I stayed at the Hill House Inn, which is a lovely B&B right near downtown Mendocino. Here is the itinerary: Start: San Francisco. So tell us more if you plan to do this in 2 or more days. The nachos here are called killer nachos, and it is easy to see why. Pacific Coast Highway Drive Times and Distances Greyhound USA operates a bus from San Francisco Bus Station to Eureka Bus Stop 5 times a week. This park is a great place to see redwoods, but if you plan to continue to Redwoods National Park after PCH, you can skip it. Road Trip from San Francisco to Redwood National Park I would love to explore this side of the states as Ive only been to the East coast before. The trees themselves are around 100 years old but only 6-10 feet high, which is pretty crazy. Its pleasurable if you can split it up with an overnight stay. A port city in northern California, Eureka will remind you of a Victorian-era town. Want to plan the trip back? I would just stay on 101. and leave at 2:59 pm. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. California Highway 1: The Essential Road Trip Itinerary | Vogue They have a ton of options, and it was fantastic chocolate. CA Hwy 1 is prone to closure due to landslides, especially during rainy winters. You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend. Disclaimer: This post may contain some affiliate links. Plus, you will find larger crowds everywhere. Find pet-friendly stops. Seattle to San Francisco. I am going to do a trip from San Diego to Oregon, so this will definitely come in handy for the northern part of our trip! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The Pacific Coast Highway, also known as California State Route 1 or Highway 1, runs for almost 550 miles along the California coastline and is probably (OK, definitely) the most beautiful. Here are all the details for getting to Fern Canyon (a narrow canyon lined with ferns of all kind) and hiking there. b. Rockefeller loop: This is a much quieter grove of old growth Redwoods off Avenue of the Giants near Mattole Road. Salt Point State Park: The Complete Guide, 16 California Lighthouses to Visit on Your Road Trip, The 9 Best Day Trips From Napa and Sonoma, Mendocino Lodging: How to Find a Place to Stay, Scenic California Drives: 7 Routes That Will Make You Swoon, Los Angeles to San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, The Best Beach Camping in Northern California, Los Angeles to San Francisco on US Highway 101, Sonoma Coast State Park: The Complete Guide, The 9 Best Things to Do in California's Marin County. It runs from Capistrano Beach in Orange County to Leggett in northern Mendocino (Dana Point), a total of about 650 miles. Flexible Itineraries for a Coastal California Road Trip | Moon Travel This Northern California road trip detour is all about an overnight stay at Shelter Cove to experience some fantastic black sand beaches, spectacular views of the rugged coastline with a craft beer in hand and basking in the natural beauty of Californias remote beach town. (707) 925-6456. You will be driving on the less knuckle-whiteninginsides of the curves and views are clearer toward the north. Lol* I have some of the same pictures. Day 2: Forks, WA to Cape Kiwanda, OR. A one-week Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary will allow you to see the highlights without feeling rushed. Click on any question to see answers from the community! If you take Hwy 1 all the way (101 and Hwy 1 are the same part of the way), it's an 8 hrs drive, not counting rest stops along the way. Pacific Highway No. Winding its way along nearly 650 miles (1,040 km) of California coastline, Highway 1 is one of the world's greatest road trips. 1 is a 2 lane road almost the whole way - curvy, cliffside, and inevitably behind someone who's going 35 mph. The Charles M. Schulz Airport (STS) in Sonoma County (right below Mendocino county) is a smaller one with fewer flight options, but this is the nearest big-ish airport to Humboldt county. Itinerary: San Francisco to Crescent City - Part 2 | California's North San Francisco To Lake Tahoe: Two Dreamy Road Trip Routes The more scenic route (that takes invariably longer) is the Pacific Coast Highway (aka Route 1/Highway 1/Shoreline Highway) filled with amazing stops and detours detailed in this post. I hope you enjoyed reading this detailed guide on planning a Northern California road trip to remember and are inspired to see the majestic Redwoods. 1. If you're coming from the SF Bay Area like we were, definitely plan a day to explore driving up! Click the button below to explore more questions to each other and sharing tips and advice. This 50-mile section is sometimes called the Cabrillo Highway. This drive will take you down the extremely scenic Oregon Coast Highway all the way until reaching the town of Brookings. Pull over if five or more cars are following you. California's Highway One is a state highway. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip {25 Stops - California Through My Lens Add stop Route settings California law requires it for the driver and all passengers. Driving from San Francisco to Redwood National Park via the Highway 101. The parking is very sparse here, but the views are just incredible as you practically look down on the bridge. (1 answer), Katie from Los Angeles asked:What's the best neighborhood in Eureka (California) for a first time visitor? I highly recommend shopping by Humboldt Mercantile and, Explore the nearby Woodley Island-we had lunch at Cafe Marina & Woodleys bar. Your journey through the Redwoods beings in Mendocino, a Northern California coastal town in Mendocino county that is known for its beaches, hiking trails, coastal views, whale watching spots and great food. The end is at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 101 in Leggett. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Visit Website. Start: San Francisco Stop #1: Marin Headlands & Mount Tamalpais State Park Stop #2: Point Reyes National Seashore Stop #3: Bodega Bay Stop #4: Jenner Stop #5: Mendocino Stop #6: Fort Bragg It is a room carved inside a 2500 year old Redwood Stump. Plus, I am really fixated with lighthouses in California, their Fresnel lenses and history which sometimes is as tumultuous as the coast they guard. I am a scientist living in San Francisco with my husband and Babu, our 17 yr old Tibetan Spaniel Mix. Highway 1 in Northern California - A Drive You'll Love - TripSavvy It is a very scenic, slow and perhaps scary drive for someone from Missouri, especially in periods of summer fog. Must-See Stops Along California's Highway One | Visit California United Airlines. The drive cuts through Navarro Redwoods State Park. Although that is a very convenient (and familiar) starting point, I have chosen to use Mendocino (nearly 170 miles north of San Francisco) as the southernmost point for this road trip to keep the focus on Redwood Highway alone, because there are tons of things to do and see along this stretch on its own. What is your total itinerary over how many days? We've compiled some of our favorite spots to help you plan your road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. It takes on several street names but is most often called Pacific Coast Highway (which locals shorten to PCH). While the miles themselves are not overly long, the drive is on many windy roads that will take a while to complete. For dinner, I went to Pattersons Pub to share nachos and a drink with my wife. You will definitely need two full days to explore everything in these towns and the natural beauty surrounding them (think beaches, Redwood Parks and hikes) in this 7 day itinerary of your road trip in Northern California. What's the best neighborhood in Eureka (California) for a first time visitor? Also, you cant go wrong with the pies here. BEST STOPS ALONG THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS, Avenue of the Giants ends somewhere between Pepperwood and Stafford, after which you get onto the singular highway 101, aka Redwood Highway. In this part of Humboldt county, youre right in the heart of the Redwood National and State Parks. There's no gasoline available for up to 40 miles in some stretches, especially in Big Sur and north of San Francisco. A Northern California road trip is something that you must experience at least once in your lifetime. Northern California Coast Road Trip: San Francisco to Redwood National Driving California's Scenic Highway One - TripSavvy If you are driving the road in both directions (making a round trip to Hearst Castle from Big Sur, for example), avoid crossing traffic to see things on the opposite side of the road. You'll follow the water south to Santa Cruz, a small city with youthful flair. The distance from San Francisco to Redwood National Park is 315 miles. It's less curvy and hilly than in other areas and from Bodega Bay to Gualala, it's about 48 miles. I highly recommend doing the former, i.e. If you have to do this in one day, just stick to 101, which is a straight, 4-6 lane freeway most all the way. drive for about 1 hour. Between San Francisco and Santa Cruz lies a strip of the coast highway with no traffic lights for forty-five miles. San Francisco to the Redwoods Road Trip Guide + Key Stops And if you know San Francisco well, please help your fellow San Francisco to Los Angeles. Drive defensively. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Save. Coast Redwoods are also the worlds fastest growing conifers! Shopping. Millerton Point in Tomales Bay (20 minutes). This famous landmark is between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Bottomline is this-include Shelter Cove in your road California trip through the Redwoods; you will thank me later! Head north on Larkin Street. Highway One through Marin County: Sausalito to Bodega Bay, Highway One through Sonoma County: Bodega Bay to Gualala, California Coastal Highway One in Mendocino County: Gualala to Leggett. Without stopping I would guess 8 hrs. Driving from San Francisco to Eureka, should I take Highway 1 - Reddit October 22, 2017. Don't pass where there are double yellow lines. The portions were enough for us both to be filled with one order. While it is technically possible to do what you're asking about in one day, it will not be leisurely or relaxing. Although the entire Redwood road trip can be covered in 6 hours or so, that is absolutely no fun because the Redwood Highway passes through some of the most beautiful towns, beaches, waterfalls, hikes and Redwood groves that you absolutely need to explore to make the most out of this road trip. Drive from Eureka to San Francisco - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums See, Explore Old Town filled with restaurants, galleries and shops. It ends north of Rockport, where it turns inland toward Leggett and disappears. Mendocino is 169 miles north of San Francisco on Highway 1, a 5 hour one way drive. The other specialty of this place is the series of suspension bridges that form a trail (called Skywalk trail) that leads you to a gondola taking you right up in the mountains through the Redwood forest. If youre starting out from San Francisco (or even further south) and this is your very first road trip from SF northbound ever, I highly recommend taking the scenic route (Highway 1) all the way to Mendocino. United States - Drive from Eureka to San Francisco - My Partner and I are driving from Seattle to San Fransico over 2 weeks and taking in many of the sights/towns along the way. Beaches, hikes, Redwood groves, amazing seafood, murals and some shopping-there is so much more to these Humboldt County towns of Eureka, Arcata and Trinidad than using them as mere pit stops for exploring the Redwoods or passing by them. During the summer, be prepared for damp, windy weather on this road, and in the winter you may encounter storms. Cline Cellars (2 mentions) Airlines. This section could be endless, so rather than trying to This town is one of the bigger ones on this stretch of the highway. Once in Ferndale, I highly recommend the following: After a few hours of exploring Ferndale, youll drive off to your next destination for the evening-which are the three towns of Eureka, Arcata and Trinidad-all within 25-30 minutes of driving distance to each other. North of the airport to Santa Monica, it's Lincoln Blvd. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Must dos and good places to stay during June getaway to Sonoma
