Planning for 5-6 days of Seattle to San Diego. One day, I would LOVE to make this road trip. Im going to publish a suggested 7-day PCH guide soon! The must-see sights definitely include places such as Hearst Castle and Big Sur. 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. Also, for a map, I use the app Roadtrippers, which is linked in the post. Thank you. Pacific Highway (United States) - Wikipedia ?? of the PCH? I am planning to take this trip with my family of 5 as you have lined out for the 10 days this coming June. I think once we hit Los Angeles we will just take the I10 home to Phoenix. San Diego is known for its Zoo and was made Instagram famous for Potato Chip Rock. 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!). Unsurprisingly, a private car is the absolute best way to make the most of a trip along the legendary PCH. Thanks for sharing this great itinerary. 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. Pacific Coast Highway stops include big city vacation destinations like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, and smaller places like Monterey. Dont drive down to SD and back up to LA. and so much more! It may have been in a reply to someone elses comment, but I cant seem to find it now. Im glad you booked LA and Seattle, because those are the two you most need to have arranged! If I can make a recommendation? Thanks! 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. That said, there are plenty of nice ones depending on which part of town you want to stay in. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary: Day 3 Take in the majestic sights of the Central Coast while cruising across the famous Bixby Bridge in Big Sur. Glad this was helpful! Also wondering if you can tell me where I could get a printable version of your article. Sonja, glad to help! Unfortunately, when I drove the PCH it was pretty foggy and cool most of the week. Have a great trip! To help you plan your road trip, here are two possible road trip itineraries you could take. Great content here, thank you! Southern California has great weather year-round. We would be flying from GA, so I guess I go fling to Seattle, and the book one home for San Diego? 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. Do you happen to know or can you suggest a source with info about the road conditoin in the light of recent terrible weather in California. Raynard, when are you going? Fort Bragg is home to a beautiful glass beach, pictured above, where the entire beach is made of sea glass from past trash dumps. I do not plan to do any shopping at stores, so our money would be spent on a rental vehicle, hotels, gas, and food. Hi We have just 1-day and will be starting in Fortuna and heading to San Francisco. Valerie I just came across this post. Glad to help, Bethany! Well be camping out at most stops except for SF. I had lots of recommendations from a friend, specific to Big Sur, but your article was so encompassing and complete. It was actually quite a lot colder than I expected so I usually ended up too cold with the top down. Just starting to think about a 1st time road trip from Az to Washington and back among the PCH!!?? March is a fine time to drive the PCH the weather on the Pacific Coast is pretty similar all year long! Have a great trip! Portland? Best trip ever! Well, now we will have to wait to see how this Covid-19 progresses. The West Coast especially is fantastic. Great article. 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south on U.S. Highway 101 along the Oregon Coast to Newport. OPEN SUN, 1PM TO 4PM. 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. What are the reasons you really never got to enjoy using a convertible car? As the title suggests, this music would make the perfect soundtrack for a drive up the California coast. Any recommendations will be appreciated! How long is the Pacific Coast Highway? Also how many days driving for this trip. 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! There are no reasonable alternatives for some of the routes like the one across Bixby Canyon Bridge (shown above). I love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. Stop 4: Bixby bridge. Read more in my Privacy Policy. So heading east eventually to round out the trip. This will be a great resource for the trip that we are planning. This time I plan to take a friend and start in Portland. Start in Seattle and end in San Diego. Is this doable in 7 days, with stops during the day and to spend the night? Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along CA-1. There are plenty of things to do in Long Beach for more than an overnight stop! Here's an example PCH itinerary: Day 1: Seattle WA, to Forks, WA. I hope you can see it for yourself someday too. Therefore, its an amazing place to start your Pacific Coast Highway trip! A one-week Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary will allow you to see the highlights without feeling rushed. I strongly recommend making reservations in advance, and also please be aware that hotels and other accommodation are not currently allowed to accept leisure travelers during the current mandates. If you happen to do your PCH road trip in the winter, Pismo State Beach is also home to the largest colony of migrating monarch butterflies during the winter months. . Regarding openings, Im sorry but I cant keep up with all of the places and changing restrictions in the various counties and states. Doing this trip starting this weekend! 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. 3. 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. 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. I havent been to Yellowstone so I cant say if its worth it, unfortunately. Pacific Coast Hwy Road Trip | Travel Channel I hope you had a great drive, Mindy! Los Angeles is the last major city on my list of Pacific Coast Highway stops, and though I have a guide to spending one day in L.A., you can and should spend as much time as you like. 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 . Can you recommend where to spend time and in which cities to plan to spend the night? Yes, Id recommend flying one-way to Seattle, and flying one-way home from San Diego. We are planning to spend Thanksgiving in San Diego. If you are short on time to drive the PCH, as I was, a Pacific Coast highway itinerary for 5 days is ideal. Explore the route. 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. 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Seattle, head south along US Highway 101 to Olympia. Located on a beautiful crescent-shaped bay, Crescent City is along part of the PCH where California Highway 1 and U.S. Highway 101 overlap hence this guide refers to both Highway 1 and Highway 101 as the PCH in the different states. Thank you for sharing. What you suggested (Anaheim > SLO/Madonna Inn > Half Moon Bay) is a great two-day itinerary. Hi, and thanks for this terrific resource. The reason I recommend doing your Pacific Coast Highway road trip north to south is that youll be on the coastal side of the road. maybe to get a car, which adds about 6 hours of driving time. What a drive! Pacific coast highway road trip with kids. The 17-Mile Drive between Carmel, Pacific Grove, and Monterey We want a mix of National/State Parks, cities, and coasts. Great tips, Kathi! Before you hit the road, youve gotta figure out your car situation! We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! Thanks for reading, Dave. 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? We both have a lot of vacation all the time, so 10 days or more would be fine. When you hit the California coast, its like driving in a postcard. 1. We live in Colorado, so more interested in Ocean more than hiking, so 101 is ideal. Valerie-thanks for the great overview. Have a great trip! Tim & Janice, what kind words! It was also formed by wave erosion, and now the huge hole is a beautiful vista or hiking spot. We plan on doing the 7 day trip June/July. Youll see signs for Hoh Rainforest, a left turn that takes you inland to the forest. But all of those are just ways to say "The 1.". Are people moving about freely or are things locked down with the covid? Other cool attractions include Hurricane Ridge (a popular hiking spot), Elwha River Valley, and Olympic Hot Springs. 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. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. Enjoying the Unexpectedly Cool Pitchwood Ale House, All words and images 2013-2023 The Kolibro Group LLC. Congrats on finishing your Pacific Coast Highway road trip. I make all of my must see recommendations in this post, so I recommend checking out the section on California to find the ones that sound interesting to you. Thank you! memory cards before you know it. Hi there, I am thinking of taking a solo trip down the PCH from Long Beach, WA to LA? I am currently planning a road trip from Phoenix to Vancouver, WA to visit family and weve decided to come back home via the PCH. Amazing, Melanii! 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). Any thoughts would be appreciated. Which Direction to Drive the Pacific Coast Highway? Making a Pacific Coast Highway road trip is a popular bucket list experiencefor good reason! I would like to follow the route on the map. Thank you for your great ideas and itineraries! Valerie, I am so glad I found your guide to the PCH! Thanks Valerie. 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. I enjoyed it so much that I wrote a whole article about the experiences I recommend in Santa Barbara! 8. What type of car would you rent for 4 of us? Review of Pacific Coast Highway | Los Angeles, California, United 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! Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip: 7 Days Driving Along the California Dont be in a hurry and be cautious so you can enjoy everything. Have a great drive!! You have the same recommendations? 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? It was so helpful as I planned and traveled cross country this summer starting with the PCH. Lot of driving in 10 days, but I am excited. You can definitely do that! Great question, Sharon! The PCH begins south of Dana Point in Orange County and ends at US 101 in Mendocino County. After reading your blog we are excited to visit San Jose. Thanks so much for sharing your experience for others to know its worth doing!! If you are planning to cruise along that part of the Californian coastline, then here's our magnificent seven! Waves, waves, and more waves. Glad to help, Andrew I hope you have an amazing trip! Bixby Bridge in Big Sur Choosing the top Pacific Coast Highway attractions isn't easy, as there are so many we love! Located just off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this campsite is sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and a redwood forest. Have a wonderful trip! Where would you start and end if it is reasonable to go in December, and what might we expect weather wise? 10 things to consider before road tripping the Pacific Coast Highway Maybe Im AAAA ? 21 Perfect Big Sur Captions for Instagram - California Crossroads Thanks for your comment, Shelly! There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. Extremely informative. Booking this trip for late Oct. Id like to fly in ( from East Coast) somewhere north of San Fran. Thanks again. Thank you so very much. Related posts: Stop 1: San Francisco. Or. Thanks for your comment, David! For the California portion, I recommend September & October! If youre a fan, make sure to stop in Aberdeen to see the house where he grew up. Pismo is a popular camping destination, so the most common amenities youll find if you decide to stay longer than a few hours are camping-oriented. Planning a mother/son trip after my son graduates HS next year. Have a great trip!! Franke's first solo album is surprisingly melodic, highly accessible, and immaculately produced. Los Angeles to San Diego Drive: Distance, Best Route and Stops I do too (ish Im in Oakland!). San Luis Obispo with Paso Robles). 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. Any ideas? Here are my twenty five favorite stops on PCH from south to north. The Pacific Coast Highway traces the coast as closely as possible around the edge of Los Angeles, America's second largest city. Cant say enough how appreciative we are. We are thinking Crescent City to Santa Barbara? Also, further north, you could fly to Portland and do the Oregon coast too. The PCH is Highway 1 in California, though sometimes Highway 1 and 101 overlap which is what causes the confusion! 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 be honest, Id opt for the long route you only have one day, and Point Reyes is one of my favorite parts of California. 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. Along the way we plan to stop at the Benbow Inn near Garberville, CA and in Newport. We are planning a trip in Sept 0f 2022, starting in Portland, ending in San Diego. Port Angeles is the place for that one-night stop. Thanks for putting this fantastic guide together! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Aberdeen, continue south along U.S. Highway 101. Very nicely done thanks ever so much !! In fact, we serve over 15 000 different locations worldwide. Does that sound reasonable or doable? Great read! Hello, my name is Sonia and I am from Puerto Rico. Thanks for your comment, Victoria! 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 . Were on day 2 of our 8-day PCH Tour.and its great to have your help! Lastly, Pismo is a great stop for a midday workout on the road, with a huge stretch of beach to walk/run on. Thank you. The ultimate guide to road tripping California's Pacific Coast Highways We are thinking of taking this drive during the week of Christmas. More Buying Choices $18.53 (15 used & new offers) Kindle. Overwhelmed by the vastness of it all. You did a fantastic job with this giude, everything is straight to the point but provided in a fun and educational way. Kavinsky - Pacific Coast Highway (Official Audio) - YouTube We just did this trip in October 2019, We started in Portland to Cannons beach then headed south on HWY 101. Its less than 10 minutes drive from Newport to Devils Punch Bowl. Hi, I love Portland and San Francisco. Thank you in advance! Download Pacific Coast Highway stock photos. I would love to take this vacation but not fall short on money. In this forest, youll find amazing old growth trees and is incredibly verdant. Its really up to you to decide where you want to end and figure out the closest rental car/airport option from there, but there are airports of all sizes throughout the region. Wonderful trip sharing you made. 90 Famous West Coast Quotes and West Quotes Sayings Taking your advice, flying into Seattle (from KC), and heading south. 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! Santa Cruz. I was reading for the road trip from Seattle to San Diego. The first time, we (I) had it all planned out. 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. We will probably book Airbnb if cost effective. The longer you spend, the more youll get to see and enjoy. Free or royalty-free photos and images. There and back that is? 75 Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Stops Off-the-Beaten-Path 5 Beds. What would be a good hopping on point? I recommend checking out California resources for the pandemic before you book anything. 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. 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 . Just wondering about restrictions? Feel free to comment back here if you have questions while planning your trip . I hope this helps! Its easy to make a stop in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, so take the opportunity! Thanks for such a thorough rundown of what to do. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow California Highway 1 south. The jagged coastline, infinite blue water, sunny days, gorgeous sunsets these are just a few of the reasons California Highway 1 became a popular route in the first place!