In addition to these nature adventures, SLO has much to offer when it comes to dining and wine tasting. There is no lack of delicious options in the downtown area! It took nearly 3 decades to bring the Heart Castle to completion and you can learn all about that on your visit. Kids and those young at heart will love the boardwalk.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'inspiredroutes_com-vertical-banner-2','ezslot_27',171,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-inspiredroutes_com-vertical-banner-2-0'); You can also visit the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, home to a hundred years of surfing history in the area. Check out all the best things to do in San Diego, where to stay in San Diego, and other guides like the best things to do in Balboa Park, why you need to see all the best things to do in Old Town San Diego, and our San Diego itinerary! It has the feeling of many of the old royal estates from Europe and beyond. Alternatively, you may use. Recommended by Jackie & Justin of Life Of Doing follow on Facebookif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'inspiredroutes_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_0',183,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-inspiredroutes_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Not many people have heard of Lompoc, California, but it is a seriously underrated stop on a PCH road trip! Most cottages are booked out a year in advance, and since its a state park they are VERY affordable. This is hands down one of thebest things to do in Big Sur. If it were me, I would most definitely stop over for a little walk to Lands End Trail and take a relaxing break from all that driving at Half Moon Bay. Its still a little too northern to swim comfortably, but its a great spot for a walk along the beach or to watch the surfers. The weather tends to cooperate more (in general) and as a bonus, its not peak tourism season, either. Routing options: There are many different variants to the coastal drive. Also, check out The Getty while youre in the neighborhood! For the adults, there are tons of food and shopping options along the boardwalk as well! However, if you're looking for a more coastal experience, I suggest a night in either Pismo Beach or Cambria. Theres also plenty of historic spots to check out along your visit in Ventura such as San Buenaventura Mission and The City Hall. Tens of thousands of monarch butterflies fly and rest on the eucalyptus trees from late October to February. Youll find upscale dining and shopping on Coronado, too. Coast route it is! After you are full, head to Manhattan Beach E-Bike Rentals to rent a bike for the day. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: catching waves, beach, shopping, art galleries, food, overnight stay, Suggested Hotel: Pantai Inn also check out these La Jolla Hotels for more options, ~ 506 miles from San Francisco & ~ 6.5 miles from San Diego. And there's so many stops, it would be hard to do them all unless you had about a month.. The pier is also a lovely place to see the gorgeous sunset. Long Beach is famously the home of theR.M.S. Stop by a few of the gorgeous beaches in this area like Swamis Beach or Moonlight Beach. Most people spend 1-2 days here. How far is it from San Diego to San Francisco It is a little over 500 miles or 800 km from San Diego to San Francisco on the fastest route which is Interstate 5. There are many nice places to stay between LA and SF: Santa Barbara, San Luis Opisbo, Pismo Beach, Cambria, Carmel/Monterey, Santa Cruz. Smog Check Stations. Recommended by Emilie of Love Life Abroad follow on Instagram. If youre up for a hike, the Pacific Valley Bluff Trail is one worth taking. Choose whichever one suits you best and will be the most enjoyable hiking experience for you and your group! Built in 1937, this absolutely must be a stop on your San Francisco to San Diego road trip! Theres so many sights to see and things to do along the way. The top cities between Seattle and San Diego are San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Portland, Monterey, Greater Palm Springs, Yosemite National Park, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, and Carlsbad. Better yet, one of our favorite things to do in San Luis Obispo is stay at the eccentric Madonna Inn which loves the color pink and each hotel room is uniquely themed from bright pink glitter walls to cave rooms built into actual rocky terrain. You can rent a surfboard from a local company on the beach, like Jacks Beach Concession, or a surf shop in Downtown Huntington Beach, like Huntington Surf & Sport. By now youve seen so much! Youll see gorgeous views of the ocean, the rugged coastline, and youll get a chance to explore a secluded beach all without leaving the city! Copyright 2022 | Inspired Routes | All Rights Reserved, 33 Cool and Unique Things to Do in Big Sur Youll Love, Lunch, shopping or The Mystery Spot at Santa Cruz, Quick stop at Pebble Beach for the sunrise or a morning stroll, Whale watch or hiking at Point Lobos State Reserve, Drive the winding roads to see Bixby Creek Bridge, Stroll the boardwalk and dinner in Cambria, Take a walk downtown or visit the butterflies in Pismo Beach, Go wine tasting and visit the flower fields in Lompoc, Lunch in Solvang and walk around, admiring the architecture, Beach time in Santa Barbara or grab your Insta-worthy shots at the Funk Zone, Catch a sunrise or watch the surfers at Carpinteria State Beach, Hit the beach or amusement park at the Santa Monica Pier, Grab an early dinner in Long Beach, then choose an outdoor activity to round your day, Breakfast and shopping in Huntington Beach, Catch a festival or hit the beach at Laguna Beach, Walk the famous pier and grab lunch in Oceanside, Watch the sea lions and dinner in La Jolla. Huntington Beach also offers one of the beach farmers markets there is. 10. The latter comes from a variety of wine aviations. Other town highlights include Montereys Old Fisherman Wharf and Cannery Row for shopping and dining. Do you have any SFO layover or dining recommendations? The surf is best in the morning before the wind picks up. Other aspects that make this little beach town so great are the delicious food spots and wine tasting points, the nearly 100 art galleries, The Carmel Mission, and more. Was wondering where is best to stop in California between San Francisco and San Diego? San Francisco is full of shops, restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries and coffeehouses. . There arent many more iconic places along the California Pacific Coast Highway than the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles. Another must-see in Monterey is Old Fishermans Wharf, not to be confused with Fishermans Wharf in San Fran. Since the first stop is just south of San Francisco, you won't want to fly into San Jose International Airport (SJC). And within Big Sur, the Bixby Creek Bridge is the spot for coastal views and scenic photographs. In person, its absolutely massive! Fly into San Francisco, rent a car and drive to San Diego, where youll fly back out. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'inspiredroutes_com-square-3','ezslot_24',187,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-inspiredroutes_com-square-3-0');Recommended by Carrie Ann of Should Be Cruising follow on Instagram. One of our favorite places EVER is off the coast of Southern California. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach, entertainment, food, boutique shopping, ~ 417 miles from San Francisco & ~ 96 miles from San Diego. Huntington Beach is a quintessential stop on a California Coast drive! Theres also a world-famous golf course here if youre into golfing! The beach trail loop is actually perfect for hiking in water shoes. Cambria: the best overnight stop on Highway 101. Oh cool Erin! I would recommend bringing water shoes though, so that walking on the sand is comfortable and you can dip your feet in the water if youd like to. Pro tip: if tacos is your thing, be sure to eat at La Super-Rica Taqueria. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. The best time of year for a San Francisco to San Diego road trip or San Diego to San Francisco road trip is pretty much year-round. Was wondering where is best to stop in California between San Francisco and San Diego? Los Angeles: brace yourself for traffic. I live in the coastal town of Morro Bay (15 miles north of SLO) where you can get smoked oysters fresh cooked at the Embarcadero , rent kayaks to paddle around in the protected inner harbor, go out whale watching, hike Montana de Oro state park or watch the surfers and walk on the beach. San Francisco To San Diego Road Trip Factfile. Parts of the shoreline is rocky and if youre there around sunset, its a gorgeous spot to photograph those rays dipping into the ocean along the coast. El Matador has irresistible cliffs overlooking the gorgeous beach and caves to explore, which makes it a lovely place to sit and watch the waves crash but the area is too rocky to swim. Afterward, visitors can walk around to go shopping at the souvenirs and boutique shops. Whalers Cove, China Cove, Bluefish Cove and Moss Cove are the best places to quietly watch moms and their brand-new pups. http://www.amtrak.com is a great resource to help you and decide where you want to stop and see. Once at the beach, during low tide the beach is wide and expansive. Avila also offers plenty of opportunities to get active during your San Francisco to San Diego road trip! Lets keep the sights and adventure going! You can also visit Dunes Beach, which has equally gorgeous views of the shoreline and soft sand. Make sure to stop in and grab yourself a souvenir. I'm here to help you enjoy the outdoors! Hey! These next few stops are just begging to be explored! It's slow this time of year, so not as critical to buy tickets in advance. The California Coast drive can be done in 2 days or a month, filling your days with all the incredible sights and activities in San Francisco, San Diego and everywhere in between. Other great places to visit from San Diego include the Salton Sea, Palm Springs, and Temecula! Find this post helpful? Encinitas has a variety of calm and quiet beaches along with cute coffee spots, restaurants, and tons of surf/antique shops. Enjoy the variety of rides and rollercoasters as well as mini-golf, laser tag, bowling, arcades, and more! The last stop between San Diego and San Francisco. San Francisco. [Disclaimer] This fog can happen year-round, but is most prevalent in May and June in most areas of the coast. These stops are all amazing! Year-round you can take a whale watching tour and witness the magic of these giant creatures! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46642389', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Santa Barbara was one of the strategically easier options for a lay over, it cost an extra $50US to do but it was worth it, Santa B is really pretty. Its a location in the woods where weird things happen. Find places to hike, bike, and paddle board all while soaking in that Central California sun. Recommended by me Nikki of Inspired Routes. Were sure you wont be in any rush to leave this amazing little town that was the star of the movie Sideways. Check out our guide to the best things to do in Encinitas for more ideas! Whew! Now tell me a great place to stay approximately halfway between SD and SF. The most popular peak among hikers is Bishop Peak, a 3.5-mile round-trip hike thats considered moderate. Congratulations, youve pretty much made it to San Diego! Thanks for your information much appreciated. I'm Nikki. When planning a California Coast road trip, Big Sur is an absolute must-see area. Or head to Pacific City for some popular retailers, local shops and tons of great restaurants, like Old Crow Smokehouse and Philz Coffee. A cute little town nestled along the coast, Santa Cruz is a great spot to stop for food, shopping and adventure. Some of the best things to do in Dana Point can be done while soaking up the sun, like laying on the sand, surfing, boating/fishing, or taking a whale watching tour! Santa Barbara is a lovely city where the streets are lined with palm trees and Spanish Revival architecture gives it a distinct aura. One of the best spots in Monterey is easily Cannery Row. In the commercial stretch, youll find lots of one-of-a-kind stores to visit, as well as art galleries with beautiful pieces of fine art and antique shops. 136. Yeah I will look into it more mainly LA portion of the trip I have been here before so don't mind skipping through as such. You can see the main Amtrak Stations and their bus service to other areas. #3 Santa Cruz A fun California beach town known for its beautiful university campus and surfing culture, Santa Cruz is also enviably close to forests of towering redwoods and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Youll also find small surfing waves for surf amateurs and amazing sea creatures to look for in the tide pools like sea urchins, starfish, sea anemones and so on. This spot is located in the Santa Ynez Valley of California and is very recognizable due to its windmill and other Danish-style architecture. Gas stations are also few and far between along Big Sur, so be sure to fill up before visiting. Fun fact: Carmel-by-the-Sea doesnt have any chain restaurants. Some of the most iconic things to do in Huntington Beach includes strolling down the pier and shop and dine down Main Street. Its literally the perfect stop on this epic California Coast drive! Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach break, shopping, entertainment, wine and dine, overnight stay, ~ 242 miles from San Francisco & ~ 298 miles from San Diego. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach fun, entertainment, food, shopping, ~ 118 miles from San Francisco & ~ 440 miles to San Diego. The possibilities are endless on the island in and out of the water. The historic 115-foot tall lighthouse has been in operation since 1872 and is a great quick stop for photos. It is an operating church with services, so be sure to check their schedule for visitations here. Recommended by Francesca of Homeroom Travel follow on Instagram. Enjoy the galleries, the shopping, and definitely the food! Its got a more retro, eclectic vibe than some of the other places on this list. Step back into time with a visit to Solvang, California! The OCairns Inn and Suites is a very affordable option that comes with a delicious breakfast and happy hour. Spend a second night on the Monterey Peninsula (specifically Carmel or Pacific Grove), for a wonderful stay in two very quaint and charming towns. Enjoy these few things then gas up and hit the road! This is also easier to visit on a weekday than a weekend. You will not want to miss this incredible Danish town on your San Francisco to San Diego road trip. If you enjoy easy walks, stroll the boardwalk trail along the beach, or the Bluff Trail at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. Not peak tourism season, either coastal views and scenic photographs equally gorgeous views of the gorgeous sunset eucalyptus... Located in the Santa Ynez Valley of California and is very recognizable due to its and. 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