This is a road trip you must have seen in movies countless number of times with expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. Road trips are one of our favorite ways to travel and this time the drive through the Pacific coast was an unforgettable experience. Whether you have a weekend or a week to travel, you can fill up your trip with a wide array of California coastline experiences.
It is a kind of drive that makes you wanna hop onto a convertible with just your favorite playlist on going over and over again. You can drive directly from San Francisco to Los Angeles or vice versa via highway 1 roughly in 6 hours but the route is so scenic that it is hard to say exactly how long this road trip will take.
We would recommend you to drive south down the coast via HWY 1 - pacific coast highway. The views are better this way as the car will be closer to the water and you will be getting ample of view points to take photographs.
Where to Rent Cars......
Car rentals are always cheaper if you are renting from airports. Since this is a complete road trip and if you are not planning on driving your own car, you need to rent a vehicle and so it is worth mentioning that you account the cost of rental car in this road trip itinerary. We have considered www.priceline.com and www.hotwire.com to compare rental companies to see who has the best prices and and got a great deal as our drop off location was different. So if you have plans to only drive one way, do consider a little extra charge for returning to a different location. We started our morning drive from San Francisco international airport rental car center to commence the scenic ride.
Our List of Stopovers
There are too many amazing stops throughout this journey and below is our list for a relaxed 2 day road trip with ample time allocated for each spots.
✔ HALF MOON BAY
The first official stop after leaving SFO, was a little seaside village right on the coast, Half Moon bay. As the name suggests, it is shaped like half a moon and we would recommend an early morning walk over the coastline to get the perfect setting for some nice clicks.
✔ PESCADERO STATE BEACH
While travelling towards Monterey we luckily stopped by this beautiful place called Pescadero state beach and were completely taken aback by the astounding views of the pacific coast from this point. Do not park right in front of the side road but drive all the way back down the road and park there for the complete panoramic views. We bet you cannot stop taking photos from this beautiful place.
✔ MONTEREY BAY
Monterey Bay national marine sanctuary is a US Federally protected marine area offshore of California's Big Sur and central coast. This is the point which gets you up close and personal to the Pacific. The rolling dip roads on this path gives you an unobstructed view of the Pacific coast.
We took a quick break from the drive to stop at Miramar and Mission Street Crossing. It is a junction where you can stopover to grab a quick bite ,restroom break and gas as there are a few stretches on this path where there will be no restrooms or gas stations in between.
✔ CARMEL BY THE SEA
It is a small beach city on California's Monterey peninsula and a perfect spot to end the day's ride while enjoying the sunset on the beach.We spent the night in a beautiful vacation rental overlooking the sea. Plan an overnight in Carmel by the sea to soak in the charm, try to book rooms from www.booking.com or www.hotels.com to get the best prices. Carmel has a beautiful shopping neighborhood leading to the beach where you can have an evening stroll and end your day with some shopping and a nice cozy dinner( Do not miss out on the sea food platters on sale ).
✔ BIG SUR
Next morning was the day for our jungle sojourn, so we drove down south to Big Sur, through the iconic Bixby Bridge - the postcard picture destination we have seen time and again. Off our entire journey through the pacific coast, this drive through the Big Sur area, cutting through the Los Padres National Forest was the most scenic of all. Every turn had a point worth stopping by for amazing views. A word of caution though while travelling through the Big Sur area is to check the road conditions to make sure the roads are not closed due to rock slides.
Note: You may refer to the California Dot website for real time updates on road closure
✔ WILLOW CREEK LOS PADRES
While driving further down south, we pulled over by the road for some more clicks (needless to say we love photography😉 ) and a quick lunch by the scenic pacific coast at this spot.
✔ RAGGED POINT
Further south, towards Morro Bay, Ragged Point is a stopover that many drive by without stopping. This point is at a very high elevation which gives a perfect view of the mountains and the coast line. You can definitely go in the Ragged inn resort and park to grab a cup of coffee and adore the beauty of the pacific along with the mountain ranges in the backdrop.
✔ ELEPHANT SEAL VIEWING - SAN SIMEON
You can catch elephant seals year round at San Simeon. The peak months for viewing elephant seals is during the winter and the best viewing point is Piedras Blancas which is free to visitors all the year round.
✔ MORRO BAY
Further south on our journey was the stop at Morro Bay. Do give this point a stop to get a glimpse of the volcanic Morro Rock which is how the town has its name. Public parking around the Morro marina area is free and there are a few nice seafood joints close by to savor your taste buds.
✔ PISMO BEACH
The most popular attraction here is the long wooden Pismo Beach pier. It is a surfer's paradise. It is a white sand beach and very famous for the wineries around it. Also do not miss out on the spectacular views of the Pismo beach sunset.
✔ SANTA BARBARA
The last destination for our scenic ride on Highway 1 was Santa Barbara before driving out to Los Angeles. We just grabbed a cup of coffee and walked around the streets inside the town.
✔ SANTA MONICA
The road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles finally ended at the beautiful city by the Pacific just west of downtown Los Angeles - Santa Monica. The pier is the most popular destination for all the visitors around the beach with lots of dining options and a big shopping district right across the Pier to enjoy. We ended our day having a nice dinner with a view of the ocean and headed back to the hotel on the Pier .
So how many days should you spend...??
We had planned to complete this trip in 2 days with a night stay in between and we feel 2 days for this trip is just right without stretching it too long while giving yourself ample opportunities to enjoy and explore everything that this pacific coast has to offer.
Where to Stay...??
Based on how much you are willing to drive, below are few of the spots you may choose to crash for the night while driving from north to south.
1. Carmel by the sea
2. Ragged Point
3. Morro Bay
The drive though the Pacific coast highway 1 is a trip that should definitely be in one's bucket list. As known, this is the most scenic and romantic drive in America. One would hardly come across so many scenic spots in one single road trip.
So when do we see you on this beautiful road trip?????? 😎😎