Pacific Coast Highway / Highway 1, California

Favorite thing: I remember asking to Linda (lmkluque) where I should stop on my day out driving from Los Angeles to San Diego through the coastline. I was not sure if I should stop in Oceanside or La Jolla, when she recommended La Jolla…. She was right

What a incredible little coastal place. I guess I was feeling home on that days as South California is very similar to South coastal Spain (specially Marbella).

So I would recommend the visit as well.

Favorite thing: California's beautiful, often rugged coastline is enormous and will take you 2 days to cover by car. The magnificent Pacific Coast Highway is a spectacular way to see the beauty of the ocean meeting the land.

Favorite thing: for more photographs of this beautiful coastal highway go to >California Highway @local links.com.

Fondest memory: The road from LA to SF took a very long time...but it was worth it! The view completely distracted me from the hours spent on this road. It's magnificent!

Favorite thing: This is the must-do-once-in-your-lifetime Pacific California Highway 1 drive.

I arrived in San Francisco, spend few days in the city with a visit to Russian River and then on the road to the city of Angels stopping in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Santa Barbara and Santa Monica.
The only two problems were a too tight schedule (only 7 days) and a lousy weather along the California HighWay. No gorgeous scenic photos from the 'most beautiful US HighWay' that I've only heard of and seen on...pictures so far – LOL!
But then for me one of the foundest thing to do in America is to drive those BIG cars. The first car was a T-Bird used for the whole drive down to Santa Monica where it was changed to a Convertible Mustang (my favorite car By The Way!).

Favorite thing: A crucial experience one must do while in California is drive Highway 1 from North to South-top to bottom and then catch another highway inland east to west.

The stops along the coast route vary in landscape and terrain.
You can go from San Diego and drive up- first stop being in Venice Beach or a few others, take a drive into the maze city of LA and see Hollywood, then make your way to Santa Barbara. Here the scene starts to change into rolling hills and grassy land. After cruising through S.B. definetly stop in Pismo Beach, just south of San Luis Obispo. These are rolling sand dunes on the edge of the pacific coast with little inlets perfect for a romantic picnic. Before Pismo Beach enterance are fields of strawberries that are perfect for snacking when taking a trail behind the pastures to the dunes. Of course, this may be private property, but there are no fences or gates so we thought strawberries were for everyone.
After San Luis make a stop at Hearst Castle on the hill, then start the drive on the famous Big Sur route. The scene changes into forest and cliffs, on a two lane whindy road into Monterray. If you have time see the Aquarium there, it is truly one of the best.
This brings you into Santa Cruz then up the 17 to San Jose, and then San Fransisco.
That's a basic run-down and I will insert exact places to stay and details with pics soon.

Favorite thing: go to the beach. It's California for crying out loud. Just drive along Pacific Coast highway (PCH) and pick the spot that looks good to you. My best picks are Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove (if you can find it), and Corona Del Mar. If you're in the LA area, try going to Santa Monica, if you hate sand you can always play on the pier.

Fondest memory: The weather in California is almost always perfect. April-June expect early morning fog, but it always burns off by noon. Just watch out for mudslides if it does happen to rain, especially near the coast.

Favorite thing: drive the Big Sur coast. I cannot describe how beautiful the drive on Hwy 1 between San Simeon and Carmel. The cliffs, the ocean, the trees, the mist, I wish I had the capability to put my pictures on my site!! I started out touring Hearst Castle(so incredible, must see!!) in the morning, and drove north through Big Sur throughout the afternoon. It's so beautiful, you can spend days exploring the area. There are B&B's scattered up and down the road(a bit on the pricey side) and it's so peacful and has such a calming effect. I loved it and can't wait to go back!!

Fondest memory: San Diego, then the Big Sur Coast!

Favorite thing: take a drive along the old route 1 from Los Angeles to San Francisco (or vice versa). It will take you through diverse, ever-changing landscapes. For most of the time you'll have a great view across the Pacific Ocean. Don't be in a hurry, we had taken out two days in our schedule for the drive and still barely made it!

Fondest memory: The weather! Amazing weather. While it can be cool and foggy along the coast, you can often see the fog disappear over the hills just a few miles inland. Drive even further and the temperature can soar until you feel you're in a furnace! (Look close at the top of the pic, where you can see the last tendrils of the coastline fog over the hills. And this was taken right along the Ocean!

Favorite thing: The drive along highway 101 that runs the coast north to San Fransico. I is a very beautiful site to see, things change so much as you make the drive

Fondest memory: Wathing the seals at the harbor in San Fransico, Another is the drive in the in the Central valley in California.

Favorite thing: for a long long time I always wanted to drive the highway 1 in a convertible, and my dream became real! The landscape was incredible, we keep on stopping all way to do photographs that we arrived to San Simeon very late and we nearly do not find the hotel!