Youre very welcome, Wilbert! As I mentioned above, both are southbound itineraries. Also, how many days should we take for the one-way trip back. These stops are numbered to match my Roadtrippers map and trip above (click here to open the trip in a separate window). So doing our 101 bucket list too, but want a 2-3 days near Ocean Beach, CA. Love it. That said, there are plenty of nice ones depending on which part of town you want to stay in. (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!). My husband are I are planning 20 days to do the PCH(starting in Seattle and ending in San Diego) We are using your the ultimate pacific coast road trip itinerary as a guide. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along U.S. 101 to Crescent City always stick to the coast! Also, we were thinking with the additional days to do a detour over to Yosemite. Loved your trip adventure and recommendations !! In Washington, Oregon, and at the northern end of California, the Pacific Coast route follows US Highway 101. 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. Thanks so much from a couple of Canucks! Thanks for asking! Thanks for your comment, Rex! It looks so cute! I hope you have an epic time; Patrees such an amazing host! The worst that happens is you might end up in a slightly less nice place than you had planned. Are people moving about freely or are things locked down with the covid? This is such a great article. This is exactly what I was looking for. We just did this trip in October 2019, We started in Portland to Cannons beach then headed south on HWY 101. 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. I hope you had a great drive, Mindy! Thank you in advance! Just one small thing, its not the PCH, its just PCH. The route between Los Angeles and San Diego is not as popular as the classic long road trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco on Highway 1.San Francisco is one of the most important cities in the United States and, thanks to its charm and favorable location on the way to visit the national parks, is often preferred over San Diego, which shares the Pacific Ocean with San Francisco and Los . But my priority for this trip is just going straight down the PCH so that should help me prioritize. 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. Explore seaside scenery along the east coast, taking you off the beaten track to some of the most beautiful beaches including Mount Maunganui - voted as New Zealand's best beach. I am planning to start my road trip in Vancouver BC and ending in San Francisco. As we will be married 40 years! Heather, you saw the rest of the post, right? This post was originally published in August 2014, and was updated regularly including most recently in May 2022. As the title suggests, this music would make the perfect soundtrack for a drive up the California coast. This will be a great tool in planning. 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. Travelling from Australia and would like to spend 3 weeks driving around . There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. The ideia is to have a West Coast Beer Route drive. Top 10 pacific coast highway ideas and inspiration - Pinterest 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. 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. 15 Best Stops On Your Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip - California 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? If youre considering a drive down (or up) the western coast of the U.S., look no further. Victoria Beach has the famous pirates tower of Laguna Beach, which is was built to allow the resident down from their home to beach below. Located in the heart of Washington's Olympic Peninsula, Hurricane Ridge is an iconic spot to stop and stretch your legs on a Pacific Coast Highway road trip. Thanks for sharing. 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. 603 Ocean Captions for Instagram That Are Indeed Awesome Travelling from Auckland to Napier, you'll experience lakes, wildlife, vineyards and a tranquil lagoon. 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. It sounds like youll have an awesome trip, and happy early birthday to him! ENJOY the sightseeing trip of a lifetime. This sounds like a great adventure. Now that Ive moved to this part of California, I know this is true. There are loads of cool things to explore in/around this small PNW town, including Olympic National Park! We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! The redwoods are a definite. What would be a good hopping on point? Feel free to comment back here if you have questions while planning your trip . Pacific Coast Highway | The American Road Trip Company Its easy to make a stop in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, so take the opportunity! Youre very welcome, and have a great road trip!! Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Guide - Brian Eagen 2016-09-23 A stunning visual guide for a road trip along the entire United States pacific coast. Astoria, like Aberdeen in Washington, is a great destination for lovers of pop culture. memory cards before you know it. Flew into Seattle and drove back. The speed limit ranges from 55mph to 25mph theres really no helpful way to give an average! Thank so much for putting together a wonderful and comprehensive itinerary of the PC scenic drive. Pacific Coast Highway Map, Direction & Start/End Points. Thanks for reading, Kay. 50 Essential Pacific Coast Highway Stops: From San Diego to Seattle Were on day 2 of our 8-day PCH Tour.and its great to have your help! 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). Nate, thanks for your comment. However I actively lament that I was on the wrong side of the road in the present tense (as in, if you ask me today, I still lament it); I didnt really realize I was on the wrong side until after my trip was over and its not like you can change your route once you start! 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! Thank you . 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. Love all the comments ideas and suggestion, will try and make this trip happen in about 2-3 years . These are just ten of the many places off Highway 1 that you'll want to experience. I appreciate any help you can provide. From Ventura. 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. Glad this was helpful! The skies are guaranteed to be blue, the weather begs for a convertible, and the passing sands are alive with . Huntington Beach Resort Hotels | Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach AI TRAFFIC - for Pacific Coast (0.95) | RaceDepartment As soon as you hit the section of the Pacific Coast Highway connecting. 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 am planning a trip for next year, saving and researching. Have a great drive! 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). Stop 4: Bixby bridge. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head west along U.S. 101 until it turns south along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. (I used Roadtrippers Plus to create this route;you can get $5 off Plus byclicking this linkand using code BTR5QTP.). 1-2 days in Portland to visit college and check out Portland. Hoping to do this mid Sept 2020. Make sure you have enough guidance resources. Pacific coast highway road trip with kids. Thank you so much for creating this itinerary! Thanks for reading, Lauren! Kavinsky - Pacific Coast Highway (Official Audio) - YouTube 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. Pacific Highway (United States) - Wikipedia If you're starting your PCH drive from Seattle . My problem is going to be deciding what not to do because Ill only have so much time (and money). Though I have visited a few cities in California over the years, I (we) are looking forward to that California coastal drive. I had lots of recommendations from a friend, specific to Big Sur, but your article was so encompassing and complete. 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. Are you planning to stay in bigger cities (Portland, SF, Santa Barbara), or smaller ones? If I were going to recommend a route, Id do something like the National Parks in California or the Utah/Arizona/SoCal loop. My overnight stop in Santa Barbara changed my mind. I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. I think its going to be a tough year fro travel! Have a great drive! Where would you start and end if it is reasonable to go in December, and what might we expect weather wise? After all, I liked it so much when I first visited in 2012 that I moved there in 2013! 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. And it's hard to miss: you'll be driving right through, so when you see roller coasters, it's time to stop. Unfortunately, you cant climb the lighthouse steps as it has been closed for restoration since 2001. ), a Jeep Liberty, or most Subarus. 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. 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. To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. If you're in need of California trip ideas, consider driving up the iconic Pacific Coast Highway. I mapped it here so you can see the option to add in Crater Lake and what youll miss: https://goo.gl/maps/2A4GYTKnBcADVdRw5. Find and save ideas about pacific coast highway on Pinterest. The 9 best places to stop on the Pacific Coast Highway I was curious about which one you suggest if you were to slim down this itinerary by 1 day (ex. I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? 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. If I were youI would do a leisurely drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles/San Diego. Can you believe theres a rainforest in Washington? I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. "I'm California dreamin'." The. Unfortunately, when I drove the PCH it was pretty foggy and cool most of the week. Here are the stops I suggest for a Pacific Coast Highway California road trip itinerary. I have been to Europe, for 2 years, and nothing compares to this coastal trip. We plan a trip to San Jos, California because of its diversity, beautiful scenery, and exceptionally high outputs. Aberdeen has one main claim to fame: it was the hometown of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain. 12 scenic stops on the Pacific Coast Highway (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!).