In November, we had the opportunity to drive Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The seaside roadtrip is one of a lifetime and had interested me from a very early age. It's certainly one of the trips where the end isn't the destination, but the journey is. The best time to drive this road is said to be from September to November. It's definitely recommended to take it slow on this trip in order to take in all the sights and food. Highway 1 is one of the most fun, thrilling, and beautiful roads in America.

Day 1

Los Angeles/Malibu

We left Anaheim in the morning and got into our Nissan Rogue. We were a group of 4 so we needed something that was comfortable and spacious, but not too big to where it would topple over a cliff or something. Yikes. Los Angeles is such a big city and it took at least an hour to get through it. Our destination was Santa Barbara, a wonderful coastal city just north of Los Angeles. We made a pit stop for gas in Malibu Beach, a quick picture, and we were on our way!

Santa Barbara

The drive to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles was only 45 minutes so we made it before lunch time. We ate some hibachi on State Street, which has many good restaurants, and took a quick walk to the Stearn's Wharf where we hung out for a bit. Santa Barbara's beaches were so nice (especially compared to the ones we have in Texas!)

Pismo Beach

We ended up staying at Santa Barbara longer than we thought and so we drove quickly to our next stop, Pismo Beach. We made it just before sunset and managed to catch a beautiful scene as we walked to Pismo Beach Pier.

San Luis Obispo

After the pier, we wanted to retire for the night since it was too dark to drive. We drove just 15 minutes north to the college town of San Luis Obispo, home to California Polytech State University. We had heard about an eccentric inn called Madonna Inn. Apparently, everyone has to stay there if they're driving through and we wanted to see what the hubbub was about. My, we were definitely in for a shock. The rooms there are very colorful and decorative. We ended up going more rustic and chose the room called "Gentleman's Club" and called it a day.

Day 2

Morro Bay

After breakfast, we drove off in the morning to our next destination, Morro Bay. Morro Bay was only 30 minutes away and we made it in good time. Morro Bay is fantastic. It's a giant rock formation off the coast and is home to many different sea animals. We saw many otters. We took a quick hike around the rock formation before we left the area.

Highway 101

Due to rockslides, part of Highway 1 is closed so we had to take a detour inland. We drove until we found Highway 101. The area is filled with wine vineyards which we unfortunately didn't have time for. Highway 101 was still a beautiful drive with many rolling hills.

Our detour took us next to a US Military Base where Victoria decided to sit on a tank.

Our detour drive to Big Sur is a very exciting, thrilling drive. It's very tight, small, and hugs lots of cliffs. I really suggest 10-2 driving here! I included a small video of some parts of the drive.

Big Sur

When we finally reconnected to Highway 1, we were stunned by the beauty of the area. We made our way to Big Creek Cove first.

McWay Falls next.

and Bixby Bridge.

Point Lobos

After Big Sur, we made a pit stop in Point Lobos State Park. (I proposed here!).

The sun was setting at this point and we so we needed to find a good resting point. We decided the city of Monterrey was the best option. We ate some VERY good food on the pier. Below is a picture of a crab-stuffed, cheese Pretzel.

Day 3

Monterrey

This is definitely one of the best looking cities ever. The people here are so relaxed. I can't blame them. We took a quick drive on Ocean View Blvd and stopped at Lover's Point.

Santa Cruz

After Monterrey, we made an hour drive to the city of Santa Cruz. We visited a local favorite tourist spot called the Mystery Spot where gravity defies all odds. I won't spoil it for you, but if you're over there, check it out!

Afterwards, we checked out the boardwalk. It was November and so many of the rides/games were closed.

##Henry Cowell State Park
After Santa Cruz, we drove up into Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. Only 10 dollars to get in but it was so worth it. We saw some huge, majestic Redwood trees. It's crazy to be in a forest full of trees older than the discovery of America. It's a humbling experience. We paled in size compared to these giant beauties.

San Francisco

It was getting late and we wanted to get to San Francisco before sunset. Victoria had never seen the Golden Gate Bridge and that was our final stop.

The Highway 1 drive was a memorable experience and I'm glad I had the opportunity to share my trip with all of you. Please don't hesitate to comment if you have any questions about the drive!

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