A Road Trip on the California Coast
Breathtaking ocean views, towering cliffs, morning mist, cows and farmlands, quaint villages with unique stores and bed and breakfast places, and crashing waves are found in every twist and turn on Highway 1 (also known as Route 1). Your road trip on the California Coast can be described as one of the most scenic routes for a road trip in the United States.
Let’s take a six-day road trip from San Francisco to San Diego with our sample itinerary:
Day One
Pick up your
rental car at San Francisco International Airport. For a road trip of a lifetime, you may want to pick up a convertible just because Highway 1 is the type of road that calls for it. (Note: Not recommended if you have small children).
Drive to Monterey. Your
112-mile drive to Monterey will take about two hours 6 minutes. Check in to a
hotel of your choice. We recommend Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa or Red Roof Inn Monterey, depending on your budget for two nights.
Day Two
Spend a full day at the
Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row for dining and shopping.
Monterey Bay Aquarium rescues animals that are wounded and sends them back to the wild when they are ready. Visitors get to feed fish, go on a behind-the-scenes tour, try open sea feeding and much more. Go early since the museum is hugely popular for tourists.
Cannery Row is a historic waterfront district on Monterey Bay made famous by author John Steinbeck. If you are staying at Monterey Plaza Hotel, you are only steps away from all the authentic Monterey restaurants and nightlife on Cannery Row.
Day Three
You are about to hit the road and go on an amazing drive on Highway 1. Your first stop is Big Sur. Get your camera and smartphones ready for a panoramic view of the ocean, mountains, cliffs and greens. You will need to drive as you travel through narrow towering cliffs and curving roads. The beauty of the area may catch you off guard as you drive.
Stop in Big Sur for lunch and explore the area. The famous
Nepenthe Restaurant offers the most breathtaking view of Big Sur if you want lunch with a view. The restaurant has been serving tourists since April 24, 1949 with their signature burger called Ambrosia Burger. Or take a short hike in
Pfeiffer State Park to the waterfall with your picnic lunch and head over to Nepenthe Restaurant for their homemade desserts and enjoy the view.
Time to head south to
Hearst Castle for a tour. Hearst Castle offers various types of tours for visitors and making a reservation is highly recommended. Your drive from Big Sur to San Simeon, where the Hearst Castle is located is about
one hour 29 minutes.
Stay
two nights in the town of Cambria, only minutes from Hearst Castle. We recommend
Cambria Pines Lodge, a place to dine, relax and explore. If you prefer the beach, stay at the
Fog Catcher Inn on Moonstone Beach.
Day Four
After yesterday’s fun-filled day, it is time to relax at the beach in your hotel for the day. Or explore the area and enjoy the California sun.
Day Five
Time to go south to
Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara is also known as a big beautiful playground for children of all ages (including adults). Visit Santa Barbara Zoo, tour a winery, swim at one of the beaches or enjoy a luxurious spa at the
Bacara Resort and Spa or go shopping.
Spend one night in Santa Barbara.
Day Six
San Diego is
three hours 49 minutes drive from Santa Barbara. San Diego has 70 miles of beautiful beaches, arts and culture community, numerous sightseeing tours, outdoor recreation, world-renowned attractions and award-winning restaurants (Source:
San Diego.org)
According to the San Diego travel website, there are 50 things you can do that are absolutely free. Among the top attractions is the San Diego Zoo. The zoo was founded in 1916 and has become an icon to the city. Don’t forget the Panda Trek to see giant pandas in a bamboo forest.
A road trip on California Coast is suitable year round because of the mild temperatures. It is ideal because snow is rare during winter.
Have you been on Highway 1? Let us know.
