You will want to stop, many times, since there are so many sights. Indian, harley, honda, bmw, yamaha, triumph, or polaris equipped for touring. If that party is a licensed adult, try letting them drive which always help me control nausea. Aug 14, 2019 a perfect end to the perfect san francisco weekend getaway. Depending on the vehicle you choose, you can also calculate the amount of co2 emissions from your vehicle and assess the environment impact. Here, a guide to one of the most scenic drives youll ever take. We dont plan any long stops such sss the aquarium in monterrey, just pulling over at scenic lookouts and to see seals etc, and obviously for quick meal breaks. Route one itinerary three days san francisco to san diego. The total drive around 500 miles and can take 1012 hours without stops. Head for california state route 1 south, better known as the pacific coast highway or pch. Starting from californias northern border with oregon and stretching all the way down to san diego the route takes round ten hours to complete at a leisurely pace with no stops.
Dec 28, 2019 to me, us 101 is more winding than i5 is. Load your bags, put the top down in your rented convertible from the san francisco international airport, and make the scenic 169mile drive from san francisco to mendocino via highway 1. We are basically wanting to just drive at a leisurely pace, stopping where it seems interesting for. San francisco to mendocino can be a very tiring allday drive. After years of dreaming about it, i finally checked this off my bucket list. Many even do the highway 1 road trip from san diego to san francisco for much longer days than we have taken. Youll want to stop along the way to take in the sights and experiences on your trip. Carmelbythe sea is a small seaside town with a village and an arty vibe, rich with upscale art galleries, pricey shops, gourmet restaurants, storybooklike cottages, a gorgeous sandy dogfriendly beach. The quickest and most popular route will be to take the interstate 5 freeway which would be the most boring and less hurdle route. If anyone in your party suffers from motion sickness, be prepared. Top tips driving highway 1 the ultimate calfornia road trip. If you stop to eat for an hour, youll be completing the last part of the drive in the dark. Weve compiled some of our favorite spots to help you plan your road trip from. Yet highway 1 offers so much that you can easily spend a full day between monterey and san francisco.
Take highway 280 out of san francisco instead of the 101, it is much more scenic. Although longer 442 miles and more difficult, this route is one of the most scenic drives in the world that should be on any usa bucket list. Named as one of the most scenic drives in america, californias state highway 1 or the pacific coast highway road trip is well worth the hype. You will then drive along highway 1 and keep driving, and arrive in san francisco just as dark falls. I had planned to drive on the 101 to morro bay and then on highway 1 from to monterey, however due to the pfeiffer canyon bridge being down and not. If you are driving highway one in only one direction, go from south to north if you can. Californias highway 1 is the most beautiful road trip in the. I am thinking i should stay 1 night in san simeon as kind of a halfway point. Thank you for sharing your video, really helpful stuff. In some places, the shoulder is quite narrow and theres not much between you and the sea below. In this narrow strip of coastal hills and valleys, discover romantic towns, including carmelbythesea, historic monterey, and elegant santa barbara, nicknamed the american riviera. Theres a forty to fifty mile stretch thats full of hairpin twists and turns. That was a big disappointment as big sur was one of the main reasons for me to drive this highway. Which are not within driving distance, and just thought that it would be nice to take the opportunity to drive where we can to see as much as possible.
This drive follows the scenic pacific coast highway pch, also called highway 1. Named as one of americas most scenic drive, californias highway 1 should be on everyones bucket list. Jun 17, 2016 the pacific coast highway, aka california state route 1 or highway 1, is the most beautiful road trip in the us. Continue on the 101, driving north to san luis obispo. Coastal drive from san francisco to monterey routes and trips. Our actual route is san franciscolos angeleslas vegas and back to san francisco. Id say that the stretch of highway 1 north of san francisco can safely compete. Planning a pacific coast highway road trip from san francisco.
This scenic waterfront highway will take you all the way to carmelbythesea, which is about two and a half hours south. Make the drive from san francisco to mendocino via highway 1. You can also try a different route while coming back by adding multiple destinations. Over km youll see stunning coastal views, seaside villages, untouched. Mar 17, 2019 pick up your rental car if you have not already done so, and drive from san francisco towards monterey 140 miles, approx.