Its somewhere you must stop on your PCH road trip and on everyLos Angeles itinerary! Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive: beautiful beach, shopping, dining, great views, entertainment, overnight stay. Yay! And while Ive returned to many places along the drive, I havent seen it all. There are also many places to stop and grab a quick bite, cup of coffee, or stretch those legs. Los Angeles to San Diego travel time is a little under three hours. Can you believe this list?! Road trip from Vancouver, B.C. Some of my favorite wineries include Spear Vineyards and Winery, Sweetzer Cellars and Montemar Winery. Do the San Francisco to LA road trip right and you'll end up on Ventura Beach, right in front of the pier. Hearst Castle too! This guide covers some of the best things to do in each of these destinations as well as recommendations for overnight stays in case you plan on making a longer stop here. Check off everything that Santa Barbara has to offer or just kick your feet up and relax on the gorgeous beaches! But for most vehicles, youll find the turn for Pfeiffer Beach at mile marker 45.64. Take SR 1 again all the way to Monterey and SF. Check out our guide to how to pick the best travel insurance for a few different options depending on what your needs are and type of coverage youre looking for. You can bike as well! If youd rather stay out of the waves, theres plenty of shopping and dining to do in Huntington Beach! With abundant kelp beds and plenty of sea life, Laguna Beach is a divers paradise. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: food, shopping, sightseeing, photography, entertainment, overnight stay, Suggested Hotel: $$$ The Ritz Carlton | $$ Hyatt Centric Fishermans Wharf, ~ 70 miles from San Francisco & ~ 487 miles from San Diego. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46615651', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Santa Monica and while I don't know how exactly you would get there from Union Station, I'm sure it's possible). What better way to experience the sights and adventure is there than a road trip on the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), aka Highway 1? So make sure to check out the calendar before planning your trip down south! Oh how awesome, Gloria! Youll get stunning views of Sand Dollar Beach and the surrounding Big Sur area. Depending on how much time youre able to spend, check out the boat tours or even catching some whale watching! Nearby, you can find Montana de Pro State Park, one of Californias largest state parks that is a postcard perfect destination with gorgeous beaches and blooming flowers during spring. Ticket prices start at $30 for adults and $15 for children. There are also plenty of restaurant and cafe options. Home to 4 beautiful miles of beaches, Half Moon Bay should absolutely be on your list of things to do on a California coast road trip! If youre planning a road trip along the gorgeous California Pacific Coast Highway you really need to plan to make Pebble Beach one of your road trips stops. Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach have several terrific lunch spots such as Tacolicous, Sugarfish, Marthas, Gum Tree, Rockefeller, Source Caf, Palmilla and even more places to enjoy a drink while admiring the beach views. Both viewpoints are worth visiting if you have the time! First visit to SF advice on itinerary please, itinerary and hotel thoughts, mom and daughter trip in March, Accomodation recommendations with free or reasonable price p. What part Of San Francico Should I stay in? Best places to stop between San Diego and San Francisco. For parking, the easiest lot to get to is 1-North, which is at the base of the pier and accessible along PCH. A visit to these neighboring beach towns quickly reveals why they are considered a hidden gem. If you only had one stop in Los Angeles on your San Francisco to San Diego road trip or San Diego to San Francisco road trip, this is one of our favorites. Encinitas offers one of the most beautiful drives down PCH, the transition from Carlsbad, California to this adorable little beach town is one of the most soothing drives in the country. If youre dedicating a few days to the Ventura area, you have to check out the Channel Islands National Park off the coast! Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach bumming, dining, drinks, shopping, entertainment, overnight stay, ~ 429 miles from San Francisco & ~ 86 miles from San Diego. Fishermans' Wharf - Visit the sea lions, eat, drink, play and be merry. This artwork of a coastline offers many hiking trails and different beaches to explore. It's almost dead even between L.A. and San Francisco by 250 miles in either direction. Yes, Southwest flies nonstop from San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego 3 times per day on Saturdays and 4 times per day on Sundays. Unfortunately, this area has seen dramatic droughts the last few years, resulting record-breaking wildfires. Other fun things to do in Lompoc include La Purisima Mission State Historic Park, which is dedicated to the Spanish mission of the area. There are so many cool places I need to check out based on your list if I ever do the drive again! You can check out more info on Torrey Pines at their visitors center when you arrive. There are also alternate routes you could take for this trip, but we recommend the beautiful and scenic Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 1 for this road trip of a lifetime! So after the official end of Highway 101, youll be taking the coastal roads of Camino Del Mar, Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla Blvd, Mission Blvd and so on into San Diego. Such a cool road trip, right? I'm 26 and love looking at street art and the vendors selling things at the tables in an open-air, linear flea market - that's on the beach, and the main neighborhood stretch (from what I know) is on Abbot Kinney, which is an awesome place as well, coffee shops and more street art. Explore the city full of activities and great food: Dinner and overnight in San Diego to catch a flight home in the morning. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beaches, coffee, dining, shopping, overnight stay, ~ 485 miles from San Francisco & ~ 17 miles from San Diego. San Diego to San Francisco by tram, bus and subway. San Francisco to San Simeon itinerary, stop #9. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach break, shopping, entertainment, wine and dine, overnight stay, ~ 242 miles from San Francisco & ~ 298 miles from San Diego. If that sounds interesting, that's my recommendation. The trail is dog friendly, so you can explore with your pup, as long as they are on leash! Built by the publishing tycoon William Randolph Hearst, La Casa Grande as it is also called, certainly lives up to its name. The walks are easy and family-friendly. Auto Repair, Smog Check Stations, Transmission Repair. You will spend the day in Santa Cruz and . This Chevron gas station is located in the town of Santa Nella, about halfway between San Diego and . During your visit make sure to check out the Point San Luis Lighthouse, which was established in 1890 and operated for nearly a century. Recommended by Maria of San Diego Explorer follow on Instagram. There is so much to do at Fisherman's Wharf. Hi I am traveling alone just leaving Chicago and getting the Amtrak to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Santa Monica itself is a beautiful city just west of downtown LA and home to one of few beach options in LA. Eeek! Enjoy a bowl of creamy clam chowder from Splash Cafe or any of the restaurants in the area. You know you havent seen the beach enough yet, right? One of the most popular attractions is the Zip Line Eco Tour. Encinitas has a variety of calm and quiet beaches along with cute coffee spots, restaurants, and tons of surf/antique shops. Theres interactive displays of hundreds of marine life. It lies along the Pacific Ocean at San Diego Bay, just north of the international border with Mexico and some 120 miles (195 km) southeast of Los Angeles. It will be my husband, self and 16 year old daughter. Find yourself getting spa treatments, having a cocktail or glass of wine at a swanky bar or beach lounge, California-chic shopping, and much more. Also consider going to Tablerock Beach or Thousand Steps Beach, which are also two of the best spots in Laguna Beach located in the southern part of town. Start your day with breakfast in North Manhattan Beach at North End Caffe, Fishbar, or Local Yolk. Its the famous Top Gun House, where Maverick fell for his flight instructor Kelly McGillis. Just south of Cambria is California Highway 46, lined with lots of wineries: without venturing too far inland, you can still find several options for tastings. While the fog is essential and provides much-needed moisture to the local ecosystem, its not ideal for catching the best sights of the coast. The best road trip of your life is almost complete! What an iconic sight in the USA the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge! In addition to the zip lining, visitors have the opportunity to take boat and food tours, go golfing, hiking, fishing, scuba diving, paddle boarding, and much more all on this incredible island paradise. A cute little town nestled along the coast, Santa Cruz is a great spot to stop for food, shopping and adventure. Theres a bunch of photos and newspaper articles displaying the history of the sport, too. A couple of things to add to your Seal Beach checklist are the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge and Seal Beach food tours! Its the perfect spot to go for a walk, watch the surfers and pier fishermen and simply sit back and listen to the crashing of the waves. Feel free to snag a coffee or OG aa bowl from Better Buzz, one of the best and cutest coffee shops in California. So if youre hungry by the time you get to Carmel, California, this is the place to stop! Recommended by Denise of Chef Denise follow on Pinterest. Smog Check Stations. 10/24/2022. Members who are extremely knowledgeable about this destination and answer travellers questions frequently. While youre in the area, check out the luxurious Pebble Beach. Of course, surrounded by the beautiful hills of the Santa Inez Valley, youre in wine country! California has some of the best weather in North America, with Southern California having some of the most ideal and temperate temperatures year-round averaging 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If not, take a look around the historic Downtown Ventura and make the most of the vintage boutiques and second hand stores. These next few stops are just begging to be explored! #3 Santa Cruz A fun California beach town known for its beautiful university campus and surfing culture, Santa Cruz is also enviably close to forests of towering redwoods and the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is a gorgeous beach with unique rock formations on and off the coast and is also a State Park. Planning on sightseeing in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? When planning a California Coast road trip, Big Sur is an absolute must-see area. Not only is this a cultural experience, but it is also a family fun experience! stopping in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The drive along Highway 1 is about 570 miles total and it's recommended that you plan to spend five to seven days (at least) enjoying the highlights of this iconic road trip. The total distance from San Francisco to San Diego is 501.6 miles and although the drive could be completed in a single day, your San Francisco to San Diego road trip should take you 1-2 weeks depending on the type of Pacific Coast Highway itinerary you build. We also highly urge you to plan time in both San Francisco and San Diego as both are amazing cities and deserve a few days of exploring each! Yes in the Us now in Chicago getting the Amtrak tomorrow to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? If youre looking for great shopping, stop by the Fashion Island mall or head to downtown Newport Beach or Balboa Island. Are you a couple or with kids? Recommended by Rebecca of Veggies Abroad follow onInstagram. There are many excellent restaurants in the city, such as Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub, which is renown for their Omikase all over San Diego county. If youd like to walk across the bridge, the pedestrian access is on the east sidewalk. 17. more. The road trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco, along the Pacific Coast Highway, is one of the most . San Luis Obispo or SLO is full of a variety of amazing things to do for all you road trippers, so you wont want to miss this one on your San Francisco to San Diego drive. By booking through our links we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach, dining, drinks, shopping, overnight stay, Suggested Hotel: Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort, ~ 433 miles from San Francisco & ~ 65 miles from San Diego. Parts of the shoreline is rocky and if youre there around sunset, its a gorgeous spot to photograph those rays dipping into the ocean along the coast. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-15949022', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');San Francisco by 250 miles in either direction. Weekends and holidays offer shuttle services, where you can make reservations and get picked up from the Muir Woods Shuttle in Pohono State Park and Ride in Sausalito. Fun fact: a ferry got people across this waterway before the bridge was built. Coronado Island is a little more bougie than the other parts of San Diego, and is home to one of the most beautiful beaches on the California Coast. For a more artsy vibe, be sure to check out the Funk Zone for murals, art galleries, boutique shops and restaurants. Then there are the craft breweries, wineries, meaderies, cideries and distilleries along the Oside sips craft trail that will quench your thirst. 1,. Im so excited for you to start this adventure! While youre visiting Torrey Pines, keep in mind that is only open during the day time, there is nowhere to purchase food or drink, no pets are allowed, and there are guided tours available! We realize it's about a. Fishing is allowed from the pier and a handful of people set up their fishing poles to see what their catch of the day is. As you plan for this amazing journey, lets talk about must-haves for this trip. $5.99 . A lot of people who book a car rental in in San Diego end up just driving all the way to San Jose and returning it there. Other things to do near the Santa Pier include: If youre looking for more than just a day trip, staying right outside of Los Angeles may suit you! And dont forget the awesome boardwalk corndogs! There are great surf spots up and down Manhattan Beach. Pro tip: if tacos is your thing, be sure to eat at La Super-Rica Taqueria. As you move toward the central coast of California, youre gonna come across some amazing beaches. There are a wide variety ofthings to do in the South Bay. Theres also several cultural landmarks like Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, Bubblegum Alley and Fremont Theater. up the gorgeous rte 1 coastal road is Cambria our fave! San Jose. Now that were through with all 32 stops on this route, heres a week-long suggested itinerary for this epic adventure! Enjoy the best of San Francisco. Take a tour that specializes in sea life because theres so much marine life nearby. As someone whos been to San Diego almost more times than I can count, I recommend spending 2 days or a weekend in San Diego if its possible. When you stop in La Jolla on a San Francisco to San Diego road trip, theres a variety of things to do. Amtrak is the one and only train line which connects San Francisco to San Diego. Youll find one-of-a-kind local spots that are simply delicious! Admire the charming cottages on the residential sections of Main Street, their gardens spilling over with colorful flowers in season. For the most current highway updates, go to the CalTrans website and enter the highway number (Highway 1) in the search bar, or call 1.800.427.7623 before you hit the road. Don't forget to visit Hearst Castle when you pass through San Simeon! No matter what, you will be in complete awe with the majestic Redwood trees, some of the largest and oldest trees in the world. Obviously you can check out the coast for some awesome beaches and some surf opportunities. Whatever you do, don't stay on US 101 all the way to SF! The most scenic part is the one that goes along the coast, so most people skip the loop and just walk by the ocean, where you get the best views. Crystal Cove is located right between Corona del Mar (one of the Newport beach towns) and Laguna Beach, where you can find some of the most beautiful coastline and best beaches in Orange County! Zig-zag through Los Angeles and pick up SR 1 again in Santa Monica. There is no lack of delicious options in the downtown area! Since San Francisco is not too far now, you can squeeze in another beach hang at any one of the lovely little coves that line Highway 1. Better yet, one of our favorite things to do in San Luis Obispo is stay at the eccentric Madonna Inn which loves the color pink and each hotel room is uniquely themed from bright pink glitter walls to cave rooms built into actual rocky terrain. Smog Repair San Diego. Also known as Highway 1, this San Francisco to San Diego road trip will take you by some of the most iconic towns and jaw-dropping scenery in California. Had no idea this coastal route could be this mesmerising! 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