I think everyone can agree that they have once dreamed of cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in a cool car pretending to be the main character in a coming of age movie. I know that I have more than once so I was so excited to finally check off some of the drive from Sacramento to Santa Cruz, cool car or not. It was so hard to find recommendations for this part of the drive since so many people choose the warmer and sunnier southern coastline, but I am so glad I experienced this quieter and more serene part of the drive. And now I can confidently give you every recommendation on where to stop and where to eat on this little stretch of paradise!
Day One
The first day of this three day excursion down the coast is definitely the busiest so you will want to get an early start! We had a goal of getting onto Highway 1 at about 11am so that we could reach our first stop for lunch at 12pm. This is by far the most boring part of the drive but so worth it when all of a sudden you reach the foggy morning ocean and start driving through the winding cliffs.
River’s End Restaurant was supposed to be our first stop and location for lunch but unfortunately was closed the day that we stopped by but the views look amazing from inside and out. After a few pictures and stretching our legs, we decided to keep headed south and stop at whatever restaurant we saw first for lunch, so spontaneous of us. The drive through Jenner and through the fog was so fun, it is such a coastal town with surfers crossing the street at every crosswalk and little ocean shops on every corner. We were truly on our California coastal road trip at this point.
Soon we came across Lucas Wharf Restaurant and Bar in Bodega Bay. It is nothing fancy but a perfect stop for some fresh air and a seafood lunch with views of the bay. Beware, you can definitely smell that you are on the bay but it is worth it to see all of the fishing boats coming in with their catches of the day. The best part of our lunch was watching the sea lions right outside the window popping their heads up for any leftover fish from the boats. We may have spent a little too long sitting at our table waiting for sea lion sightings and watching them play.
Back into the car we went and continued our scenic drive to Point Reyes Lighthouse about an hour and a half away. The lighthouse is located at the tip of the State Marine Reserve right before crossing into San Francisco. It’s a long drive out to the point but in my opinion it was worth it. Since the drive out is on Marine Reserve land it is untouched and so scenic, but I will say the drive is also narrow and steep to the top of the cliff. Again, we had some bad luck and the lighthouse was closed for renovations but we did walk out to the overlook and it was a blessing in disguise for this view. PERFECT picture spot!
There is definitely so much more to explore on this protected land including some pristine beaches and more lookout points but we decided to start our drive back to the highway and continue south. Next stop, The Golden Gate Bridge! The bridge is another hour and 45 minutes away when you choose the Highway One route instead of heading inland. We had already explored San Francisco on another trip we had taken so we didn’t feel guilty heading right over the bridge. It was quite a foggy day that we chose so we didn’t even know we were at the bridge until the famous huge red beams appeared 50 ft infront of us. Obviously Everywhere You Look was playing in the car the entire length of the bridge.
If you haven’t explored San Francisco before, here are the quick stops that I suggest:
- Baker Beach – This is the best beach for views of the bridge and is less crowded than some other popular spots
- Fisherman’s Wharf – See all the sea lions and grab a quick and fresh bite to eat
- Lombard Street – Just a quick drive that gives you those steep and windy San Francisco vibes you are looking for
- Alamo Square Park – For those Full House fans, this is a must do photo opt, bonus points if you can find a cable car to ride too
A quick 45 minutes further and we were at our next stop, The Haunted Moss Beach Distillery, for cocktails. This old oceanside speakeasy is known to be haunted amongst locals and visitors. There are stories of “The Blue Lady” that haunts the establishment, stealing guest’s items and appearing in pictures. Sure enough, after some amazing drinks, we looked at our pictures and discovered a small blue dot hiding in each and every shot, CREEPY! Whether you are a believer or not, this was a great stop for oceanside drinks in the sun of the afternoon.
Up next, Pigeon Point Lighthouse, a breathtaking 40 minute drive down the coast. The sun was starting to set and this was definitely my favorite part of the drive! You have views of the ocean the entire way and it really feels like, with some angsty teen music, your CA summer romance is about to begin. The lighthouse was a great place to stop and watch the sunset with a picnic or glass of wine but we had one more stop on our list we just couldn’t wait to get to!
Pigeon Point Light House, Pescadero, CA
The next stop is my personal favorite, it was a complete hidden gem! We had a bet that we could make it to Shark Finn Cove for the sunset and I think deep down we knew it was going to be worth it. A 20 minute drive and we pulled up onto the sand on the side of the highway and thought we must have gotten lost. We saw a small trail over the train tracks and decided we might as well follow it and then we saw this…
We threw our shoes off an ran down the cliff and were greeted by the coolest empty beach we had ever seen. We danced around in the sand and crashing waves and explored the cave that sits back into the cliff and knew this would be our favorite spot of the entire trip. If you have more time or a few extra days I highly suggest leaving yourself plenty of time to sit and relax in this little oasis.
Day one was in the books and it was time for us to check into our motel in Santa Cruz and order some pizza as reward for a successful 9 hours in the car!
Day 2
Today was the day we did more exploring of Santa Cruz since it has so much to offer! Stop one, coffee.
The aesthetic here was amazing and so was the coffee! With lattes in hand, we strolled along the streets and shops of Santa Cruz for the early afternoon. After some light shopping we got back in the car and drove an hour to Monterey Bay Aquarium. This aquarium is so cool because it is literally built into the bay, you can’t get closer to natural marine life than that. There is a part of the aquarium where you can see the tides coming in over you and the waves crashing and then you can walk outside onto the many decks and be in the salt air.
As we were walking back to the car we came across an adorable, old timey, little town with the cutest shops and eateries. We couldn’t not walk around and indulge in some ice cream and candy, and we could have spent so much more time exploring!
With this unplanned stop we didn’t have any time to head further south to Carmel-By-The-Sea which we heard was another cute town to explore. So we got back in the car and decided it was time for a drink. To Beer Thirty we went. A 45 minute drive from the aquarium, we arrived to a lively beer garden with the coolest local brews. I don’t drink beer so I got a cider and give it an A+.
After a beer and some snacks, we were on our way to our last sightseeing stop of the day, Natural Bridges State Beach, about a 20 minute drive. If you can, try to hit this one at sunset, we heard it is even more beautiful! This beach was a bit more crowded than the others but worth a visit.
With a full day behind us we went back to our motel and decided a dinner out was not in the cards for us. Instead we opted to walk to the boardwalk for some fair food and fun!
With corndogs, fried Oreos and funnel cake in our stomachs we jumped on some rollercoasters! We ended up going on The Giant Dipper, an historic wooden rollercoaster with major drops, about ten times by the end of the night. After this night, we were sufficiently exhausted and ready to rest up for our final day.
Day 3
We woke up early on day 3 ready for our last stop and our trek home. About a 15 minute ride away are the Opal Cliffs, another gorgeous view of the coast. This was such a cool spot with beautiful beachside houses and then people living in old surfer VW vans with their boards as their most precious possessions. A great spot for some people watching!
We got back in the car all packed up to head home but were so sad for the trip to end. So instead, we put Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park into the GPS and extended vacation just a little longer. This was about a 20 minute drive from the cliffs and in that short time we left the coast and went into the forrest. When we pulled into the park the first thing we heard was a train horn and we ran to buy our tickets. I am so glad we made the last ride of the day because it was worth every scent!
The old school steam train brought us through the redwoods and even stopped for some interactive skits. We were then brought back to Roaring Camp where we visited the general store and got a bite to eat. I can say this was definitely the coolest train ride I have ever been on and they even have a train that brings you straight to and from the Santa Cruz boardwalk!
We drove back to the coast from this excursion for one final look at the ocean and I saw a sign for strawberry picking and knew we had to stop. Swanton Berry Farm was such a pleasant surprise as our actual final activity, a 35 minute drive from the Redwoods. From the adorable roadside sign to the unmanned country store working on the honor system, this place had charm. We walked around the fields both picking and eating fresh strawberries while staring at the ocean both so grateful for this amazing and unexpected trip.
What to Pack
You may think California = beach weather but for this part of the state you definitely want to bring some layers and skip the bathing suits for most of the year. We took this trip in late August/early September and it was perfect weather! I packed jeans, shorts, tshirts and light summer sweaters and was so comfortable. For shoes, I wore sneakers most of the time since we were doing a lot of walking.
We also packed a cooler of snacks and drinks since we spent so much time in the car. This really helped us save money on food and drinks throughout the trip and cut down on time stopping on the road so that we could fit in more sights and activities!
I was so happy that I brought a hotspot on this trip both for checking in with family and getting us place to place. Since you are on the coast and driving through national parks and up on major cliffs, service was very spotty and hard to come by at times.
Though it may not be the most popular part of the Pacific Coast Highway, this roadtrip was so beautiful, peaceful and packed with amazing views and stops along the way. I cannot wait to go back and get part two of the coast in the books!
The Basic Broke Brunette 