There is nothing like a California Coast road trip. That California life is so awesome with all that nature and sunshine. What better way to experience it than by doing a coastal trip along the Pacific Coast Highway? This road trip itinerary begins at the northern border, but reverse this travel plan and you’ll have just as amazing of a time by starting in San Diego.
These are our best ideas for a CA road trip. Lots of things to do along the coastal drive including California lighthouses, hikes in state parks, beach stops along Highway 1 and even awesome foodie finds along the way.
So you’ve just crossed the border from Oregon into California on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), aka Highway 1 (and sometimes 101). Get ready because your journey is going to be totally different than what you experienced in Washington and Oregon. This road trip itinerary visits Big Sur and Monterey as you drive from San Francisco to LA. You’ll visit the Redwoods, missions and more along the PCH.
California Coast Road Trip – Up or Down?
Is it better to drive up or down the coast? Your starting point for this journey also determines your ending point. So if you want to do the Pacific Coast Highway from San Diego and enjoy the LA to San Francisco drive, you could do a 7 day trip itinerary and end in SF without doing the northern route.