Pacific Coast Highway
Does anyone on here have any experience driving the PCH or has taken a West Coast trip recently?
The S/O and I are looking to travel out west some time in May to visit her friends in Seattle. Our goal is to fly into San Francisco and spend 7-10 days making our way up to Seattle visiting some State and National Parks along the way. Any recommendations on things that are a must-do? Point Reyes Lighthouse, Redwood National Park, Avenue of the Giants and Olympic National Forest are on the list already...TIA
35 Replies
3y
You can choose a "gentle" ride or a more adventurous one. We chose the adventurous and had a blast.
Sandrail Tours | Sandland Adventures in Florence, OR.
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
3y
will most definetly check this out.
(In response to this post by Buckhead Hokie)
Point Lobo State Park and 17-mile drive (Pebble Beach) are worth it...
...but further south than I think you want to go.
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
3y
Stayed in West Hollywood a couple days (visited USC and UCLA for DaughterFr8Dog), spent the night in a few beach towns along the way, 2 days in Monterey, and about 3-4 days in Bodega Bay. Finished up in Healdsburg with friends for St Patrick’s Day, then a trip through UC Berkely before our flights home.
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
Redwoods are amazing. Any spot on/near that trip with Sequoias?
The redwoods are taller, but a mature sequoia is just ridiculous.
(In response to this post by PhotoHokieNC)
3y
(In response to this post by Late 80s Hokie)
3y
Take the 10 to the 101 to the 4 and cross over to Ventura....
Link:
The Californians
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
3y
Best rain forests on the west coast, by far.
** Edited by HokieJay at 1/16/2023, 4:04:36 PM
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
3y
Bridge) are the Muir Woods Redwood Grove...massive trees. Also it is a bit inland but the Wine
Country around Sonoma (nearby to Muir Woods) is scenic and fun.
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
E
EDGEMAN
3y
But go on a clear day so you can see the surrounding area.
(In response to this post by Tuckahokie)
3y
from Seattle! Thank You
(In response to this post by Tuckahokie)
3y
It will take long time. It’s not fast. It becomes monotonous. Beautiful but monotonous. At some point in Sonoma you should cut over to 101. Maybe cut over at Stewart’s Point or Point Arena? If you cut over at Stewart’s Point let me know. Can give you winery recommendations. Maybe even get to I5, that would put you on the path to Mt Shasta, and later Crater Lake. Lassen National Forest is awesome.
California:
Valley ford Cheese
Bodega Bay
Goat Rock Beach
Timber Cove Resort
Lassen Nat Forrest
Oregon
Tillamook
Cannon Beach (Goonies)
Hood River (Full Sail brewery)
Cascades Fruit Loop
Any of the falls in Columbia River Gorge
Mt Hood
Take the Train from Portland to Seattle easy and relaxing.
Got lots for Seattle if interested.
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
3y
Great - I would love this. We typically like hiking, national parks, etc...outdoors type things - away from people, haha. We spent a few days in Zion National Park hiking, so distance is not really an issue, we are both in very good shape. A few wineries would be cool as well, we are not going to stick to only the PCH - its just something we really want to see, so wandering off is fine by me. I did see the 101 on google maps, so canything you can point us to between San Fran and Seattle is great. Her friends live in Seattle, so we plan so spend a few days there. Again, we are looking to spend 7-14 days out there today.
[email protected]
Thank you!
(In response to this post by calihokie)
3y
....the worst part of his trip will probably be where he starts (San Fran) and where he ends (Seattle).
(In response to this post by FfxStationHokie)
3y
Collect $100,000 for the next 250 years.... Before he moves to the Autonomous Zone in Portland.
(In response to this post by vthokieq)
E
EDGEMAN
3y
Make sure you pack your rain gear...lol
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
3y
from the Oregon border to San Fran. Both great experiences. Seattle is good, just avoid the parts where all the homeless hang out.
** Edited by DonHo-kieHi at 1/16/2023, 10:01:11 PM
(In response to this post by EDGEMAN)
E
EDGEMAN
3y
Plenty of bars with bands, good food, beer, etc. Now it's just another woke crap-hole where businesses are leaving.
(In response to this post by DonHo-kieHi)
3y
are nice places.
(In response to this post by Hokie 4 MG)
3y
I saw it ~7 years after the eruption - level of destruction was awe inspiring - nothing but some green scrub bushes 1-2 feet high anywhere near the cone - measured in miles - at the time it looked like a moonscape close to the cone that slowly transitioned from a few logs here and there into thousands of acres of monstrous trees all blown over in the same direction like toothpicks - then more acres of just leaf bare standing trees. This was ~ 35 years ago.
I would love to see it now and compare pictures I took.
(In response to this post by UEMcGill)
3y
and look through a template that shows what was there compared to what is not now it's just incredible.
That's how you realize what a big ass eruption that was.
I saw it about the same time you did. I would love to pull old pictures out, Polaroids no less, and see what it looks like now in the same places.
(In response to this post by RTFC)