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

[Sambazon]

I'm a natural born San Diego native (still living here), and my parents and I are gonna be taking a mini road trip along the entire coast of California either next week or the week after.

What cool things would you recommend we go out and see? Would it also be worth bringing my longboard (skateboard) along?

My mom wants to take us around Santa Barbara (Solvang especially), and I'm really wanting to see my older sister's wedding venue in Malibu (Calamigos Ranch) since I've never actually been. I'm already very familiar with coastal Orange County, Long Beach, and a little bit of coastal L.A. since I've driven around those areas on my own a couple times.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Sambazon

I'm a natural born San Diego native (still living here), and my parents and I are gonna be taking a mini road trip along the entire coast of California either next week or the week after.

What cool things would you recommend we go out and see? Would it also be worth bringing my longboard (skateboard) along?

My mom wants to take us around Santa Barbara (Solvang especially), and I'm really wanting to see my older sister's wedding venue in Malibu (Calamigos Ranch) since I've never actually been. I'm already very familiar with coastal Orange County, Long Beach, and a little bit of coastal L.A. since I've driven around those areas on my own a couple times.

Calamingos Ranch is actually in the Santa Monica Mountains near Mulholland and Kanan Road several miles from the beach. We had our company picnic there around 1988 or so.

Everyone will recommend the US 1 drive from San Simeon to Carmel including Big Sur. I rode my bike on that road from SF to LA in 1995.


Carmel
San Simeon
Pismo Peach
Cambria
Morro Bay
San Luis Obispo
Big Sur
UCSB (my alma mater)
Ojai
Ventura
Point Mugu

[Think (Freedom)]

Driving up the California coast - what to see?

Wow.. what an amazing trip. I envy you

I have never been past Los Angeles, but I'd definitely follow what Charles said. Definitely Carmel/Monterey.. I dream of these places lol. Are you going all the way up to the Redwoods? Or not going past San Francisco?

[Sambazon]

Thanks Charles! I keep hearing about Big Sur too.

Originally Posted by DragonOfIllFaith

Wow.. what an amazing trip. I envy you

I have never been past Los Angeles, but I'd definitely follow what Charles said. Definitely Carmel/Monterey.. I dream of these places lol. Are you going all the way up to the Redwoods? Or not going past San Francisco?

I'm pretty sure we'll be working our way up all the way north. I'll post pictures in this thread when I get back.

By the way, the song "Ventura Highway" by America....is that a real highway? Sounds childish for me to ask and to even say this, but I kinda wanna go just to pop that song on my iPod while on it, and to be able to say that I've driven through it (if it even exists).

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Sambazon

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

I've never heard of a "Ventura Highway" but that doesn't mean some time ago that a main route (126, 118, 1, or 101) wasn't called Ventura Highway. For example, Thousand Oaks Boulevard used to be called Ventura Boulevard before the 101 was realigned through the Conejo Valley. Westlake Boulevard used to be called Skelton Canyon.

[Think (Freedom)]

I'm pretty sure we'll be working our way up all the way north. I'll post pictures in this thread when I get back.

Yes, please! So that I can live vicariously

Have fun!

[EscapeCalifornia]

How about the Monterrey Aquarium? If you love beef, you have to eat dinner at Jocko's in Nipomo (just north of Santa Maria).

[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.

[alyandbud]

One of the most beautiful places to visit along the Big Sur is Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park!

[TheDragonslayer]

When you get past Mendocino county, highway 1 quits and you go inland to 101, in southern Humboldt county is Garberville and Redway. In Redway is Old Briceland Road, you take that west till you reach the Kings range and Shelter cove on the coast. Well before you reach Shelter cove, the road forks, the fork that goes north up the Mattole river valley is called Ettersberg road and it eventually ends up right on the coast and is called the Lost Coast highway. It is not really a highway, but at the best a two lane asphalt road with gaps that are gravel road. The Lost Coast highway turns into Mattole road again and ends up at Centerville Beach just west of Ferndale. Ferndale is a must see, nearly the whole town is authentic vintage victorian architecture, it is the movie in " Majestic " with Jim Carey and parts of the Mattole were used in " Jurassic Park" . You also have to stop at Vista point in McKinleyville to view Trinidad head and Clam Beach. Samoa beach, Mad River Beach, Clam Beach and Moonstone Beach stretch 12 miles from Eureka to Trinidad and are always open, driving is allowed at Samoa Beach and Clam Beach year round and on Mad River Beach with a permit.