I hope you enjoyed reading this detailed guide on planning a Northern California road trip to remember and are inspired to see the majestic Redwoods. However, all content is editorial and I am under no obligation to write anything at all. The Monterey Bay area has a good selection of places to stay from bed and breakfasts to cottages and modern hotels. One tip though, go from Carmel / Santa Cruz in the north to the south. My road trip was sponsored by Kia and See Monterey. This is a two-lane mountain road. What would be the best place to pick up a rental car so that driving out of SF to highway 1 wouldn't be too stressful? It runs from Capistrano Beach in Orange County to Leggett in northern Mendocino (Dana Point), a total of about 650 miles. SR-162 East / West Pile Driving. After you pass Big Sur its about thirty or forty minutes to Carmel by the Sea. The restaurant and surrounding land have been in the family for over 50 years. Id love to go back and stay there a couple of days though you arent close to anything except nature so you have to prepare. Go when it works best for you. Great weather almost 365 days a year, a laid-back attitude, and scenery that has inspired romantics, creatives, explorers, and adventurers for centuries any time of year is a great time to take the Ultimate California Road Trip. Steve, thank you very much! We have 4 days in San Francisco booked (Tues to Sat) then pick up hire car and move to Vallejo (six flags) for 2 days(Sat and Sun). Details 120 miles 4-5 hours of driving Eureka Fisherman (5 minutes) Before leaving Eureka, I stopped at the famous fisherman statue on Wooley Island, which you can find by Googling "Woodley's Bar," then driving to the end of the island (thanks to a reader for commenting this below). Hi Dee, Sorry Im just getting around to approving article comments. Carmel is also known as the little town in the forest by the sea, which is a lovely and quaint description. Tip: 1 Open Wed-Sunday, 10-5 PM. Thank you Jamie! Be sure to check for updates on the road conditions. There are some really cool stops between Trinidad and Crescent City along the Redwood Highway that you should explore. I drove a 2015 Kia Forte which handled the curves perfectly. We crossed the Golden Gate and took Route 1 north. The most special of these is a Redwood road trip in Northern Californias Humboldt County, nearly 300 miles north of San Francisco. The other specialty of this place is the series of suspension bridges that form a trail (called Skywalk trail) that leads you to a gondola taking you right up in the mountains through the Redwood forest. California law requires it for the driver and all passengers. I had booked Fort Bragg but I read that it is a bit run down. US-101 and CA-1 (also known as Hwy-1, California 1, Shoreline Highway, Pacific Coast Highway, and PCH) are the best north-south routes, providing a phenomenal scenic drive along most of California's Pacific coastline. Its definitely one of those places where renting a car makes full sense. [], [] Willow City Loop is one of the prettiest drives anywhere and I should know. What would be the best place to pick up a rental car so that driving out of SF to highway 1 wouldn't be too stressful? Its really a cool and helpful piece of information. Also, it is actually on an island detached from the mainland. Not only is everything lush and verdant, thanks to winter rains, you will also get to see waterfalls in their full force and spot migratory whales along the coast (January-April). Allow plenty of time. Highway One begins in the town of Capistrano Beach in Orange County. ooooh lovely! Hi We are driving from San Francisco up the coast to Portland over a few days. The route sometimes follows the coastline, but far more often it passes neighborhoods and mundane strip malls. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The lighthouse harks from 1856 and is still functional! Riiiiiggghht; yeah, no. Right across the street is the World Famous Grandfather Tree (an 1800 years old Redwood) and a gift shop. You can check out the flights directly into Humboldt county via Fly Humboldt. This particular road trip covers 247 miles along the Redwood Highway (also known as Highway 101) from Mendocino in the south to Crescent City in the north, spanning three counties (Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte) with the majority of the trip being focused on Humboldt county, the heart of the old growth Coastal Redwoods, the tallest trees in the world! America really is the best country for road tripping! It passes along some dramatic coastline, through scenic Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. His lab still exists and across the street is a Chinese-American-owned store, also mentioned in the novel. Also, if you have this itinerary still, I would be really grateful to have a copy? Why you should take this trip: Starting in the lively urban environs of San Francisco, this route takes you to some of the most beloved weekend coastal hangouts on the border between northern and Central California. Can you please help me? These tips and ideas will help make your trip more pleasant: It's always good practice to follow these safety tips, but they become even more important along busy CA Hwy 1: Los Angeles to San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, Weekend Getaways in California: 34 Trips You Can Take, The 12 Best Destinations on California's Central Coast, Best of the West: Top Tourist Destinations, Los Angeles to San Francisco on US Highway 101, How to Travel From Los Angeles to San Francisco by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, 16 California Lighthouses to Visit on Your Road Trip. For the first part of the trip, the road passes the garages and back doors of coastal homes, but north of Pepperdine University it sometimes runs so near to the continent's edgethat it feels like you could reach out and dangle your fingers in the water. The return trail back into the gift shop is lined with wood carvings featuring Paul Bunyans life story (from when he was a baby) and other whimsical creatures. I highly recommend overnight stays in at least two different places (I planned for three) with a week in hand to explore the many beautiful sights and scenes as you drive up the Redwood Highway. 21780 Highway 1, Jenner; (707) 847-3231 . Youve captured it brilliantly in your photos. Since 1855, the Point Pinos Lighthouse has been a beacon for ships on the Pacific coast. Hours of operation are Thursday Monday 1:00 4:00 pm. Lol* I have some of the same pictures. She asked if she might suggest an alternative route. Dont park on the side of the road. We are traveling this fall from Santa Barbara down to Newport Beach and would like to use your guide again. Arcata, another bustling town lies next to its namesake bay while Trinidad is a beach town 24 miles north of Eureka. I dont have one for Santa Barbara to Newport Beach either, but there are many articles about what to do in Santa Barbara, especially where to go wine tasting. The only places to pull over are turnouts where there will be other tourists. San Francisco to Mendocino: Pacific Coast Highway Roadtrip Guide Driving from San Francisco to Mendocino is one of the longer drives you can do on the Pacific Coast Highway. I told her we were coming up Hwy 1. I would like to add that gasoline is available in Gorda. I update this article regularly but you can also find updates on road closures, Covid 19, and more, on the website for See Monterey. Though the house is a magnificent example of Mediterranean and Gothic architecture, filled with antiquities from all over the world, my favorite part of the tour remains the indoor Roman Pool. We just did the coast road trip at Christmas time, It was an amazing trip.we were heading to San Diego. Dogs are not allowed on the lighthouse island. 4:06 pm arrive in San Francisco. Details 150 miles 4 hours of driving Glass Beach at Sunrise (45 minutes) More information can be found here. From the bustling beaches of Southern California to the wild,. Stop for food at the Big Sur River Inn or Fernwood Resort (also a nice place to stay, they even have cabins in among the Redwood trees). Its sights include Hearst Castle, the Big Sur coast, Carmel, Monterey, and Santa Cruz. The Coast Kitchen restaurant scores with waffles for breakfast, oysters for lunch, braised short ribs for dinner, and great views all day long. As I read through this post, I was smiling, excited and sad. San Francisco Tourism San Francisco Hotels San Francisco Bed and Breakfast San Francisco Packages Flights to San Francisco San Francisco Restaurants The distance from Cambria to Big Sur is only 60 miles but it takes at least two hours depending on how many stops you make, not to mention the curves in the road make the distance pass a little more slowly. - Adventures of a Carry-On, A Little Bit of Italy Along California's Highway 1 - Adventures of a Carry-On, Where Would You Go? While the miles themselves are not overly long, the drive is on many windy roads that will take a while to complete. Note: You can either pack a lunch enroute to Crescent City from Eureka/Arcata or break for lunch at Crescent City itself. Ive only been as far north as Rivers End at Jenner Beach. Youll see that a lot of people do, but I think it could be dangerous; theres plenty of parking in the park itself, at least in the off-season. The shore area is dotted with large lava rock, and it can be hard to distinguish the seals from the rocks when they are in the water. This drive for this day is a beautiful combination of coastal views in the beginning and forest at the end. Again, theres no place to stop, even on the roadside. Much like the Road to Hana in Maui, Santa Fe to Taos , San Francisco to Mendocino, San Francisco to Carmel , San Francisco to Lake Tahoe or the Big Sur road trip along the coast, the journey is what matters and not the final destination. The end of March should be ok. California's Highway One is a state highway. Love that color contrast. The book was the basis for a film named Cannery Row and starred actors Debra Winger and Nick Nolte. San Francisco to Monterey, Carmel-By-The-Sea and Big Sur. I hope to be able to spend most of my summer there. The lady we were to meet in Monterey/Pacific Grove called to ask where we were, as we should have arrived around 4 PM. 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