This was part of a holiday in san francisco and we ventured out of town for this classic california road trip. And to get you started we have put together a fantastic guide to 3 days in san francisco written by a local to help you put together the perfect san francisco itinerary. About 500 miles of coastline separates the sunsoaked beach lifestyle of san diego from the progressive and artistic city vibe of san francisco. Heres my 10day california coast road trip itinerary.
Road trip from san francisco to san diego in 7 days. Soledad veterans memorial, a small mountain that has views of the entire city. A fun seven day itinerary for a road trip from san diego to san francisco, california road trip, san diego to san francisco road trip, pacific coast highway road trip, driving highway 1, highway 1 road trip, what to do in san diego, what to do in san diego, san diego tips, san francisco tips, san diego travel, san francisco travel, san diego to san francisco travel, seven. We recommend making a few extra stops along the way to really enjoy these different locations. View petfriendly stops between san francisco and san diego. Yosemite must have a minimum of 2 nights because of the long drive 4. Things to do in san francisco, california 5 things to do in san diego when it rains new zealand south island 2 week road trip. From the iconic cities to the remote national parks, embarking on a california road trip is a dream bucket list trip for many people.
Starting in northern california, san francisco is a great place to begin a california road trip. Taking a road trip from san francisco to san diego via highway 99 will bring you through some of californias most unique and entertaining areas. San francisco i have had so many incredible trips to san francisco, but this summer i got the chance to see the famous golden gate bridge on its 81 st birthday. Highway 1 along the west coast of north america has long captivated travelers, from the spanish missionaries of 400 years ago to todays roadtrippers. Pack the right road trip essentials road trips can be boring, especially if you dont pack the right stuff. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places. Ive seen posts stating 10 days isnt enough time, but considering were neither independently wealthy or retired, this is the best. Sep 05, 2019 a west coast usa road trip is one of the classic american road trips. The perfect san diego itinerary for first time visitors. The route runs anticlockwise, but you are welcome to drive it in whichever direction you prefer. Road trip from san francisco to san diego on highway 99. A road trip with a little bit of beach, nature, quaint towns, major cities, and everything in between.
On arrival at san francisco international airport, youll be picked up and taken directly to the first hotel where youll get to know the tour director over evening drinks and a meal from 6pm. If this is your first trip to san francisco, youll want to spend at least 3 or 4 nights to get a proper taste. The ultimate pacific coast highway road trip travel us news. Driving up the pacific coast highway and highway 1 on a west coast usa road trip is an experience to remember its one that i certainly do. In a perfect world, it s an eight hour road trip, but while the word perfect applies to many things in the state of california, rarely is it used to describe driving conditions. The ultimate pacific coast highway road trip travel us.
You could drive in a day on a long clear highway with minimum traffic, but this would deprive you of an exhilarating experience which money could never buy. A road trip itinerary for california and nevada bruised. The combination of natural beauty and that great california quality of life that has become famous, are what made this drive special. In the city, spend a few hours in the thoughtprovoking san francisco museum of modern art and have a creative snack at the museums in situ. Route 66 doesnt have anything on calis coastal highway 1. Big sur san francisco 147miles236km head north back to san francisco, and explore the city. Road trip itinerary from san francisco to san diego in 7. Road trip from san francisco to san diego in 7 days fodors. If there is one thing that people think of when they think of california, its sunshine. If youre lucky to have a few extra days for your pch road trip, a week is a pretty fantastic amount of time to see all that the pacific coast highway has to offer but not feel rushed. This coastal town is great because of the incredible views, the local food, and the unique things you can do here.
Depending on your cup of tea, there are a bunch of familyfriendly activities along the way sure to please everyone. This california itinerary was designed to be a fun san diego to san francisco road trip packed full of the west coasts top attractions and things to do. I would really appreciate it if some of you would enlighten me with fulfilling, fun, enriching, and much more stop ideas along the way and great things to do, not so touristy but. To round it off, either add another day on one of the stops in the middle and one more day in san diego or keep the rest of the itinerary as is and finish you san francisco to san diego road trip with four days in san diego. The heart of the pacific coast highway, this scenic stretch is the stuff of road trip bucket lists. San francisco, the city by the bay kick off your holiday in style with a private v. I felt like we did a huge range of everything and it was the. The san francisco to san diego drive via the pacific coast highway can easily be called the road trip of a lifetime. You can also recognize it by its abbreviation pch, california coast road trip, pacific coast road trip, route 1, highway 101 through washington and oregon, or even just highway 1 in california. Remember, many of these great attraction options and more are available on our california attractions pass options, where you can save up to 55% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. If you have time on your drive there, stop off at the glider port. Jun 18, 2016 the heart of the pacific coast highway, this scenic stretch is the stuff of road trip bucket lists. San diego to san francisco road trip itinerary california.
Our amazing cross country road trip weekend getaway. San francisco is full of shops, restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries and coffeehouses. Southern california coast road trip in 5 days san diego day 1 san diego. San francisco and san diego make great ends for the road trip. Seattle to san diego itinerary road trips forum tripadvisor. Upon arrival, orient yourself by driving to the top of mt. Heres our 7day pacific coast highway road trip itinerary. The diversity of the states terrain is chockfull of interesting sites and plenty of adventure along the way. Our pacific coast highway road trip guide has you starting in san francisco and heading south to san diego, but its easy enough to change it up and climb your way up the coast instead.
Explore the best things to do in san diego in 3 days based on recommendations from local experts. Plan a california coast road trip with a flexible itinerary. A road trip itinerary and planning guide in usa starting from san francisco along the pacific coastal highway and on to death valley and ending in vegas. Aug 07, 2016 we did the pacific coast highway from san francisco to san diego over three days. As a seasoned veteran for all things california, there are countless stops between san diego and san francisco s wine country. And the california coast is nearly always blessed with brilliant sunshine and mild temperatures yearround, meaning there really isnt. If youre looking for a southern california road trip itinerary that takes you to hidden gems and shows you a side of southern california most tourists dont. It is easy to fly into from major hubs around the world and car rentals can be picked up directly at the airport. Sep 10, 2019 pack the right road trip essentials road trips can be boring, especially if you dont pack the right stuff. San francisco to san diego road trip california coastal. May 01, 2018 this california itinerary was designed to be a fun san diego to san francisco road trip packed full of the west coasts top attractions and things to do. Rica, mexico, and guatemala and cut our time in the us to 2 months enough to squeeze in a gorgeous 18 day long road trip from san francisco to las vegas and back.
While you can drive between the two cities along the i5 highway in just under 6 hours, taking your time and driving along the coast provides travellers with some amazing sites and stops to see. There are tons to do in this bustling city so see our post on the top things to do in san francisco. So the skeleton of the trip would be a couple weeks and we would fly into san diego, rent a car, and stop places on the way to san francisco and then fly back to ohio. Wake up early for a drive on highway 1 from santa cruz less than two hours 80 miles to san francisco. Yosemite must have a minimum of 2 nights because of the long drive 4 5 hrs.
This california road trip itinerary has you starting and finishing in san francisco. Our video includes realistic timings but make sure you check out. The pacific coast highway road trip was one of the most pleasant drives we ever took. How to complete an epic pacific coast highway road trip. This pacific coast highway itinerary for 7 days will let you take the whole route and.
I have dinner reservations and hotel booked for 123112. On this san francisco to san diego road trip itinerary, you wont have radio service at times so among other road trip essentials i always recommend, include a bluetooth transmitter for your phone. Best of california 8 days itinerary from san francisco. If youre planning a road trip to san diego, you can research locations to stop along the way. Make the most out of your adventure with this stepbystep pacific coast highway road trip itinerary. We made it to san diego and wow, is this city gorgeous. Route one itinerary three days san francisco to san diego. After years of dreaming about it, i finally checked this off my bucket list.
Road trip itinerary from san francisco to monterey san. United states road trip from san francisco to san diego in 7 days hello im planning a trip from new york flying into san francisco than we will be renting a car and doing the road trip down. Heres a sample itinerary for a drive from san francisco to san diego. Unfortunately, this is our last stop on this incredible road trip.
Easygoing san diego is a great place to start any vacation. The ultimate pacific coast highway road trip itinerary what is the pacific coast highway. The ultimate california road trip itinerary the planet d. California coast road trip san francisco to san diego. Begin your road trip with four days in san francisco, which will allow you to see and do more and truly experience the city. Named as one of the most scenic drives in america, californias state highway 1 or the pacific coast highway road trip is well worth the hype. From san francisco, highway 1 passes by swaths of undeveloped coastline before reaching monterey. A californian road trip is a rite of passage for any traveler. I was enchanted by the gorgeous coastline, rolling hills, and sprawling desert. Road trip san diego to san francisco via hwy 1 enterprise. Pacific coast highway from san francisco to san diego. This curvy coastal route can be slow and relaxing but at the same time hectic.
We are starting off in san francisco two days after christmas and need to end up in disneyland on new years eve. One hundred and twentynine miles 207 km of highway one, from monterey through big sur and down to san luis obispo, has. Follow along as we journey between san francisco and san diego, with stops at inspirato destinations that elevate the road trip to luxurious getaway. A day trip to napa finally, if you have a fourth day in san francisco, take some time to drive north of the city and into napa or sonoma, two of the finest wine countries in the world. We have done this trip 4 times now and love pacific coast highway and. A west coast usa road trip is one of the classic american road trips. The whole trip may take 12 hours or longer, but there is an abundance of opportunities along the way. Road trip from san diego to san francisco via highway 1 california, the golden state, is one of the best places in the country to go for a road trip. My husband and i have planned a 10 day road trip to drive down the west coast from seattle to san diego. Road trip itinerary from san francisco to san diego in 7 days.
California roadtrip itinerary driving a san diego to san. I was thinking one night in san francisco to visit some of the touristy attractions. The journey down highway 1 begins in the eclectic city of san francisco. We did the pacific coast highway from san francisco to san diego over three days. A winding path that hugs a brilliant, undeveloped coast, endless lookout points, and vistas for days you will find all this and much more on the pch. San francisco the perfect itinerary for firsttimers. San francisco is located almost smackdab in the middle of californias coastline and is hands down one of the most diverse and exciting cities in the us. Sevenday itinerary from san diego to san francisco our week driving up the california coast was full of incredible moments. Head up the coast to start your day with a hike in one of san diegos prettiest spots. Northern california coast road trip in 5 days san francisco san francisco bay area day 1. Fasten your seatbelt for an unbeatable road trip from san diego, california, to friday harbor in the san juan islands. A visit to california wouldnt be complete without a road trip on the pacific coast highway. Monterey is a perfect stop for anyone traveling up the coast of california on a san francisco to san diego road trip.
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