Thinking approximately 250 miles a day. You probably wont have any snow its usually just rain in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon & Washington). 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. After about 15 miles, you will reach Highway 1. Valerie, I am so glad I found your guide to the PCH! Thanks for reading, Thomas. Thanks for your comment, Pam, but Im a little confused its a 10-day itinerary, so its a 9-night trip. You absolutely nailed it. Well, now we will have to wait to see how this Covid-19 progresses. 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. Hey Valerie great name yourself! Travelling from Auckland to Napier, you'll experience lakes, wildlife, vineyards and a tranquil lagoon. The Pacific Coast Highway is located in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and California. Start in Seattle and end in San Diego. Thanks for your points. . We just did this trip in October 2019, We started in Portland to Cannons beach then headed south on HWY 101. 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. The Pacific Coast Highway runs along two highways: In Washington and Oregon, the best weather of the year happens between June and September. haha. I live in Florida and have never been to the pacific coast. 1. Located just off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this campsite is sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and a redwood forest. I hope you had a great drive, Mindy! This post was so helpful! If youre planning a PCH trip and want to pass through San Francisco, you can either skim over along the side of the city as you drive down the coast, take a detour inland to visit Yosemite National Park or dive in for one night knowing it will only make you want to come back for more. My question is: how to best use our time? We then took that to the end. I think its going to be a tough year fro travel! BEST PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY STOPS Sun, sand, and surf. I hope you have an amazing time! 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. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip. Also, further north, you could fly to Portland and do the Oregon coast too. Stop and admire the views in Big Sur, too! Pacific Coast Highway (1982)(Datasoft)(US)PlatformAtari 8-bitReleased1982Published byDatasoft,. Let me know in the comments! You can stretch your legs with a short walk before getting back on the road. Youre all set to start filling in the gaps! Im thinking of doing this trip from Seattle to San Diego. This is such a great resource. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Head west along U.S. 101 until it turns south along the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula. Planning for 5-6 days of Seattle to San Diego. I love all the details that you are recommended here. Thanks for reading, Sonia. The PCH is Highway 1 in California, though sometimes Highway 1 and 101 overlap which is what causes the confusion! 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. Hoping to do this mid Sept 2020. You thinks thats safe or should I make some. Would there be a place where the rental could be left in those regions? We are only going to be there once though and want to make the most of it. So doing our 101 bucket list too, but want a 2-3 days near Ocean Beach, CA. Eileen, thanks for your comment, and for reading! 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. From Bixby Creek Bridge to Mcway Falls to the sea lions of San Simeon, there are so many epic places to see and photos to snap in Big Sur along the Pacific Coast Highway that you'll find yourself exhausting your camera battery and filling up your. We both have a lot of vacation all the time, so 10 days or more would be fine. From there we are planning on 4 days drive/stop on high 1 (PCH) up to Santa Monica/Malibu then flight out LAX. I am traveling with my husband, brother and our 4 year old. Is this time of year realistic for an enjoyable adventure, or should we maybe plan to go somewhere else? South of Seaside, be sure to stop in Cannon Beach to admire Haystack Rock. San Francisco has tons of cool neighborhoods, so its hard to choose which vacation rentals to recommend Check out this, Plan an overnight in Santa Barbara so you can soak in the charm. By the end, youll be ready to plan your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary. This guide is great, do you have a Google map itinerary to download with the stops? Solvang 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. Now Im going to lay out step-by-step directions for a Pacific Coast Highway road trip based on all my tips so far. Thank you. Making a Pacific Coast Highway road trip is a popular bucket list experience - for good reason! Its easy to make a stop in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, so take the opportunity! Thank you. Just one small thing, its not the PCH, its just PCH. Also being from Colorado, we would love to camp oceanside, do you have any recommendations on campsites? Or. Thanks for your comment . What do you think of Coos Bay/North Bend or better places for overnight, seemed a good split between Seattle and San Francisco? Portland? Also, about how many miles a day are you traveling on your 10 day itinerary? Do you have any tips? 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. That said, there are plenty of nice ones depending on which part of town you want to stay in. To ensure accommodations, I was thinking to book all of the hotels in advance. If not, spend your day exploring the Seattle waterfront to see all of the city from above. Stop 5: Hearst castle. We figured booking hotel in Seattle for 1 or 2 days for arrival and checking the college. I didnt want to make all my reservations, but just go with it for one time in my life. You also mentioned Suburbans are not great because they are so big, but I dont think we have much choice with the large family. NEW CONSTRUCTION. My only additional rec for anyone would be to add the Great Tide Pool in Monterrey to check out little worlds of marine life. Drive safely! Youve got so much time, thats awesome! Awesome, you can sign up using the forms in this post to get the PDF! I am beginning to plan a family trip and loved all the recommendations. 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] There are loads of cool things to explore in/around this small PNW town, including Olympic National Park! Thank you very much for providing a road map! Thanks for reading, Laurie! Youll see signs for Hoh Rainforest, a left turn that takes you inland to the forest. Southern California. Thanks for all of this great information! This was more expensive than a round-trip rental, but I didnt want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway both ways! Flew into Seattle and drove back. Hah, sounds like a good bonding experience, Angela! To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. (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!). 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. Thank you for the article. Thank you so very much. I hope you can make it happen sooner! I appreciate your asking for clarification! Chinquel, nice to hear from you! It may have been in a reply to someone elses comment, but I cant seem to find it now. 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. 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. California 1 is the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and Cabrillo Highway, following the coastline from San Juan Capistrano in Orange County in Southern California to Leggett in Mendocino County in Northern California. It was just gorgeous with a 360 degree view. 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. Hello Valerie; my family and i are thinking about a trip from northern CA to San Diego along the coast. Thanks for the great ideas! I wouldnt go all the way to Seattle, especially if you dont like big cities. Pinterest. If you see an error, please contact me. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: At this point in Northern California, the PCH is still U.S. 101. Unfortunately, I dont have suggestions for Santa Barbara as I havent been there in nearly a decade. 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. Have a great trip! Stop 4: Bixby bridge. Mendocino Your Pacific Coast Highway road trip begins at Leggett, so naturally, the first stop is the wonderful Mendocino. We are planning to spend Thanksgiving in San Diego. The Pacific Coast Highway is an ambitious road trip, but totally possible in as few as five days. Can you please give me a list of must sees in Santa Barbara (we could have two full days there). After all, I liked it so much when I first visited in 2012 that I moved there in 2013! Drive Time: About 3.5 Hours. 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. Unsurprisingly, a private car is the absolute best way to make the most of a trip along the legendary PCH. Thanks so much from a couple of Canucks! Nate, thanks for your comment. Required fields are marked *. A road trip along the scenic route features beautiful beaches, waterfalls, natural rock formations, striking bridges, delicious seafood, art communities, surfer towns, and dramatic cliffside views - all along the PCH. Portland has loads of great hotels, but my favorite is the, For vacation rental options, consider this. In a few weeks, we intend to start a 10-ish day loop from San Jose, drive up on the inland route to Seattle, and do a southbound coastal drive. Thanks for reading, Jan. I can't stop looking at that ocean. Hello, Thanks for sharing your trips and valuable tips. Im nervous go excited. Theres a link to that at the end of the post. I dont feel we missed a lot of Oregon coast the views we seen before & after Crater lake were absolutely stunning. What a drive! Here, waves are grand and harsh, and coastal cliffs are as breathtaking as it gets. Franke's first solo album is surprisingly melodic, highly accessible, and immaculately produced. The innovative sequencer work of his Tangerine Dream years has given way on this album to more predictable pop electronic orchestrations that . Looking to travel with your recommendations southbound! Its the best time for good weather on the whole coast! 3. Is there any river rafting or boating along the way? Best trip ever! 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 am doing this trip with the boyfriend end of this month. The Pacific Coast Highway, also called California State Route 1, Coast Highway, or shortened by locals to be "PCH," is 650 miles of road. After driving across the famous Columbia River bridge, stop and give yourself a self-guided tour of popular Goonies spots in Oregons northwest-most town. We were thinking October, but after reading all the comments, I think we will make it September. Glad to help, Andrew I hope you have an amazing trip! 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). Have a great drive! I have been to Europe, for 2 years, and nothing compares to this coastal trip. Thank you for this wonderful review. I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington. Lastly, Pismo is a great stop for a midday workout on the road, with a huge stretch of beach to walk/run on. This was a 6 day trip. My fiance & I want to do this for our honeymoon next month! You should have no problem finding vegan options! Enjoyed this 14 day article! So heading east eventually to round out the trip. 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. Let me know if you need any extra tips whenever you start planning! 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! 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. I did a quick search and heres how it breaks down: Newport > Crescent City (what I originally suggest) = about 5 hours of driving Newport > Crater Lake > Crescent City = about 8 hours of driving (and none of it is on the coast), If you chose to go from Portland > Crater Lake > Crescent City instead = 7.5 hours of driving. I enjoyed it so much that I wrote a whole article about the experiences I recommend in Santa Barbara! Weve spent time in SF already so dont need to stay there. Id check out the California DOT website for the most up-to-date information. 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. The weather should be okay but be prepared for coastal fog and chill (as you would experience pretty much all year long!). My English is very very basic but if you write to me I can understand it. Downtown is a series of taffy-colored storefronts filled with beach gear, kitschy coastal crafts, and the Funland Seaside Arcade, which harkens back to the heydays of coastal vacations. I would love to take this vacation but not fall short on money. Can you recommend where to spend time and in which cities to plan to spend the night? If I wanted to follow your trip but stop off a day at Yosemite what might the drive look like? Ronald, I dont know for sure as I dont recommend people drive in an RV. Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Aberdeen has one main claim to fame: it was the hometown of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain. Seeing some nice beaches is also of interest. 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? AI TRAFFIC - for Pacific Coast (0.95) 0.85. The PCH heads inland near Lompoc but is the main road you can take to Santa Barbara. 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. Glad to help, Ashley! If you dont have the time, plan an overnight stop and make a late start after brunch at one of Portlands many amazing restaurants. You did a fantastic job with this giude, everything is straight to the point but provided in a fun and educational way. Plan accordingly when you design your PCH itinerary. Great read! What do you think about making this drive in November? I was reading for the road trip from Seattle to San Diego. It probably means deviating from PCH for a bit and were ok with that. Karen, great question! Im thinking I might end my trip at Santa Barbara. Thanks for reading, Lauren! 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. I do have OCD though, and Im having a really hard time getting past your use of the word lament in the paragraph suggesting to drive on southbound. Also, for a map, I use the app Roadtrippers, which is linked in the post. Valerie, First off, congratulations on your recent wedding! You should have no problem making it down the road in December. Victoria Beach. 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. 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.