There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. I stopped here to eat a to-go lunch I had purchased earlier in the drive, with my toes in the sand. 24 Best Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Stops. Thanks for your comment, Rex! Then flying back to Michigan. Solvang Not sure it matters when you set out from Seattle; itll be great no matter when you go! Thanks for reading, Sonia. Have a great drive! Cant say enough how appreciative we are. Id find an interesting podcast for everyone in the car and have the kids keep an eye out for whales and wildlife. I plan to rent a car in Los Angeles in the summer and make a similar journey, Hello! my best friends and I have talked about driving down from San Francisco to some of the Orange County, CA cities. Also, its not exactly the most stimulating view its a bit better for older kids than younger ones. Hah, sounds like a good bonding experience, Angela! 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!). 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. Thanks Valerie. Thank so much for putting together a wonderful and comprehensive itinerary of the PC scenic drive. Did you try searching my site using the search in the sidebar? The route between Los Angeles and San Diego is not as popular as the classic long road trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco on Highway 1.San Francisco is one of the most important cities in the United States and, thanks to its charm and favorable location on the way to visit the national parks, is often preferred over San Diego, which shares the Pacific Ocean with San Francisco and Los . I love Portland and San Diego. My question is: how to best use our time? I want to fly out to the NW and drive to Crescent city, then go inland to see the redwoods, Bend, and Mt. BEST PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY STOPS Sun, sand, and surf. Drive Time: About 3.5 Hours. I am starting from seattle 8/26 down to los angeles taking PCH. Taking my granddaughter on an epic journey. This 2. Flew into Seattle and drove back. Is this possible? NEW CONSTRUCTION. From there we are planning on 4 days drive/stop on high 1 (PCH) up to Santa Monica/Malibu then flight out LAX. Glad to help, Dan! Thank you for the pointers! So we used really about a day off the coast but well worth it. Would it be worth it to continue to San Diego then back to LA? You should have no problem finding vegan options! Thinking approximately 250 miles a day. If I were youI would do a leisurely drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles/San Diego. 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. My fiance & I want to do this for our honeymoon next month! 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. Great questions, Julie. Have a great trip! 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263 310.506.4000 Map Driving Directions From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) From Orange County, San Diego and points south of Los Angeles From points east of Los Angeles From the north on Interstate 5 From Pasadena/ San Gabriel Valley From the north on Hwy 101/Santa Barbara and Thousand Oaks Have a great trip! 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. Fort Bragg is home to a beautiful glass beach, pictured above, where the entire beach is made of sea glass from past trash dumps. Santa Barbara marks the threshold to the southern California section of the pacific coast. I was wondering if you would recommend any wine tasting spots along the way? This is exactly what I was looking for. Hey there! I havent been to some of those national parks, but they sound amazing! FREE delivery Sat, Jan 7 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. Thanks for your comment, Vicky! You live in SF! Send me a pic if you remember . Awesome, you can sign up using the forms in this post to get the PDF! Im glad to surpass the AAA level. We just booked Patrees room! Please drop the the. Crater lake was amazing!! Hi, I love Portland and San Francisco. State Route 1. We will only have 7 days. Hoping to do this mid Sept 2020. 1. I am planning a trip for next year, saving and researching. 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. The sweetest shade of blue. March is a fine time to drive the PCH the weather on the Pacific Coast is pretty similar all year long! I am currently planning a road trip from Phoenix to Vancouver, WA to visit family and weve decided to come back home via the PCH. Thanks for your comment, David! The journey down Highway 1 is the iconic California road trip, and this coastal route is a great choice whether you're in Northern California, the central coast, or in SoCal. I did a quick search and heres how it breaks down: Newport > Crescent City (what I originally suggest) = about 5 hours of driving Newport > Crater Lake > Crescent City = about 8 hours of driving (and none of it is on the coast), If you chose to go from Portland > Crater Lake > Crescent City instead = 7.5 hours of driving. Kim. I already have the vista points where we will stop for photos and eating. Amy, take a look at the Santa Maria Valley I stopped in Lompoc on a trip recently and they have some fun and interesting wineries there. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: South of Humboldt Redwoods, theres a junction where California Highway 1 (CA-1) begins. Taking your advice, flying into Seattle (from KC), and heading south. You could see Canada and the river valley. Ill have to stop at these places, Thinking about a pch trip from San frans to LA.. suggestions on where to stop and how many days, I have this post that will help you plan your trip: https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/, Hi Valerie I am looking for a 1 day coastal trip from Anaheim back to San Francisco with 4 kids ranging from Teen to toddler. A weekend of sea, sand, and sunscreen. 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. Best rates and airports to use. I hope this helps. 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? Sorry, I could not get past it, and I may not even be correct, but I truly loved this page. Just one small thing, its not the PCH, its just PCH. Which Direction to Drive the Pacific Coast Highway? Thanks! 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. I have a few questions. Weve daydreamed about a lot of different trips we would take one day, and a flight from the southeast US to Seattle and PCH drive to San Diego was one of them. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: At this point in Northern California, the PCH is still U.S. 101. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: None! 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. Stop 5: Hearst castle. Im thinking of doing this trip from Seattle to San Diego. I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington. 1. The PCH heads inland near Lompoc but is the main road you can take to Santa Barbara. Thanks for your amazing feedback, and Im so glad to help! Although I live in San Francisco, Ive yet to visit several of these places on this list. 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! If you do decide to spend an overnight in the area, I recommend stopping in the town of Mendocino first for late lunch, walking around the Mendocino Headlands, then continue driving south to spend the night at the beautiful Little River Inn for dinner at the Whale Watch Bar. I would hate to plan a trip only to find out that things are shut down or there are big restrictions placed on free movement. Our plan (2 people) would be to fly into Seattle, where family is. Sorry, I dont have any special suggestions for kids! Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, segments of the U.S. Route 101: U.S. Route 101 in Oregon U.S. Route 101 in Washington Public transportation [ edit] When you picture the Pacific Coast Highway, its Big Sur that comes to mind. I would love to receive the PDF version of this, please. Thanks for your comment, Jorge! do you have a printable version of this? Im planning on doing the PCH from Seattle to SF next Sept. (We did SF to SD in 2019). If youve just stayed overnight in Santa Barbara or started your road trip in San Diego, that may not make as much sense. 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. Sounds like it will be well worth it. The Pacific Coast Highway, also called California State Route 1, Coast Highway, or shortened by locals to be "PCH," is 650 miles of road. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Aberdeen, continue south along U.S. Highway 101. First thank you for all the work you put into this! Thanks for asking! Also being from Colorado, we would love to camp oceanside, do you have any recommendations on campsites? 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. Very glad to help, and I hope you have a great trip! Is this possible?? Nice ride. The little set of communities on the Long Beach peninsula is at the lower-left corner of the state and is home to cozy accommodations and surprisingly delicious restaurants. We are thinking Crescent City to Santa Barbara? I am flying into Portland to meet my niece and we will rent a car and drive down the coast to LA to meet another nephew. It sounds like youll have a great trip no matter what! Valerie, I am so glad I found your guide to the PCH! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along U.S. 101. 01 of 04 We will start in Portland, Or and drive to Las Angeles, CA. 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. Looking forward to follow your tips. Other cool attractions include Hurricane Ridge (a popular hiking spot), Elwha River Valley, and Olympic Hot Springs. I drove one and I hardly ever got to enjoy it! I had saved this resource to help me plan. Raynard, when are you going? This is such a great resource. (Hours and dates for the attractions on the Seattle CityPass have been affected by the pandemic, so be sure to check those when you purchase!). Thanks for reading, Brian. Stop and admire the views in Big Sur, too! Sounds like youre well on the way to it . The Point Reyes Lighthouse is only open to visitors from Fridays to Mondays (weekends) from 10am-4:30pm. Hi, and thanks for this terrific resource. Do you highly recommend the LONG route OR is thru Mendocino only enough? Is this going to be a big disappointment? The Oregon Coast Aquarium lets visitors explore the marine ecosystems around this part of the Pacific Ocean. 21500 Pacific Coast Highway Huntington Beach, California, United States, 92648 Phone +1 714 698 1234 Email HyattHBFrontOffice@hyatt.com View Details Rooms Featuring a coastal chic aesthetic, our rooms and suites each feature terraces overlooking Huntington Beach, pools and lavishly landscaped courtyards. Hope that helps you plan! I drove one and I hardly ever got to enjoy it!.why were you hardly ever able to enjoy driving a convertible???? Also, you can probably get away with booking hotels/vacation rentals in the smaller towns only a few days in advance but if you want to stay in any of the big cities, I would book those 2-3 weeks in advance at the latest! 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along U.S. 101 to Crescent City always stick to the coast! and so much more! The weather also wasnt great for most of the route; after moving up out of SoCal, youre much more likely to experience clouds and/or the marine layer on the PCH. Hood. Its a great spot for a short hike to stretch your legs. After all, I liked it so much when I first visited in 2012 that I moved there in 2013! That gives you a lot more to do each day to wear the kids out and much more suitable for an RV. Read more in my Privacy Policy. We planned to start in Seattle and drive to San Diego. The PCH is Highway 1 in California, though sometimes Highway 1 and 101 overlap which is what causes the confusion! Also, I will have 3 weeks to do this, I like small towns, Vegan food, and too out of shape for extended hikes. The Pacific Coast Highway is an ambitious road trip, but totally possible in as few as five days. I hope you can make this trip someday (hopefully soon!). The PCH begins south of Dana Point in Orange County and ends at US 101 in Mendocino County. Have a wonderful trip! If you're starting your PCH drive from Seattle . Any thoughts are greatly appreciated: Day 1: San Francisco (Arrive late in the evening) Day 2: San Francisco Day 3: Santa Cruz Day 4: Carmel-By-The-Sea Day 5: Big Sur Day 6: San Luis Obispo Day 7: Santa Barbara Day 8: Los Angeles Day 9: San Diego (leave early in the morning). 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! 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. We are thinking of late September of 2022 doing a two week drive from north to south. Thank you for all this information. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? Im sure someone else has asked this but..When is the best time to travel PCH (traveling Southbound through California to San Diego in hopes of warm days and cool(ish) nights)? The most commonly driven part of the . Find and save ideas about pacific coast highway on Pinterest. Okay, now youve got your car, youve got your basic itinerary. You will miss Seaside & Cannon Beach on this route, so your next stop will be Newport (#9). Here are my twenty five favorite stops on PCH from south to north. Unfortunately, you cant climb the lighthouse steps as it has been closed for restoration since 2001. To answer your questions: 1. Would there be a place where the rental could be left in those regions? Youre all set to start filling in the gaps! If I wanted to follow your trip but stop off a day at Yosemite what might the drive look like? When I drove the PCH in 2014, I drove a northbound San Diego to Seattle road trip, and lament that I wasnt on the outer side of the road. Pinterest. We then took that to the end. Explore the route. Rainier, plenty of coastlines, and Redwoods. So nice to hear from you, Silvia! What type of car would you rent for 4 of us? This was more expensive than a round-trip rental, but I didnt want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway both ways! Especially watching the sun set over Morro Rock in the distance! Pacific coast highway road trip with kids. 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. The ideia is to have a West Coast Beer Route drive. Please keep doing what youre doing. I do you can sign up using the email forms in this post to receive a short version! We were thinking October, but after reading all the comments, I think we will make it September. 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. You'll feel far from it all as you pass through tiny towns and secluded beaches and wind around cliffs surrounded by yellowy beige grasses and cliffs. I dont plan to change any of my travel plans based on the Coronavirus unless there are required quarantines. As we will be married 40 years! 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. Have a great drive! Angie, thanks so much for your comment! You might have even stopped to take a picture of the sunset from a beautiful lookout along the Pacific Coast Highway and can caption it with, "Just say the word and we'll go back." Every. I love road trips & he tolerates them so I am looking forward to all these sights to see! My car is a convertible (BMW 3 series) so I am not sure if it can take on the road during Dec end Seattle and portland area mainly ? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Stop 3: Monterey and its aquarium. Dont drive down to SD and back up to LA. I am thinking 5 days from Portland to LA. 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 This is great information and very helpful! I appreciate this guide. This is a 23km section of real roads on California Highway 1, one of the great all-American roads on the scenic West Coast, and is widely considered among the best driving roads in the world. Santa Cruz. Great trip! I hope you can see it for yourself someday too. Youve put together one awesome road trip! Ruby Beach is only a short drive from Hoh Rainforest but its the most picturesque beach on Washingtons Pacific Coast. I was curious about which one you suggest if you were to slim down this itinerary by 1 day (ex. Still figuring it out. You can stretch your legs with a short walk before getting back on the road. Will we be able to enjoy the drive in March? I have one question where is the best place to fly into? I appreciated your take on the drive, and now Im sorry we will be going north rather than south, but we are planning on going back the I-5 and stopping in Ashland. Thanks! The best way to enjoy southern California is by diving straight into the beachside culture. Thanks for the great ideas! P.S. Ime hoping the trip will run about $10k. These stops are numbered to match my Roadtrippers map and trip above (click here to open the trip in a separate window). Great question, Sharon! Thanks for sharing this! Thanks so much for any tips you can suggest on having adequate funds! Free or royalty-free photos and images. OPEN SUN, 1PM TO 4PM. We are doing the PCH this July and August coming from Yellowstone, Glacier and Teddy Roosevelt NP it has been on our Bucket list for quite some time after this trip we only have Alaska to visit and we will have visited all the States !! I am doing this trip with the boyfriend end of this month. By the end, youll be ready to plan your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary. "I'm California dreamin'." The. Once inPortland, its easy to spend a few days exploring; I have been to Portland repeatedly and there are so many experiences that can more than fill a stop on your road trip. 2. 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. 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. You can look out over beautiful sea stacks that dot the northern part of the Pacific Coast and stroll along the sand covered with huge driftwood formations and seafoam. 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. Aretta, thanks for your comment! Let me know if you need any extra tips whenever you start planning! Again, thank you so much!! Hi! Did you drive it alone and what do you think about being able to see well driving north to south? Click on the image to learn more about the stop. Thanks again. It is best known for the stretch along the Californian coast, with spectacular ocean views and awesome attractions as you travel. Thank you for any other tips. These Pacific Coast Highway road trip stops really seem like true country California. Thinking of Seattle to San Diego on US 1 in late September or early October, is the weather still good for a 10 day driving trip? Thanks for sharing. My stop in Fort Bragg was relatively short, but it was worth it! Now my only problem is trying to figure out how many extra days were going to need! Lot of driving in 10 days, but I am excited. I love small beaches and in less popular destinations like this! 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. 3 days trip to Joshua Tree/stay at Twentynine Palms, then swing to San Diego. Pacific Coast Highway 1 (PCH) - California. The reason I recommend doing your Pacific Coast Highway road trip north to south is that youll be on the coastal side of the road. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: When youre ready to continue on your PCH road trip, make your way back to California Highway 1 and head south. But there's something extra special about driving the Pacific Coast Highway as it approaches its southern end. Also known as Route 1 or Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway is the road of the American Dream, a U.S. route that offers beautiful views of the coast along the 620-mile road from Orange County (near Dana Point, south of Los Angeles) to Mendocino County (just above San Francisco, in Leggett), that covers almost the entire California coast.. A Pacific Coast Highway road trip passes through . I appreciate your asking for clarification! Im nervous go excited. Thanks, CJ! Thanks so much, Lois and glad to help! Great name btw . 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. May 16, 2022 by Allison Green. I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. Bonus- Rent A Car To Drive The Pacific Coast Highway. I hope you had a good trip! Its impossible to reduce all of the amazing things to do in San Francisco down to a small paragraph or overnight stop on a Pacific Coast Highway road trip.