Lesser known Scenic Routes (San Francisco, Oakland: houses, college, live)

[jeevcy]

Which are the scenic routes in Bay Area? I mean, there are a few I discovered but can we share it with each other. And don't go route # 1.

I kind of enjoyed the following: I-280 from Sunnyvale to San Francisco, I found College Ave in Berkeley charming, and this weekend I passed thru Mission Blvd in Hayward. not bad looking at those hilltop houses and you can see the Santa Cruz mountains on the other side. unique

[MichaelinWA]

I always liked Highway 9 in the South Bay (to Santa Cruz). And Highway 84 through La Honda.

Those are a couple...

[18Montclair]

The Bay Area is a great place to go driving just for the sake of driving.

I'll recommend one interesting place. Grizzly Peak Blvd in Oakland. The views are breathtaking.

[krudmonk]

Roads that cross the peninsula are usually a good bet (84, 92, etc.). Highway 29 north of Napa is really nice. I used to hit it from 128 out of Davis, which is also good but quite far. Way down here, 130 up and over Mt Hamilton is really good and isolated. It spits out somewhere in the Central Valley, or you can branch north and end in Livermore (I think).

It's best to just drive and go down whatever roads looks good. Bring a map with you, though.

[gizmo980]

A few of my favorites...

- Hwy 37 East, then 121 to Napa
- Hwy 4 between Stockton and Concord... not that "scenic," but lots of fun!
- 580 E over Altamont Pass & through Tracy
- Hwy 9 between Saratoga and Boulder Creek
- 152 over the Pacheco Pass (between Gilroy and Los Banos)

[jaybone666]

101N from SF to Lucas Valley Rd, then up into the hills.

[sonarrat]

Canada Road, between Woodside and San Mateo. Gorgeous, no matter what time of year.

Page Mill Road, going west from 280 into the Los Altos Hills.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

The Bay Area is a great place to go driving just for the sake of driving.

I'll recommend one interesting place. Grizzly Peak Blvd in Oakland. The views are breathtaking.

Oh yes! But if anyone has a tendency to motion sickness, that's the road that will get them there!

I often go the back way to Walnut Creek... Get off Rt 13 at Redwood Rd. Go up the hill to Skyline and cross it. Stay on Redwood till Pinehurst and go up the hill.... and stay on Pinehurst to Valle Vista, which is the back end of Moraga Rd. Stay on that to Lafayette and turn onto Mount Diaiblo Blvd.

You go through some protected watershed area and park lands.... just a great ride.

[humboldtrat]

On the peninisula:

Hwy 84 between Redwood City to La Honda and further to San Gregorio on the coast (lots of redwoods .

Hwy 1 along the coast between San Francisco and Santa Cruz

Hwy 35 (Skyline Blvd) west of San Mateo south towards Santa Cruz.

[fizbin]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

I'll recommend one interesting place. Grizzly Peak Blvd in Oakland. The views are breathtaking.

To pick a nit, Grizzly Peak Blvd. is mostly in Berkeley, with some in Oakland and a little bit in Kensington. Now that the pedantry is out of the way . . .

Definitely one of the primo view roads in the world (both long distance and close up views). Also one of the best spots to watch the sun set, over the Golden Gate Bridge. You can turn it into an extended trip by starting in Castro Valley on Redwood Road, driving north until you get to Skyline Blvd. in the Oakland Hills, continue north until Grizzly Peak dead ends at Skyline, and then Grizzly Peak north. Most of this is going through or on the edge of beautiful park lands. Back in my misspent youth I used to bicycle that route regularly.

Highly recommended . . .

East Bay’s Most Scenic Road Turns 75. Category: Front Page News from The Berkeley Daily Planet - Tuesday August 21, 2007