Driving up the California coast - what to see? (Los Angeles: renting, house)

[TheDragonslayer]

The last picture is of Mad River and Clam Beach looking north to Trinidad head. Ferndale is the town in the movie " Majestic " which is about a theater called the Majestic.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

The Ventura Highway was 101 before freeways were invented.

If in your travels you are north of Santa Cruz during mealtime, stop at Duarte's in Pescadero. Kinda funky cool and good food. Depending on the time you have, stop in all the little towns along the way, i guarantee you a lifetime of memories.

Was it actually called "Ventura Highway" Do you have a map or something with the 101 labeled as such? The 101 prior to 1952 (maybe 1950, I forgot) was Ventura Boulevard through the Conejo Valley. In fact, Agoura Road used to be the 101 before the four lane expressway was built. There is a bridge on Agoura Road just east of Kanan (near the Wizzins shopping area) with 1926 on it. I've ridden my bike through here many times.

Here's that bridge.



You can read more about it and see cool pictures here:

US 101 Photo Gallery: Conejo Valley

Agoura Road facing west in Calabasas 1908


Lake Lindero 1966 (101 is the highway)

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Sambazon

By the way, the song "Ventura Highway" by America....is that a real highway?

The song Ventura Highway, seems to me, is more of a state of mind, an idea or a metaphor for travel or transition (perhaps through life), loss and gain, than an actual highway. It's been a nice attention-getter for all things "Ventura" -- city, county, blvd., road.

[Sambazon]

Thank you all! I'm composing a list of all your suggestions.

By the way, is there a Sonic's on the way? I keep seeing commercials (especially the funny ones of the middle-aged couple) and they make the food and shakes look damn good. The one nearest to me is like 90 miles away to the east, all the way in the middle of nowhere. Might as well take the chance to stop by one during the trip if it's right off the main freeway/road we'd be on.

Originally Posted by DragonOfIllFaith

Yes, please! So that I can live vicariously

Have fun!

Oh I will. Expect a nice little movie too.

[Kingsnkali]

Don't forget to stop at the Tides restaurant in Bodega Bay. Don't feed The Birds!

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by Kingsnkali

Don't forget to stop at the Tides restaurant in Bodega Bay. Don't feed The Birds!

Talk of Ventura Highway and Bodega Bay reminds me of other CA coastal spots in song.

"Mendocino, Mendocino,
...
Fast talkin' guys with strange red eyes
Have put things in your head
And started your mind to wonderin'
I love you so, please don't go
Please stay here with me in Mendocino"

Musica & Memoria / Sir Douglas Quintet - Mendocino

[Capt. Dan]

Bubble gum alley in San Luis Obispo and the huge farmers market there if you are there on thursday night

[mono#9]

Calamigos Ranch is a great place to have a wedding--my son and his wife got married in the Stauffer Chapel on the Pepperdine campus a couple of years ago and then we all drove over to Calamigos Ranch for the reception--it was beautiful. Hope they still do that rain-off-roof thing--very neat.

Have a wonderful trip--try the Brown Pelican on the beach in Santa Barbara, Chef Rick's in Orcutt for great food--Splash in Pismo for great clam chowder, Taco Temple in Morro Bay for fish tacos.

I'm with Cre8--Ventura Highway is a metaphor--though the name is based on Ventura Blvd which is one of the main drags in the San Fernando Valley. Remember Tom Petty's vampires?

[cobmw]

Hwy 1 north of San Luis Obispo is very scenic. Perhaps stop at the Hearst Castle. The aquarium in Monterey is OK, but the one in Long Beach is far superior. Monterey worth seeing nevertheless. Solvang used to be a cute place - not far off the 101. Not sure what it looks like nowadays with the Indian casino nearby. A very pretty drive would be to divert off the 101 in Santa Barbara and go directly to Santa Ynez/Solvang (over the mountain -easy drive). The road then joins back up with the 101 past Santa Ynez. Santa Ynez valley is very pretty especially when its green.

[Winston Smith]

More song on the CA Coast...

Though maybe not the restaurant (a la Arlo Guthrie) and not exactly on the coast, up at the cross-roads in the mountains between Half Moon Bay and Redwood City -- Alice's Restaurant!

In all seriousness. A coastal CA trip such as this one should maybe include at least one mission. There is so much rich history along the coast. In Seaside one can stand on the same beach where Portola stood, feeling defeated that he hadn't re-discovered much of neither Cabrillo's nor Vizcaino's claims about the coast, Monument to Portolá Expedition. Though overly touristy now, through the haze of gift shops in Monterey you can still see the OLD cannery row, the building of Doc Ricket's lab, the railroad crossing where he was killed, and the empty lot of Mac and the Boys.

What else? CA coastal history buffs, any interesting tidbits for us?