. Theres a nice public parking area near a lake that overlooks the Washington State Capital building. 1. Hi, we are flying into Seattle 7/27 and out from San Diego 8/7, we are visiting colleges in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and San Diego for my daughter. Unfortunately, when I drove the PCH it was pretty foggy and cool most of the week. But, we need to go the opposite way; starting in San Diego and heading north. My husband and I are both 62 in pretty good shape and planning to do this trip from Portland to San Diego in late September 2019 over 2 weeks. I am planning a trip for next year, saving and researching. It sounds like youll have a great trip no matter what! Youll get access to five major attractions at a discounted price, so you can experience more of what Seattle has to offer for less. Day 3: Bodega Bay to Point Arena (62 miles) The highway continues north, skimming the Pacific Ocean for the entire length of today's journey, with several diversions along the way. Thoughts? Sounds like youve got a great itinerary planned! from Seattle to San Diego along this route . Glad to help, Andrew I hope you have an amazing trip! I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. 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? 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 Silvia, not to minimize risks but I think the issue is not being represented realistically by the media. Hi Valerie- What is the best time of year for this 10 day trip? We only wish to go South as far as Salinas (more family) or Santa Barbara the furthest. Youve got so much time, thats awesome! What day of the week would you recommend starting from WA? Download Pacific Coast Highway stock photos. Is this time of year realistic for an enjoyable adventure, or should we maybe plan to go somewhere else? It was also formed by wave erosion, and now the huge hole is a beautiful vista or hiking spot. This post was so helpful! With an RV, Id just give yourself a lot more time each day (probably 25% more driving time) since youll need to go a bit slower. (I used Roadtrippers Plus to create this route;you can get $5 off Plus byclicking this linkand using code BTR5QTP.). Especially watching the sun set over Morro Rock in the distance! I have been to Europe, for 2 years, and nothing compares to this coastal trip. 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! Credit: Bigstock.com to San Diego, CA. To ensure accommodations, I was thinking to book all of the hotels in advance. "Someone told me there's a girl out there, with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair." Led Zeppelin, "Going to California" 2. I did a bit of research into this seems like its a Los Angeles thing to drop the the but as I lived up in Northern California, we use the the. Since my post is referring to a much larger area than just SoCal, Im still going to keep the the. Thanks for providing me this opportunity to learn about a quirky bit of California lingo! Note: Due to heavy rainfall in California in January 2023, California Highway 1 is closed around Ragged Point; this means you will not be able to do a complete route down the Pacific Coast and will instead divert inland from Monterey to San Simeon (southbound). It was a great help! Thank you . 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. Three police agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, crack down on motorists along the Pacific Coast Highway near Crystal Cove on Sunday, May 3, 2020. I love small beaches and in less popular destinations like this! We will probably book Airbnb if cost effective. There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach for more than an overnight stop! We are coming from Pennsylvania. If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. You should drive the Pacific Coast Highway southbound! Valerie-thanks for the great overview. Thank you in advance! 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. We were planning on a 7day road trip with our 8, 6 and 20 month olds in June. Great info . Its a little tough to guess without knowing the exact dates and which towns/cities you plan to stay in on any given night, but I hope this helps! This is my idea of an itinerary but I need to cut out one of these days or consolidate one since I really only have 8 days. What do you think about making this drive in November? Stop 4: Bixby bridge. I was hoping to see autumn colours in the northern area. Glad to help, Ashley! Hi V& VDid you make hotel reservations in advance for your overnight stops? Theres a link to that at the end of the post. The skies are guaranteed to be blue, the weather begs for a convertible, and the passing sands are alive with . Top ways to experience Pacific Coast Highway See all Recommended Tours & Sightseeing Walking & Biking Tours Multi-day & Extended Tours Outdoor Activities Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive - Full Day Tour from San Francisco 310 Bus Tours from $105.00 per adult Monterey & Carmel Explorer 22 Full-day Tours from $105.00 Bonus- Rent A Car To Drive The Pacific Coast Highway. Have other questions about driving the Pacific Coast Highway? Portland is the only city on this list thatisnton the coast, and its definitely a trip extender if you want to visit Portland while driving the Pacific Coast Highway. Phoenix77. Thank you for the article. Wifey and I did the PCH trip a while ago, shortly after we got married. Only question I have is how much money would you recommend someone having for a trip like this and staying in a 3 star hotel each night? Explore the beach then hit the trails to find waterfalls, massive redwoods, and an abandoned limekiln. The most commonly driven part of the . Where is the Pacific Coast Highway? Manage photos Let me know if you need any extra tips whenever you start planning! Appreciate you sharing your experience and advice. The Pacific Coast Highway has long been considered a "dream drive" and the ultimate road trip. I appreciate any help you can provide. I can really tell that you love traveling, Valerie . You absolutely nailed it. Thanks for reading, Dale. Pigeon Point can be a fun rest stop along the Pacific Coast Highway or a quirky one-night stop depending on your itinerary. This is exactly what I was looking for. After reading your blog we are excited to visit San Jose. Explore seaside scenery along the east coast, taking you off the beaten track to some of the most beautiful beaches including Mount Maunganui - voted as New Zealand's best beach. We can only do a quick trip. There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. The worst that happens is you might end up in a slightly less nice place than you had planned. I especially appreciate your links to stays and dine. When you drive on the Pacific Coast Highway, you will see sheer cliffs straight down to the water. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. Related posts: Stop 1: San Francisco. I was reading for the road trip from Seattle to San Diego. Thank you so much for creating this itinerary! To be honest, Id opt for the long route you only have one day, and Point Reyes is one of my favorite parts of California. Our kids will be 15 & 10Im just afraid it will be a boring ride for them in the car. My English is very very basic but if you write to me I can understand it. State Route 1. Depending on whether you drive a Washington to California road trip or just drive portions in California, you can start/end your road trip at the various cities in this guide. Located just off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this campsite is sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and a redwood forest. Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. 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.