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! Have a great drive!! For the California portion, I recommend September & October! Heather, you saw the rest of the post, right? I am doing this trip with the boyfriend end of this month. Have a great drive! Have a great trip! After Crater lake we headed back to 238 towards HWY 101, we took an off road to hit the coast right at Brookings. 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. Take a road trip along California's Pacific Coast Highway for a look at some of America's most dramatic coastal vistas. You can get a printable version by signing up on the forms in this post. Now Im going to lay out step-by-step directions for a Pacific Coast Highway road trip based on all my tips so far. My overnight stop in Santa Barbara changed my mind. I havent been to Yellowstone so I cant say if its worth it, unfortunately. I hope this helps. The Pacific Coast Highway is located in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and California. ?? But never mind those technicalities, because equally bewitching ribbons of Hwy 1 and Hwy 101 await all along this route. of the PCH? Planning a mother/son trip after my son graduates HS next year. I was wondering if you could suggest a place for stargazing. Loved your trip adventure and recommendations !! To access the map on Roadtrippers, you just need to click the map! 8. I mapped it here so you can see the option to add in Crater Lake and what youll miss: https://goo.gl/maps/2A4GYTKnBcADVdRw5. I am saving this to research more of the places you mentioned !! You can choose the spots you want to stop at that way . Thanks for your comment, Shelly! Sorry; I dont have any suggestions for that! So nice to hear from you, Silvia! Great questions, Julie. We are thinking of taking this drive during the week of Christmas. The Pacific Coast Highway is arguably one of the most famous drives in the entire world. Lastly, Pismo is a great stop for a midday workout on the road, with a huge stretch of beach to walk/run on. Its less than 10 minutes drive from Newport to Devils Punch Bowl. Awesome, Tim! Thanks for your points. Depending on the timing of your itinerary, you may want to do an overnight here. I have been to Europe, for 2 years, and nothing compares to this coastal trip. 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. Any additional thoughts? Pinterest. To answer your questions: 1. We are planning a trip in Sept 0f 2022, starting in Portland, ending in San Diego. Crater lake was amazing!! Thats it! Thank you. Planning for 5-6 days of Seattle to San Diego. I appreciate any help you can provide. One day, I would LOVE to make this road trip. My wife and I have been to Cali a couple of times, our daughter once from Diego to Fran (Berkeley) and loved it, and just us once to Seattle and Portland, but flying in and out only. Also, I love your pictures! Aberdeen has one main claim to fame: it was the hometown of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain. Do you highly recommend the LONG route OR is thru Mendocino only enough? Seattle is perfect for anywhere between one day and three days if you have the time. Thanks so much. For bigger cities, there are probably enough options that you can wait until you arrive to book, even during that time of year. Thanks for asking, Helen! This guide is great, do you have a Google map itinerary to download with the stops? 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. I was wondering if you would recommend any wine tasting spots along the way? Thanks for the great ideas! I love all the details and recommendations! I want to fly out to the NW and drive to Crescent city, then go inland to see the redwoods, Bend, and Mt. 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. Im assuiming youve read the whole post, as I do cover a 7-day suggested itinerary, and cover overnight stops along the Oregon coast. Seattle is one of my favorite destinations in the world. 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. We are planning to stay overnight at the Madonna Inn. Thanks for your comment, Patty! Well, now we will have to wait to see how this Covid-19 progresses. Thank you so much for sharing this informative article with all of us. The Pacific Coast Highway is the ultimate road trip - and it's certainly the best one in America. Follow the highway south as it winds inland and along the coast. Similar to Haystack Rock, your experience stopping at Devils Punchbowl will depend on the tides. Amazing, Melanii! I drove one and I hardly ever got to enjoy it! Suggestions? This gorgeous building mostly survived the 1906 earthquake and captures Victorian glory with modern amenities. 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! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head west along U.S. 101 until it turns south along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Thank you! I enjoyed it so much that I wrote a whole article about the experiences I recommend in Santa Barbara! Silvia, not to minimize risks but I think the issue is not being represented realistically by the media. Question, if we were to add a stop, possible one night stay at Crater Lake, where would you suggest doing this from without missing much, (or any?) Thanks so much for sharing your experience for others to know its worth doing!! We definitely want to visit the redwood forest, which is the main reason we want to go so far north. 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! Heres a Pacific Coast Highway map and schedule for 10 days: One of the most popular questions I get about driving the Pacific Coast Highway is about when to drive the PCH. and so much more! If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. There and back that is? South of Seaside, be sure to stop in Cannon Beach to admire Haystack Rock. 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 hope you had a great drive, Mindy! We want to spend 5 days for PCH and not sure where to fly in or out of. They all offer budget rentals, run regular deals and specials, and have one-way rental options. I dont think you can do Yosemite in a day its a four hour drive from the coast to Yosemite (one-way) and youll probably want a full day in the park at minimum. Taking my granddaughter on an epic journey. Great read! We are thinking of late September of 2022 doing a two week drive from north to south. Sounds like it will be well worth it. If you're starting your PCH drive from Seattle . (If you decide to fly to SF, heres a recent post I wrote: https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/). What are must see spots. So it adds about 3 hours of driving time, but it also means youll miss out on basically all of the Oregon Coast. Do you have any recommendations or modifications while traveling with kids. The best time of year to do this will be in the summer (June/July/August), probably sooner in the year rather than later. 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! Phoenix77. I appreciate this guide. The Pacific Coast Highway is up there with the most beautiful drives in the world. Portland is the only city on this list thatisnton the coast, and its definitely a trip extender if you want to visit Portland while driving the Pacific Coast Highway. Hi Valerie, Great tips! One of the longest state routes in California (after Interstate 5 and U.S. 101), California 1 sees some of the most . Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue along CA-1 to San Diego, your final stop on this PCH road trip. Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, segments of the U.S. Route 101: U.S. Route 101 in Oregon U.S. Route 101 in Washington Public transportation [ edit] Im glad you booked LA and Seattle, because those are the two you most need to have arranged! 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. The PCH is on my bucket list since my daughter did it with Teens Westward Bound over 10 years ago. 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. Southern California. As the title suggests, this music would make the perfect soundtrack for a drive up the California coast. Sonja, glad to help! My English is very very basic but if you write to me I can understand it. I do not care to get into the Los Angeles areaHowever, the Sequoias are a must. Is this possible? Thanks for reading, Jennifer. Just give yourself more time and end n LA. We stay in San Diego on Pacific/Mission Beach a lot so no need to travel this far south for us. My husband, myself and our four kids always take adventurous vacations every summer. Thanks for your help in advance!!!! The sweetest shade of blue. Love all the comments ideas and suggestion, will try and make this trip happen in about 2-3 years . We are only going to be there once though and want to make the most of it. With an RV, Id just give yourself a lot more time each day (probably 25% more driving time) since youll need to go a bit slower. 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. 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. We've driven sections of this coastline twice, between LA and San Francisco. Pacific Coast Highway (1982)(Datasoft)(US)PlatformAtari 8-bitReleased1982Published byDatasoft,. I would definitely do some research on inland options Im not as familiar with whats inland though. Awesome, you can sign up using the forms in this post to get the PDF! I would love to do a Pacific Coast Highway drive at some point in my life. Here are some different starting/ending points for a PCH road trip: As you can see, you have options! We both have a lot of vacation all the time, so 10 days or more would be fine. Your help is appreciated. Im thinking I might end my trip at Santa Barbara. Your email address will not be published. The best time of year to do this will be in the summer (June/July/August), probably sooner in the year rather than later. My only additional rec for anyone would be to add the Great Tide Pool in Monterrey to check out little worlds of marine life. Ft. 1553 S Monte Viento St, Malibu, CA 90265. haha. 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! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head south from Ruby Beach along U.S. 101. Again, thanks for great info and advice. Also, we were thinking with the additional days to do a detour over to Yosemite. Pacific coast highway road trip with kids. Before launching into a bunch of details for where to stop along the Pacific Coast Highway, I need to define a few things: Now that you know the details, lets dig into the logistics of planning your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary! May 16, 2022 by Allison Green. I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington. We will start in Portland, Or and drive to Las Angeles, CA. Although I live in San Francisco, Ive yet to visit several of these places on this list. Thanks for sharing. The ocean's energy is magical. Pacific Coast Highway Attractions, those must-see sights along PCH, include Hearst Castle, Big Sur, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Golden Gate Bridge. There are loads of cool things to explore in/around this small PNW town, including Olympic National Park! (As of July 2018, the PCH reopened after a 2017 mudslide!). Thank you for sharing! Let me know in the comments! Read more in my Privacy Policy. Youll have a great time! Seeing some nice beaches is also of interest. At low tide, you can hike down into the hole or go tide pooling; at other times you can have a picnic while trying to spot whales off the coast. You can even stretch it out by spending a few extra days exploring some of the cities along the route if you want to. Thanks so much for reading, Teresa! 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. There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. Which Direction to Drive the Pacific Coast Highway? Have a great drive! I hope you have a great trip whenever you can make it! 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. Hi Valerie, we are planning a trip from Crescent city back home to Phoenix traveling along PCH. This information is great!!! I havent been to Monterey but its high on my list! Now that Ive moved to this part of California, I know this is true. We then took that to the end. . Thanks for reading, Laurie! 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. Awesome suggestions and itinerary! Im glad to surpass the AAA level. For accommodation, try a small hotel like the. It is best known for the stretch along the Californian coast, with spectacular ocean views and awesome attractions as you travel. Have a great trip! Even an email answer is fine!! I have looked up the different uses of the word and grammatically correct samples, and I believe you needed to use it in past-tense. This time I plan to take a friend and start in Portland. Thanks for such a thorough rundown of what to do. (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!). We can skip Napa and SF. Portland! 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? I am thinking 5 days from Portland to LA. Im not sure how to prioritize the rest of our time. Got to save some $$$$$. We will be coming from Anaheim and want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway to Half Moon Bay. Here are my twenty five favorite stops on PCH from south to north. 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. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: As you might have guessed continue following California Highway 1 south! Enjoying the Unexpectedly Cool Pitchwood Ale House, All words and images 2013-2023 The Kolibro Group LLC. Do you recommend any of your overnights for golf fireworks for 4th of July? I hope you had a good trip! 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. 8. We are planning to do Northboundfrom Ventura to Wine country but only have 5 days returning on the 5th day. Thank you very much for providing a road map! Nice ride. 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. The ocean is my happy place. Required fields are marked *. Wonderful trip sharing you made. I am starting from seattle 8/26 down to los angeles taking PCH. Thanks for reading, Heather! Doing this trip starting this weekend! Other cool attractions include Hurricane Ridge (a popular hiking spot), Elwha River Valley, and Olympic Hot Springs. I love all the details that you are recommended here. 1. Great question, Judy. 7 Stunning Viewpoints on the Pacific Coast Highway By Michael Hodson Updated on 06/03/19 At just over six hundred and fifty miles in length, and running along much of the coast of California, the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most popular road trip destinations in the United States. Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip: California, Oregon & Washington (Travel Guide) by Ian Anderson | Dec 20, 2022. Thanks for your comment, David! A couple of reasons: 1. 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. Now my only problem is trying to figure out how many extra days were going to need! Also, further north, you could fly to Portland and do the Oregon coast too. This is a great itinerary! My favorite place is Mendocino if the skies are clear! Great content here, thank you! Crescent City is the first city youll enter when driving southbound into California along the Pacific Coast Highway (or last if youre headed northbound). 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. I live in Florida and have never been to the pacific coast. 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 Any recommendations will be appreciated! Valerie-thanks for the great overview. Thanks for asking! November should be a good time, but you may experience some days where the Marine Layer rolls in be sure to pack layers in case its cooler/less sunny than expected! Is Yellowstone worth the long detour? Where is the Pacific Coast Highway? Have a safe trip!! This sounds like a great trip the PCH + inland Oregon! The journey down Highway 1 is the iconic California road trip, and this coastal route is a great choice whether you're in Northern California, the central coast, or in SoCal. Sorry, I dont have any special suggestions for kids! Looking to travel with your recommendations southbound! BEST PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY STOPS Sun, sand, and surf. Most head to the Hollywood area and its movie-related attractions. When you drive on the Pacific Coast Highway, you will see sheer cliffs straight down to the water. Thanks for your comment, Pam, but Im a little confused its a 10-day itinerary, so its a 9-night trip. Great question, Sharon! Thanks for reading, Angel! A few years ago I started saving (unbeknownst to my husband) for his 50th birthday this summer. Download Pacific Coast Highway stock photos. Sorry, I could not get past it, and I may not even be correct, but I truly loved this page. 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 . 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. Would there be a place where the rental could be left in those regions? 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. Is this possible?? (Hours and dates for the attractions on the Seattle CityPass have been affected by the pandemic, so be sure to check those when you purchase!). Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along CA-1. I hope that helps! Santa Cruz. Explore the beach then hit the trails to find waterfalls, massive redwoods, and an abandoned limekiln. Hoping to do this mid Sept 2020. Thanks for reading, Lauren! We continued on until we picked up the beginning of CA Hwy 1. 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. Unfortunately, when I drove the PCH it was pretty foggy and cool most of the week. Raynard, when are you going? 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. Overwhelmed by the vastness of it all. Just south of the Bay Area, Santa Cruz is a laid back, quirky hippie town. Thanks! These seem to be the hardest parts to figure out for this type of trip! A one-week Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary will allow you to see the highlights without feeling rushed. What you suggested (Anaheim > SLO/Madonna Inn > Half Moon Bay) is a great two-day itinerary. The Pacific Coast Highway has long been considered a "dream drive" and the ultimate road trip. Is this doable in 7 days, with stops during the day and to spend the night? 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). Have a great drive! 1. 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). Ive just started planning our trip for this autumn. I can think off the top of my head that you could do the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. 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. In Washington, Oregon, and at the northern end of California, the Pacific Coast route follows US Highway 101. 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 are just looking to site sea on our way back home from Disneyland I was looking at Hearst Castle and the Elephant Seal Vista Point but dont see much reviews on them with kids. What do you think of Coos Bay/North Bend or better places for overnight, seemed a good split between Seattle and San Francisco? 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. San Simeon Drive for 45 minutes and start the day with a 15-minute excursion inland to San Simeon to tour the elaborate Hearst Castle. Sep 26, 2017. ai traffic expansion highway 1 layout mod pacific coast pch. 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! Very nicely done thanks ever so much !! 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! Want to know more? And other than his military time at Ft Lewis many years ago, we have never lived nor toured the west coast at all. Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. I also agree that Point Reyes (and the lighthouse) is spectacular and my top place to go when in North Ca. Thank you for the comprehensive narrative! San Diego is known for its Zoo and was made Instagram famous for Potato Chip Rock. Extremely informative. Any other advise you could give us. You should have no problem making it down the road in December. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south on CA-1, the Pacific Coast Highway. Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most famous and beautiful road trips on earth. Such a thorough guide! Before you hit the road, youve gotta figure out your car situation! I was, for the most part, ambivalent about the cities along the PCH. 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 am going to plan for at least a 10 day trip, its once in a lifetime and truly dont want to rush it I cant wait to see his face when I announce at his local birthday party in July that I have saved for and planned this fantastic trip for September 2021!! 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 . Thanks so much for this comprehensive look at the PCH. So the verb lament is correct in the present tense, and the tense of recommend earlier in the paragraph. 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. Making the drive in 2 days. You will miss Seaside & Cannon Beach on this route, so your next stop will be Newport (#9). I have no idea what the case will be for forest fires next year, unfortunately! I am planning a trip for next year, saving and researching. Credit: Bigstock.com Ending at a beach front hotel in Diego for 2-3 days to visit that college, unwind and settle a little bit before leaving. my best friends and I have talked about driving down from San Francisco to some of the Orange County, CA cities. You wont have as much time to spend in each city, or to take a few of the long drives, but youll see it all in a short span of time. Those little beaches overlooking the water below is freaking amazing. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip. Thanks for reading and asking, Hunter! Thinking of maybe making this where we would b me somewhere different for 4th of July. Would you recommend the 7 day to get 2-3 days in Diego? This is great information and very helpful! This was more expensive than a round-trip rental, but I didnt want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway both ways! 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. 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!