Coastal California?

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Jamie123

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As some of you may know from other threads I posted, I'm going on a trip to California with my girlfriend. Since I've gotten many great suggestions so far I thought why not post another thread on the topic :). Part of our trip will be a drive along the cost from LA to San Francisco. We only have three days between the two cities so I'd love to plan ahead as much as possible.

So what are the must see destinations between LA and SF? I'm really keen on spending a night in a cabin in Big Sur just because I like this kind of vegetation and won't have time for the real Red Wood experience on this trip. I've been to California before with my family when I was about 13 and amongst the city I remember are Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz. I think I liked Santa Barbara. SLO was cute but we only stayed there for a couple of hours. Santa Cruz was soso.
I also have to keep in mind to distribute the stops along the way more or less evenly so we don't have any unreasonably long drives. E.g. it's probably not a good idea to spend a night in Santa Barbara as it's too close to LA and the following drive will be too long.


Any suggestons??
 
Point Lobos.

Tide pools and many other features are more fun at low tide. You'll want tide tables.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the very best anywhere in the world (my spouse is in that field, so we go to a lot of aquariums).

For breakfast or lunch in Capitola, I suggest Gayle's. In Santa Cruz, I suggest Kelly's. Both are easy to reach, just off Highway 1, and offer better food than the vast majority of places you'll find along that stretch of the coast.

As a place to stop for photos between Santa Cruz and SF, it's hard to beat Pescadero State Beach and the Pescadero Marsh across the street ("the street" being Highway 1). Both are *very* short walks from the car, so a good place to stretch your legs during the drive and set up a tripod for a few snaps.

About 20 min. to the south of Pescadero, I recommend breakfast or lunch at the Davenport Cash Store.

Pescadero on a bleak winter day
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Pescadero Marsh on a less bleak winter day
750326882_Va2Gm-L.jpg


In San Francisco one of my favorite places is the California Academy of Sciences' new state-of-the-art natural history museum and aquarium in Golden Gate Park. Across the street is the DeYoung Museum (though it is no Getty). For hiking in SF, I suggest the Marin Headlands/Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Muir Woods is pretty nice, too (where "pretty nice" = "national treasure"), and it has redwoods galore.
 
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I grew up on the central coast and went to school in San Luis Obispo. You can't really go wrong with either San Luis or Santa Barbara...both are great towns. In fact, the whole central coast is great in my mind.

Gotta run now, but might have more suggestions for you when I get back.
 
my list:

my list:

From LA north:

1. Solvang
2. Hearst Castle (Cambria beach/pier/town)
3. San Juan Bautista, if you're a Hitchcock/Vertigo fan
4. Santa Cruz
5. Pescadero SB (or Bean Hollow, Pompanio SB), then drive inland through Sam McDonald SP (real redwoods)
6. Peninsula for coffee or dinner

Lot's of great photo, and box lunch at the Y opps ...


Jamie123 said:
As some of you may know from other threads I posted, I'm going on a trip to California with my girlfriend. Since I've gotten many great suggestions so far I thought why not post another thread on the topic :). Part of our trip will be a drive along the cost from LA to San Francisco. We only have three days between the two cities so I'd love to plan ahead as much as possible.

So what are the must see destinations between LA and SF? I'm really keen on spending a night in a cabin in Big Sur just because I like this kind of vegetation and won't have time for the real Red Wood experience on this trip. I've been to California before with my family when I was about 13 and amongst the city I remember are Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz. I think I liked Santa Barbara. SLO was cute but we only stayed there for a couple of hours. Santa Cruz was soso.
I also have to keep in mind to distribute the stops along the way more or less evenly so we don't have any unreasonably long drives. E.g. it's probably not a good idea to spend a night in Santa Barbara as it's too close to LA and the following drive will be too long.


Any suggestons??
Click to expand...
 
As someone who has lived and spent many years in the area; walking, hitchhiking, motor cycling ...

North from LA...
1) Santa Barbara Pier
2) Morro Bay (fishing village) for lunch
3) Hearst Castle
4) Big Sur
5) Carmel
6) Monterey (piers and the aquarium)
7) Moss Landing (fishing village)
8) Santa Cruz Pier
9) Half Moon Bay
10) Devils Slide.

Enjoy.
 
yeah

yeah

but those years in San Quentin don't count ;)

35mmdelux said:
As someone who has lived and spent many years in the area; walking, hitchhiking, motor cycling ...

North from LA...
1) Santa Barbara Pier
2) Morro Bay (fishing village) for lunch
3) Hearst Castle
4) Big Sur
5) Carmel
6) Monterey (piers and the aquarium)
7) Moss Landing (fishing village)
8) Santa Cruz Pier
9) Half Moon Bay
10) Devils Slide.

Enjoy.
Click to expand...
 
HWY 1 goes rural from San Luis Obispo thru Devils Slide. Just about any stop along the way is fabulous. Been to Point Lobos dozens of times. Early morning is foggy. Lots of locals walking trails.
 
Morro Bay is good. SLO is OK: sort of European, a 'real' place, not a tacky resort. I really dislike Sta. Barbara: self-satisfied, overpriced, the last suburb of Los Angeles. But it's better than Solvang, a ghastly concrete imitation of a pseudo-Scandinavian village. Two of the best missions are La Purisima at Lompoc and S. Antonio de Padua in the middle of Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation near Jolon (nearest big city is King City). Of course both are heavily restored but not Disneylandish.

If you can, have a steak at the Far Western in Guadalupe: The best I've ever had (I lived in Guadalupe for 5 years).

Cheers,

R.
 
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+1 for Mission San Antonio de Padua for an immersion into early California history. Also in that neighborhood, check out Pinnacles National Monument for stunning geological formations and views (and an invigorating hike).
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

I googled some of the locations. I think we won't be doing Solvang as, for a European, that kind of Euro-exoticness doesn't have a lot of appeal. Will probably also pass on Hearst Castle. A bit too much kitsch to make it worth a visit on such a trip where time is scarce.

Right now I'm thinking we could leave LA in the morning, stop in Santa Barbara for lunch and then go on to SLO in the afternoon and spend the night there. The next day we could then drive on to Big Sur and spend a night there in a cabin. Am I right in the assumption that there's not much to see between SLO and Big Sur (Other then the vegetation of course)?
We would then have one more night to spend somewhere on the way between Big Sur and SF. We should also then have enough time to include Monterey, Point Lobos and Carmel on the way.

Does this sound like a good plan?
 
Visiting California last year (home is Europe) we drove south from SF. Our stops were Monterey (great for Aquarium and whale watching, town itself and Cannery Row not special) and Pismo Beach - the last was a convenience stop but I really liked it as a slice of small town, unassuming Americana. There was a great bar with blue-suede covered pool tables playing Joe Walsh and a good fish restaurant where they upturned buckets of seafood directly onto the table and you just dived in.
 
Hi Jamie

Hi Jamie

I think it's OK to pass on Solvang, but you're going to drive through Cambria, so why not a 15 minute coffee break, walk there?

For me, SLO is pretty dull boring college town, with lousy food and lousier coffee. I don't even think the hipsters stop there anymore ...

I'd pass on Monterey, unless you're planning to go to the aquarium, or have a thing for Cannery Row nostalgia. It's a bit ghetto from how it used to be.

Jamie123 said:
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

I googled some of the locations. I think we won't be doing Solvang as, for a European, that kind of Euro-exoticness doesn't have a lot of appeal. Will probably also pass on Hearst Castle. A bit too much kitsch to make it worth a visit on such a trip where time is scarce.

Right now I'm thinking we could leave LA in the morning, stop in Santa Barbara for lunch and then go on to SLO in the afternoon and spend the night there. The next day we could then drive on to Big Sur and spend a night there in a cabin. Am I right in the assumption that there's not much to see between SLO and Big Sur (Other then the vegetation of course)?
We would then have one more night to spend somewhere on the way between Big Sur and SF. We should also then have enough time to include Monterey, Point Lobos and Carmel on the way.

Does this sound like a good plan?
Click to expand...
 
Wish I could come along and take more than three days. That is a nice trip. In Monterey, look at First Awakenigs for breakfast. There are lots of nice places all along the coast, so take your time and enjoy the ride.
 
"I think it's OK to pass on Solvang..."
Me: I've visited Solvang 2 times in my entire life. One was by accident. lol

"but you're going to drive through Cambria, so why not a 15 minute coffee break, walk there?"
Me: Reason: Nothing there.

"SLO is pretty dull boring college town....
Me: True, it is a boring town unless you bring dune buggy.

"I'd pass on Monterey, .... It's a bit ghetto from how it used to be."
Me: Actually it used to be a ghetto. Youre going to drive thru Monterey so why not stop and have a meal along cannery row? The nicest visual in Monterey is a walk along its rocky beaches. Very beautiful.
 
Monterey and Morro Bay.
Two good places for food & Pic's

">
Monterey Bay @ Cannery Row


Monterey Bay Aquarium




Cannery Row



Morro Rock, Morro Bay, Ca.



Morro Bay
 
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