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Also, how many days should we take for the one-way trip back. Im definitely going to try to do it sometime! In Northern California, the best weather of the year happens between September and October. This is exactly what I was looking for. How do I do it? If youre a fan, make sure to stop in Aberdeen to see the house where he grew up. WOW! Sounds like it will be well worth it. The most commonly driven part of the . I am going to mostly follow the path you outlined in your 10 day itinerary. Im looking forward to have the same experience with my wife and my son. First thank you for all the work you put into this! I do too (ish Im in Oakland!). Id check out the California DOT website for the most up-to-date information. Youve put together one awesome road trip! Looking forward to follow your tips. My husband and I are planning a Spring Break trip with our girls March 2020. Best trip ever! (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange . Sort of the opposite of sea stacks like Haystack Rock,Devils Punchbowlis another beautiful natural rock formation along the Oregon Coast. Day 3: Cape Kiwanda, OR to Redwood State Park, CA. Also, I will have 3 weeks to do this, I like small towns, Vegan food, and too out of shape for extended hikes. Hi Valerie, Great tips! 4,329 Sq. Aretta, thanks for your comment! I havent stayed at any L.A. hotels, so I dont feel comfortable recommending any. 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. The traditional definition of the Pacific Coast Highway is to drive California Highway 1 from San Diego to Leggett (or vice versa); you can extend by adding on U.S. Highway 101 through Northern California and Oregon and Washington coasts. This post was so helpful! When you hit the California coast, its like driving in a postcard. . Do you have any recommendations or modifications while traveling with kids. Starting at San Francisco ending San Diego. 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 am starting from seattle 8/26 down to los angeles taking PCH. Regarding I recommend an automatic car with a low center of gravity but skip the convertible! There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach for more than an overnight stop! I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. Login or Register an account to download this content. Many thanks, alex, Alex, unfortunately, this might not be the trip for you. If you are short on time to drive the PCH, as I was, a Pacific Coast highway itinerary for 5 days is ideal. Have a great drive! I hope you can make it happen sooner! (Hours and dates for the attractions on the SF CityPass have been affected by the pandemic, so be sure to check those when you purchase!). Dreamstime is the world`s largest stock photography community. We are so overwhelmed. Thanks for your comment, Rex! The Pacific Coast Highway is arguably one of the most famous drives in the entire world. Okay, now youve got your car, youve got your basic itinerary. Youd need to drive about 7-10 hours out of the way depending on the bridge, and miss major stretches of the road . Located just off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this campsite is sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and a redwood forest. Your email address will not be published. Your help is appreciated. 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. And thanks for confirming what I thought (hoped) that southbound is the best way to go. Great tips, Kathi! Thank you for the pointers! The best way to enjoy southern California is by diving straight into the beachside culture. Solvang We booked a flight to San Jose to explore the citys economic hub and cultural traditions. Be sure to plan your trip on a day the lighthouse is open for tours, so you can climb the steps down to the lighthouse and lookout beneath the clouds across the sea. San Diego is known for its Zoo and was made Instagram famous for Potato Chip Rock. I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? The rest of time will hopefully be in small towns all along the coast. I mapped it here so you can see the option to add in Crater Lake and what youll miss: https://goo.gl/maps/2A4GYTKnBcADVdRw5. (As of July 2018, the PCH reopened after a 2017 mudslide!). Now Im going to lay out step-by-step directions for a Pacific Coast Highway road trip based on all my tips so far. 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! The Pacific Coast Highway runs along two highways: In Washington and Oregon, the best weather of the year happens between June and September. 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!). Our plan (2 people) would be to fly into Seattle, where family is. I am heading to LA in March and have a day to drive around and wanted to drive from LAX up HW 1 to around Malibu, maybe further! Im glad you booked LA and Seattle, because those are the two you most need to have arranged! Camp at Second Beach in Olympic NP Photo: Michael Matti 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. 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) Homes similar to 20132 Pacific Coast Hwy are listed between $350K to $70M at an average of $2,795 per square foot. We are planning on a 7 days trip in Dec 2021. There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. Victoria Beach has the famous pirates tower of Laguna Beach, which is was built to allow the resident down from their home to beach below. Enjoying the Unexpectedly Cool Pitchwood Ale House, All words and images 2013-2023 The Kolibro Group LLC. Great content here, thank you! Next time I have a few days off, Ill have to change that! Im planning a trip for end of this year most probably the California part only. We are only going to be there once though and want to make the most of it. I hope you can make this trip someday (hopefully soon!). Great questions, Julie. Can you believe theres a rainforest in Washington? Anyway, we are looking to do the very same drive. Youre very welcome, Wilbert! Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most famous and beautiful road trips on earth. 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. Valerie, cant thank you enough for this guide! 4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars (1) Paperback. I wouldnt advise doing this one in an RV, to be honest. What time of year would be best to do this. Glad to help, Bethany! I am traveling with my husband, brother and our 4 year old. Whats the best time of year to do this? 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. Just give yourself more time and end n LA. Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. It includes so many things each person in my family wants to see and do! Heather, you saw the rest of the post, right? Along the way we plan to stop at the Benbow Inn near Garberville, CA and in Newport. When in doubt, stay on the coast. Unfortunately, when I drove the PCH it was pretty foggy and cool most of the week. Sounds like a great trip either way drive safe! A few years ago I started saving (unbeknownst to my husband) for his 50th birthday this summer. Santa Barbara was the biggest surprise I had on my PCH road trip in 2014. Thank you so very much. Your second choice is where to start your road trip. Hi, My wife and I are planning a 7-day drive from San Fran to Portland in late June of this year. As I mentioned above, both are southbound itineraries. Old Highway 101 is now called the Avenue of the Giants, and I highly recommend slowing down to enjoy this 31-mile stretch through some of Californias oldest living and tallest! As the title suggests, this music would make the perfect soundtrack for a drive up the California coast. 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). 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? I can think off the top of my head that you could do the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. 8. 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! Feel free to comment back here if you have questions while planning your trip . Chinquel, nice to hear from you! We will only have 7 days. 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. Im saving this post to reference when I think about doing this trip, because that has to happen! Thanks for reading, Jennifer. We might consider staying a total of 12-15 days. 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. It sounds like youll have an awesome trip, and happy early birthday to him! I plan to rent a car in Los Angeles in the summer and make a similar journey, Hello! Thanks for your comment, David! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Return west to U.S. 101 and turn south. It was also formed by wave erosion, and now the huge hole is a beautiful vista or hiking spot. Thank you! Especially watching the sun set over Morro Rock in the distance! Youll have a great time! I hope you had a great drive, Mindy! We are planning a west coast trip and are considering renting an RV one way from Portland or Seattle to San Francisco. Thanks for your comment, Archimedes. Rainier, plenty of coastlines, and Redwoods. We stayed in Seattle and drove south to Olympia, to pick up the beginning of the 101. If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. Can you recommend where to spend time and in which cities to plan to spend the night? anything you can suggest extra the girls would be wowed by would be great. Find and save ideas about pacific coast highway on Pinterest. Overwhelmed by the vastness of it all. Its less than 10 minutes drive from Newport to Devils Punch Bowl. Your article was just what I needed!! Im also a not-so-secret space nerd and speak fluent emoji! 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. My fiance & I want to do this for our honeymoon next month! Thanks for reading, Angel! San Jose is a creative and thriving high-tech culture epicenter. Thank you for sharing! There are no reasonable alternatives for some of the routes like the one across Bixby Canyon Bridge (shown above). The Oregon Coast Aquarium lets visitors explore the marine ecosystems around this part of the Pacific Ocean. Hi Valerie, we are planning a trip from Crescent city back home to Phoenix traveling along PCH. 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 nice to hear from you, Silvia! Well, now we will have to wait to see how this Covid-19 progresses. Wed like to be flexible so, if we like somewhere we could stay an extra night, or if we need to push on, we could pull the itinerary forward. The worst that happens is you might end up in a slightly less nice place than you had planned. You can definitely do that! 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. What is the average speed on the 101? I did drive it alone and I still recommend heading southbound. Any additional thoughts? Newport is a great destination to stretch your legs for a few hours once you arrive back on the Pacific Coast (you can also drive straight down Highway 101 from Cannon Beach if you decide to skip a stop in Portland). Thanks for all of this great information! This is great information and very helpful! Officially, only the short, sun-loving stretch of Hwy 1 through Orange and Los Angeles Counties can legally call itself Pacific Coast Highway. Point Reyes is arguably my favorite part of the Pacific Coast Highway and that is saying something as its really hard to choose favorites from over 650 miles of California coastline! Hi Valerie- What is the best time of year for this 10 day trip? So it adds about 3 hours of driving time, but it also means youll miss out on basically all of the Oregon Coast. "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 share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge. haha. 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! The huge sweeping beach is admittedly not warm enough for a swim but its great for a stroll in the surf. I am planning for this roadtrip this December- starting from Dec 25th. Can you share with me how long this should take us?? Were staying just outside of Long Beach, in cute little Ilwaco, WA, at Salt Hotel & Pub. Would there be a place where the rental could be left in those regions? 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). Ruby Beach is only a short drive from Hoh Rainforest but its the most picturesque beach on Washingtons Pacific Coast. I am saving this to research more of the places you mentioned !! We were planning on a 7day road trip with our 8, 6 and 20 month olds in June. Hello, my name is Sonia and I am from Puerto Rico. 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. How can we apply this info in the reverse, Catherine, its pretty easy just plan it out by reading my article from the bottom to the top! We live in Colorado, so more interested in Ocean more than hiking, so 101 is ideal. I hope you have a great trip whenever you can make it! I used to use Google Maps to do this, but I find that the numbered stops and waypoints are much easier to understand, and this Roadtrippers map also has other points of interest (Extraordinary Places) you might want to stop at too. I do not care to get into the Los Angeles areaHowever, the Sequoias are a must. The Pacific Coast Highway is the ultimate road trip - and it's certainly the best one in America. We are thinking of late September of 2022 doing a two week drive from north to south. By the end, youll be ready to plan your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary. 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. Im assuiming youve read the whole post, as I do cover a 7-day suggested itinerary, and cover overnight stops along the Oregon coast. One of the most famous sea stacks on the U.S. Pacific Coast, Haystack Rock is picture perfect while you stretch your legs. This blog has been incredibly helpful. But the hills inland will go even steeper! Will we be able to enjoy the drive in March? Also, niece is vegan and I am meat eater. Long Beach is and always will be one of my favorite destinations in Washington. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue along CA-1 to San Diego, your final stop on this PCH road trip. We want a mix of National/State Parks, cities, and coasts. I havent been to Yellowstone so I cant say if its worth it, unfortunately. Hi Valerie, I am doing the PCH drive southbound from Seattle and as far as we can go for 5 days. ), a Jeep Liberty, or most Subarus. We will go from Seattle to San Diego using your itinerary as our planning guide. Ive done Yosemite and Sequoia, so no need for inland stops. $23.99 $ 23. We continued on until we picked up the beginning of CA Hwy 1. Stop and admire the views in Big Sur, too! Manny from Massachusetts. Or. Here are the stops I suggest for a Pacific Coast Highway California road trip itinerary. I have suggestions on dates earlier in the article to help you figure out how long to do the trip and where to stop. Making a Pacific Coast Highway road trip is a popular bucket list experience - for good reason! Thanks for your comment, Patty! The ocean is my happy place. One day, I would LOVE to make this road trip. 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. Its easy to make a stop in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, so take the opportunity! Next, youll pass through Point Reyes, which again seems underwhelming. You could see Canada and the river valley. 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! You can find the Cobain house at 1210 E 1st St, and right next door you can see a memorial to Cobain in Kurt Cobain Memorial Park (the house now a private residence, so dont disturb the owners!). Have a great trip!! We will start in Portland, Or and drive to Las Angeles, CA. More Buying Choices $18.53 (15 used & new offers) Kindle. In this forest, youll find amazing old growth trees and is incredibly verdant. This time I plan to take a friend and start in Portland. I havent been to Monterey but its high on my list! We were thinking October, but after reading all the comments, I think we will make it September. Id like to include Olympic NP, Mt. We plan a trip to San Jos, California because of its diversity, beautiful scenery, and exceptionally high outputs. Prior to retiring I have done the San Francisco to LA 3 times but always by myself. Also, further north, you could fly to Portland and do the Oregon coast too. Astoria, like Aberdeen in Washington, is a great destination for lovers of pop culture. Crescent City! Thanks so much from a couple of Canucks! Best of all, theres no cell service so theyll have to look around to see them . 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? Life is made for the ocean. That said, there are plenty of nice ones depending on which part of town you want to stay in. 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. It was actually quite a lot colder than I expected so I usually ended up too cold with the top down. 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!). This 20-mile (one way) detour will take you out on Point Reyes, and has a stark and beautiful landscape because its so far out at sea. Additionally, youll get a sense of the magnitude of the San Andreas fault line, which comes inland along the northern part of Point Reyes. I would love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. My stop in Fort Bragg was relatively short, but it was worth it! NEW CONSTRUCTION. Please keep doing what youre doing. From there we are planning on 4 days drive/stop on high 1 (PCH) up to Santa Monica/Malibu then flight out LAX. To help you plan your road trip, here are two possible road trip itineraries you could take. I am not fond of the cold and a bit fearful of icy driving in the mountains. You can even stretch it out by spending a few extra days exploring some of the cities along the route if you want to. Pigeon Point can be a fun rest stop along the Pacific Coast Highway or a quirky one-night stop depending on your itinerary. We definitely want to visit the redwood forest, which is the main reason we want to go so far north. But you missed it and it was so incredible. 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). We are planning to stay overnight at the Madonna Inn. While staying in Cannon Beach we have planned day trips to Astoria and Long Beach and maybe an inland drive to McMinnvile, for some wine tasting. AI TRAFFIC - for Pacific Coast (0.95) 0.85. I am planning a road-trip with my husband along the Pacific coast. The incredibly scenic California stretch is known for its oceanfront locales, rugged cliffs, hidden coves, and numerous beaches, making it one of the nation's most popular road-trip routes. Thanks so much for reading, Teresa! You should have no problem making it down the road in December. Youve got so much time, thats awesome! ), Valerie, My wife and I are planning this very trip you outlined. Glad this was helpful! Valerie, valuable tips ! Thanks for your help in advance!!!! After all, I liked it so much when I first visited in 2012 that I moved there in 2013! The Pacific Coast Highway traces the coast as closely as possible around the edge of Los Angeles, America's second largest city. I appreciate this guide. I hope you have an amazing time! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: At this point in Northern California, the PCH is still U.S. 101. Sounds like a great trip, Rudy! Planning a mother/son trip after my son graduates HS next year. The only places you can fly would be Crescent City but itll require changing through San Francisco anyway. 1. Want to stop over a few nights, and hit some of the destinations you listed. 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. Now I want to take a trip there from San Diego to the Canadian border while sitting on a Honda Goldwing trike. Route 1 is fine its twisty turny but its the best route by far. We figured booking hotel in Seattle for 1 or 2 days for arrival and checking the college. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along U.S. 101. What are the reasons you really never got to enjoy using a convertible car? Pacific Coast Highway Directions: South of Humboldt Redwoods, theres a junction where California Highway 1 (CA-1) begins. After about 15 miles, you will reach Highway 1. We just booked Patrees room! This information is great!!! Amazing! Thank you. Hello Valerie & Valise, I love this trip information on, it is so amazingly helpful. I was reading for the road trip from Seattle to San Diego. Wifey and I did the PCH trip a while ago, shortly after we got married. 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. I was planning 10-12 days? So heading east eventually to round out the trip. 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/. Also, its not exactly the most stimulating view its a bit better for older kids than younger ones. You should have no problem finding vegan options! Follow the highway south as it winds inland and along the coast. If I am going to follow your 10 day itinerary from Washington State to San Diego, how many overnight stays can I have? This will be tricky as there are no rental cars in Crescent City or anywhere near it. ), this post will give you all you need to know. Any thoughts on this as it pertains to weather? Thats it! Hello Valerie; my family and i are thinking about a trip from northern CA to San Diego along the coast. You can choose the spots you want to stop at that way . Thanks for reading, Oleg. We just did this trip in October 2019, We started in Portland to Cannons beach then headed south on HWY 101. 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. 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. We were planning on 10 days total for driving, site seeing and ending it with 2 days in Disneyland. I agree, go north to south. Have a safe trip!! Youll get access to five major attractions at a discounted price, so you can experience more of what Seattle has to offer for less. Glad to help, Dan! Have a great trip! Thanks! 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. Please drop the the. Now that you have all the details you need to plan a PCH road trip, you need to know which destinations are worth a stop along the Pacific Coast Highway. 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. 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. Here, California Highway 1 carves a sinuous path along steep cliffs; the road is beautiful at a price, since mudslides arent uncommon along this stretch of highway, and can close the highway for months. The PCH heads inland near Lompoc but is the main road you can take to Santa Barbara. After making the trip myself in 2014 and exploring the PCH extensively while living in Washington and California, Ive put together this comprehensive guide to the great stops, breathtaking sights, and sense of unbelievable freedom you can find if you drive the Pacific Coast Highway. of the PCH? Let me know in the comments! Unfortunately, I dont have suggestions for Santa Barbara as I havent been there in nearly a decade. Enjoyed this 14 day article! The redwoods are a definite. Raynard, when are you going? Ive just started planning our trip for this autumn. We are planning our trip for the first half of April, SF to LA. Thank you, and your blog is fantastic! 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.