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 for your comment, Catherine. Thanks for your comment, Kathy! , Hi. Regarding I recommend an automatic car with a low center of gravity but skip the convertible! You thinks thats safe or should I make some. Looking to fly into Crescent City Ive tried to locate flight from Oakland to Crescent City but havent been able to, do you have any info on this flight? I would like to follow the route on the map. If you see an error, please contact me. haha. I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. Enjoyed this 14 day article! 0:42. Glad to help, Nancy, and thanks for reading! 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. I especially appreciate your links to stays and dine. 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. 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. While driving southbound, youll approach Marshall first. Please keep doing what youre doing. 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 These make perfect Instagram captions for dreamy sunsets or foggy mornings on the Pacific. 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. Will we be able to enjoy the drive in March? Amazing, Melanii! Suggestions? to San Diego, CA. The most commonly driven part of the . trees. Carry on the fantastic work!|. Awesome, you can sign up using the forms in this post to get the PDF! The Pacific Coast Highway is up there with the most beautiful drives in the world. Hope that helps you plan! That route looks good have you input all the drive times in Google to confirm that you want to be on the road that much each day? Would love to do the northern parts of PCH though I loved Portland and Seattle, but would like to see more of the coastal regions! my best friends and I have talked about driving down from San Francisco to some of the Orange County, CA cities. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. Thanks for your comment, Archimedes. Can you please give me a list of must sees in Santa Barbara (we could have two full days there). 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 . The Pacific Coast Highway has long been considered a "dream drive" and the ultimate road trip. Starting at San Francisco ending San Diego. What day of the week would you recommend starting from WA? We were 70s teenagers all around! Both have way more to explore once you stop or pull off the road. 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. Were using it to plan our itinerary for June/July this year, 3 weeks, Seattle to LA. 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. Great tips, Kathi! Appreciate you sharing your experience and advice. We figured booking hotel in Seattle for 1 or 2 days for arrival and checking the college. Silvia, not to minimize risks but I think the issue is not being represented realistically by the media. We want to make the best out of drive there. 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 . To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. The PCH is on my bucket list since my daughter did it with Teens Westward Bound over 10 years ago. We just booked Patrees room! Pacific coast highway road trip with kids. From here on south, it's miles-upon-miles of beautiful sand beaches, palm-lined streets, and thriving coastal cities. In this forest, youll find amazing old growth trees and is incredibly verdant. Im driving with our 5 kids (ages 1 -13) and my wife. So doing our 101 bucket list too, but want a 2-3 days near Ocean Beach, CA. Hi We have just 1-day and will be starting in Fortuna and heading to San Francisco. What would be a good hopping on point? Thank you for the article. 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! Thats it! Technically, Seattle is not on the Pacific Coast Highway, but you can fly into Seattle and drive one hour south to Olympia to start your PCH road trip. Just wondering about restrictions? Best rates and airports to use. You have the same recommendations? Is this time of year realistic for an enjoyable adventure, or should we maybe plan to go somewhere else? Pismo State Beach is another great stop during a day of driving from San Francisco to Santa Barbara (or reverse). Its a great spot for a short hike to stretch your legs. We want a mix of National/State Parks, cities, and coasts. You'll also pass by several unique beaches on the way, but one you should totally check out is Glass Beach. I hope you can do at least part of the PCH someday soon . Thank you for your great ideas and itineraries! Whats the best time of year to do this? There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach for more than an overnight stop! Great question, Judy. 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 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. You can stretch your legs with a short walk before getting back on the road. 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! To answer your questions: 1. I was wondering if you could suggest a place for stargazing. 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). The Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip While many travelers begin in Los Angeles and head north, driving the Pacific Coast Highway from north to south keeps you in the lane closest to the ocean. Id recommend booking or at least searching every hotel you want to stay at, and the nights you want to stay, so you can get a sense of exactly how much its going to cost. No matter which you choose, youll enter SF by driving across the Golden Gate Bridge; you can either stay along the coast and drive down Ocean Beach or head east into the city. We want to spend 5 days for PCH and not sure where to fly in or out of. Bixby Bridge in Big Sur Choosing the top Pacific Coast Highway attractions isn't easy, as there are so many we love! After all, I liked it so much when I first visited in 2012 that I moved there in 2013! 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. This was more expensive than a round-trip rental, but I didnt want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway both ways! 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. Thanks for reading, Dave. I can really tell that you love traveling, Valerie . We were thinking October, but after reading all the comments, I think we will make it September. Thanks for your comment, Shelly! 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: Its a short drive south and a little east along U.S. 101 from Long Beach to cross the Astoria into Oregon. You absolutely nailed it. 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. 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: At this point in Northern California, the PCH is still U.S. 101. In the Santa Barbara area of the article you mentioned that you had an article about Santa Barbara and what to do, I am not able to locate this article. 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). Is this going to be a big disappointment? This is such a great resource. Are you planning to stay in bigger cities (Portland, SF, Santa Barbara), or smaller ones? 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! Mendocino Your Pacific Coast Highway road trip begins at Leggett, so naturally, the first stop is the wonderful Mendocino. I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? My husband and I plan to do this trip in June. Id look at September as an ideal time to catch autumn colors in the Pacific Northwest but admittedly its hard to predict since this part of the country isnt known for the same leaf colors as New England. A few years ago I started saving (unbeknownst to my husband) for his 50th birthday this summer. Did you try searching my site using the search in the sidebar? Id check out the California DOT website for the most up-to-date information. So the verb lament is correct in the present tense, and the tense of recommend earlier in the paragraph. Though I have visited a few cities in California over the years, I (we) are looking forward to that California coastal drive. Aretta, thanks for your comment! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Carry on south on CA-1, the PCH. This blog has been incredibly helpful. I recommend checking out California resources for the pandemic before you book anything. Thank you so much for this information! 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. 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. For the California portion, I recommend September & October! Is it worth waiting to do this trip in summer? 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: If you are on a quick PCH road trip, turn inland along the Columbia River and then south on I-5 to Portland.If your Pacific Coast Highway road trip includes the Oregon Coast, skip Portland below and drive south along U.S. 101 to Seaside & Cannon Beach (#8). 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. Great questions, Julie. Thanks for your help in advance!!!! Dont be in a hurry and be cautious so you can enjoy everything. We can skip Napa and SF. I was far more interested in the hundreds of miles of coastal roadways. Seattle is perfect for anywhere between one day and three days if you have the time. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange . Also, further north, you could fly to Portland and do the Oregon coast too. I love small beaches and in less popular destinations like this! 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). Prior to retiring I have done the San Francisco to LA 3 times but always by myself. Thanks for the great ideas! Here's an example PCH itinerary: Day 1: Seattle WA, to Forks, WA. $2,785,000. If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. Hi Valerie, Great tips! After about 15 miles, you will reach Highway 1. I share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge. maybe to get a car, which adds about 6 hours of driving time. Awesome, Im hoping to do the PCH and NorCal next summer. If we have 10 days to do this and could skip San Francisco, because we just did that 2 years ago, could we drive from Seattle to either Los Angeles or San Diego in an RV? 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. Glad to help, Bethany! I love all the details that you are recommended here. Have a great trip! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along California Highway 1. Hi! Portland has loads of great hotels, but my favorite is the, For vacation rental options, consider this. I am planning a trip for next year, saving and researching. Bonus- Rent A Car To Drive The Pacific Coast Highway. 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. I hope that helps! Thanks so much for any tips you can suggest on having adequate funds! And other than his military time at Ft Lewis many years ago, we have never lived nor toured the west coast at all. We plan on doing the 7 day trip June/July. Thank you so much for creating this itinerary! Thanks for asking! You did a fantastic job with this giude, everything is straight to the point but provided in a fun and educational way. This post was so helpful! Are people moving about freely or are things locked down with the covid? I am going to mostly follow the path you outlined in your 10 day itinerary. First thank you for all the work you put into this! Amazingly great article. We both have a lot of vacation all the time, so 10 days or more would be fine. Solvang 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. Sorry, I dont have any special suggestions for kids! Ft. 24615 Vista Cerritos, Calabasas, CA 91302 - $1182/sq ft larger lot 5 years newer View comparables on map Homeowner Tools Edit home facts Review property details and add renovations. It looks so cute! Basically, you cant start/end in Crescent City if you want to rent a car. There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. Thank you. The PCH heads inland near Lompoc but is the main road you can take to Santa Barbara. 4 Baths. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: As you might have guessed continue following California Highway 1 south! When I drove the PCH, I rented a car and drove it as a one-way rental (meaning I dropped it off in a different city than I picked it up). Hello, Thanks for sharing your trips and valuable tips. If you're in need of California trip ideas, consider driving up the iconic Pacific Coast Highway. Also, I love your pictures! Thanks Valerie. Great info . Thanks! Thanks for your comment, Rex! Thanks for reading, Sonia. I cant even imagine how incredible it must have been to experience all this in person. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow CA-1 south its a meandering route, but if you follow it all the way until Muir Beach you can make an optional stop at Muir Woods if you want. Weve spent time in SF already so dont need to stay there. Ending at a beach front hotel in Diego for 2-3 days to visit that college, unwind and settle a little bit before leaving. Thanks, Larissa! Theres a nice public parking area near a lake that overlooks the Washington State Capital building. Take a road trip along California's Pacific Coast Highway for a look at some of America's most dramatic coastal vistas. I hope you have an epic time; Patrees such an amazing host! 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. Next time I have a few days off, Ill have to change that! We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! Wifey and I did the PCH trip a while ago, shortly after we got married. BIG SUR, Calif. A section of California's scenic and iconic Pacific Coast Highway that collapsed during a winter storm in January reopened to traffic on Friday. 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). Thank you for the pointers! And it's hard to miss: you'll be driving right through, so when you see roller coasters, it's time to stop. Want to stop over a few nights, and hit some of the destinations you listed. 99. For campsites, Im not super sure as Im not a big camper, but this might help: https://www.theoutbound.com/theoutbound/camping-along-the-pacific-10-seaside-campsites-for-your-west-coast-road-trip. 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! If I were youI would do a leisurely drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles/San Diego. Sireesha, thanks for reading. Planning a trip on PCH last week of July 2020. Yes, I do have San Francisco guides! When in doubt, stay on the coast. I hope you can see it for yourself someday too. Regarding openings, Im sorry but I cant keep up with all of the places and changing restrictions in the various counties and states. 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! If you make it out this way, let me know, as Im now in the Bay Area! I did drive it alone and I still recommend heading southbound. Port Angeles is the place for that one-night stop. 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. Hello Valerie; my family and i are thinking about a trip from northern CA to San Diego along the coast. Thank you! Thank you again for all of your information. Those are my top recommendations! I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. Ive just started planning our trip for this autumn. 24 Best Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Stops. 4,329 Sq. 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). 1. Thinking of maybe making this where we would b me somewhere different for 4th of July. My overnight stop in Santa Barbara changed my mind. Thanks again! 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. I was hoping to see autumn colours in the northern area. 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 Have a safe trip!! Got to save some $$$$$. Most head to the Hollywood area and its movie-related attractions. Thank you for the recommendation! My problem is going to be deciding what not to do because Ill only have so much time (and money). Glad to help, Andrew I hope you have an amazing trip! We are so overwhelmed. 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. One of the most famous sea stacks on the U.S. Pacific Coast, Haystack Rock is picture perfect while you stretch your legs. The Oregon Coast Aquarium lets visitors explore the marine ecosystems around this part of the Pacific Ocean. Im thinking of doing this trip from Seattle to San Diego. PCH bucket list road trip done! Hi Valerie, we are planning a trip from Crescent city back home to Phoenix traveling along PCH. Drive safely! 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.