One of the most incredible drives in the U.S. is California State Route 1, otherwise known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Running 686 miles from Leggett in the north to Dana Point in the south, it hugs almost the entire California coastline. And it offers one beautiful sight after another! If you’re planning a road trip, this detailed guide highlights some of my favorite stops, from the quiet hills just north of San Francisco to the chaos of LA. You can make up a lot of the travel as you go, but these are the key places I’d add to your Pacific Coast Highway itinerary.

Muir Beach

This long, quiet stretch of sand is a great place to take a walk. If you want a view from above, you can head to the nearby Muir Beach Overlook — and if you’ve made reservations (or if you’re willing to park far down the road and walk a long way), you can head just ten minutes inland for a visit to Muir Woods National Monument.

Golden Gate Bridge

The PCH takes drivers right over this iconic structure, and you can stop to see it at a number of different places. I took in the view from the Coastal Trail near Lands End, just behind the must-see Legion of Honor museum.

Pescadero State Beach

Just under an hour down the road from San Francisco, this is a great place to stop to see rocky cliffs, sandy coves, and shorebird colonies.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Now we’re in shipwreck territory — there are so many dangerous rocks at this outcropping that a lighthouse was built in 1872 (as an interesting side note, Pigeon Point was named after the wreck of a ship named Carrier Pigeon). The old keepers’ quarters have been turned into a hostel, so if you’d like to spend the night right out by the water, this is a great opportunity.

Monterey Peninsula

There’s a lot to see here: Lover’s Point, Pebble Beach, Fisherman’s Wharf (go for the sea lions; skip the terribly touristy shops), and more. From tide pools to much larger critters, this is a wildlife lover’s paradise (I’ve written much more about California wildlife finds here). You’ll want to spend an entire day at Monterey, especially if you plan to go whale watching or visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Stop at this adorable (if pricey) town for boutique shopping in fairytale cottages, windswept cypress trees by the beach, and great restaurants (I’d recommend making reservations at Stationæry for brunch or Cultura for dinner).

Garrapata State Park

While there are plenty of places to pull over and see the coastal headlands, this is one of the few places where you can get out and actually take a walk. The hikes out toward the shore aren’t long, but wow, are they stunning.

Bixby Bridge

Built in 1932, this bridge was the highest single-span arch bridge in the world at the time of its completion. While Bixby has long since lost that title to bridges in China and India, it remains an amazing sight.

Big Sur

The coastline gets wild and woolly here, and it feels like you’ve entered an entirely different world. Now the road runs through redwood forests, the coast is misty, the cliffs seem even more dramatic. It’s hard to describe this landscape — safe to say that it shouldn’t be missed.

If you do make it down to Big Sur, it’s worth stopping at Nepenthe for lunch or dinner with a to-die-for-view. If you end up at Nepenthe before lunchtime, you can still visit their beautifully-outfitted Phoenix Shop and have a snack from this overlook at Cafe Kevah:

Note that as of the fall of 2023, the PCH is closed 30 miles south of Big Sur because of a giant landslide. So you cannot currently drive all the way down the PCH — if you want to see Big Sur, you need to drive south from Monterey, turn around after you’ve taken in the sights, and then head back north to make your way to an inland, southerly route (the easiest is the 101). It’s a pain in the neck, but the endless amazing overlooks at Big Sur are worth it.

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery

Get up close and personal with elephant seals! You can’t actually walk up to them (that’s for the best for everyone), but you can lean over a railing and see them from less than two dozen feet away at Hearst Memorial Beach in San Simeon. This is an incredible place — and you can also enjoy a shore walk while you’re there.

Hearst Castle

William Randolph Hearst and architect Julia Morgan were a formidable pair, and you’ll never see any other building like this one (that’s the Roman Pool above). Seeing the castle will take half a day and a chunk of change, but if you’re driving down the PCH, it would be a shame to miss it. Stay in nearby Cambria for a glimpse into life in a small and charming seaside town.

Morro Bay

The big attraction here is supposed to be Morro Rock, an enormous volcanic mound that sits right out in the middle of the bay. And yes, it’s an impressive chunk of stone — but I was so excited about this sea otter that I didn’t pay the rock much mind. If you have time, Morro Bay is a great place to rent a sea kayak and paddle around with the marine life.

Solvang

The PCH turns inland for a long stretch — Pismo Beach is the only coastal spot anywhere for miles — and there’s not much to see. But it’s worth taking a 10-minute detour to visit the entirely distinctive town of Solvang. It has windmills! Why? In 1911, a group of Danish farmers from the midwest bought 9,000 acres in this region as a respite from the cold winters (who can blame them?). They started crafting buildings in traditional Danish styles after World War II, and poof — a tourist mecca was born.

Point Mugu State Park

I know that I’ve skipped over Santa Barbara to get here, which some people would consider criminal. If you want long, sandy beaches and your first taste of something like a city in many miles, then by all means, Santa Barbara is worth a visit. But it was a bit too crowded for my taste, so I continued on to the wild overlooks at Point Mugu.

Leo Carrillo State Beach

I loved the tiny, sandy coves that dot this beach park — I had an itty-bitty beach all to myself for lunch. Word has it that you can explore small caves here at low tide, so if you can time your visit correctly, I’m guessing that would make this area even more fun.

Long Beach & Catalina Island

Ok, this is absolutely cheating, because that is not Long Beach — that’s Catalina Island. But I had to mention it, because (1) Catalina Island is a special place and (2) the ferry to Catalina is just 5 minutes off the PCH in Long Beach. If you have time to park your car at the Long Beach terminal and spend a day at Catalina, I’d recommend it.

Seal Beach

Again, I’ve skipped over a lot to get here, and folks who love the glorious hills of Malibu, the energy of the Santa Monica Pier, and the people-watching at Venice Beach should make sure to stop by those places. But I like my adventures a bit more on the quiet side, so I would recommend the little town of Seal Beach for its deep, long, sandy beach, cute beach houses, and a main street that’s just three blocks long.

There’s so much to see! My recommendation is to do this trip over at least five or six days. I stayed in San Francisco, Monterey (2 nights so I could do the drive down to Big Sur for one day), Cambria, Goleta, and then ended in Seal Beach. But I wish I’d had even longer — if you can add more days, you won’t regret it. These are just the highlights; you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to stop and explore.

Along & Beyond This Pacific Coast Highway Itinerary

• Want to see wildlife while driving the Pacific Coast Highway? Check out my guide to the creatures you might spot along the way.
• Having a great time and want to keep on driving? Head inland for a visit to the eerie landscape and hiking trails of Joshua Tree National Park.
• If you love a scenic drive, pair the Pacific coast with eastern peaks—take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville, North Carolina, for hikes, crafts, and a Gilded-Age mansion.