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. Related posts: Stop 1: San Francisco. Where is the Pacific Coast Highway? I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. Should we go down the coast only (plus say Portland & Crater Lk), or head inland given how much time we have?
14 Pacific Coast Highway Stops | Map + Route - Free Tours by Foot Thanks for your comment, David! Mendocino Your Pacific Coast Highway road trip begins at Leggett, so naturally, the first stop is the wonderful Mendocino. Travelling from Auckland to Napier, you'll experience lakes, wildlife, vineyards and a tranquil lagoon. Whats the best time of year to do this?
Pacific Coast Highway | 100% Pure New Zealand If I were youI would do a leisurely drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles/San Diego. Youve put together one awesome road trip! Nope, headed northbound is not a bad way to go its actually the way I went on my first drive! 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. 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. Thanks for all of this great information! It sounds like youll have a great trip no matter what! Eileen, thanks for your comment, and for reading! I dont feel we missed a lot of Oregon coast the views we seen before & after Crater lake were absolutely stunning. Tim & Janice, what kind words! My husband and I are planning a Spring Break trip with our girls March 2020. Yes, I do have San Francisco guides! Sounds like it will be well worth it. Valerie, I am so glad I found your guide to the PCH! 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. I am planning for this roadtrip this December- starting from Dec 25th. I was wondering if you could suggest a place for stargazing. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Carry on south on CA-1, the PCH. Be sure to stop at Nicks Cove in Marshall, CA for a meal or Hog Island Oyster if you love oysters! Is there any river rafting or boating along the way? Should be pretty good it might be a bit rainy up in the Pacific Northwest, but the weather once you reach California should be great! Id like to include Olympic NP, Mt. Reading through this your article is going to be a huge help as our family plans our two-week trip. I have a question in regards to your amazing experiences and my hopes to travel the PCH with my older kids. If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. I have a few questions. The most commonly driven part of the . Dont drive down to SD and back up to LA. I do not care to get into the Los Angeles areaHowever, the Sequoias are a must. When you hit the California coast, its like driving in a postcard. Is Pacific Coast Highway the same as Highway 1 or Highway 101? I havent been to Monterey but its high on my list! I would rather guess on the high side than the low side so Im prepared. If you're in need of California trip ideas, consider driving up the iconic Pacific Coast Highway. 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. Great question, Judy. 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). Am planning to do a 10 day PCH drive in August. I had the chance to spend a weekend in Huntington Beach a few years ago and loved the vibe in this surf town. 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. Have a great drive!! Its the best time for good weather on the whole coast! Donna, thanks for your comment! Its a great spot for a short hike to stretch your legs. Along the way we plan to stop at the Benbow Inn near Garberville, CA and in Newport. My overnight stop in Santa Barbara changed my mind.
Southern California Pacific Coast Highway Guide - Outdoor Blueprint State Route 1 - AARoads - California Highways Very glad to help, and I hope you have a great trip! Also, for a map, I use the app Roadtrippers, which is linked in the post. Thanks for your comment, Catherine. A frequent Cali traveler warned me of smog in the late summer and recommended late Sept. early Oct. What are your thoughts? Ive just started planning our trip for this autumn. The longer you spend, the more youll get to see and enjoy. What do you think about making this drive in November? That said, there are plenty of nice ones depending on which part of town you want to stay in. Im not sure how to prioritize the rest of our time. Travelling from Australia and would like to spend 3 weeks driving around . Thank you for the recommendation! 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)? Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Its a short drive south and a little east along U.S. 101 from Long Beach to cross the Astoria into Oregon. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange . In fact, we serve over 15 000 different locations worldwide. Wifey and I did the PCH trip a while ago, shortly after we got married. I havent stayed at any L.A. hotels, so I dont feel comfortable recommending any. taking my 13 and 17 year old with my wife. Depending on the timing of your itinerary, you may want to do an overnight here.
The 32 Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops: California Towns, Landmarks 7 Most Scenic Spots on the Pacific Coast Highway This post was originally published in August 2014, and was updated regularly including most recently in May 2022. 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! 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. Fort Bragg is home to a beautiful glass beach, pictured above, where the entire beach is made of sea glass from past trash dumps. 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. I didnt spend a ton of time on the Central Coast, but be sure to stop at Pismo Beach and drive through Carmel. Start here. Right, Mel? Hey there! What you suggested (Anaheim > SLO/Madonna Inn > Half Moon Bay) is a great two-day itinerary. 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. State Route 1. Booking this trip for late Oct. Id like to fly in ( from East Coast) somewhere north of San Fran. Download Pacific Coast Highway stock photos. This I also agree that Point Reyes (and the lighthouse) is spectacular and my top place to go when in North Ca. My English is very very basic but if you write to me I can understand it. Have a great trip! 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. This post was so helpful! Awesome, Im hoping to do the PCH and NorCal next summer. Would it be worth it to continue to San Diego then back to LA? While driving southbound, youll approach Marshall first. San Luis Obispo with Paso Robles). You did a fantastic job with this giude, everything is straight to the point but provided in a fun and educational way. I was hoping to see autumn colours in the northern area. Thank you . There and back that is? Thanks for your comment, Shelly! Id go with a mid-size car for your rental. I dont have it I just want to make sure businesses are open? Thanks for reading, Sonia. Unfortunately, I dont have suggestions for Santa Barbara as I havent been there in nearly a decade. My best advice is to take a look at the app Roadtrippers and start plugging in where you might want to go to get a sense of travel time then you can decide whats must-do, what extra you have time for, and what needs to be cut.I hope that helps! Hood. PCH bucket list road trip done! November should be a good time, but you may experience some days where the Marine Layer rolls in be sure to pack layers in case its cooler/less sunny than expected! . I drove one and I hardly ever got to enjoy it!.why were you hardly ever able to enjoy driving a convertible???? These Pacific Coast Highway road trip stops really seem like true country California. One day, I would LOVE to make this road trip. Do you have any tips? Doing this trip starting this weekend! We will go from Seattle to San Diego using your itinerary as our planning guide. Making a Pacific Coast Highway road trip is a popular bucket list experience - for good reason! Be sure to check the California DOT website for more information. Thank you for sharing! We are planning on a 7 days trip in Dec 2021. How Long is it? Youd need to drive about 7-10 hours out of the way depending on the bridge, and miss major stretches of the road . "In America, the colors sing, they don't just glower at you. My wife and I (with our dog) are driving from Pismo Beach to Cannon Beach and staying at a beach house there. Ive never been to CA and I know the prices are high. 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. 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. Located just off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this campsite is sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and a redwood forest. Let me know if you need any extra tips whenever you start planning! A road trip along the scenic route features beautiful beaches, waterfalls, natural rock formations, striking bridges, delicious seafood, art communities, surfer towns, and dramatic cliffside views - all along the PCH. Thanks for reading, Jennifer. For the California portion, I recommend September & October! Send me a pic if you remember . I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? Ive put together some tips on how to choose the right car for the PCH, but in short, I recommend an automatic car with a low center of gravity but skip the convertible! Day 3: Cape Kiwanda, OR to Redwood State Park, CA. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head west along U.S. 101 until it turns south along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. I would like to follow the route on the map. There are no reasonable alternatives for some of the routes like the one across Bixby Canyon Bridge (shown above). Glad to help, Dan! 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! Have a great trip! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: At this point in Northern California, the PCH is still U.S. 101. Thanks for your feedback, Alice, but I lived in California for several years and never heard anyone say Im going to drive PCH Ill be keeping the the if only because its proper English if Californians want to abandon that elsewhere, thats up to them . We then headed to San Fran, our ending point. We detoured at Reedsport to go to Crater lake, which turned out awesome, there was a ELK reserve on the way, it took about 3 hrs to get to Roseburg, where we stayed the night, the next day the drive to Crater lake was about 3 hrs, the drive was absolutely beautiful. Do you recommend any of your overnights for golf fireworks for 4th of July? I appreciate your asking for clarification! Im driving with our 5 kids (ages 1 -13) and my wife. Now my only problem is trying to figure out how many extra days were going to need!
Pacific Coast Highway - Wikipedia Amazing! By the end, youll be ready to plan your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary. Thanks for asking! 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. Route 1 is fine its twisty turny but its the best route by far.