Highway 1 - west coast USA advice


Just booked to do this in June got 3 weeks to get from San fran to San Diego, any of you lizards got any suggestions or recommendations
for the trip



cheese
 
There is an expression here "June Gloom", which describes coastal fog which has spoiled many a trip like the one you are contemplating. It usually clears up soon after noon, but not always.

The coast road is called Highway Route 1 or Route 101 in different sections. The freeway to the east of these slow roads is Interstate 5, a poor option for tourism.

The Amtrak Surfliner train from San Luis Obispo to San Diego is good, unless June Gloom kicks in.

Google "road trip san francisco to san diego" and you will get several serious leads.

The California Automobile Club has excellent tour books, and have offices in most towns where anyone can buy them. The old ways of doing things are often hard to beat.
 
Hearst Castle "home of Citizen Kane" Built in the 20s (?) with no expense spared by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.
Well worth a visit. At San Simeon off Highway 1.

Also Alcatraz in SF - get the audio tour.
 
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There's still a section of 1 closed around Big Sur. Not sure if it'll be open by then, but it's more than 10 miles still closed.

As others have noted, June is fog season especially down to about Monterey, but there's still plenty to see/do if you have to wait it out. Starting in SF, you're still far enough north to see redwoods without crowds if you detour even a couple miles inland. Big Basin is closed still, but Portola and Butano are open - just hang a left off the highway at Pescadero. The beaches up that way are also stunning and frequently very empty. Dolphins tend to come in very close to shore that time of year, and you'll also see seals left and right. Stop at Año Nuevo State Park to see the elephant seals.

Also, @HMB Mackem for anything at the far northern end of that route.
 
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Just booked to do this in June got 3 weeks to get from San fran to San Diego, any of you lizards got any suggestions or recommendations
for the trip

don’t say go looking for or ask Karl either he’s under my bed in a gonk mask hahaha

cheese
Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey are the 3 most obvious towns to visit.

You'll likely be amazed how quiet it is in some areas of what is after all an area in between two of muricas two major metropolises
 
We went north out of SF, over the Golden Gate bridge, up the coast road (along the San Andreas fault line :eek: ), then took a right turn through the hills into the Sonoma and Napa valleys for some decent food and wine tasting.
We did a night time tour, atmospheric

The audio tour has the background prison noises and stories of famous prisoners as you are guided around.
Corona del mar and Laguna beach,really nice places to hang out for a week (I have been here six weeks 😂).

Are you in an Airbnb or have you rented somewhere?
I'm interested in a longer term winter break next year....🤞
 
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Take a detour to Yosemite or Sequioa National Park.

I loved Carmel, Monterey, Santa Barbara and down near San Diego was Mission Beach. Don't try and do too much, just enjoy the place.

Plenty of other places I have forgotten.
 
It’s a great drive from SF to LA.

Carmel village and beach are lovely , next to pebble beach I think also
The Big Sur and to the south is very close to the edge ( going north to south) speed is about 5mph 👀

The bit from Santa Barbara to Malibu is just supreme

If stopping off in LA West Hollywood/ Beverly Hills is a good spot

It’s a great tour, hope one day I can do it again
 
Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey are the 3 most obvious towns to visit.

You'll likely be amazed how quiet it is in some areas of what is after all an area in between two of muricas two major metropolises

Well, sure there is: from SF down just to LA is over 450 miles!
 
Another vote for Alcatraz. We sailed out late afternoon early evening so it was dark for most of the trip, SF all lit up was impressive.

Also got the bus across the bridge to Sausalito, then get the ferry back to SF. Quite a nice trip
 

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