OT: Pacific Coast Highway
- Thread starter herdof3
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The portion of the highway near the Pacific Palisades fire has just re-opened, but there is still a closed stretch near Big Sur.https://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/highway-1-conditions/
At the rate California is issuing building permits, it'll take well over a decade for that area to rebuild.
From what I understand, it will be a *very* complicated process to rebuild and it might not be possible to rebuild the highway as it was. The rest of the highway poses challenges as well.
San Simeon is a must see.
Big Sur , and there's a great state beach near it, I'll try to find its name.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Carmel by the sea (big pink inn or something like that is great)
Ventana fur dinner or a place to stay near big Sur.
Santa Barbara, lots of great places to eat and to stay.
Feel free to DM if questions
This is the best drive in the USA.
Sonoma - I like Bodega Bay. The are a couple of crab shacks near Spud Point. Avoid the touristy places along the highway.
Marin is really scenic. Note that Tomales Bay is part of the San Andreas Fault zone. Great places for oysters abound. Hog Island Oyster.
Point Reyes National Seashore is terrific. Go on the lighthouse hike.
SF and San Mateo. Greet scenery. Star Wars fan? In the Presidio, find the Yoda Statue.
I’m a big fan of San Luis Obispo and the entire Central Coast.
Elephant seals are magnificent creatures. You see them at Ano Nuevo (you may need to buy tickets in advance) - Between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz.
Elephant seals can also be seen at Ragged Point - at the southern end of Big Sur, north of Hearst Castle.
Hearst Castle is okay, but it’s just well to keep an eye peeled for random packs of exotic animals doing their thing near the highway. Example - Zebras or gazelles.
Bad news - PCH is still shut down for a stretch along Big Sur. A shame because that’s the very best part. still, routing around to US-101 is also a great drive. You can begin the detour around Monterey and then reconnect from Paso Robles.
Speaking of Paso Robles - great wine region. Good spot for lunch/dinner along the downtown square.
IMO, Monterey is overrated. The Aquarium, though, is pretty cool.
In the Santa Cruz area, Capitola is the place to go. Find your way to the Esplanade area.
Spend some time in SLO-Town and Santa Barbara - the downtown areas.
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Coming down through San Diego stop in Encinitas. It was probably the town that sold us on moving to this area. Great beaches, bars, shops and restaurants.
Did the drive from San Diego to SF along the PCH in 1990 (after a week in SD and spent 4 days in the SF area at the end). Best drive ever. Did it in 2 days staying in a B&B near Big Sur. Seems like we stopped literally every few miles to look at the amazing scenery and did lots of small side trips to most of the famed attractions. Also got in a round of golf at Pebble Beach, which was sweet. Would love to do that ride again someday.
I am impressed. Drove from SD to SF in two days while stopping regularly to view the scenery, did lots of small side trips and played a round of golf at Pebble?
I think Carmel is worth a stop on such a trip.
stayed at The Cliff House during our honeymoon.
Has anyone been to the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge near Eureka (just off the Pacific Coast Highway)? The visitor center is named in memory of Rich Guadagno (Cook ‘84 grad) a good friend back in our Rutgers Days. Rich died in the 911 Shanksville crash of United Flight 93. I always intended to visit but haven’t been that far north in CA yet.
I was out in Bodega Bay today. I neglected to mention Bodega Head - worth visiting and a good spot as your starting point in Sonoma County.
Take Westshore Drive past Spud Point and keep driving. The road winds up the hill and ends at a spectacular spot on the Pacific Ocean side.
Take Westshore Drive past Spud Point and keep driving. The road winds up the hill and ends at a spectacular spot on the Pacific Ocean side.
Wow about Rich Guadagno - I’m so saddened thinking sbout that.
Awkward transition. Humboldt County is a really great place that probably fits people’s mental model of Oregon more than California. I wouldn’t recommend the wildlife refuge as a particular place to go. The coastal areas are nearly always cold and windy. It’s basically a lot of wetlands with some coastal views.
There are more interesting places to visit. Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the best place to visit. The best town - by far - is Arcata. Home of the Humboldt State Lumberjacks.
One can continue north to Redwood National Park, but the State Park, IMO, is better.
Made that drive once in the mid 80’s from north to south, breathtaking at times. This tune just reminds me of the feel:
Yosemite is a must see.
Have done the drive in each direction and it’s better going south for obvious reasons Haven’t done since 1990 but plan on doing again but this time starting up in Washington
I lived in Eureka after my RU days and got an MA from Humbolt St U. Avenue of the Giants, Redwood State Park, Trinidad are worth the visit.
That's good to know -- as you well know, Eureka is a *long* drive from either San Francisco or Portland.
Technically, it was 2 days to Carmel from SD and then we stayed one night there and I played Pebble the next day and then we went to SF - Carmel was definitely a nice side trip.
BTW, the "pink" hotel that was referred to by a poster above is the Tickle Pink Inn. https://www.ticklepinkinn.com/?utm_...wHE9yqOYFORtb88cPsQCYJNsh6YxCq0hoCoGcQAvD_BwE
Ha! I was in Peoria AZ last month and drove a small stretch of a highway called Carefree Highway.
Great place.
Also forgot to mention Muir Woods as a north of SF stop
Joe's Taco House in Mill Valley is great. There's also a Mexican road house just both of San Diego that's great. Forget its name.
Muir Woods is extremely crowded. Parking reservations are now required. https://gomuirwoods.com/
Terrible to hear. I've hiked off the main trail and that's but so crushed at just when i was there
Pfeiffer Beach (not Julia Pfeiffer Burns) is the amazing beach i was thinking of near big Sur.
Not sure if still there but a fun stop is a great crafts store a bit south of Big Sur. Get a cappuccino and drink it among migrating monarch butterflies if you are at the right time.
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I thought they are all Mexican restaurants in Old Town. : ). I’m partial to Casa Guadalajara on Taylor Street.
Regarding Bay Area redwood tree watching (worth it - they are amazing), I’d personally pass on Muir Woods, Henry Cowell, and Big Basin. They are great places, but can be really busy. I’d opt for Purisma Creek Park in San Mateo County. A great location, commonly overlooked.
There are a lot of impressive 100+ year old second-growth redwood trees. The really old old-growth redwoods are single trees arrayed fairly randomly.
When these trees are cut down, a bunch of new fast-growing shoots form. If you see clumps of redwoods or redwoods arranged somewhat neatly into rows, you’ll know these are the second-growth trees.
There are a lot of impressive 100+ year old second-growth redwood trees. The really old old-growth redwoods are single trees arrayed fairly randomly.
When these trees are cut down, a bunch of new fast-growing shoots form. If you see clumps of redwoods or redwoods arranged somewhat neatly into rows, you’ll know these are the second-growth trees.
I noped out of that. No way was I making a reservation, then parking a couple miles away to stand in line for a shuttle bus. This is a nature vacation not college football.
We went to Armstrong Woods instead. Much easier hikes. Much smaller crowds. Park in the lot for $10, trail heads a few hundred feet away.
Spent a lot of time in & around Santa Rosa. Not quite PCH but I see the convo is meandering off the highway too.
I too liked Bodega Bay. The town almost looked fake, like what an easterner thinks a seaside village in California is supposed to look like based upon TV and movies.
Walked around Blind Beach and Goat Rock Beach. The colors, the natural beauty, all so beautiful. Free too...NJ would have parking meters and beach badge checkers.
if you are a fan of roller coasters, hit up Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk and ride the Giant Dipper, built in 1924
do an overnight stay in Cambria (if you wanna stay right on the coast) or a little further inland and hit Paso Robles. Awesome town.
Great list. As essentially a native out here, couldn't have done much better.