I know some of you will disagree with this as the number one choice. I know what some of the objections are, and I whole-heartedly agree with many of you.
Sure, there are technically better roads where you can drive faster. There are many that have more challenging (and rewarding) bends and that are more deserted etc, etc, etc.
But - and it is a big but - this road - Pacific Coast Highway - has a combination of fast, slow, twisty, challenging, hilly and flat sections - AND - has some of the most breathtaking scenery known to man.
Just take a survey of the roads people most want to drive and you will soon see the PCH sits squarely at number 1. By a long way. Deservedly so in my humble opinion.
This for me is a several day trip as there is so much to do and see along the highway.
Starting at Capistrano Beach, PCH and US101 runs North all the way to Seattle
For ease of navigation, I have split the map in to two sections. The first being Capistrano Beach to San Francisco and the second from San Francisco up to Seattle.
Section 1 - Capistrano Beach To San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge Total Miles: 515 Driving Time: 10 Hours 36 Minutes
Going North from Capistrano Beach you will find yourself amongst some of the most affluent communities in the USA. Driving through Laguna Beach and Newport Beach you will not only see multi-million dollar homes lining the beach and cliff sides but also the cars these people are driving. And what cars they are.
I took the family to Fashion Island In Newport Beach for lunch recently. As we were driving the PCH section North of Laguna Beach, a Yellow Lamborghini Murcielago came flashing past (like I was going backwards). Just at the same time, going south on the other side of PCH, another Murcielago came whizzing past.
And yes, you guessed right, it was also bright Yellow!
And it got even better that day. I found a great parking spot at Fashion Island - right next to what I believe to be the finest sports car in the world.
The 612bhp, 202mph Porsche Carrera GT in absolutely stunning blank. Ohhhhhhhhh Yeahhhhhh Babyyyyyyyy!
If you want to "stand out" from the crown in a place like Newport Beach you are going to have to spend $500,000 on a very limited production car. A Lamborghini is just not going to cut the mustard my friends.
Anyway, back to the driving.
Leaving Newport Beach going North the route takes you up to Huntington Beach and from there I recommend you head inland using the freeway system to bypass the airport and come back to PCH via Interstate 10 at Santa Monica.
You can now drive one of my favorite parts of PCH and one that I drive every week. Malibu to Ventura.
The road is technically not the best but the scenery is great and it will give you a chance to open-up your car a little. Just be careful of the cops and look out for speed-traps. I got a speeding ticket on this section recently!
You should watch on this section for fast moving Ferrari's. In 2006, some guy (idiot) totaled his magnificent Ferrari Enzo while driving at an estimated 160mph. Don't get into any accidents and make sure you are always fully insured!
Once you get to Ventura, PCH will turn into US101 for a while and take you on the coast all the way up through Santa Barbara to Gaviola. It's a lovely drive.
At Gaviloa you will head inland through the Gaviola State Park. The road hear climbs several thousand feet and is very fast and very twisty in places. It is an excellent stretch of road which you will enjoy.
US 101 will continue North until you get to San Luis Obispo where your will exit US 101 and again take to PCH route 1 towards Morro Bay.
This is the gateway to the best part of route 1 PCH (Morro Bay To Carmel) and where I usually stop to pay Hearst Castle a visit and stop for the night.
Now for the best part of the drive. 100 miles of beauty, driving on a section of road that is smooth, fast, challenging and ultimately very rewarding.
You will have decide how much time you want to spend as there is a lot to see along the way and you will definitely want to take photographs and video (but, please, not while driving).
In fact I know people (and I have done it myself) who drive this section in the morning and then drive it again in the other direction immediately after.
You just can't see it all in one single drive through and the view, according to some people, is maybe better going South than going North.
Just watch out for some of the very tight corners, the close barriers, slow moving traffic and the cops!
My preference is to drive early morning (as long as it is not foggy) before the other tourists are out on the road.
After you pass through Carmel and Monterey (you should really stop and do the 17 mile drive in Monterey) you will heard up through Santa Cruz to San Francisco where US 101 actually crosses the Golden Gate Bridge.
Depending on your own itinerary, you can either stop in San Francisco or head just a little North to wine country.
Both are a great option for a bit of R & R before you get back on the road (there are some lovely drives through Napa and Sonoma that I will detail in the California section of this site.
Section 2 - San Francisco To Seattle Total Miles: 987 Driving Time: 22 Hours 14 Minutes
After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on the US101 and going around the Golden Gate National Recreational Area you should exit US 101 at Manzanita and head North back on Route 1 which will take you through the remainder of the Golden Gate Recreational Area.
This road (called Shoreline Highway) twists and turns up through Stinson Beach towards Tomales. While it is not the "best driving road" that will have ever driven, the scenery is terrific.
After Tomales, Route 1 heads inland for a few miles before once again hugging the coast going towards Fort Ross State Historic Park. This is a great place to stop for a rest and to stretch your legs to see the Russian Fort.
The section, the Sonoma coast, is a lovely drive and watching this video will give a little tast of the scenery you will encounter.
Another place to stop is Salt Point State Park. Both of places you can get lodging and services.
Route 1 continues, on and off the coast all the way up to Fort Bragg where it becomes, for all time, the US 101 all the way to Seattle. But before that you have plenty to see, even before you reach the California border with Oregon.
After turning into the US 101 the road heads inland to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. This is a "must-stop" place as it is famous for its Avenue Of The Giants redwood groves.
The other thing you can do, which will probably interest you more, is you can drive your car right through the middle of a redwood tree.
In fact, there are actually three separate trees you can drive your car through.
The first, and the one I drove through is the Shrine Drive Through Tree which is 21 feet in diameter. And what a huge tree it is.
I drove through in my Range Rover with just a little space to spare (though the wife was having a close look as the clearance!).
The other trees to drive through are called "The Tour Through Tree" and "The Chandelier Drive Through Tree". All are actually on private property and you are charged a small fee to drive through.
Your drive will then take you up through Eureka and the Redwood National Park and on up to the Oregon border just north of Crescent City.
US 101 pretty much hugs the coast all the way through Oregon to Lincoln City just South of Portland and then makes a turn inland for 70 miles before coming back to the coast at Arch Cape.
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I know some of you will disagree with this as the number one choice. I know what some of the objections are, and I whole-heartedly agree with many of you.
You can now drive one of my favorite parts of PCH and one that I drive every week. Malibu to Ventura.
