California Road Trip: The Best Stops On The Pacific Coast Highway

[Music] pacific coast highway the road trip that's on everyone's bucket list is one of the most beautiful drives in the world and that's not surprising the beautiful san francisco the charming carmel by the sea the jaw-dropping landscape of big sur the glamorous santa barbara and many more destinations along the drive on california's coast which is with just over 656 miles also the longest state road in the golden state are worth visiting more than just once later in this video you'll hear some important tips for your road trip so make sure to pay attention but for now let's stop talking and hit the road starting north of san francisco and driving down the coast you'll see all the highlights of the golden state the first stop of our road trip is about 60 miles north of san francisco at the picture perfect pointraise national seashore visit the historic point res lighthouse which stands over 600 feet above sea level and hike on one of the trails in this more than 71 thousand acre park preserve after spending some time at point 3s let's hop in the car and start a 90 minute drive to our next stop which is the impressive point bonita lighthouse the third lighthouse built on the west coast and the only u.s lighthouse at the end of a suspension bridge here you'll get some breathtaking views of the golden gate bridge the pacific ocean and the bay after discovering the natural beauty surrounding this fascinating lighthouse start the short less than 5 mile long drive to the golden gate bridge and spend a day or two in san francisco being home to the world's greatest mix of cultures this city has all you have ever dreamed of i know to explore the whole city you would need more than just a weekend but you will have enough time to visit some cool attractions like chinatown fisherman's wharf with the sea lions at pier 39 the famous winding lombard street and the former federal prison on alcatraz island after spending a weekend in the city by the bee you'll find half mumbi after less than an hour driving south named half mumbi because of its crescent shape this friendly small town offers gorgeous beaches impressive ocean scenery and beautiful nature sites try one of the fantastic craft beers at the half moon bay brewing company hike or ride a bike on the california coastal trail and visit the pillar point harbor after this short stop jump back into the car and drive about an hour farther south till you reach the laid-back santa cruz stroll on the historic beach boardwalk where you can ride the giant dipper which is one of the country's oldest still functioning wooden roller coasters while most tourists don't get much farther than visiting the beaches and wharf you should also consider visiting attractions like the historic mission church the charming downtown and the surfing museum let's hit the road again another 45 minutes farther south you'll reach the beautiful city of monterey where you definitely should visit the famous monery aquarium which is rated among the world's best aquariums after learning about pacific marine life tour canariro and get some food there before driving through the beautiful big sur make another shortstop after about five miles after monterey and experience the stunning spectacular stretch of white sand in the charming town of carmel by the sea but now let's start the highlight of the road trip when driving the 71 mile long segment of the highway one between carmel by the sea and san simeon you'll experience the breathtaking scenic big sur trust me you'll want to stop at every single vista point and there are a lot of them you won't get enough of watching big sur's massive cliffs with waves crashing on the shore below [Music] the photogenic bixby creek bridge one of the most photographed bridges in the state and the maguey falls in julia private burns state park a waterfall that falls directly on the beach or must-sees when driving through big sur after driving through this wonderful piece of earth make a short stop and watch the elephant seals at the piedras blanca's rookery just north of san simeon a second reason to stop near san simeon is the majestic hearst castle about a 30 minute drive farther south is the charming morro bay with the iconic 581 foot high moral rock after the long drive through big sur find a nice restaurant underwater and have lunch or dinner with a view of the water and more rock let's go farther south now there are two options either you make a short detour and visit the danish village of solvang in the santa ines valley or you drive straight to santa barbara if you have time to go to solvang i would recommend it the city is home to a number of bakeries merchants and restaurants offering a taste of denmark in california the beautiful mission center ines more than 100 nearby vineyards and the remarkable architecture make the city be unlike anywhere else in california 45 minutes away is santa barbara also known as the american riviera the mission santa barbara called the queen of the missions is equally as beautiful as the one in solvang strolling down state street and admiring the city's spanish colonial architecture visiting the magnificent county courthouse and having a stunning view from the clock tower santa barbara is one of a kind also explore stern's wharf enjoy some seafood while overlooking the ocean and visit the sea center on the pier before strolling on east beach let's hit the road again after about 1 hour 15 minutes of driving south you'll reach malibu with its perfect beaches for surfing mansions of the ridge and scenic hikes a perfect place for doing that is for example point doom state beach and preserve also make sure to visit el matador beach which was on my list of the best beaches to visit in the us it takes about 30 minutes to drive from el matador beach to our next stop santa monica pier after arriving in santa monica walk and appear and have fun in the pacific park take a walk on the beautiful santa monica state beach before you go shopping on the 3rd street promenade when you're in santa monica you should also consider visiting the nearby venice beach and hang out on the boardwalk including muscle beach and all the buzzing [Music] after about an hour driving south depending on traffic you'll reach the beautiful laguna beach with its seven mile stretch of perfect white sand and picturesque cliffs this city is one of the prettiest in the entire state ideal for a day at the beach you'll never want to leave again at interstate 5 south of san juan capistrano which is about 10 miles farther south the pacific coast highway ends and while this video is titled the best stops on the pacific coast highway i think it's worth your time to continue your trip to the southern end of the california coast in san diego from laguna beach to our second last stop the gorgeous la jolla it's a 65 mile drive this neighborhood in san diego is a first-class collection of beaches bars and restaurants my favorite thing to do there is experiencing a kayak tour at la jolla cove and watching the sea lions and other wildlife another 25 minutes in the car and you're at the last stop of the road trip unless you want to visit the beach that was ranked number one on my video about the best beaches to visit in the us it would be very close the last stop in this video is point loma this peninsula has been described as where california began here was the landing place of the first european expedition to come ashore in present-day california point loma house's cabrillo national monument and the point luma lighthouse and boasts one of the best harbour views in the world if you're lucky and the day is clear you can see mexico to the south and the snow-capped mountains east of los angeles to the north before this video comes to an end here are some important tips to experience the best views make sure to drive from north to south so your car is on the ocean side of the road consider spending a night in the madonna inn in san luis obispo this landmark hotel is unlike anything else you'll love the over-the-top interior design don't be overzealous with planning your trip maybe you'll love one place even more than the others and want to stay longer than plans if you like convertibles especially the southern part of the trip would be perfect for that if possible don't do the road trip by yourself if you go with a friend or your partner you could share the driver role and each of you can enjoy the view on the passenger seat a little bit and last but not least take your time it will be worth it

Channel: Travel The Top

Views: 12,652

Rating: 4.8538814 out of 5

Keywords: california road trip, california road trip san francisco to san diego, california road trip itinerary, california road trip travel guide, california road trip tips, best stops on the pacific coast highway, best stops on the pch, pacific coast highway, point reyes, point bonita lighthouse, san francisco, chinatown, lombard street, pier 39, alcatraz island, half moon bay, santa cruz, monterey, carmel by the sea, big sur, morro bay, solvang, santa barbara, malibu, laguna beach

Id: t5_v_qZAwII

Length: 10min 17sec (617 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 25 2021