‘Can’t Miss’ Stops Along The Pacific Coast Highway

California
Written By Stephanie M

Bixby Creek Bridge in Monterey, California.

Driving the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is arguably one of the most iconic road trips on earth. It has everything you could possibly want in a road trip from sunny beaches, towering redwoods, vintage wines, otters and stunning views. From someone who has gone up and down the PCH multiple times, here are my ‘can’t miss’ stops that you can use as a starting point to craft your road trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which direction is the best direction to drive in?

I live in Los Angeles so when I completed the drive on the PCH, I drove northbound, but you can certainly go either way! This list is in order starting from the south and going north. It assumes you’re flying into LAX. If you’re planning to start north and go south, just reverse it!

I’ve heard the Pacific Coast Highway called multiple different nicknames. What are these?

There are multiple ways people refer to the Pacific Coast Highway. The most popular ones are the PCH, Highway One, and The One. It is also sometimes referred to as the Cabrillo Highway, the Shorline Highway, and the Redwood Highway, but these are less popular names.

Where does the PCH start and end?

The PCH starts in Orange County, just a few miles south of Irvine and Long Beach, and runs all the way up to Mendocino County in the northern part of California. The entire trip is about 655 miles total, about three-quarters of the California coastline.

What should I wear?

The weather is totally different in Southern California compared to Northern California, and the state does get cold! Winter and spring months have also been a bit more rainy than usual in recent years. Definitely be prepared for cooler temperatures, rain, wind, and fog. Here’s a rough outline of what I’d recommend packing:

  • Bathing suit

  • Rain jacket (something like this that you can layer underneath would be perfect)

  • A warm jacket

  • Loungewear (you’ll be in the car a lot)

  • Hiking clothes

  • Sunglasses and a hat

  • Sneakers

  • Shoes that you can easily slip on and off

  • Not a packing item but download Offline Maps! You won’t have service the entire drive and even though you’re pretty much only driving on one road the entire trip, it is still nice to have access to a map.

Road Closures Near Big Sur

Driving map from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz

Due to mudslides, parts of the PCH are closed near Big Sur. Looking at the map above, you’ll see that Big Sur is separated into a northern section and a southern section. If you’re driving south to north, you’ll need to take Highway 101 to Highway 68 west (near Salinas) to Highway 1 south from Monterey. This route adds only ~35 minutes to your drive.

This part of the PCH is still closed as of March 2024. There is no estimated date of re-opeing.

Stop 1: Hermosa Beach & Manhattan Beach

When you think of Southern California beaches, you probably think of Santa Monica or Venice, but I promise you Hermosa and Manhattan Beach are one million times better than those! And I may be a bit biased because I live in Hermosa Beach, but this area is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the state and not nearly as crowded or as touristy as other beaches in the area.

Hermosa and Manhattan are located in the South Bay, which is the southwest corner of Los Angeles. The two beaches are home to a very active, oceanside lifestyle — which you’ll notice immediately as residents are always out walking, running, biking, and surfing.

I have a detailed guide on Hermosa Beach here, but here’s what I recommend doing if you only have a few hours in the area:

Hermosa Beach

  • Park your car in Hermosa Beach. You may be able to find free street parking a few blocks away from the beach, like on Monterey Boulevard, or you can park in the public lot here. You’ll leave your car all day as Hermosa and Manhattan are extremely walkable.

  • Get breakfast at Martha’s, which is a restaurant in Hermosa Beach that is very near and dear to all the locals hearts (their slogan is 'where the locals go'). I swear I come here once a week with my friends because it is just so good and such a charming little restaurant steps away from the beach. There will most likely be a wait, but it is worth it! However, if you don’t feel like waiting for a patio seat, you can often times find open seating at the bar indoors pretty quickly.

  • Rent a bike (or just walk if you aren’t up for biking) and explore The Strand, which is a 22-mile paved walking path that goes along the ocean. It starts at the Palos Verdes Peninsula (which is to the south of Hermosa) and ends in the north at Rogers Park in the Pacific Palisades/Santa Monica area. The Strand is so beautiful because you have the ocean on one side and then some of the nation’s most expensive homes on the other side. These homes typically sell anywhere from $5M to $30M. Honestly just looking at them is an activity. If you’re visiting on the weekend, there’s usually open houses as well that you can check out (an activity I love doing on the weekends, even though I’ll never be able to afford one of them lol). I recommend getting on The Strand and walking/riding north towards Manhattan Beach (if you’re on The Strand in Hermosa and facing the ocean, you’ll walk to the right). The walk from Hermosa to Manhattan Beach and back is a little over 3 miles roundtrip and takes about 35-minutes to walk one way.

Manhattan Beach

  • Once you get to Manhattan Beach via The Strand, go out on the pier and watch the surfers. There’s also a cute little free aquarium at the end of the pier.

  • Walk up the hill in front of the pier and get ice cream at Salt & Straw. This is some of the best ice cream in Southern California! It is a bit pricey, not going to lie, but the brand has a cult-like following because it is so good. They also do seasonal flavors which change out regularly.

  • There’s a bunch of cute little shops that you can bop in and out of in Manhattan Beach. Honestly I recommend just walking around and exploring the area!

In my opinion, I don’t think you need to spend a night in Los Angeles if you’re tight on time. Unless you’re dying to see some of the iconic landmarks like the Hollywood sign, the Santa Monica pier, or the Walk of Fame (places I actually just don’t even recommend because there’s so many better things to see that are way less touristy), you can skip spending the night. If you do want to spend a night in the city, I’d recommend staying in either the Santa Monica area or West Hollywood area, which are both central launching points to explore the hot spots.

The Strand near the Manhattan Beach Pier.

The Strand near the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Stop 2: El Matador State Beach

From Hermosa Beach, you’ll get on the PCH and head north about 1-hour to Malibu. I highly recommend stopping at El Matador State Beach, which is known for its rock arches and sea caves (located at the end of the beach). You’ve probably seen videos or images of El Matador before, as it is a super popular spot for commercial and photography shoots.

There’s a small, 20-spot parking lot here that you can try and get a spot at or you can park on the PCH and cross the road — just be super careful. I recommend coming here for sunset or for a quick walk along the beach to check out the rock formations because they are really cool. This would also be a good spot just to break up the driving a bit.

Depending on time, you could stay in Malibu for the evening or continue north up to Santa Barbara, which is about an hour away. You’ll probably be able to find much cheaper accommodations in Santa Barbara as well.

Stop 3: Santa Barbara

Definitely spend a night (or even two) in Santa Barbara! Assuming you arrived in Los Angeles early, this is where I recommend you spend your first night and then use your second day to explore the area! Santa Barbara is extremely walkable, so park your car and forget about it during your visit.

Here are my favorite things to do in Santa Barbara (if you want more recommendations, I have a detailed guide here):

  • The Santa Barbara Courthouse is an absolute must stop when visiting Santa Barbara. When you tell someone to visit a courthouse, they usually scoff at the idea, but the Santa Barbara Courthouse is one of the most stunning pieces of architecture I have ever seen. Built in 1929, the courthouse will make your jaw-drop with beautiful tile mosaics, an amazing garden filled with palm trees and colorful florals, and views of the city and ocean from the top of the clocktower (which you can climb up to). The Courthouse is located about a block off of State Street.

  • Thousand Steps Beach is a great place to go if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Santa Barbara. Here you’ll find a multi-tier stairway which will take you from the top of the cliff at the end of Santa Cruz Boulevard down to a rocky beach. It is a great place for tide-pooling. There’s only room for a few cars at the top of the stairs, but you can easily find additional parking on the main road.

  • Walk around and explore State Street, which is right in downtown Santa Barbara. State Street is an expansive 10-block pedestrian walkway between Sola and Gutierrez Streets and is filled with shops, restaurants, breweries, wineries, and overall just a really pretty area. I also recommend exploring off the beaten path and just wondering along the streets off of State Street.

  • Loquita is a popular and locally-loved Spanish restaurant serving seasonal paellas, seafood, tapas, and delicious sangria. Their cocktail program is actually one of the best in Santa Barbara and pays tribute to Spanish classics. This dinner-only restaurant also has a beautifully designed patio that is super dreamy and romantic (pictured above, far right). Because this restaurant is so popular, you’ll want to make sure you have a reservation. They usually have a line at the door before they even open because it is that good!

Stop 4: Ojai

If you have time, I recommend stopping in Ojai either before or after Santa Barbara. Ojai is a small city in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles. It is located in Topatopa Mountains and has art galleries, shops, and breweries. Bordering the Los Padres National Forest, you’ll also find great hiking trails in the area. You don’t need to spend a ton of time here, but it’d be a great stop for an early morning walk or for lunch. Some things to do in Ojai:

  • Ojai Tortilla House is amazing! You can’t eat here because it is so small (pictured above, top left), but you can take your burritos and/or tacos to the public park across the street and eat there. I recommend getting here early because they often sell out — it is so so so good!

  • Walk around downtown a bit and visit Bart’s Books, which is a cute outdoors bookstore.

  • Stop at Topa Topa Brewery.

  • Visit a winery, like Old Creek Ranch Winery (15 mins each way from downtown, but worth it), or Topa Mountain Winery.

Stop 5: San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay

San Luis Obispo (SLO) and Morro Bay are about ~2 hours north of Santa Barbara.

  • Pismo Beach: This is an iconic beach in California and a popular surf spot. The beach is 17-miles with super pretty cliffs and a pier.

  • Hike Bishop Peak Trail: If you’re up for a hike, this is a popular one in SLO. Rated hard, this 3.7 mile out and back hike is a great workout and will give you views of the entire San Luis Obispo area at the top, including nearby Cerro San Luis Obispo to the east.

  • Walk around downtown SLO and explore! There isn’t a ton to actually “do” but there’s a lot to see and it is a really cute area! Stop by the Fremont Theater (a building from the1940s), and the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful missions in California (built in 1772). One of the more unique landmarks is Bubblegum Alley, which is a narrow, 15-foot high and 70-foot long alley lined with bubblegum.

Stop 6: Paso Robles

I recommend staying in Paso Robles for a night or two— especially if you like wineries! A lot of people doing the PCH drive actually skip Paso Robles because it is about ~30-minutes inland, but it is definitely worth the stop! Paso Robles feels like Napa but has just as good wine, is way less touristy and not as pricey.

The downtown area of Paso Robles is filled with little boutiques and is a quaint place to spend the morning shopping. But the main draw is the wine (obviously). There are lots of established wineries to choose from and also a burgeoning craft scene of smaller producers, as well as cider and beer makers. Like most wine countries, this is a place where you can relax and explore slowly.

Some of the best wineries to checkout:

Paso Robles is beautiful and there’s so much more to do here than just drink wine (but also there is nothing wrong with doing just that lol)! Here’s some other things to do:

  • A hot air balloon ride with Balloons Over Paso would be an amazing family activity.

  • Bruce Munro: Light At Sensorio which is a 15-acre light show on rolling hills with fiber-optic stemmed spheres that change colors. I personally haven’t been here yet but it has been on my bucket list for a while — it looks amazing!

  • Estrella Warbirds Museum is a museum of military aircrafts, military vehicles, and memorabilia to those who flew and worked on military aircraft. If you’re into history, museums or just the military in general, definitely check it out!

Stop 7: Big Sur, Carmel-By-The-Sea, & Monterey

About 2 1/2 hours from Paso Robles is Big Sur and Monterey—two places you definitely cannot skip!

The Big Sur coastline is one of the most iconic places along the PCH and a main stopping point for most people driving the coast. I’d recommend staying the night in Monterey so you have enough time to explore the area.

Highlights include the iconic Bixby Creek Bridge, McWay Falls and Pfeiffer Beach (FYI only a limited number of cars are allowed down to the beach carpark at Pfeiffer Beach, so you have to get lucky).

Once you get closer to Monterey, you’ll need to get off the 101 and back onto the PCH (the 1) and drive south (reference the map at the top of this blog post). You’ll go through Monterey, but don’t worry, you’ll stop here on your way back north, and continue driving south until you hit your first stop: Bixby Creek Bridge. There’s a small parking lot near the bridge that you can park at, but you may need to pass by it a few times before you can get a spot, which is what we had to do because it was packed. Once you’re parked, cross the PCH and you’ll have multiple viewpoints of the bridge. This was the highlight of my PCH road trip!

Afterwards, continue driving south for about ~40 minutes to McWay Falls, which is a very easy, flat 0.5 mile walk in the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Park at the South Parking lot  and follow the signs for McWay Falls. You can check up-to-date status reports on all trails in Pfeiffer Burns State Park here.

After McWay Falls, drive back north towards Monterey but stop at Nepenthe for lunch, dinner, or just a drink! Nepenthe is a restaurant basically in between McWay Falls and the Bixby Creek Bridge and is an iconic eatery perched on top of the the Big Sur cliffside. I highly recommend stopping for the views!

You should also stop at the Big Sur Bakery which is just a few minutes away from Nepenthe!

Here’s some must-sees in the Monterey area and Carmel-By-The-Sea (where the TV show Big Little Lies was set):

  • Folktale Winery & Vineyards: This winery is stunning! You could easily spend a whole afternoon here. Come just for the wine or enjoy lunch here.

  • Monterey Bay Aquarium: This aquarium is world-class and has over 200 exhibits and 80,000 plants and animals on display. While you’re here, it would also be a good opportunity to visit cannery row and fisherman’s wharf, which you can walk to. 

  • Pebble Beach: World-famous golf course but also home to the Lone Cypress which is one of the most photographed trees in the world! Plus the drive to get here is extremely beautiful!

  • Point Lobos State Reserve: A beautiful oceanside state reserve known for sightseeing, photography, painting, nature study, picnicking, SCUBA diving and jogging.

Stop 8: Santa Cruz

Next up is Santa Cruz, which is about ~1 hour north of Monterey. Santa Cruz is famous for its surf and hippy culture, as well as the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It is home to beaches, redwood-covered mountains and a laid-back beach vibe.

Some must-sees while you’re in Santa Cruz:

Stop 9: San Francisco

Drive an hour north from Santa Cruz and you’ll reach San Francisco. I’ll be totally honest: San Francisco is probably one of my least favorite places in California. I’ve only visited once and that was enough for me. However, if you’ve never been, there’s a few places you’ll want to check out! If you’re short on time, I recommend a day in the city and then allocating a day or two to visit Sonoma and the Muir Woods (the next stop). Otherwise, you’ll probably want two full days in San Francisco in order to hit all the highlights.

San Francisco must-sees:

  • Alcatraz Island: This was one of the most memorable things I did in San Francisco! Alcatraz Island is a 25-acre island located 1 ¼ mile from San Francisco. The Island was designated in 1933 by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to be a maximum security prison, and while in operation held dangerous criminals such as Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Robert Franklin Stroud, better know as the “Birdman of Alcatraz.” Get tickets in advanced (I’d recommend going on the first tour of the day) which cost about $50/per person. The tour is about 2 1/2 hours and is self-guided .

  • Golden Gate Bridge: There’s a lot of places where you can see the bride, but here’s a few great options to pick from (I think Baker Beach or riding a bike/walking through Crissy Field are two great options!).

  • Dolores Park: A nearly 16 acres park that is shaded by tall palm tress, has tennis courts, and is a great spot for a picnic. You’ll also have great views of the city’s skyline here.

  • The View Lounge: One of the coolest bars in San Francisco with the best view. It is located at the topmost level of the Marriott Marquee and has views of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge. No reservation needed, but I recommend getting there for golden hour.

  • Here’s a list of some great coffee spots:

  • Some bakeries you’ll want to check out:

Stop 10: Sonoma & Muir Woods

Muir Woods National Monument is about 1-hour from San Francisco and then Sonoma is about another hour from there.

I’d recommend stopping at the Muir Woods on your way to Sonoma from San Francisco and doing a few hikes, and then heading up to Sonoma to spend a day or two.

Hikes in Muir Woods:

  • Fren Creek and Hillside Loop: An easy 2-mile loop that is fully shaded by towering redwood trees. You'll pass popular sites like the Redwood Tree Slice, Pinchot Tree, Cathedral Grove, and Bohemian Grove.

  • Muir Main Trail: An easy 1.5 mile out-and-back hike that follows a wooden boardwalk.

  • Bootjack Loop: A moderately rated 6.3 mile hike with over 1,000 feet of elevation gain that passes by a few small waterfalls and crosses a few creeks.

Things To Do In Sonoma:

  • Petaluma is a city in Sonoma County and if you’re looking for an area to stay in for the night, I recommend staying here! I stayed in Petaluma for a weekend in December of 2019 and it was AMAZING! Seriously a trip I still think about all the time and probably one of my favorite places in California. It is such a charming little town with cute eateries, tasting rooms, and culture. Plus it is a great launching point to several popular wineries. Even if you decide to not spend the night here, you should definitely just checkout the downtown area.

  • Here’s a list of wineries to visit. I’ll also note that when you’re in Sonoma and go to one winery, there’s often times a bunch within a 5-minute driving distance. When I went, we started at one and then just bopped around to other wineries in the area. You don’t have to be super ridged with your plan.

Stephanie M
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