This article was originally published in 2019 and most recently updated on September 16, 2026, with current information.
Few states are as drive-worthy as California, home to the Pacific Coast Highway (or “PCH”), so named because it runs alongside the water. Technically, the PCH is officially designated as a southern part of State Route 1, also known as Highway 1, starting around Dana Point and ending in Ventura County—but people tend to call the whole highway the PCH.
The most popular road trip along the route goes from the greater Los Angeles area to the San Francisco Bay Area. The full route reopened in January 2026 after a three-year closure for storm-damage repairs and is once again fully open following this summer’s wildfires in Big Sur. The drive is absolutely worth the wait. From south to north, here are 17 of the best places to stop on this classic California road trip.
1. Dana Point
The southern end of the PCH starts around the I-5 at Dana Point, a small city in Orange County that has a monument to the road right above Doheny State Beach. If you’re planning to fly here to start your road trip, book a ticket for John Wayne Airport and rent a car there. (Pro tip: Making this drive in a convertible is totally worth the extra dough.) Though small, Dana Point has great beaches, a music festival with Pearl Jam as 2026’s headliner, and a lot of opportunities to see whales and dolphins.
Where to stay
To start your trip off in style, book a night at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Take in the sunset from atop an oceanside bluff, and get a good night’s rest before you hit the road.
2. Laguna Beach
The Laguna Art Museum has more than 3,000 works in its collection.
Photo by Amanda Friedman
Only a 20-minute drive north of Dana Point is the scenic, upscale town of Laguna Beach, perhaps best known in popular culture for the short-lived MTV reality show of the same name. Get out on the water with La Vida Laguna, which offers surfing lessons and kayak and paddleboard tours, and enjoy a pan-Pacific bite at the Royal Hawaiian, a restored tiki bar that first opened in 1947. Art lovers should check out the Laguna Art Museum, a 108-year-old institution that has a collection of more than 3,000 works, all by California artists.
Huntington Beach is about a 45-minute drive south of Los Angeles.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash
3. Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach, also known as “Surf City, USA,” has a different feel from neighboring Laguna. The beaches are long and sandy, with fewer dramatic cliffs but plenty of opportunity to watch surfers. You can also take in the wave riders from a window seat at Duke’s, a restaurant dedicated to Duke Kahanamoku, the Hawaiian legend widely credited with popularizing surfing around the world. If you’re in the mood for a super-local brew, stop at Riip Beer Co., which won Brewery of the Year at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival.
4. Long Beach
Don’t forget to check out Long Beach’s boardwalk entertainment area known as the Pike.
Photo by Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Fifteen miles north of Huntington Beach is the laid-back enclave of Long Beach. Don’t let the name fool you, though—skip the beaches and check out some of the city’s other aquatic offerings. The Aquarium of the Pacific is home to animals such as a 200-plus-pound green sea turtle named Meatloaf and currently has an exhibit featuring more than 40 species of jellyfish. History lovers, meanwhile, can visit the Queen Mary, a retired ocean liner celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. Stay in one of the hotel rooms onboard, take a tour, enjoy afternoon tea service or Sunday brunch, or learn about the paranormal side of the ship, which is rumored to be haunted.
5. Santa Monica
The Santa Monica Pier holds the title of being the first concrete pier on the West Coast.
Photo by Matthew LeJune/Shutterstock
Although it’s only 30 miles up the west side of Los Angeles from Long Beach on SR-1, Santa Monica can feel worlds away (especially considering that local traffic means it can take two hours to cover that distance). Ride the Ferris wheel, and check out the Route 66 “End of the Trail” sign at the Santa Monica Pier. Then walk 15 minutes to the Third Street Promenade, where buskers play tunes outside high-end fashion retailers and restaurants. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, enjoy the Downtown Santa Monica farmers’ market, which has been going strong for 45 years.
6. Ventura
Ventura’s name comes from San Buenaventura, the ninth of the California missions.
Photo by Steven Pahel/Unsplash
Continue past Malibu and Pacific Palisades, two communities still recovering from the 2025 Palisades Fire, and out of the Los Angeles area to this beachy city of around 110,000 people. Watch the surfers at Ventura Harbor Cove, or rent a kayak near Marina Park and paddle out on the waves yourself. To truly get a sense of the majesty of the Pacific, plan ahead and book an excursion to Channel Islands National Park with Island Packers or a private boat or seaplane. The park is famous for its sea caves and is home to dolphins, whales, and the impossibly cute island fox. (Note: There are no services on the islands, so come prepared.)
7. Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara attractions include more than 50 museums and galleries alongside its outdoor spots.
Photo by Zoi Palla/Unsplash
Known as the “American Riviera,” Santa Barbara has always been a posh vacation destination thanks to its scenic mountains and beaches, luxurious resorts, and Spanish colonial architecture (most notably the county courthouse, which offers panoramic views from its clock tower). The city has lately become a hipper destination, though, thanks in part to a renaissance in its food-and-drink scene, with excellent restaurants such as the Lark, Dom’s Taverna, and Barbareño and winery tasting rooms including Fess Parker, Kunin, and Grassini Family Vineyards, all located around State Street and the Funk Zone.
Where to stay
For a chic stay that’s close to both State Street and the beach, book a room at Hotel Californian. The 121-room luxury property features Mediterranean-influenced design, a pool, a lovely spa, the Margerum Wine Company tasting room, and a brand-new gastropub, the Knock Kitchen + Cocktails, that grills a serious tomahawk rib eye.
8. Pismo Beach
Pismo Beach is another spot along Highway 1 with great surfing.
Photo by Geartooth Productions/Shutterstock
Off-roading enthusiasts will find a big draw a couple of hours up Highway 1 from Santa Barbara. Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area in Pismo Beach is the only state park in California that allows vehicles to be driven on the beach. (It should go without saying, a four-wheel drive car is recommended.) If your trip takes place between October and February, pull over at the Monarch Butterfly Grove to see thousands of the colorful, fluttering insects during their migration.
Cerro San Luis Obispo, also known as “Madonna Mountain,” reaches nearly 1,300 feet in height.
Photo by Kenzo Yokoyama/Unsplash
9. San Luis Obispo
Highway 1 curves inland around Avila Beach before passing through the college town of San Luis Obispo. For a quirky road trip activity, find the 700 block of Higuera Street, also known as “Bubblegum Alley,” and add to the collection (or not). History buffs should peek at Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, founded in the late 18th-century by Franciscan friar Junípero Serra, or check out the Iron Road Pioneers sculpture, a bronze statue near the Amtrak station that’s dedicated to the Chinese immigrants who helped build the railroads here in the late 19th century.
Where to stay
You’ll have a good time at Petit Soleil, a Parisian-inspired “bed-and-beverage” that Good Lion Hospitality, which operates great cocktail bars in Santa Barbara and Ventura, opened in downtown SLO in 2024.
The town of Cambria makes for a relaxing stop.
Photo by Justin Audia/Unsplash
10. Cambria
With a population of under 6,000, Cambria is tiny, but this village offers more than its share of attractions. You can go for a stroll on the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk, order a slice of olallieberry pie at Linn’s, hit one of the many boutiques and antiques shops, taste local natural wines from renowned winemaker Raj Parr, and even make an appointment to ride a Clydesdale.
11. San Simeon
William Randolph Hearst inherited the land for what would become Hearst Castle.
Photo by Lisa Corson
Two very different things make San Simeon worth a stop. The first is elephant seals, which you can see at the Piedras Blancas Rookery, a few miles north of town. The viewing area is free and accessible to the public year-round, although the peaks for number of seals are in January, when the most births occur; May, when they’re molting; and late October, when they return from migration. Full-grown adult males, who can weigh as much as 5,000 pounds, start showing up in late November.
Equally monumental is Hearst Castle, a National Historic Landmark with a fascinating history. Developed by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, the 165-room, Julia Morgan–designed castle complex is on a 250,000-acre estate with two stupendous pools (the 345,000-gallon Neptune pool outside, the mosaic Roman pool inside). Keep an eye out for zebras, descended from the denizens of Heart’s private zoo, roaming the property.
12. Big Sur
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is named after a local Big Sur rancher.
Photo by Lisa Corson
Past San Simeon begin longer stretches of winding road, with dramatic bluffs and cerulean waters on one side and towering redwoods on the other. The curves can be tight, so be careful when pulling over to take in the incredible views. (Note: Due to excessive crowding on the Bixby Bridge following its appearance in HBO’s Big Little Lies, stopping is now forbidden at either end of the bridge.)
If you want to slow down for more than a selfie, have lunch at Nepenthe, which has been offering seaside views and tasty meals for decades, or book a consciousness-expanding retreat at the Esalen Institute. Bookworms will find their bliss at the Henry Miller Memorial Library. Options for camping and hiking abound, too, but be sure to check local trail conditions; for instance, the Overlook Trail at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, famous for its views of 80-foot-tall McWay Falls, is currently closed for repairs. (Be sure to check the road conditions as well, as Big Sur often faces challenges from Mother Nature, such as storm damage and the August Timber Fire, and Highway 1 is the only road that passes through.)
Where to stay
Alila Ventana Big Sur, set in a redwood forest above Highway 1 and the ocean, has 54 rooms and suites on a secluded, 160-acre property with a farm-to-table restaurant, two pools, onsen-style baths, and a stream where you can take a cold plunge after a short hike.
13. Monterey
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is open daily year-round except for Christmas Day.
Photo by Lisa Corson
The expansive Monterey Bay Aquarium has been teaching delighted visitors about Pacific marine life since opening in a beautifully renovated sardine cannery building more than 40 years ago. Catch a penguin feeding, or learn about the resident giant Pacific octopus, before wandering Cannery Row or getting fresh seafood at local favorite Monterey’s Fish House. Only a few minutes away, golfers can tee off at the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Links course (reservations are required very far in advance), cruise the picturesque 17-Mile Drive, or stroll around the gallery- and boutique-lined village of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Where to stay
Clint Eastwood famously served a term as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea back in the 1980s, but that’s not the town’s only cinematic legacy. Doris Day owned the historic Cypress Inn for many years, and the interior is decorated with posters for her films, along with a Moroccan-inspired bar that pays tribute to her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much. Given that Day was a staunch animal rights activist, it should come as no surprise that the hotel is extremely pet-friendly.
14. Santa Cruz
Head to Natural Bridges State Beach to view birds, whales, as well as other marine animals.
Photo by Laura Ockel/Unsplash
This college town and long-time hippie haven is as laid-back as it gets. Families will get a kick out of the games and rides at the historic beach boardwalk, where anyone over 50 inches tall can ride the 102-year-old Giant Dipper, one of the country’s oldest functioning wooden roller coasters. To get a sense of Santa Cruz’s surfing legacy, head to West Cliff Drive to visit the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, then watch skilled surfers ride the waves—and dodge sea otters and sea lions—from the bluff above Steamer Lane. If all that fresh air makes you hungry, stop at Hook + Line downtown for excellent seafood.
15. San Francisco
The Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park has more than 2,000 species of plants in its greenhouse.
Photo by Jeffery Cross
Ah, the City by the Bay. Home to world-class dining, art, theater, and, of course, Afar. It’d be wise to spend at least a night here, if not a few. Highway 1 passes through the foggy west side of the city, giving access to Golden Gate Park, tremendous Asian cuisine in the Sunset and Richmond districts, and one of America’s greatest urban hikes, the Lands End Loop. It also pays to spend some time in the Presidio, a historic army base that has been reimagined with the family-friendly Tunnel Tops park (with spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge) and several delicious places to eat, most notably the award-winning Mediterranean restaurant Dalida. and the brand-new Mess Hall at the Presidio.
Where to stay
Why leave the Presidio when you can get a mix of history, scenery, and luxury at the Inn at the Presidio? It combines two old military barracks buildings that have been lovingly preserved yet upgraded for maximum comfort.
16. Point Reyes Station
No California coast road trip is complete without crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The natural wonders don’t stop once you’re in Marin County, as Highway 1 winds around Mount Tamalpais and the magestic redwoods of Muir Woods National Monument on its way back to the seashore. West Marin is sleepy, but the small town of Point Reyes Station, at the gates of the Point Reyes National Seashore, is having a moment, thanks to native son Chris Hulls, who has invested a chunk of his tech fortune in preserving heritage buildings. Stop at one of these, the former Station House Cafe space, to have a meal at Bar Auklet, a creative new seafood restaurant from acclaimed chef Shannon Gregory. (If you want to check out the original, Station House Cafe is in a different storefront, just down the street.)
17. Jenner
From Point Reyes Station, it’s a little over an hour, past Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay, before you hit Jenner, where the Russian River empties into the Pacific. Here, you can go kayaking in the river estuary, spot seals (and the eponymous rock formation) at Goat Rock Beach, and stop at Café Aquatica, a local favorite for crab sandwiches that has live music on weekends. Right next door is the recently opened Jenner Outpost, a well-curated gift shop that also boasts a wine bar, the Siren’s Cellar, from notable sommelier Patrick Cappiello. Is there a better pairing for a Northern California sunset than a Sonoma Coast pinot noir? We think not.
Where to stay
The phenomenally cozy Madeira House opened last summer, converting what was originally old fishermen’s cabins (and later the Jenner Inn) into an 11-room, design-forward boutique hotel on the banks of the Russian River.
