California Highway One TIMINGS & TIPS | Big Sur | San Francisco to San Diego | Pacific Coast Highway

It's the Road Trip that's, on everyone's Bucket List even for a Californian like me who's never done it before The Pacific Coast Highway stretches from San Francisco in Northern California [Down] to San Diego in the South It's 500 Miles in total and includes the Jaw-Dropping landscape of Big Sur Here's how, we did Highway 1 with Two Kids, over three days First catch a 'quiet' flight into San Francisco Explore this Vibrant City with its crazily steep streets for a few days Before Starting your Epic Road Trip from the best Starting Gate in the world Start early and grab some photos at Mason Street or on the beach next to it that way you'll get panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and you'll avoid the crowds at the Vista Points Photos done, it's time to jump into your car get the roof down and drive to the start line Turn Around in The Vista Car Park and Pay for your bridge toll online you can't Pay by cash as you go Through Anymore Do it now or your trip Could get a whole lot more expensive When you get off The bridge take Lincoln Boulevard to get to the coast as quickly as you can Highway 1 Begins on some very normal Roads So by Heading west you'll soon be next to the Ocean and Enjoying the, views You've Been Looking at online for the past Two Months Now's a great Point to look out for the El Camino Real bells They Line The Routes Down to san Diego and Mark the trail that the Early Settlers used to reach all 21 of California's Missions Over The Past Century More Than Half of The 450 bells, were stolen but Lots Have Recently Been Restored and Replaced. After two and a half hours on the road your first stop will be Santa Cruz It's the birthplace of Surfing in The USA Three Hawaiian students shocked locals when they rode the waves on planks of wood here back in 1885 it's also Famous for its Boardwalk Which you might recognizer from The Lost Boys Movie and it's 90 year Old big Dipper Is still Holding its Own against the modern Rides It's a perfect place to stop for [some] lunch and get Ready for a busy, Afternoon what do you think of the drive so far Right if You Give Yourself two hours to eat that Mammoth Burger and Explore you'll reach Monterrey by 2:30 It's a quaint place Full of Seafood Restaurants and Has A cool Fishing Village by It's also home to the Famous Aquarium you Can stop here for Food Instead of Santa Cruz if you'd like an hour on and you'll quickly, realize that the shops and Houses have disappeared and it's just you, the Ocean, and the road There's no Las Vegas style sign which tells you when you're in Big Sur the rugged coastline and lashing Waves Make A much more impressive Impact Than Any neon sign Could Make As you begin to climb into the hills the temperature drops What surprised us even more though was the coastal fog, even during the hot Californian Summer? There Are Loads of Places to Pull over and Admire the view but, We kept Driving until We reached Bixby Bridge? The 280 Foot Structure is a sight to behold Especially As it's in The Middle of Nowhere super cool, Selfies are A must Once You Cross the bridge it's Time To wind your way Further South Pfeiffer Beach is Definitely Worth Stopping for if you Can find it we've put Foolproof Directions on our Website Its Keyhole arch and Purple sound or a sight to Behold for all ages It's, well worth the $10 parking fee Enjoy A meal with A view at Nepenthe before another Magical Stop at McWay Falls. No time for any more stops though. Drive straight to San Simeon or Cambria where you'll stay overnight Make Sure You've Booked in Advance Though or you might be Sleeping in your car. As you probably arrived late start, Day Two by exploring where you stayed overnight We walked Across the road from our Hotel and got A special Soundtrack as, We looked out Across the Ocean? LA-Based fellow Brit Marcos Lopez, Iglesias Who's Played with Lemal and Duran Duran uses Big Sur to help inspire his Songwriting. A Unique Experience Which Could Only Happen on A road trip like This Just A few Minutes away from San Simeon is Piedras Blancas where you'll get to meet California's Elephant seals up close. These guys formed a colony here in 1990 and they've never left! San Simeon Is also the Former Home of Media mogul william Randolph Hearst "Welcome to my new Home!" Hearst Castle welcomed the rich and famous during its 1920s heyday. It's very Gatsby and as you Wander Around the Opulent Rooms and Magnificent Swimming Pools you can't Help but Imagine what it might have been Like to party here With the likes of Buster Keaton Greta Garbo and Charlie Chaplin There Are Secrets Everywhere from the Tiles on the Steps to the Tiles on the Tennis court Which Form The skylights for The Beautiful Roman Pool Below The tours are great but but book before you leave San Francisco to make sure you get the time and tour you want. Look out for the Old Zoo as you Make your way Down from the Castle and Grab some Lunch before you leave Every Mile From Here is Just Another step Back Into Reality Just over an Hour away is San Luis Obispo Jump off the Highway at the Madonna Inn for a rest stop with a Difference it's the Kitchen so tell in The World with a Different Theme for every Room You'll Get A good Feel [for] this in the men's Toilets it's A cave Which Cascades Water when you go for a pee!! The Rugged Landscape Quickly Becomes Lush again as you Come to the Strawberry Fields of Lompoc and Into The Wine Country Made Famous in The Films Sideways! "We're going well! Two more hours left of driving!" Next leave Highway 1 To visit the amazing town of Solvang with its Cookie Cutter Danish Architecture It was Occupied by danes in 1911 and the culture Continues Today. There Are Now More Windmills here Within two square Miles Than Anywhere Outside of Denmark Make Sure you stop for a Danish Pastry If you can pick just one!! And then Give Yourself A well-Earned Break Head on to The One via any mode of transport! Instead of Saying at A normal Hotel We Decided to try Glamping at el Capitan Canyon where you can even Treat Yourself to a Massage We had our Own Cabin With all the Home Comforts We could want? But, also our Own fire pit Which Is perfect to Watch the Wildlife run Past us while we toasted Marshmallows if you're There on the right night you can watch a movie at one of their outside Screenings. After A great night's sleep it. Was Time To leave el Capitan Canyon. "I liked it here!" And begin our final day on the road The 101 Through Santa Barbara Is A Lot like any Road in California for A bit But With the Top Down There was the chance to play A few games with the truckers! [Horn sounds] After Half an Hour Highway 1 returned and We have the Ocean [as] our Partner again? Malibu Is the first place you reach this is where Hollywood's biggest Stars Have Their beachfront Mansions You're More Likely to See someone Famous Here Than in downtown LA! We would Have Stopped Here for Lunch but The Kids are Falling Asleep you Should Think About Stopping at Paradise Cove The Paramount Ranch, or have a bit of culture at the Getty Villa. We continued down to Los Angeles through Santa Monica and its famous pier which Includes the World's First Solar-powered Ferris Wheel! Then Through The weird and Wonderful venice Beach And we even got to do that cool drive under the planes at LAX!! "LA traffic - going nowhere! Still fun to look around though." Yes, we were driving through LA traffic but it's another point where you get to think about how amazingly varied this special route is! We Finally Stopped some lunch at Hermosa beach With the usual Southern Californian sights on the Boardwalk? Now Into Orange County and The Home Straight Through Huntington beach and Down to Long beach where the Queen mary is now a hotel Dana Point is where Highway 1 officially Ends but the Pacific Coast Highway - and The 101 - continues after half an hour on the Freeway. Get Off at Oceanside and make sure you see the longest wooden pier over water on the West Coast. Just up from there is the famous Top Gun House on Pacific Street Make Sure You get some Photos before it's moved for a new development Yes it Looks A bit Different From when Tom Cruise, was There but it's Still A cool Piece of Movie History to visit La Jolla's the first real neighborhood in San Diego so if the sun's about to set Head to the cove to Watch it go Down next to the Birds and the seals on the Rocks. Just don't get too close It's an ideal place to finish your epic journey. If you've arrived earlier though, head down to the south of San Diego and finish your drive at the Cabrillo Monument. It's on the Southernmost tip of California - and the United States - with Mexico, just a few minutes away Grab a drink and let a San Diego sunset give you the best possible finish to one of the best Road Trips in the World! Hit subscribe to find out what to do in San Diego in our next Video Plus, head to our website: lifeofreilly.tv for everything you possibly need to know about this Road Trip including an hour-by-hour itinerary.

Channel: Life of Reilly

Views: 1,124,693

Rating: 4.8753915 out of 5

Keywords: Pacific Coast Highway, Highway One, California, Road Trip, PCH, Route One, Itinerary, San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, LA, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Big Sur, Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, Nepenthe, San Simeon, Hearst Castle, San Luis Obispo, Solvang, El Capitan Canyon, Oceanside, Top Gun House, La Jolla, Travel, Three days, california road trip, california road trip itinerary, usa, california coast road trip, highway 1, road trip california, pacific coast highway road trip

Id: HfcckBSy-4c

Length: 11min 22sec (682 seconds)

Published: Sun Aug 07 2016