Here are my suggestions: Therefore, the best month to drive the Pacific Coast Highway is September, when youre most likely to have great weather along the entire length of the road trip. I also downloaded the Roadtrippers app but I cant find it. I recently discovered Mendocino on a weekend trip and fell in love with the small town. haha. Great article! Thanks for sharing. Kim, December should be a pretty good time, but plan for classic marine layer weather (chilly and cloudy this is whats normal on the Pacific coast!). We booked a flight to San Jose to explore the citys economic hub and cultural traditions. Explore the history of Tillamook by visiting the Quilt Trail and Textile Center, or take part in any number of events and festivalsthe city hosts each year. Thanks again! My wife and I have been to Cali a couple of times, our daughter once from Diego to Fran (Berkeley) and loved it, and just us once to Seattle and Portland, but flying in and out only. Rim Drive and the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway. If I wanted to follow your trip but stop off a day at Yosemite what might the drive look like? Here, a huge boulder towers above the shore and offers beach lovers several up-close photo opportunities. my best friends and I have talked about driving down from San Francisco to some of the Orange County, CA cities. First thank you for all the work you put into this! The coast near Crescent City is dotted with the gigantic rock formations out at sea that characterize most of the northern and central California coastline. I havent been to Yellowstone so I cant say if its worth it, unfortunately. Tim and Janice. For campsites, Im not super sure as Im not a big camper, but this might help: https://www.theoutbound.com/theoutbound/camping-along-the-pacific-10-seaside-campsites-for-your-west-coast-road-trip. Hello good morning my name is Cherie Carmona, Wealth to California a little over a year ago I love it I live in Dana Point California, my husband will be moving here in a few weeks and Im so excited my daughter lives in Seattle so we were considering a road trip to Seattle realistically how long do you think it would take thank you so much God-bless. Rainier National Park Southeast Gate. Do you think we could do it in 7 days?? Those little beaches overlooking the water below is freaking amazing. Oregon's nearly 400-mile coastline is famous national-wide for good reason. These birds breed, rest, and winter in freshwater marshes and grassland. Show only these on map. Stay safe. Sunrise also features miles of trails amidst Mount Fremont, Burroughs Mountain, and Sourdough Ridge. Take your car on the Bainbridge Ferry to Bainbridge Island.The ferry ticket costs $20.40 (for the vehicle and the driver) and . Whether you just want to see the top highlights and sightseeing hotspots or want to dive into L.A.s booming food scene, you can find it all in Los Angeles. I was far more interested in the hundreds of miles of coastal roadways. Its a small detail, but totally uncalifornian to say the PCH. drive for about 4 hours. If youre planning a PCH trip and want to pass through San Francisco, you can either skim over along the side of the city as you drive down the coast, take a detour inland to visit Yosemite National Park or dive in for one night knowing it will only make you want to come back for more. Where is the Pacific Coast Highway? Best rates and airports to use. Thank you for your great ideas and itineraries! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south on CA-1, the Pacific Coast Highway. Travelers can take various pathways between Portland and Seattle. Nate, thanks for your comment. Seattle is one (Matt lived there for 15+ years), San Francisco is the second (we met and lived there for juuuust shy of a decade), and Alysha also lived in Santa Barbara in college. Loved your trip adventure and recommendations !! In Northern California, the best weather of the year happens between September and October. Karen, great question! ), Valerie, My wife and I are planning this very trip you outlined. Very glad to help, and I hope you have a great trip! Can you believe theres a rainforest in Washington? 9. Manny from Massachusetts. As the highest peak in Oregon, Mount Hood stands tall as the states geographic symbol of outdoor adventure. Glad to help, Dan! Be sure to stop at Nicks Cove in Marshall, CA for a meal or Hog Island Oyster if you love oysters! Stop and admire the views in Big Sur, too! Day 2 Portland, OR. . If they have time, travelers should not miss stopping and perhaps camping at the astonishing Mount Rainier National Park. Tickets cost $14 - $55 and the journey takes 3h 35m. In this Road Trip Planner for Highway 101 we'll cover the first leg from Tacoma, WA to Grants Pass, OR. Good morning from Australia. Id go with a mid-size car for your rental. My only additional rec for anyone would be to add the Great Tide Pool in Monterrey to check out little worlds of marine life. 5 attractions along Arizona's stretch of historic Route 66 that are sure to inspire wonder and nostalgia. The latter tells about the history of the region and has a super-interesting map of the more than 50 shipwrecks around the region. Should we go down the coast only (plus say Portland & Crater Lk), or head inland given how much time we have? 15 years ago. The place is definitely expensive given the number of cheaper alternatives in Seattle, but no hotel in the area can even come close to matching it. Hi We have just 1-day and will be starting in Fortuna and heading to San Francisco. We definitely want to visit the redwood forest, which is the main reason we want to go so far north. I was hoping to see autumn colours in the northern area. The way this segment is routed may be a pretty roundabout way of getting there, but this 140-mile, 3-hour journey will take you past some pretty interesting historical landmarks. Required fields are marked *. The suggested route below zigzags a bit and adds quite a bit of distance. leave the next day around 10:00 am. The garden also has a tea shop where light snacks are available for purchase. Thank you . Learn more about our editorial policies, Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. The weather also wasnt great for most of the route; after moving up out of SoCal, youre much more likely to experience clouds and/or the marine layer on the PCH. I would love to receive the PDF version of this, please. This will be a great resource for the trip that we are planning. Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. Located in the Idaho panhandle on Lake Coeur d' Alene, the town of Coeur d' Alene is about five hours east of Seattle and offers a wide range of things to do from outdoor adventures to thrilling attractions. This site uses cookies. Alternatively, Flixbus USA operates a bus from Portland Bus Stop to Seattle 4 times a day. Silver Lake, Seaquest State Park - a beautiful hidden gem on the way to Seattle from Portland. Would be every much appriciate if you can provide tips and recomendattions where to stop, what to see/do and eat the drive on high 1 from San Diego to Santa Monica. I make all of my must see recommendations in this post, so I recommend checking out the section on California to find the ones that sound interesting to you. From Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument to Seattle with side trips is about 208 miles and will take around four hours when done as a straight shot. Note: Due to heavy rainfall in California in January 2023, California Highway 1 is closed around Ragged Point; this means you will not be able to do a complete route down the Pacific Coast and will instead divert inland from Monterey to San Simeon (southbound). This is exactly what I was looking for. Seaside has a nice range of shops and dining options, and the beach is popular with surfers. Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air offers numerous daily flights between Portland Airport (PDX) and Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) or Paine Field (PAE), and if you book in advance, you can usually snag a great fare. Also, I will have 3 weeks to do this, I like small towns, Vegan food, and too out of shape for extended hikes. Well, now we will have to wait to see how this Covid-19 progresses. I am saving this to research more of the places you mentioned !! Thanks for your help in advance!!!! Both routes take place mostly on highways and smaller roads, making the driving interesting. In addition, it serves as a haven for a variety of seabirds and other intertidal creatures like starfish and crabs. Route Option #3: Southern Route on I-80. Regarding openings, Im sorry but I cant keep up with all of the places and changing restrictions in the various counties and states. There are no reasonable alternatives for some of the routes like the one across Bixby Canyon Bridge (shown above). Not to mention you can also check out several local attractions along the way. AAA /Brett Vanderbrink. taking my 13 and 17 year old with my wife. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. It is only a short distance from the famous Cannon Beach. After all, seeing some snow can do all of us well. Your help is appreciated. But, we need to go the opposite way; starting in San Diego and heading north. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: When youre ready to continue on your PCH road trip, make your way back to California Highway 1 and head south. However, a pleasant drive along I-5 is the best alternative if tourists desire to drive a car in either city and if the cost of . Do you have any recommendations or modifications while traveling with kids. 330 miles. From the coast, youll wind up to the mouth of the Columbia River, along its southern shore, and finally, cross into Washington on your way to Mount Saint Helens. What a drive! Id find an interesting podcast for everyone in the car and have the kids keep an eye out for whales and wildlife. That gives you a lot more to do each day to wear the kids out and much more suitable for an RV. Tickets cost $35 - $50 and the journey takes 3h 25m. The coldest time of year is December, although it remains cold through January and February. No matter which you choose, youll enter SF by driving across the Golden Gate Bridge; you can either stay along the coast and drive down Ocean Beach or head east into the city. Both offer amenities such as free WiFi and generous baggage policies. I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. Just 15 minutes from the California border, the 12-mile long forested park clings to a spectacular, craggy coastline dotted with sandy beaches and sea stacks, which . The Kathryn Riverfront Inn also has special king rooms with fireplaces and hot tubs. Thanks for reading, Dale. So doing our 101 bucket list too, but want a 2-3 days near Ocean Beach, CA. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Aberdeen, continue south along U.S. Highway 101. 21 of the world's best cities for coffee lovers, Pacific Northwest road trip - Scenic round trip from Seattle, Road Trip From Seattle To Yellowstone National Park, Road Trip From San Francisco To Portland, Oregon, Note: mountain route may be unavailable during winter due to road closures, The Kathryn Riverfront Inn is a spectacular beachside hotel with a gorgeous interior, The Lotte Hotel has the perfect combination of location, price, and luxury. This is a great itinerary! Choose between six, daily routes that are quicker than Greyhound with just one stop in Tacoma, WA. 1. If you need to stretch your legs on your day of driving between Los Angeles and San Diego, Huntington Beach is a great spot to stop. Thanks again for this excellent resource. Cruise across the lake's sapphire waters, kayak or join a whitewater rafting trip. Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. You can meander the quaint shops in Langley, go kayaking, explore Whidbey Island wineries, eat at the best Whidbey Island restaurants, and more. Question, if we were to add a stop, possible one night stay at Crater Lake, where would you suggest doing this from without missing much, (or any?) Thanks for reading, Heather! Im definitely going to try to do it sometime! Its easy to make a stop in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, so take the opportunity! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Soak up the last sunny days in the PNW and see some stunning views. A road trip around the Olympic Peninsula is the perfect way to reconnect with nature and the best road trip from Seattle for many people. Have a wonderful trip! Day 1 Mount Rainier National Park, WA. Valerie, valuable tips ! A post shared by Jason Morse (@jason.morselandscape). We will only have 7 days. Have a great drive! What would be a good hopping on point? Tolovana Inn is a highly rated budget-friendly hotel in Cannon Beach thats as close to the sand as physically possible you cant beat the views. Suggested Overnights: Port Angeles, Neah Bay, Ocean Shores. Be sure to check the California DOT website for more information. You will have to turn off Highway 12 onto Route 123, leading to the Mt. The only Mt. Unless youre driving the lengthy coastal route, youll find the best scenery aboard Amtrak. I appreciate all the information! The weather on the coast in winter is typically very wet, although there can be quite a lot of variation depending on the month. ?? There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. Stargazing along the PCH depends a lot on the weather; since there arent a lot of roads that connect the PCH inland, you kinda have to make do with what happens out on the coast. For this road trip, take at least three days. So we used really about a day off the coast but well worth it. The Cascades train has four daily departures, while the Coast Starlight offers one daily roundtrip. Aretta, thanks for your comment! Hi Valerie, Great tips! Having an America the Beautiful Pass is the easiest and most cost-effective way to visit over 2,000-federal recreation sites. Two States Bridge Tour. Or, do you think one could just take a chance and stop and book a room when in need??? Were using it to plan our itinerary for June/July this year, 3 weeks, Seattle to LA. My husband are I are planning 20 days to do the PCH(starting in Seattle and ending in San Diego) We are using your the ultimate pacific coast road trip itinerary as a guide. I started this site to share my travel stories and inspiration to help you complete bucket list trips. Day 6 Crescent City and Redwoods National Park, OR. Did you try searching my site using the search in the sidebar? 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