The Ultimate Road Trip: Exploring The Pacific Coast Highway

The Ultimate Road Trip: Exploring The Pacific Coast Highway – While many travelers start in Los Angeles and head north, driving the Pacific Coast Highway from north to south keeps you in the lane closest to the ocean. In Washington, Oregon, and at the northern end of California, the Pacific Coast Route follows US Highway 101. Near the small town of Leggett (home of the famous Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree), US-101 turns into scenic Highway 1, the most popular part of this route and a classic coastal California road trip.

For some reason, when people elsewhere in the country mention the Pacific Coast, especially California, it’s obvious that they think it’s a land of lunatics, an overcrowded suburban desert that supports only malls, freeways, and the body-obsessed. All this may be true for small pockets, but the amazing thing about the Pacific Coast – from the dense green forests of Western Washington to the beautiful beaches of Southern California – is that it is still largely wild, open and stunningly beautiful land, where you can drive for miles and miles. and have the landscape all to yourself.

The Ultimate Road Trip: Exploring The Pacific Coast Highway

The US Pacific Coast Road Trip begins at the northwestern tip of the United States in Port Townsend near Olympic National Park and stays within sight of the ocean almost all the way south to the Mexican border. This 1,650-mile (2,655 km) mostly two-lane route covers everything from temperate rainforest to near-desert. Most of the Pacific coast is publicly owned, accessible, and protected from development within national, state, and local parks, which provide habitat for such rare creatures as mountain lions, condors, and gray whales.

Of America’s Best Road Trips Purewow

Cape Flattery on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington is the most northwestern tip of the continental United States. Photo © Harry Hu/123rf.

Heading south, after heavy logging and fishing in Washington State, you cross the mouth of the Columbia River and follow the relatively calm and quiet Oregon Coast, where recreation has largely replaced industry and where dozens of quaint and not-so-quick communities line the ever-changing coastline. Midway you pass through the great redwood forests of Northern California, where the tallest and most majestic living creatures on earth line the Avenue of the Giants, home to some of the finest (meaning gloriously kitsch) remnants of the golden age of motoring: driving through the trees, driving on trees, houses carved from trees and much more. The phenomenally beautiful coast of Northern California can only be rivaled by the incredible coastline of Big Sur further south, beyond which stretches the coast of Southern California. The land of palm trees, beach boys and surfer girls of popular lore does exist, though only in the southernmost quarter of the state.

In addition to the incredible beauty of its natural beauty, the West Coast is remarkable for its abundance of well-preserved historic sites—most of which have not been demolished, built on, or built around—that stand as vivid evocations of life on what was once the farthest frontier of a new nation. Although rarely as old as sites on the East Coast, or as impressive as those in Europe, these diverse sites include Spanish colonial missions in California, Russian and English fur trading outposts, and the site where Lewis and Clark first saw the Pacific after their long tour by continent.

Last but certainly not least are the energizing cities—Seattle and Portland to the north, San Francisco in the middle, and Los Angeles and San Diego to the south—that serve as gateways to (or civilized respite from) the landscape in between. Add to this the dozens of small and not-so-small towns along the coast, with alternating blue-collar ports and luxury holiday resorts, and you have a wide variety of food, drink and accommodation options. Local cafes, seafood grills and bijou restaurants abound, as do places to stay—from youth hostels in old lighthouses to roadside motels (including the world’s first, still standing in lovely San Luis Obispo, California) to domestic pensions with breakfast in old country houses.

This Camper Van Rental In Seattle Is Perfect To Explore The Pacific Northwest On Budget

For better insight into each stop on your West Coast road trip, our content is organized by state, with the California coast divided into northern, central, and southern sections. Here are ten major landmarks along the Pacific Coast Highway that travelers looking to follow just a portion of the entire cross-country ski route might use to plan their drive:

A classic Big Sur photo is the beautiful McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Photo © 123rf. Even though I’ve lived in Washington for over two years, I can’t get enough of exploring this stunning area. This area is my favorite place in the world and I can’t wait to show you my version of the perfect Pacific Northwest travel itinerary. This itinerary is filled with waterfalls, breathtaking mountains, lakes, rivers, food, restaurants, beaches and more! I hope after exploring this area you will love it as much as I do!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful) at no additional cost to you.

After researching this area for almost three years, I have come up with the perfect itinerary for you! I’ve noted the highlights of each area below, and I’ve also linked to blog posts that go into more detail about each place.

California National Park Road Trip & Itineraries

I recommend flying into Seattle and then flying out of San Francisco. You also need a rental car, and I suggest renting one here.

Below is a map showing the route for 14 days. I also marked the area on Google Maps. You can download this map for your trip.

My favorite national park in Washington is North Cascades National Park. This place is very underrated! The bright blue turquoise color of the lake and the mountains in the background make this one of the best viewpoints in Washington state. Many people do not visit this national park because the trails are demanding, making it difficult for families with small children to see them.

I still think it’s worth a stop here even if you’re traveling with small children. Some of the more accessible trails include Blue Lake and Thunder Knob, and the two best vantage points are Diablo Lake Vista Point (shown in the photo above) and Washington Pass Lookout.

Road Trip: California’s Pacific Coast Highway National Geographic

More strenuous hikes for avid hikers include Maple Pass Loop, Thornton Lakes, Cutthroat Pass, Cascade Pass, and Hidden Lake.

Read my guide to North Cascades National Park: 7 Best North Cascades National Park Hikes from Locals

I lived in Seattle for years, and it’s still one of my favorite cities in the United States! The food is so good and I love walking around and exploring this unique place. The mountains in the distance with Pudget Sound beside it make Seattle one of the most beautiful cities I’ve seen.

Some of the most popular things to do are see Pike Place Market, The Needle, The Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, Olympic Sculpture Park, Discovery Park, Golden Gardens Beach, The Seattle Troll, Gas Works Park, or the Seattle Great Wheel. You only need a day or two to explore the most popular activities. Seattle is great, but what makes Washington unique is everything outside of the city. The outdoor scene in Washington is probably one of the best in the United States. So make sure you don’t spend most of your trip in Seattle.

Pacific Coast Highway Map And Guide

Olympic National Park is one of the most popular areas in Washington. The reason for this is that this place is so diverse as it has mountains, lakes, waterfalls, beaches and rainforests! It has everything! Olympic National Park is a paradise for nature lovers! With so much to offer, there’s so much to do, so it’s best to spend at least two days exploring here.

I recommend that you visit the western side of the park one day and the northern part on another. The most popular things to do in the northern area include Mount Storm King, Marymere Falls, Hurricane Ridge and Sol Duc Falls.

The west side has beautiful beaches such as Ruby Beach, Shi Shi and Second Beach. Also, the Hall of Mosses is so green and lush, and it’s perfection! You don’t want to miss it.

Mount Rainier is the most famous mountain in the state of Washington. You can see it from Seattle, even though it’s over a 3 hour drive! Hiking in the National Park is a must when you visit this country. The best and most popular part is the Paradise area and I love exploring it! The best things to see are Skyline Trail, Nisqually Vista Trail, Reflection Lakes and Comet Falls.

Sasquatch Picks For Summer Travel

If you head to the Sunrise area, Fremont Lookout and Naches Loop are my favorite trails! Naches Loop is magnificent in the summer when all the wildflowers are out.

Portland is such a fun city to explore for a day! The food here is exceptional and there are many breweries to try. Some of the popular things to do here include:

The Columbia River Gorge is a paradise for waterfall lovers.

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