Thanks for sharing this! Pacific Coast Highway or PCH, segments of California State Route 1 Pacific Coast Highway, parts of New Zealand State Highway 2 and all of New Zealand State Highway 25 and New Zealand State Highway 35. This blog has been incredibly helpful. It was a great help! Hood, Crater Lake, the Redwoods in much greater depth than I advise above you could also spend some time at Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, or elsewhere in the Sierra Nevadas! We plan on doing the 7 day trip June/July. Weve spent time in SF already so dont need to stay there. Reading through this your article is going to be a huge help as our family plans our two-week trip. We are thinking of late September of 2022 doing a two week drive from north to south. In this forest, youll find amazing old growth trees and is incredibly verdant. Planning for 5-6 days of Seattle to San Diego. We can skip Napa and SF. 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. So nice to hear from you, Silvia! My wife and I (with our dog) are driving from Pismo Beach to Cannon Beach and staying at a beach house there. (Be prepared for fog from the marine layer! Youre all set to start filling in the gaps! Best trip ever! 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/. Highway 1 Self-Driving Audio Tour (Pacific Coast Highway) 11 Adventure Tours from $24.99 per adult Monterey, Carmel and 17-Mile Drive - Full Day Tour from San Francisco 310 Bus Tours from $105.00 per adult Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco 584 Full-day Tours from $199.00 per adult (price varies by group size) Chinquel, nice to hear from you! Drive Time: About 3.5 Hours. Its worth it! Drive safely! Valerie, valuable tips ! I hope this helps. Portland has loads of great hotels, but my favorite is the, For vacation rental options, consider this. Its less than 10 minutes drive from Newport to Devils Punch Bowl. Regarding openings, Im sorry but I cant keep up with all of the places and changing restrictions in the various counties and states. I will definitely use all the info youve provided. We live in Colorado, so more interested in Ocean more than hiking, so 101 is ideal. Id like to include Olympic NP, Mt. Will we be able to enjoy the drive in March? How do I do it? 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. Day 3: Cape Kiwanda, OR to Redwood State Park, CA. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head south from Ruby Beach along U.S. 101. Im looking forward to have the same experience with my wife and my son. Unsurprisingly, a private car is the absolute best way to make the most of a trip along the legendary PCH. The coast near Crescent City is dotted with the gigantic rock formations out at sea that characterize most of the northern and central California coastline. Booking this trip for late Oct. Id like to fly in ( from East Coast) somewhere north of San Fran. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: South of Humboldt Redwoods, theres a junction where California Highway 1 (CA-1) begins. Thanks for reading, Brian. 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. Great name btw . This Pacific Coast Highway itinerary is 7 days and will let you take the whole route and return home with unforgettable memories: If you have more time to drive the PCH, this 10-day itinerary is perfect. ENJOY the sightseeing trip of a lifetime. We will go from Seattle to San Diego using your itinerary as our planning guide. I have suggestions on dates earlier in the article to help you figure out how long to do the trip and where to stop. Unfortunately, I dont have suggestions for Santa Barbara as I havent been there in nearly a decade. 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) And other than his military time at Ft Lewis many years ago, we have never lived nor toured the west coast at all. Also, its not exactly the most stimulating view its a bit better for older kids than younger ones. 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. My wife and I are planning an 18 day trip in the coming months to fly into San Diego and then make the drive up to Seattle. Do you think we could do it in 7 days?? Is Pacific Coast Highway the same as Highway 1 or Highway 101? From here on south, it's miles-upon-miles of beautiful sand beaches, palm-lined streets, and thriving coastal cities. One of the requests I get asked for is a Pacific Coast Highway map with all of the stops I suggest, so I used Roadtrippers to put together this one. State Route 1. . What would be a good hopping on point? Also, I will have 3 weeks to do this, I like small towns, Vegan food, and too out of shape for extended hikes. Thanks for your comment, Victoria! Im glad you booked LA and Seattle, because those are the two you most need to have arranged! 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. Hi Valerie, I am doing the PCH drive southbound from Seattle and as far as we can go for 5 days. If you see an error, please contact me. 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. Im driving with our 5 kids (ages 1 -13) and my wife. I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? Can you recommend where to spend time and in which cities to plan to spend the night? Explore the route. My English is very very basic but if you write to me I can understand it. If you decide to drive the PCH, Im happy to give you any tips! (I used Roadtrippers Plus to create this route;you can get $5 off Plus byclicking this linkand using code BTR5QTP.). But the hills inland will go even steeper! Also, we were thinking with the additional days to do a detour over to Yosemite. My wife and I were planning to fly to San Diego to start the trip, but your point about southbound visibility makes total sense. Thank you for this wonderful review. I have 22 foot van camper are their any length height(9.5 ft) restrictions I am hoping their are amp sites along the way? Officially, only the short, sun-loving stretch of Hwy 1 through Orange and Los Angeles Counties can legally call itself Pacific Coast Highway. This time I plan to take a friend and start in Portland. I would rather guess on the high side than the low side so Im prepared. We are coming from Pennsylvania. With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands. Thank you, and your blog is fantastic! Im assuiming youve read the whole post, as I do cover a 7-day suggested itinerary, and cover overnight stops along the Oregon coast. This information is great!!! Pacific Coast Highway Attractions, those must-see sights along PCH, include Hearst Castle, Big Sur, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Golden Gate Bridge. You can get a printable version by signing up on the forms in this post. If I were going to recommend a route, Id do something like the National Parks in California or the Utah/Arizona/SoCal loop. Ft. 1553 S Monte Viento St, Malibu, CA 90265. I havent been to some of those national parks, but they sound amazing! 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 have been to Europe, for 2 years, and nothing compares to this coastal trip. Did you try searching my site using the search in the sidebar? Have a great trip! Amazing, Melanii! I drove one and I hardly ever got to enjoy it!.why were you hardly ever able to enjoy driving a convertible???? Have other questions about driving the Pacific Coast Highway? 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. I love small beaches and in less popular destinations like this! Astoria, like Aberdeen in Washington, is a great destination for lovers of pop culture. Travelling from Auckland to Napier, you'll experience lakes, wildlife, vineyards and a tranquil lagoon. I was born on the East Coast and currently live in the Midwest but my heart will always be out West. 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! This gorgeous building mostly survived the 1906 earthquake and captures Victorian glory with modern amenities. The speed limit ranges from 55mph to 25mph theres really no helpful way to give an average! For the California portion, I recommend September & October! Thanks for your comment . You also mentioned Suburbans are not great because they are so big, but I dont think we have much choice with the large family. Getting excited. The 17-Mile Drive between Carmel, Pacific Grove, and Monterey Thank you for the pointers! Silvia, not to minimize risks but I think the issue is not being represented realistically by the media. 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 Ive done Yosemite and Sequoia, so no need for inland stops. Many thanks, alex, Alex, unfortunately, this might not be the trip for you. Our kids will be 15 & 10Im just afraid it will be a boring ride for them in the car. Thanks for your help in advance!!!! Thanks, Larissa! I am thinking 5 days from Portland to LA. 3. Is this time of year realistic for an enjoyable adventure, or should we maybe plan to go somewhere else? Or, do you think one could just take a chance and stop and book a room when in need??? 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. Congrats on finishing your Pacific Coast Highway road trip. 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 . Great questions, Julie. Were using it to plan our itinerary for June/July this year, 3 weeks, Seattle to LA. Valerie, I am so glad I found your guide to the PCH! San Jose is a creative and thriving high-tech culture epicenter. We are planning our trip for the first half of April, SF to LA. Thanks for putting this fantastic guide together! I hope you have an epic time; Patrees such an amazing host! Love all the comments ideas and suggestion, will try and make this trip happen in about 2-3 years . We might consider staying a total of 12-15 days. That said, there are plenty of nice ones depending on which part of town you want to stay in. You thinks thats safe or should I make some. Whether you just want to see the top highlights and sightseeing hotspots or want to dive into L.A.s booming food scene, you can find it all in Los Angeles. The Pacific Coast Highway is arguably one of the most famous drives in the entire world. 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. I had lots of recommendations from a friend, specific to Big Sur, but your article was so encompassing and complete. San Luis Obispo with Paso Robles). I have tendency to suffer from analysis paralysis therefore navigating all the ins and outs what to do where to stay etc would be overwhelming to say the least. 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. While the glass is technically part of MacKerricher State Park and you cant take it home you can still spend time out of the car searching for different colors and shapes of beautiful sea glass that wash up from the Pacific Ocean. of the PCH? Youll get access to five major attractions at a discounted price, so you can experience more of what Seattle has to offer for less. The ideia is to have a West Coast Beer Route drive. Thats it! Hi V& VDid you make hotel reservations in advance for your overnight stops? Next time I have a few days off, Ill have to change that! Your email address will not be published. Located just off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this campsite is sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and a redwood forest. Were making a shortlist of 3 or 4 likely hotels for each expected stopover. 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. I already have the vista points where we will stop for photos and eating. To help you plan your road trip, here are two possible road trip itineraries you could take. Looking forward to follow your tips. Victoria Beach. We are thinking Crescent City to Santa Barbara? Thank you so much for sharing this informative article with all of us. You can stretch your legs with a short walk before getting back on the road. In this post, I promote travel across lands that are the traditional lands of many Indigenous groups. 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! Were taking the 5 to Seattle with a few stops on the way then PCH from Port Angeles to SD. Glad to help, Andrew I hope you have an amazing trip! Homes similar to 20132 Pacific Coast Hwy are listed between $350K to $70M at an average of $2,795 per square foot. Is it worth waiting to do this trip in summer? So heading east eventually to round out the trip. Sounds like youve got a great plan drive safe! We are thinking of taking this drive during the week of Christmas. Scott, I replied to your email, so you should be all set! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head west along U.S. 101 until it turns south along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Thanks for reading, Dave. I do too (ish Im in Oakland!). , Hi. We are so overwhelmed. 20520 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265 - $540/sq ft larger lot 23 years older SOLD JUL 12, 2022 $1,830,000 F Sold Price 4 Beds 3 Baths 2,446 Sq. Great info . Thanks for reading and asking, Hunter! Whats the best time of year to do this? I appreciate your asking for clarification! Also, further north, you could fly to Portland and do the Oregon coast too. Then flying back to Michigan. Thanks for sharing. My fiance & I want to do this for our honeymoon next month! 01 of 04 Also known as Big Sur, the route winds along the rugged California coastline (from Cape San Martin to Ragged . I would love to take this vacation but not fall short on money. Thank you for the comprehensive narrative! Gavin Newsom and . There and back that is? Best rates and airports to use. If you dont have the time, plan an overnight stop and make a late start after brunch at one of Portlands many amazing restaurants. Use them in commercial designs under lifetime, perpetual & worldwide rights. What is the average speed on the 101? 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. 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. The ocean's energy is magical. 8. 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. Im nervous go excited. 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. I appreciate all the information! Does that sound reasonable or doable? Thanks for reading, Tony! We definitely want to visit the redwood forest, which is the main reason we want to go so far north. I do have the same recommendations youll see A LOT of fellow bikers/trikers out on the PCH; its a great ride on 2-3 wheels as well as 4 wheels . I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. Thank you for sharing! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along California Highway 1. Snaking all the way up the U.S.'s west coast, the Pacific Coast Highway stretches 1,675 miles from California to Washington, starting in San Diego, CA and ending in Olympia, WA (or vice versa). I do not care to get into the Los Angeles areaHowever, the Sequoias are a must. 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). I plan to rent a car in Los Angeles in the summer and make a similar journey, Hello! Thank you again for all of your information. The Pacific Coast Highway traces the coast as closely as possible around the edge of Los Angeles, America's second largest city. The rest of time will hopefully be in small towns all along the coast. We just booked Patrees room! Blow your budget and stay the night at Fairmont San Francisco, one of the nicest hotels in town. 1-2 days in Portland to visit college and check out Portland. Hope to rent a car there? It may have been in a reply to someone elses comment, but I cant seem to find it now. We are planning a trip next year from New Orleans while my husband has a conference in Portlandwe were thinking of driving Hwy 1 down to Disneylandand catching some of the beautiful beaches and state parks. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow California Highway 1 south. The views of the colors changing in the trees were surreal. It sounds like youll have a great trip no matter what! I hope you had a great drive, Mindy! These are just ten of the many places off Highway 1 that you'll want to experience. Thanks for reading, Lynda! I am planning a trip for next year, saving and researching. 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. Thank you so much for passing on your wisdom and experience. Im thinking of doing this trip from Seattle to San Diego. This post was originally published in August 2014, and was updated regularly including most recently in May 2022. I recently discovered Mendocino on a weekend trip and fell in love with the small town. Kim. Glad to help, Dan! Should we go down the coast only (plus say Portland & Crater Lk), or head inland given how much time we have? Valerie I just came across this post. If youre planning a full 10-day west coast road trip, make sure you follow my guide and do at least one overnight on the Olympic Peninsula. Would you have any other suggestions since I am using 4 more days and not going south to Sa Diego and strarting in Vancouver? What are the reasons you really never got to enjoy using a convertible car? Im thinking I might end my trip at Santa Barbara. Sireesha, thanks for reading. Depending on the timing of your itinerary, you may want to do an overnight here. What day of the week would you recommend starting from WA? We continued on until we picked up the beginning of CA Hwy 1. Thank you, Archimedes. I am saving this to research more of the places you mentioned !! Were renting an RV in Seattle (after few days in hotel) and have 30 days before we drop it off in San Fran (and hotel for a few days). Great article! Youll have less distance (just the car and shoulder) instead of an entire lane of the road plus the shoulder. Thanks for the great ideas! Awesome, Im hoping to do the PCH and NorCal next summer. #addittothelist. 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. Hello good morning my name is Cherie Carmona, Wealth to California a little over a year ago I love it I live in Dana Point California, my husband will be moving here in a few weeks and Im so excited my daughter lives in Seattle so we were considering a road trip to Seattle realistically how long do you think it would take thank you so much God-bless. Wondering about forest fires and how they affect the trip. To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. Pacific Coast Highway 1 (PCH) - California. If you know which car you want, I recommend renting from Fox Rent-A-Car or Sixt. (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!). Again, thank you so much!! Youd need to drive about 7-10 hours out of the way depending on the bridge, and miss major stretches of the road .