For a fun way to experience Solvang, take a pedicab tour to see the sights! The 80-foot waterfall flows year-around from McWay Creek, situated above the ocean. Eeek! From there, stay on the highway through Monterey and Carmel-By-The-Sea, then cut through Point Lobos State Natural Reserve - you'll soon reach the incredible Big Sur and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Although 9 hours and 30 minutes of driving is a reasonable estimate of how long the drive is, bad weather might extend your travel time by a sizeable amount. The 560-mile road trip from San Diego to San Francisco takes 10 hours 20 minutes to drive. Join Date: Apr 2005. I'll share guides to help you plan an epic road trip, check the next adventure off your bucket list and explore amazing places you've gotta see to believe! But if you bring your water shoes, you can dip your toes in the waves as they come up the sand. The 550-mile road trip from San Francisco to San Diego takes around 9 hours 30 minutes to drive, depending on which route you take. There are also different animal species such as birds, fish, bats, squirrel and chipmunks. 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. Continue to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, where a short half mile hike will take you to the unique McWay Falls flowing onto the beach. One of the most scenic stretches along the San Francisco to San Diego road trip is Big Sur. Its completely off limits due to the fragile nature of the cliffs. There are lots of great hotels here, but for the best possible experience, consider soaking in the luxury hot tub at Ventana Big Sur. My favorites are comfortable enough for hiking yet perfect for the beach. Now that were through with all 32 stops on this route, heres a week-long suggested itinerary for this epic adventure! 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. Another cool spot to visit is the Monarch Butterfly Grove. From beaches to hiking, shopping to wineries, this scenic drive will have you begging to come back for more! Your last city and stop on this road trip is San Diego. Santa Monica Even though Santa Monica is still a part of Los Angeles, it makes for a fantastic first stop when driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I especially loved seeing the otters up close while in the kayaks. I'm here to help you enjoy the outdoors! Point Lobos State Reserve is one of the top things to do on this incredible California Coast drive! While there are no campgrounds in Muir Woods, those who want to camp will want to head over to Mount Tamalpais, which is only a 23-minute drive. If you're having issues using the site, please enable JavaScript and refresh your browser. Unless you have a wetsuit, this far up on the coast isnt super comfortable for swimming. The entire region is great for wineries, but the Urban Wine Trail is a great way to experience the best and most unique wineries in the area. Webstay for about 1 hour. Drive time from San Diego 18 minutes (14 miles) La Jolla is a real hidden gem just outside of San Diego. Pro tip: if tacos is your thing, be sure to eat at La Super-Rica Taqueria. It has the feeling of many of the old royal estates from Europe and beyond. Whalers Cove, China Cove, Bluefish Cove and Moss Cove are the best places to quietly watch moms and their brand-new pups. Its actually the longest pier on the west coast, coming in at over 1/3 mile long. The bus journey time between San Diego and San Francisco is around 11h 30m and covers a distance of around 524 miles. Past Las Cruces, start driving along the coast again, through Gaviota State Park and by Refugio and El Capitan State Beaches. Heres a brief overview of Big Sur well dive into more detail of our favorite spots in a bit! WebGuides and resources. How far is San Francisco from San Diego? If you love architecture or religious sites, youll love Carmel Mission Basilica Museum. Reminds me of going to Maui with kids every time! You should be able to get a one-way ticket for around $59. WebThis happy spot makes an ideal overnight stop on a drive between Los Angeles and San Francisco due to its location halfway between the two cities. Many restaurants have outdoors dining in the summertime, which is honestly just perfect. If you can, spend 2-3 days in the San Luis Obispo area. This little town really has become what I would call a picture perfect example of a Southern California beach town: beautiful, laid back and lots of cool stuff to do. The Golden Gate Bridge is recognized throughout the globe as one of the longest and tallest suspension bridges, not to mention one of the most photographed! . 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. If youre up for a hike, the Pacific Valley Bluff Trail is one worth taking. Plan to spend the day exploring 17-Mile Drive in Pebble Beach with pull-outs and parking all along the way. 
When planning a California Coast road trip, Big Sur is an absolute must-see area. Find a cheap flight from San Diego to San Francisco. Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Inc. and two other airlines fly from San Francisco to San Diego hourly. Its rated as an easy hike, coming in at 1.6 miles. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive: beach, entertainment, dining, shopping, possible celebrity sightings, overnight stay. And if youre heading north for a bit, or if youre starting your trip in Sacramento instead of San Francisco, these Sacramento coffee shops are worth a visit to kick off any road trip! 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. There are multiple flights each day between the two cities and you are looking at about a 1 hour and 15-minute ride. One of the areas top attractions is the Stearns Wharf. Youll descend down to the Lands End Labyrinth, which is a really gorgeous spot on top of a cliff with views of the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge. Santa Cruz. The US Grant will provide you with an incredible stay mere minutes from restaurants, theaters, parks, and other places you won't want to miss out on. Its always a spectacular sight to behold! 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. It houses over 100 animals and species and costs $10 for adults and kids, and $8 for students, seniors and military. Check out these stops at the very least. Plus lessons for stand-up paddle boarding or even skimboarding. Youll see gorgeous views from the California Pacific Coast Highway along the way, too. This route takes about four hours to reach the entrance and another forty-five minutes to reach Yosemite Valley. Its somewhere you must stop on your PCH road trip and on everyLos Angeles itinerary! Youll get stunning views of Sand Dollar Beach and the surrounding Big Sur area.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'inspiredroutes_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_16',174,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-inspiredroutes_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0'); Can you believe this list?! Driving this epic west coast road trip, along the coast from San Francisco to San Diego, youll primarily take the Pacific Coast Highway, also known as US Highway 101. Capitola; 5. For a challenging trail in the Torrey Pines State Reserve, try Flinkote Torrey Pines Trail, a moderate hike at 3.8 miles. San Francisco; 2. If youre traveling with children, theres a fun playground called the Tomol Interpretive Play Area near the campground. There is a short walking path to observe the butterflies and learn about the migration process to warmer places. Once at the beach, during low tide the beach is wide and expansive. One of the most popular things to do in Lompoc is to go wine tasting. Particularly attractive is that the featured ports-of-call are not the usual San Pedro, Santa Barbara and Santa Catalina Island. If you can afford it, though, you'll come out of the experience even more excited to tackle the rest of this beautiful itinerary. These are some of the must-see places for this trip: Finding the time for a long road trip from San Francisco to San Diego can be difficult, but thankfully, San Diego is generally very accommodating regardless of what time of year you choose to visit in short, you can do this road trip whenever your schedule allows for it. 
With around 160 acres of beautiful property to explore, you'll be able to connect with nature like never before. One of But first lets highlight some activities in San Francisco before you start off on your big adventure. There's a lot less to see along this route, however, unless you're willing to make some inconvenient inland detours. stay at Top of the Mark. I would recommend bringing water shoes though, so that walking on the sand is comfortable and you can dip your feet in the water if youd like to. , A very thorough guide, so glad I stumbled upon it, Im headed to San Diego in the summer and would love to check out some of these places. I'm Nikki. Stone Hill Tavern. One thing you'll find here that isn't in the average home, though, is the full-service spa. Recommended by Lesley of Bucket List Publications follow on Instagram. Yankees Impact Players Not to mention, there's Comic-Con and a whole slew of great activities this time of year to keep you busy. Lets keep the sights and adventure going! By now youve seen so much! A quick stop at the Bixby Creek Bridge, one of Big Surs most iconic stops, will give you some great views and a great photo op. Natural Bridges State Beach is famous for the natural arch in the huge rock located right off the shoreline, hence its name. Located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, McWay Falls is one of the top spots to see in Big Sur. It costs $7-18 depending on the season, but the prime location is worth the price. What an action-packed road trip. In season, youll see lots of wildflowers. Youll also find small surfing waves for surf amateurs and amazing sea creatures to look for in the tide pools like sea urchins, starfish, sea anemones and so on. A tough game between Creighton and San Diego State comes down to a whistle, but was it the right call? With that said, being a city along the Pacific Coast, San Francisco is subject to summer fog and oceanside winds when these set in, don't expect temperatures to get much higher than the mid-60s. 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 we continue to move south in this epic road trip adventure, these next stops are all considered Southern California. What feels like a testament to Americas Gilded Age, Hearst Castle certainly shines in that periods glittering overindulgence. There is an entrance fee of $11.25 charged per vehicle if you wish to enter the private community of Pebble Beach and discover 17-Mile Drive. 
Or spend a few peaceful hours visiting the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden on the campus of California State University, Long Beach. If crowds aren't your thing, fall and winter are also fantastic times to be making this road trip, provided that the roads aren't in bad shape due to poor weather up north. If there is such a thing as a "bad" time to visit San Diego, it would have to be spring - and only sometimes. Now its a nostalgic pie shop. You could spend an hour here or an afternoon, depending on how much time you have to make the PCH drive. This is the hidden gem along Big Sur you were looking for! Or head to Pacific City for some popular retailers, local shops and tons of great restaurants, like Old Crow Smokehouse and Philz Coffee. The surf is best in the morning before the wind picks up. It's a fun way to enjoy a Yosemite road trip. For more info, see mydisclosures. 7- Hollywood Sign Hollywood is an iconic place to visit on a road trip. Walk the pier and enjoy scenic views of the mountains and palm trees in the distance. If you want an epic adventure that takes you from Silicon Valley to the wonders of southern California, consider a road trip from San Francisco to San Diego. Not many people have heard of Lompoc, California, but it is a seriously underrated stop on a PCH road trip! In fact, between San Diego and Vancouver are stops at Santa Cruz Island, Monterey and San Francisco in California before heading to Astoria and Rainier in Oregon and Port Angeles, Olympia, Anacortes and Friday Harbour, Rather than driving the Pacific Coast Highway, most people who just need to get from point A to point B will take I-5 up the middle of California. This incredible adventure along the California Pacific Coast Highway has some of the best sights in the USA! Just before the Westley Rest Area, get on Interstate 5. Below are 13 amazing stops to enjoy on a road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco along Highway 1. find more stops. Dont skimp out on Muir Woods National Monument! Thanks for hanging out on the blog today! Both viewpoints are worth visiting if you have the time! Take exit 79 toward Beach Cities, and then merge onto CA-1. Getting to Pfeiffer Beach isnt too tricky unless you have an RV or trailer. Santa Cruz. This is hands down one of thebest things to do in Big Sur. Driving time: 7 hours, 42 minutes. Your email will not be provided to third parties. Aside from that, guests will have access to countless amazing amenities the spa and massage centers, fitness areas, top-of-the-line cuisine, and the beautiful Horton Plaza Park located just outside all combine to make this one of the best hotels that this city has to offer. A road trip of this magnitude definitely requires a stop or five along the way. From 26 boutique hotels to luxury resorts like The Ranch Laguna Beach and Montage Laguna Beach, its easy to find the perfect fit regardless of your needs. Therefore, the best time for a San Francisco to San Diego road trip is November through April. If you want to do some hiking, spare half a day for climbing one of Seven Sisters, the dormant vocalic hills that surround San Luis Obispo. Cities are an integral part of this route - you'll be tempted by gorgeous beach towns every step of the way, although there's no shortage of forests and parks in between your city stopovers either. Combine that with the Danish architecture, and the young and old will love to see the interesting buildings in the town! :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/LA-to-SD-FINAL-b1927bddf057417b8a11c0b28704573b.png)
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