Your journey through the Redwoods beings in Mendocino, a Northern California coastal town in Mendocino county that is known for its beaches, hiking trails, coastal views, whale watching spots and great food. I dont have an itinerary but you can make your own via the article. I havent been on the PCH-1 in a long time. Definitely would not be a fun drive in the fog! One of the main characters, Doc, was a real person a scientist- named Edward F. Rickets. Smell the ocean air, notice the natural beauty around you, stop and look for whales migrating up the coast, and feel the tension leave your body as the relaxed California atmosphere permeates every cell. Wondered how we can get to it? Allow plenty of time. You can check out the flights directly into Humboldt county via Fly Humboldt. Subscribe to my blog to get super awesome pet-friendly travel updates, foodie finds and insider guides to San Francisco. Eureka is the largest town in California between San Francisco and Oregon border and is flanked by the Arcata Bay on the north and Humboldt bay in the south. drive for about 54 minutes 2:30 pm Healdsburg stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:30 pm drive for about 1 hour 4:45 pm Willits stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am day 1 driving 3 hours find more stops Day 2 11:00 am leave from Willits drive for about 53 minutes 11:53 am Drive-Thru Tree Park stay for about 1 hour Riiiiiggghht; yeah, no. You can watch it below if you want to see how we explored Pacific Coast Highway. Ive also provided links to other websites that can provide more information to help you plan your trip. Hi We are driving from San Francisco up the coast to Portland over a few days. You can drive from the north to the south (Monterey to San Luis Obispo), or south to the north. 3. We've compiled some of our favorite spots to help you plan your road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Just look under destinations, Californai. However, all content is editorial and I am under no obligation to write anything at all. We got super lucky at the car rental place, and they upgraded us to a convertible for only $20 extra per day, so that really made the trip and view amazing. Today, Cannery Row is filled with shops, restaurants, and hotels, and is a tourist attraction in Monterey. It has a bit of a European feel because it's really a place to walk. Tip: 1 We left LA around sunset. next booked in at Santa Cruz for a night (Mon)and next day booked in at Monterey(Tues). The road you think of as the Pacific Coast Highway is probably the section between San Luis Obispo and Monterey. The only places to pull over are turnouts where there will be other tourists. A nice Time Lapse drive from San Francisco US1/I80 across the Bay Bridge, Hwy 80 to Hwy 29 and through the Napa Valley Wine Country. In retrospect, it's a much more suitable as a weekend getaway trip destination from San Francisco. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); @2023 - Adventures of a Carry-On. South America is appealing because no time zone change! drive for about 1 hour. If youve never done the drive before, Id allow at least 5 days, with overnight stops at your desired locations. The end of March should be ok. Be smart and admire safely from afar. Hwy 1 splits off from Hwy 101 north of Gaviota, passing through Lompoc and Guadalupe before rejoining Hwy 101 just south of Pismo Beach. Seattle to San Francisco. 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. San Francisco Tourism San Francisco Hotels San Francisco Bed and Breakfast San Francisco Packages Flights to San Francisco 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. After eight months, the bridge reopened on October 13, and with most of the freeway now clear, the prodigious drive is calling your name. I told her we were coming up Hwy 1. DOG FRIENDLY WEEKEND GETAWAYS FROM SAN FRANCISCO, HOW TO DRESS LIKE A LOCAL IN SAN FRANCISCO, THE BEST DOG FRIENDLY BEACHES IN CALIFORNIA. I am glad you could relive your trip through this post. Make sure you have a great camera with you, and that you have a fully charged battery and plenty of memory on the card. Unfortunately when I visited in August it was quite misty and the views werent as clear. Once in Ferndale, I highly recommend the following: After a few hours of exploring Ferndale, youll drive off to your next destination for the evening-which are the three towns of Eureka, Arcata and Trinidad-all within 25-30 minutes of driving distance to each other. Information is taken from the See Monterey website: Updated Jan. 3: Highway 1 through Big Sur is fully reopened, however, it is set to close again on Wednesday, Jan. 4 out of an abundance of caution ahead of incoming weather. From there you can drive to Morro Bay and Cayuga, a beautiful stretch of highway. 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. To book online and more information visit the website: www.hearstcastle.org. [] and explore. Its southern end is at I-5 near Dana Point and its northern end is at US-101 near Leggett. Hi Emilia, Unfortunately it is very hard to predict. Today, you'll be driving from Los Angeles up to Solvang, with a stop in sunny Santa Barbara. In June of 2022, I set out to drive all of Pacific Coast Highway with my dad over 7 days. We are thinking perhaps we should postpone the trip and go on september or novemeber, would it be better? 24 miles of undeveloped shoreline that is only accessible via some serious hiking. Hi Brenda, First of all, thank so much for the message. Regards Rob and Kike. Clicking on them may earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you for the product. Thank you! Note: You can either pack a lunch enroute to Crescent City from Eureka/Arcata or break for lunch at Crescent City itself. Years later, Im on a big coach/bus for a comfortably reclined 7-hour ride from Santiago, Chile to the small coastal resort town of La Serena. After the tour, you can wander around the grounds outside to your hearts content. The two unmissable ones are, Stroll by the Eureka harbor front/marina/boardwalk, Find some amazing murals scattered around 4th street and Old Town. The restaurant and surrounding land have been in the family for over 50 years. I recommend finishing breakfast at either Eureka or Arcata and packing lunch for the road. The lady we were to meet in Monterey/Pacific Grove called to ask where we were, as we should have arrived around 4 PM. packing lunch from Eureka/Arcata. Youre right though, very good tip, drive during the day! Travelers who want to immerse themselves in the great outdoors and fall asleep to the sound of waves [], [] Id heard a lot about Californias scenic 17 Mile Drive, it was on my list of recommended attractions in the Monterey Bay area. Hi Dana, Yes I did the drive both ways. Check the road conditions from San Francisco to Eureka (California) and plan a trip based on the weather along the way. Stop 1: Marin County: Marin Headlands, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Marshall. If youre not interested in exploring them, you could very well spend your time exploring the Redwoods south of Orick (19 miles north of Trinidad) or go on an epic hike to Fern Canyon, where scenes from Jurassic Park were shot. Just past Hearst Castle is the Pieras Blancas Elephant seal rookery. Hearst and his father spent a lot of time camping on this land and when young William Randolph inherited the land from his mother, the story goes that he told the architect, Julia Morgan, he wanted to build a little something.. You can get through town more easily by merging with I-280 north of Pacifica or by taking CA Hwy 35 north and following the coastline. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. We decided to only focus on the Battery Point Lighthouse which is the Battery point harbor area of the town at the end of Lighthouse way (just Google the lighthouse name for the location and you will get there). The entrance fee is pretty steep of $20/person but is worth it since you spend at least 1-2 hours here in the Redwoods grove with several trees featured on Ripleys Believe it or Not. No privacy. Here is the days itinerary: a. Mackerricher State Park: fantastic spot for grey whale migration in Spring. While the miles themselves are not overly long, the drive is on many windy roads that will take a while to complete. Great tips, too. Thus I did not expect the AAAAAAA experience of having the sheer cliff dropoff to the ocean on the left and the mountains on the right. Between Cambria and Big Sur, there are 40 miles of highway and no gas stations. I highly recommend shopping by Humboldt Mercantile and, Explore the nearby Woodley Island-we had lunch at Cafe Marina & Woodleys bar. 75001 U.S. 101. I have done the Carmel to big sur route in the past and have to agree its truly amazing! Off season will be less expensive. One of the most scenic sections of Hwy 1 goes through beautiful Malibu. 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. 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. I am a scientist living in San Francisco with my husband and Babu, our 17 yr old Tibetan Spaniel Mix. d. Eternal Tree House: Quirky free roadside attraction with a gift shop on the other side of the road. Between Manhattan Beach and LAX, it's called Sepulveda. Could you please tell me what to expect in this time of year? This will be my third time going to Monterey Bay, and Ive already made my list of stops to see along route 1. In the city of San Francisco, Hwy 1 is a street: 19th Avenue. Surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park, this world-famous scenic drive is by far the most outstanding display of giant trees in the California redwood belt. Beautiful shot of the jellyfish, by the way! Food was OK but the view of the marina was fantastic. Hubby drove this, including the Bixby Bridge (XOXOX), in the pitch blackness with no moon and other cars on the two-lane road coming the other way. Elephant seals on the beach near San Simeon. Even though it's only 31 miles, the drive could take a few hours if you decide to get out of your car and ponder the trees. You can also obtain a copy through Roaring Forties Press. Avoid dangerous situations and allow plenty of distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. If you are driving from San Francisco or the San Jose area, take the 101 south to Highway 156 through Castroville. My family used to drive from Texas to California often enough when I was a kid. 271 mi 5 h 6 min. Go and have a great time enjoying the beauty never mind the weather! Eureka is the largest Pacific coastal city between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Its an idyllic spot and one that makes you wish you could actually get to it. Back near Garberville, you will drive northwards towards your next destinations, i.e. US-101 North Emergency . 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. Beaches, hikes, Redwood groves, amazing seafood, murals and some shopping-there is so much more to these Humboldt County towns of Eureka, Arcata and Trinidad than using them as mere pit stops for exploring the Redwoods or passing by them. The next decent stop for food will be a long way away in Garberville where youll turn west on Briceland Road/Shelter Cove Road towards Shelter Cove. Just be sure to dress appropriately and layer. Return to Mendocino just in time for sunset at Van Damme State Park and Beach, Enjoy a delicious dinner at Ravens at Stanford Inn by the Sea, DAY 2: FINISH UP IN MENDOCINO AND HEAD TO SHELTER COVE, Grab some breakfast/coffee/baked goods at Garden Bakery or Goodlife Cafe Bakery, Spend a few quiet minutes at Portuguese beach at the end of main street or Mendocino Headlands State Park, Check out of hotel and head to Fort Bragg, Break for lunch at Sea Pal Cove (their fish and chips are fantastic), RECOMMENDED STOPS BETWEEN MENDOCINO AND SHELTER COVE, Although Shelter Cove is a tiny beach town perched on the southern end of the lost coast, there is, Explore: Abalone point (picnic area), Cape Mendocino Lighthouse at Point Delgada (steps on the side of the lighthouse lead to Shelter Cove Black Sand Beach and Cove Beach), Little Black Sand Beach, Black Sand Beach (the overlook and Lost Coast trail are nearby), Eat: Gyppo Ale Mill (remotest brewery in California), Delgada pizza and bakery, Mi Mochima (Venezuelan cafe), DAY 3: DRIVE THROUGH THE AVENUE OF GIANTS TOWARDS EUREKA/TRINIDAD, Distance: 120 miles (2.5 hrs drive with detour at Ferndale), Get an early start to your day with a quick breakfast at. The route sometimes follows the coastline, but far more often it passes neighborhoods and mundane strip malls. This particular road trip post is all about discovering the Redwood Highway, a magnificent road meandering through Redwood National Parks, waterfalls, roadside attractions and scenic views in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties in California. Go to Trinidad State Beach for a beautiful sunset. Ive only been as far north as Rivers End at Jenner Beach. Pacific Coast Highway Route About 460 miles, or 9 hours without a break. Right across the street is the World Famous Grandfather Tree (an 1800 years old Redwood) and a gift shop. Lol* I have some of the same pictures. I stayed at the historic Casa Munras, one of the Inns of Monterey. I recommend spending at least one full day in Mendocino/Fort Bragg. CA-1 at times runs parallel to US-101. This drive for this day is a beautiful combination of coastal views in the beginning and forest at the end. I could go on & on but I do think everyone should explore the 101, starting in San Francisco first. It ends north of Rockport, where it turns inland toward Leggett and disappears. Just north of the Gaviota Tunnel (which is north of Santa Barbara), Hwy 101 turns inland, and you won't see the ocean again until you get to Pismo Beach, and then only briefly. Back near Garberville, you will drive northwards towards your next destinations, i.e. I am debating buying a California Explorer Vehicle Day Use Annual Pass ($195) and/or a National Parks & Federal Recreation Lands Annual Pass ($80). Hi there, There is a lot of content about what to see along the way in the article. Got a ticket on my way back but it was such a wonderful expression of freedom at such a young age, Im baffled thinking about it. So looking forward to the drive down the PCH isnt fully booked yet as trying to cram so much in. Have a great time! I hope to be able to spend most of my summer there. The beach there is known as one of the best places on the Monterey Peninsula to watch the sunset. What a dreamy area! Im sure you will love it. The only road prior to the completion of Highway 1 was the Old Coast Road. Bottomline is this-include Shelter Cove in your road California trip through the Redwoods; you will thank me later! Many years ago, we drove out from Malibu on the 1 in an attempt to arrive in the South Bay Area later that very same day. Of course, what will be open may dictate where you stop. Although Shelter Cove is a tiny beach town perched on the southern end of the lost coast, there is quite a few things to do and see here. I am looking for a good place to stop for the first night. America really is the best country for road tripping! Mendocino is 169 miles north of San Francisco on Highway 1, a 5 hour one way drive. Thanks for the additional point of interest. This is a nice picnic spot as well as great for whale watching! In the city of San Francisco, Hwy 1 is a street: 19th Avenue. Do not do as we did. Of course Id like to do it again, but slower this []. Re: Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Eureka. There is signage everywhere warning against it. I highly recommend staying in Arcata-which is the cultural center of Humboldt County and has much better dining and lodging options. Report inappropriate content Mexgirl24 Fair Grove, Missouri Level Contributor Here is the itinerary: Start: San Francisco. However, by 11:12 p.m., the CHP said they were preparing to close the Grapevine again as the snow was starting to stick to the road, causing dangerous driving conditions. This is getting me so excited for it! 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! Its not the cold we are worried about but the cloudy days! "Go" when you have a chance. This may be the most photographed bridge in California, aside from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The trail to get there is quite easy and its such an iconic spot, you really do have to see it. Excess rain in California can mean road closures due to mudslides. Once you reach the lighthouse island, you will be greeted with panoramic views of Crescent City in the distance and the rugged coastline bordering the rocky black sand beach all around. We even saw some locals swimming there. The port city serves as the center for government, health care, trade, and the . Unfortunately it was too cold to enjoy sitting in the river, but the atmosphere and location were perfect. Left after a night! This rule is more important than ever on the curve-filled sections of the highway where visibility is limited. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I had been on this section of Route 1 before -- most recently just a week ago to Point Reyes; but the farthest I had been was Muir Beach. My sister and I are planning this drive from Seattle in March. I had booked Fort Bragg but I read that it is a bit run down. You could drive it if you want to cover every single inch of the famous highway, but there's little of interest if you're just sightseeing. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. A personal side notes: I left a ring in the bathroom at the lighthouse and didnt realize it until I was back in my room several hours later. Most road trip posts involving Northern California use San Francisco as the anchor city/starting (or, ending point).