This time I plan to take a friend and start in Portland. Anyway, we are looking to do the very same drive. We then headed to San Fran, our ending point. Thanks for the great ideas! Thanks, Larissa! This information is great!!! Required fields are marked *. We will go from Seattle to San Diego using your itinerary as our planning guide. Pacific Coast Highway Map, Direction & Start/End Points. Sorry; I dont have any suggestions for that! I am doing this trip with the boyfriend end of this month. Can you share with me how long this should take us?? Hope that helps you plan! Will we be able to enjoy the drive in March? I would rather guess on the high side than the low side so Im prepared. There are loads of cool things to explore in/around this small PNW town, including Olympic National Park! For the California portion, I recommend September & October! 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. Thanks for putting this fantastic guide together! In smaller towns though, Id recommend committing to those earlier you may find you have nowhere to stay and have to drive on another 100+ miles at some parts! 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. 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. The West Coast especially is fantastic. 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. 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. If youve just stayed overnight in Santa Barbara or started your road trip in San Diego, that may not make as much sense. The Pacific Coast Highway is the ultimate road trip - and it's certainly the best one in America. Thank you so much for this information! Im trying to connect with the guide I found on pinterest. skip Santa Cruz, skip San Francisco Day 2 and just hit the highway) OR if you had a suggestion on swapping out one of the spots with a different one (ex. I did drive it alone and I still recommend heading southbound. You can definitely do that! Seaside is a picturesque coastal town, a western interpretation of the East Coast summer destinations along the Atlantic. I am traveling with my husband, brother and our 4 year old. These Pacific Coast Highway road trip stops really seem like true country California. Are you planning to stay in bigger cities (Portland, SF, Santa Barbara), or smaller ones? Thank you, Archimedes. I love all the details that you are recommended here. I recommend checking out California resources for the pandemic before you book anything. If youre planning a PCH trip and want to pass through San Francisco, you can either skim over along the side of the city as you drive down the coast, take a detour inland to visit Yosemite National Park or dive in for one night knowing it will only make you want to come back for more. More Buying Choices $18.53 (15 used & new offers) Kindle. I am thinking 5 days from Portland to LA. We are coming from Pennsylvania. I am going to drive PCH 1 this summer and was going to drive from North to South but my son has driven it and suggested going South to North. In this post, I promote travel across lands that are the traditional lands of many Indigenous groups. Thanks for reading though , Thanks so much for an in depth post. and so much more! I would love to receive the PDF version of this, please. After Crescent City, the Pacific Coast Highway starts to navigate in and away from the coast at times, which includes chances to experience one of Californias natural wonders: the Redwoods. Hi Valerie, Great job! Any additional thoughts? Enjoyed this 14 day article! We are planning our trip for the first half of April, SF to LA. We are planning on a 7 days trip in Dec 2021. 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! Im not sure there are many good airports to leave a rental car in the region youre suggesting you may end up driving into L.A. to do so and to fly home. Im thinking I might end my trip at Santa Barbara. I have been to Europe, for 2 years, and nothing compares to this coastal trip. Looking to travel with your recommendations southbound! Im looking forward to have the same experience with my wife and my son. From there we are planning on 4 days drive/stop on high 1 (PCH) up to Santa Monica/Malibu then flight out LAX. I appreciate your asking for clarification! Do you recommend any of your overnights for golf fireworks for 4th of July? Have other questions about driving the Pacific Coast Highway? 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. Then flying back to Michigan. Did you drive it alone and what do you think about being able to see well driving north to south? Im not sure how to prioritize the rest of our time. Manage photos I was born on the East Coast and currently live in the Midwest but my heart will always be out West. If you make it out this way, let me know, as Im now in the Bay Area! Thanks for asking! 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. Great article! 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? Stop 5: Hearst castle. We just booked Patrees room! An unanticipated problem was encountered, check back soon and try again Ruby Beach is only a short drive from Hoh Rainforest but its the most picturesque beach on Washingtons Pacific Coast. Have you heard any issues with the Covid and being able to rent places on the way down? I stopped here to eat a to-go lunch I had purchased earlier in the drive, with my toes in the sand. I hope you can make it happen sooner! We booked a flight to San Jose to explore the citys economic hub and cultural traditions. If youre a fan, make sure to stop in Aberdeen to see the house where he grew up. 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! I do too (ish Im in Oakland!). I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? That gives you a lot more to do each day to wear the kids out and much more suitable for an RV. We just did this trip in October 2019, We started in Portland to Cannons beach then headed south on HWY 101. I hope that helps! 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. Thank you in advance! Have a great trip!! Thank you for the comprehensive narrative! Extremely informative. Donna, thanks for your comment! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Seattle, head south along US Highway 101 to Olympia. Your website is very helpful. After driving across the famous Columbia River bridge, stop and give yourself a self-guided tour of popular Goonies spots in Oregons northwest-most town. $23.99 $ 23. Once you are on Pacific Coast Highway, it is a straight-shot to virtually any beach destination on your road trip list, including San Luis . (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange . 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! Wifey and I did the PCH trip a while ago, shortly after we got married. Camp at Second Beach in Olympic NP Photo: Michael Matti These make perfect Instagram captions for dreamy sunsets or foggy mornings on the Pacific. Pacific Coast Highway 1 (PCH) - California. Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! #addittothelist. 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! Thanks for your comment, Terri! 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. We took this trip several years ago. 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! Yes, Id recommend flying one-way to Seattle, and flying one-way home from San Diego. Explore the route. Such a thorough guide! Crescent City is a great spot for an overnight stop (or longer) depending on your itinerary. Thank you for great info This is exactly what I was looking for. It was actually quite a lot colder than I expected so I usually ended up too cold with the top down. Here are the stops I suggest for a Pacific Coast Highway California road trip itinerary. I havent been to some of those national parks, but they sound amazing! Next time I have a few days off, Ill have to change that! What is the average speed on the 101? State Route 1. 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. This gorgeous building mostly survived the 1906 earthquake and captures Victorian glory with modern amenities. Weve spent time in SF already so dont need to stay there. 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. Ending at a beach front hotel in Diego for 2-3 days to visit that college, unwind and settle a little bit before leaving. 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. Follow the highway south as it winds inland and along the coast. Thanks for reading, Brian. "Golden state of mind." 3. Can you recommend where to spend time and in which cities to plan to spend the night? 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. Thanks Valerie. Let me know how it goes! We continued on until we picked up the beginning of CA Hwy 1. Now Im going to lay out step-by-step directions for a Pacific Coast Highway road trip based on all my tips so far. I also downloaded the Roadtrippers app but I cant find it. Id go with a mid-size car for your rental. from Seattle to San Diego along this route . Thanks for your comment . Located just off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this campsite is sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and a redwood forest. Wonderful trip sharing you made. I started this site to share my travel stories and inspiration to help you complete bucket list trips. Hi, and thanks for this terrific resource. Awesome suggestions and itinerary! Ive just started planning our trip for this autumn. Chinquel, nice to hear from you! is booking hotels on the day or maybe the day before likely to be OK, or should we book well in advance? 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. Also, we were thinking with the additional days to do a detour over to Yosemite. I hope this helps! (I used Roadtrippers Plus to create this route;you can get $5 off Plus byclicking this linkand using code BTR5QTP.). Unfortunately, when I drove the PCH it was pretty foggy and cool most of the week. 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. Is Pacific Coast Highway the same as Highway 1 or Highway 101? We figured booking hotel in Seattle for 1 or 2 days for arrival and checking the college. Glad this was helpful! Our kids will be 15 & 10Im just afraid it will be a boring ride for them in the car. Would you recommend the 7 day to get 2-3 days in Diego? Its less than 10 minutes drive from Newport to Devils Punch Bowl. The best time of year to do this will be in the summer (June/July/August), probably sooner in the year rather than later. In particular, plan a long foray out to Point Reyes State Park and Lighthouse. Related posts: Stop 1: San Francisco. do you have a printable version of this? 9. Hi Valerie. Planning a mother/son trip after my son graduates HS next year. Stretching from Washington to California, the Pacific Coast is picturesque, with cliffs, sea stacks, gorgeous urban spaces, and the raging ocean. 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. Depending on the timing of your itinerary, you may want to do an overnight here. There are no reasonable alternatives for some of the routes like the one across Bixby Canyon Bridge (shown above). 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 Nice ride. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: If you are on a shorter Pacific Coast Highway road trip, continue south along I-5 to Grants Pass, then turn southwest to Crescent City (#11).If you are taking a longer PCH drive, turn west out of Portland along Oregon Highways 99W and 18 to connect with U.S. 101 near Lincoln City. Thanks for your comment, Shelly! ), this post will give you all you need to know. Thanks for your comment, David! But never mind those technicalities, because equally bewitching ribbons of Hwy 1 and Hwy 101 await all along this route. Thinking approximately 250 miles a day. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south on CA-1, the Pacific Coast Highway. If you're in need of California trip ideas, consider driving up the iconic Pacific Coast Highway. Hi there, I am thinking of taking a solo trip down the PCH from Long Beach, WA to LA? A few years ago I started saving (unbeknownst to my husband) for his 50th birthday this summer. This was a 6 day trip. AND, I did it in November in a PT Cruiser with the top down.all bundled up with the heat on full..but man, what a view! Stop and admire the views in Big Sur, too! This is a great itinerary! Still figuring it out. My favorite place is Mendocino if the skies are clear! We stayed in Seattle and drove south to Olympia, to pick up the beginning of the 101. 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. Thanks for reading, Laurie! Thanks so much for reading, Teresa! Would it be worth it to continue to San Diego then back to LA? . Okay, now youve got your car, youve got your basic itinerary. Youre very welcome, Wilbert! Southern California has great weather year-round. ENJOY the sightseeing trip of a lifetime. Pinterest. The Pacific Coast Highway runs along two highways: In Washington and Oregon, the best weather of the year happens between June and September. Find and save ideas about pacific coast highway on Pinterest. Regarding openings, Im sorry but I cant keep up with all of the places and changing restrictions in the various counties and states. Any recommendations will be appreciated! It was just gorgeous with a 360 degree view. Be sure to check the California DOT website for more information. Homes similar to 20132 Pacific Coast Hwy are listed between $350K to $70M at an average of $2,795 per square foot. We are going to go the middle of September 2022 and take a flight from Phx to somewhere around Crescent city. Now we want to take our girls on the same trip. What would be a good hopping on point? Also, about how many miles a day are you traveling on your 10 day itinerary? For flights, I recently heard theres a flight from the Bay Area to Crescent City check out Contour Airlines (they come up when I google OAK > CEC). Please keep doing what youre doing. I also agree that Point Reyes (and the lighthouse) is spectacular and my top place to go when in North Ca. Im pretty confident theyll be wowed by these sights. For bigger cities, there are probably enough options that you can wait until you arrive to book, even during that time of year. Adrian, great to hear from you! Learn more. 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. Thats it! Lastly, Pismo is a great stop for a midday workout on the road, with a huge stretch of beach to walk/run on. I hope you have a great trip whenever you can make it! By the end, youll be ready to plan your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary. to San Diego, CA. Got to save some $$$$$. Thanks again! Day 3: Cape Kiwanda, OR to Redwood State Park, CA. You should drive the Pacific Coast Highway southbound! Drive Time: About 3.5 Hours. Silvia, not to minimize risks but I think the issue is not being represented realistically by the media. You can even stretch it out by spending a few extra days exploring some of the cities along the route if you want to. Youd need to fly into. How Long is it? 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.
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