CA-1 coastal highway (San Diego, San Francisco, Fresno: motels, camp, live in)

[Botev1912]

What are the good parts of this highway with the best views. I was thinking of driving from the Oregon border (it is US-101 there) to the Mexican border, but that will take a few days. If there are better parts, I might skip some of it. Or is it all worth it? How many days would that take?

[chuckmann]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

What are the good parts of this highway with the best vies. I was thinking of driving from the Oregon border (it is 101 there) to the Mexican border, but that will take a few days. If there are better parts, I might skip some of it. Or is it all worth it? How many days would that take?

I like the drive north from San Luis Obispo to just about all the way to where CA-1 joins US 101 up there in Mendocino. Beautiful drive!

The SLO to Monterrey segment is a lot of fun during the whale migration time. Spent many an hour in my mis-spent youth pulling over with the binoculars and checking out the whales. The blue and aquamarines of the ocean were nothing short of spectacular. Wish I had had a camera back in those days!

Smell the roses, my friend. You may never pass that way again.

[Botev1912]

I posted another thread in the Oregon forum. Since I live in Seattle I have planned to do this: leave early in the morning 4-5 am (in the summer) and go to Lincoln City, OR (I have seen the coast north of Tillamook, OR), which should take about 5 hours. Then reach Brookings, OR at the end of the first day. I should be there before sunset. The second day from Brookings to Northern California. Now, I don't know where to sleep because the first decent city is Santa Rosa which is not on the coast. Eureka is very close to the Oregon border and I don't want to waste my time there. San Francisco looks very far and probably not doable in 12-14 hours (from Brookings on US-101 and CA-1). My plan is to reach San Diego by day 4.

[slo1318]

Is the journey the goal or San Diego? If it's the journey you are going to quickly, lots of great towns and places along the way.

[Senno]

When I was a kid we did from Fresno (went west to the 1 and then north) up to Seattle in 4 days and we only stopped at a few extra places. You could easily take a full week if you did 1 (101 in places) the whole way down to Mexico.

[pch1013]

If you can drive from Seattle to Brookings in 1 day, you can definitely drive from Brookings to San Francisco in one day.

But there are some good places to stop along the way -- Fort Bragg, for example.

A worthwhile detour is the Lost Coast (Mattole Road) from Ferndale to Petrolia to Honeydew and the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Then, follow the Avenue of the Giants down to Garberville, get back on 101 for a bit, then take Hwy 1 to Fort Bragg and beyond. The entire section of Highway 1 between Ft. Bragg and SF is outstanding. Once you get over the Golden Gate you're on city streets for a bit, then a freeway, but south of Pacifica the scenery picks up again as far as Santa Cruz, and again after Carmel.

South of the Gaviota Pass the scenery is relatively uninteresting, and you're on a boring freeway, though Santa Barbara is nice. You can skip the section of CA-1 through Lompoc, since it doesn't go near the coast, but you should definitely take PCH through Malibu. South of LA there's another stretch of PCH that passes through some ritzy Orange County coastal communities.

[Tulemutt]

It is not reasonable to try and drive from Brookings to San Francisco in one day on hwy 1. You can certainly do it on 101 if you don't care about enjoying scenery. But Hwy 1 is torturously twisting and narrow with blind curves. The northern coastal hwy from where it leaves 101 at Leggett all the way to San Francisco is an adventure that is pointless rushed.

The same is true of the 120 or so mile stretch southern section from Monterey to Morro Bay.
While this southern stretch is the more famous due to the spectacular cliffs along the Big Sur country, the northern stretch is more than twice as long and equally stunning in its own way.

Take your time and lots of it or don't bother.

Why not camp along the way? Why stay in cities and motels?

[NewToCA]

Yeah, I agree with the above posters that you have a bit of a tradeoff here about making time or enjoying the sights and scenery.

But assuming you are determined to get to the San Francisco area the second day...Brookings, OR to Santa Rosa, CA can reasonably be done in about 11-12 hours with a little bit of time for the sights. I'd advise you to take 101 South to Rt 1 to the coast (Leggett would be the turnoff point). From there you go south on Rt 1 until you get to Rt 116 East to Santa Rosa. This would give you your second day, though to really enjoy the trip it would be a full 12 hours, minimum time.

As a better alternative, I'd just go to Fort Bragg as your end point the second day, and just take your time and enjoy the sights.

From either spot (Fort Bragg or Santa Rosa) I'd go along the coast to San Luis Obispo as the goal for the end of the third day.

Then off to San Diego.

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by slo1318

Is the journey the goal or San Diego? If it's the journey you are going to quickly, lots of great towns and places along the way.

both. I didn't mention I will have 14-15 days for this trip. After staying in San Diego for 3 days (2 nights), I might visit Phoenix (1 night), LA area (2 nights) and San Francisco area (2 nights)

[Botev1912]

Is there a decent city between Fort Bragg and Santa Rosa where someone can stay overnight? Fort Bragg is too close to Oregon, Santa Rosa seems far and is not on the coast. What can you see in Fort Bragg or Santa Rosa?