Best places to stop between San Diego and San Francisco. The city's classic Spanish architecture, agreeable climate, and hilly seaside location mimic many . Make your drive unforgettable by adding in some of these amazing stops. I know you dont want the adventure to end. Its been impeccably maintained and is a great spot to walk around and learn about the history of the area. From this bridge, you can overlook the beautiful sea and rolling valleys. There is no lack of delicious options in the downtown area! California, the Golden State, is one of the best places in the country to go for a road trip. What do the odds say about the game? The beach trail loop is actually perfect for hiking in water shoes. Great stop of your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: camping, beaches, photography, hiking, ~ 403 miles from San Francisco & ~ 158 miles from San Diego. What feels like a testament to Americas Gilded Age, Hearst Castle certainly shines in that periods glittering overindulgence. The wildlife is incredible and Id highly recommend it! My first visit to La Jolla, I did this amazing kayaking tour of the cove. Its even one of the best swimming beaches in the state of California. The Pacific Ocean is much cooler than the Atlantic and even in spring youll need a wet suit if you dare to go into the water. We personally love heading to Pacific City for some of the great dining options there where you can sit outside and enjoy the view or from inside a restaurant with an epic beach view. Youll notice their neighboring winery, Rocky Oaks, perched high on the next hill (appointment required). So make sure to check out the calendar before planning your trip down south! 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. Enjoy a San Diego to San Francisco modern flight experience in premium cabins with Wi-Fi. http://www.amtrak.com is a great resource to help you and decide where you want to stop and see. Start your day with breakfast in North Manhattan Beach at North End Caffe, Fishbar, or Local Yolk. Although there are many gorgeous beaches in Malibu, you just cant miss this one on your San Francisco to San Diego drive. Smog Check Star Certified San Diego. Stopping at Half Moon Bay will be a highlight of the drive! The bus takes a minimum of 10 hours 5 minutes and you can expect 3 stops on your journey. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach trip, sightseeing, wine tasting, and overnight stay, ~ 241 miles from San Francisco & ~ 304 miles from San Diego. If youre doing your San Francisco to San Diego road trip or San Diego to San Francisco road trip in the winter, Solvang is especially charming in the winter when its decked out for the holidays! Bookmark for later or share the love below on Pinterest! This is hands down one of thebest things to do in Big Sur. The best road trip of your life is almost complete! Then return to San Francisco and head down to San Diego with few stops inbetween to stay with a friend. In contrast, it rarely rains in San Diego, with temps typically ranging between 50 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Or head to Pacific City for some popular retailers, local shops and tons of great restaurants, like Old Crow Smokehouse and Philz Coffee. Recommended by Jolayne of Simply Jolayne follow on Instagram. If youre looking for a great view or photos of the bridge, keep in mind there are various vantage points! For a more relaxing visit, check out the shopping or the spa scene! If you want to add a bit of adventure, you can easily plan a multi-day camping trip on the islands as well. Hey! (San Francisco) The Commuter Pain Index is comprised of 10 issues: 1) commuting time, 2) time stuck in traffic, agreement that: 3) price of gas is already too high, 4) traffic has gotten worse, 5) start-stop traffic is a problem, 6) driving causes stress, 7) driving causes anger, 8) traffic affects . ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-15956862', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Pacific Grove or Monterey. Recommended by Anwar of Beyond My Door follow on Instagramif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'inspiredroutes_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_1',182,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-inspiredroutes_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); The little seaside village of Cambria makes for a delightful stop on a California Coast drive. There is also the Lompoc Museum which has 2 floors of exhibits about the area. The beach is located 57 miles north of Malibu and only 12 miles south of Santa Barbara. to San Francisco, CA, Scenic drive from San Francisco to Las Vegas, Staypineapple, An Elegant Hotel, Union Square, Inn On Grove - San Francisco Civic Center, Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway, an IHG Hotel. I especially loved seeing the otters up close while in the kayaks. Recommended by Michelle of The Trav Nav follow on Instagram. Take a day trip from San Luis Obispo for a nice getaway to Paso Robles located about 30 miles away. Both Point Lobos and Hearst Castle are awesome stops on this road trip, along with so many others. In person, its absolutely massive! Whatever you choose to do in Cambria during your PCH road trip, youll love this charming little coastal village! This small beach town is perfect for parking it on the sand and sunbathing, surfing, and swimming. One thing we love besides the beaches is that Laguna has always been an artsy town. One of the most popular things to do in Lompoc is to go wine tasting. For just a little effort, youll see one of the most beautiful spots along the coast. Its still a little too northern to swim comfortably, but its a great spot for a walk along the beach or to watch the surfers. The good thing with the Carpinteria State Beach is that they have en route sites for last minutes campers. Stop by a few of the gorgeous beaches in this area like Swamis Beach or Moonlight Beach. Many visitors start their Pismo Beach day trip at the pier. Aside from watching for various sea life, there are approximately 12 hiking trails ranging from just under a mile that meander cliffs to 3 miles that will take you through the gorgeous meadows and forests. Youll see gorgeous views from the California Pacific Coast Highway along the way, too. Youll see views from several points along the way, but the closest views to the overlook are at the end of the trail. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46643178', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');CALIFORNIA and then have a few places you want to see. Capitola. Its completely off limits due to the fragile nature of the cliffs. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach, wine and dine, shopping, art galleries, overnight stay, ~ 146 miles from San Francisco & ~ 415 miles from San Diego. Smog Repair San Diego. Point Lobos is teeming with activity throughout the year in April and May, visitors may catch a glimpse of Harbor Seal pups as these 2 months are affectionately known as pupping season. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner offers twelve daily round-trip journeys between San Diego and Los Angeles. This waterfall hike reminds me of the best waterfalls in Glacier National Park its so picturesque! This beautiful beach town is the perfect spot for an action-packed visit. 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! Do the San Francisco to LA road trip right and you'll end up on Ventura Beach, right in front of the pier. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beaches, soft adventure, shopping, dining, spas, overnight stay, Photo Courtesy of Katie Hinkle Photography, ~ 476 miles from San Francisco & 26 miles from San Diego. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Road Trip from San Diego to San Francisco via Highway 1. Bixby Creek Bridge. 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. 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. The highlight of the pier is Pacific Park, the amusement park with numerous carnival games and rides. You can also visit Dunes Beach, which has equally gorgeous views of the shoreline and soft sand. Some of the best things to do in Dana Point can be done while soaking up the sun, like laying on the sand, surfing, boating/fishing, or taking a whale watching tour! If youre taking a California Pacific Coast Highway road trip to San Diego, a stop to do someMalibu wine tastingshould be on your list. After you park, theres a short trail and steps down to the beach 101 to be exact! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46642389', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Santa Barbara was one of the strategically easier options for a lay over, it cost an extra $50US to do but it was worth it, Santa B is really pretty. Simply put, it defies logic as physics and gravity just dont make sense here! Located just a short distance from Los Angeles, this beach town is known as Surf City USA and offers a laid-back lifestyle with plenty of fun things to do, see and experience. 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! 13. Step away from the coastline a little bit to get one of the most iconic landmarks in California, the Hollywood sign. The former being all estate wines, ie: grown on the Rosenthal property in Malibu. Theres also plenty of historic spots to check out along your visit in Ventura such as San Buenaventura Mission and The City Hall. The trail is dog friendly, so you can explore with your pup, as long as they are on leash! Thanks, Get answers to your questions about San Francisco. With over 125 years of history, hosting the rich and famous, its an iconic hotel right on the beach. (Be sure to book tour tickets in advance.). In downtown Lompoc, you can go on a mural walk as the area has over 40 murals. In addition to these nature adventures, SLO has much to offer when it comes to dining and wine tasting. Day 1 morning: San Diego and the Southern California Coast. Depending on the season and ferry schedule there are a few different options of which islands you can visit, if youre looking for an easy half-day trip we recommend visiting Santa Cruz Island. Check out these stops at the very least. This home, or castle, is made up of 165 rooms and over 100 acres of gardens, terraces, pools, and walkways. The California coast also gets a dense layer of marine fog, which makes for moody views and doesnt allow you to see as much. So if youd like to visit it by getting out of your car, park elsewhere and take public transportation or a ride share to the bridge. There is also a campground with hookups that can accommodate tents, but also trailers and motorhomes up to 35 feet long. Now its a nostalgic pie shop. Its definitely a good idea to park your car and set up camp overlooking the gorgeous water and keep your cameras handy because this is easily one of the most photogenic beach cities youll come across. The area boasts miles of beautiful, clean beaches with pools, coves and caves that visitors can explore. Dont miss the seals at the Childrens Pool or the awesome Sunny Jims Cave! Oceanside is also a distinct foodie town. 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. Amtrak Amtrak is the largest passenger railroad service in America, offering daily intercity trains to hundreds of destinations across the contiguous United States, as well as several cities in Canada. Members who are extremely knowledgeable about this destination and answer travellers questions frequently. If you want to make an adventure out of your San Diego to Grand Canyon road trip, then you've come to the right place. Another cool spot to visit is the Monarch Butterfly Grove. This road trip is an absolute bucket-list item. Gas stations are also few and far between along Big Sur, so be sure to fill up before visiting. Theres even an arcade where you can try your hand at skeeball. San Diego is one of my favorite cities - so much to see and do. Its honestly surreal and doesnt feel like youre in California, let alone the US. up the gorgeous rte 1 coastal road is Cambria our fave! La Sierra Mexican Restaurant, Frazier Park. Thanks for your information much appreciated. Big Sur is a 90 mile stretch of highway that runs parallel to the Pacific Ocean, with many beaches and parks to stop at for stunning views and relaxing walks along the beach. Congratulations, youve pretty much made it to San Diego! Fly into San Francisco, rent a car and drive to San Diego, where youll fly back out. In the summer, this is one of the hottest beach towns in all of California. Heres a preview of the route and all the amazing stops along the way! Its a fascinating place for hiking and one that simply begs to be explored! It was restored in 1995 and offers tours! Plan to spend the day exploring 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach with pull-outs and parking all along the way. Reservations are recommended for this top rated Pacific Ocean experience. Big Sur has been claimed to be one of the most, if not the most beautiful state parks in all of California. I hope you get to cross it off your list sometime soon! While youre visiting, you can check out the awesome downtown area. We are going to drive on a SATURDAY from San Francisco to Los Angeles on Highway 5 (our destination is really Carson - the Office Depot Center for an LA Galaxy game). The possibilities are endless in The Crown City of Southern California. You very likely could see gray, fin and humpback whales, dolphins and sea lions. Enjoy non-stop flights from San Francisco to San Diego with Alaska, Southwest, or United Airlines. The last stop between San Diego and San Francisco. This Chevron gas station is located in the town of Santa Nella, about halfway between San Diego and . If you have time, we recommend hanging out in Malibu a bit and see why this is one of the most highly coveted areas to live in for Los Angeles. This little spot is a paradise full of amazing outdoor activities perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway! This area is also known for family fun activities like surfing, kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding, and golfing on their top rated golf course, Coronados Public Golf Course. 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! Best places to stop between San Fran and San Diego? Thanks for hanging out on the blog today! Theres a bunch of photos and newspaper articles displaying the history of the sport, too. Departure times vary between 05:30 - 22:49. Take your time exploring the area, the Santa Ines Mission, and taking an iconic photo in front of the windmill (theres more than one!). It is easy for a tourist to spend several days in the city. Alright so this is a mega guide for everything to do along the way. 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