Steve Garrett

Maxie, it's a terrific drive. My wife and I rented a convertible in SF and drove the PCH from SF to Monterey. Then on down to San Simien (to the Hurst Castle). Then drove back up and stopped in Carmel before coming home from SF.


We specifically wanted to drive back up the PCH to get both perspectives of everything!

fugly1

Should be a lot of fun. Orange County is south of Long Beach, so that part of your plan confused me.
I have lived in So. Cal most of my life, and I do think San Diego is nice, but unless there is something in LA you have to see (the Getty comes to mind), I would say to turn around north of LA. Traffic in LA is always bad. Really bad. It will be unpleasant driving through there. Spend some time in Santa Barbara, then head back north.

ScottTz

Somewhat, but try making it as far south (actually east at this point) as Santa Monica; that way you get to see the Ventura Co and Malibu coasts with their 20 million dollar villas and some of the best surf spots in So. Cal. If you like fish stop by Neptune's Net near the LA Vent County line.
If you go further south than Santa Monica, you will run into urban-industrial LA/Long Beach scene. If you make it to Orange County take Highway 1 through Huntington Beach (Surf City), Newport Beach, Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach-talk about pretentious places. From their you can go into Dana Point, San Clemente, Oceanside (Marines) and San Diego area. Try and do this part mid week and not on a nice weekend. Traffic will be killer.
Have fun and enjoy the trip.

JerryU

Made that drive several times. Been through all the tours at Hearst Castle and if we traveled that road again would do it again! Also SF, and the Monterey Aquarium is great, have visited several times when attending the Vintage Car Races at Laguna Seca.

When you leave the Hearst Castle complex in the afternoon you'll need a hotel so drive to San Luis Obispo and stay at the Madonna Inn. It's a unique experience. Will need reservations. It's built into rock and each room is different!

You can be more aggressive driving North but you'll be fine going South it's just a bit disconcerting when you see sections of new guard rail next to the 100+ foot cliff edge you'll be next to in sections!

LT4_CE

I think you may be thinking about the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz. The Winchester Mystery House is in San Jose . . . which is not that far from the coast highway, but it's definitely not in Santa Cruz.

LanceVette

DavePowell

In various trips out there I've been on Pacific Coast Hwy down to Big Sur and up to SF. This year we went to Hearst Castle (well worth the visit) and drove up from there.

The significance of Big Sur is that the mountains go to the sea, and until sometime in the 1930s you had to drive well inland to go north-south. Having driven south to Big Sur before, I didn't see the big deal. This time, driving north from Hearst Castle was an eye-opener!

You are on a two-lane road stuck on the side of mountains! It's a loooong way down to the sea, and there is just that little guard rail.

I agree with the suggestions of Santa Cruz, Winchester Mystery House near San Jose, and the Monterey Aquarium. There is much to see out there!

Dave

rw99

Good suggestions above; I guess I'd add a visit to Laguna Seca if timing permits.

Speaking of which, I'll warn you about CHP enforcement on Hwy 1. I once used the "scenic route" on an early Friday afternoon, heading down from the Bay Area to the ALMS/IMSA race. The timing was on purpose, hoping for less traffic and more space to drive, uhhh, at pace. The lack of traffic panned out; it was blissful, for a bit... incomparable scenery, good pavement, great weather, some long sweepers... and CHP camped out behind them, shooting instant-on Ka band. In sparse traffic, there's just not much of a chance for your radar detector to catch the bounce off someone else ahead of you.

So, heads up. The speed limit is 55 in many (most? all?) areas and it seems deathly slow. If you want to have some fun while you drive, I highly suggest running Waze to give yourself a better chance at avoiding a souvenir from the CHP.

Or just take it slow and enjoy the view...

Best,


Rich

WMark

OP, you're gonna have a blast. We're doing the same, but starting in N Hollywood heading north, ending in Seattle. We've done it before, and can't think of much to add to great recommendations already posted. Thumbs up to Nepenthe, but plan to wait. It can get quite busy.

Caution. If you are a Hitchcock/Birds fan, it was not filmed in Bodega Bay. We looked. Nice waitress told us to go to Bodega. A separate town about seven miles inland from Bodega Bay. Hitchcock edited to make it appear the town was on the bay. We found the school house, the teachers house and the cafe in Bodega. Twelve years ago, so not sure if they are still there.

Have fun!

Tron1

Having driven the entire length of Hwy 1 CA and lived in Sonoma County, near the coast and now reside in Monterey, I can say you will love the ride and the road. Having said that, I think driving from Hwy 101 West to Petaluma to Bodega Ave., to Tomales or Bloomfield then South to Hwy 1 is spectacular. Why.... well you gotta experience it... or call me.... keep traveling Hwy 1 to Panoramic Hwy... to the Golden Gate Bridge... then over the GGB and continue south...hugging the coast... to Pacifica. Continue south on Hwy 1.... I can go on and on...

Best of luck... the best week of your driving life is ahead.

RaceMic

Not to get into a pissing contest or anything .... but...

From the official Bodega Bay website www.bodegabay.com:

Many of the shots of the children running from the schoolhouse were done on Taylor Street in Bodega Bay above the Diekmann’s Bay Store with the original two story store visible at the bay’s edge. Close ups of the running scene were set up at Universal Studios with the children running on a treadmill. Taylor Street is about a half a mile north of the Visitors Center.

Various restaurant scenes, portions of the gas station fire, and the boat dock scenes where filmed at the Tides Wharf and Restaurant. The actual fire was lighted in a parking lot at Universal Studios with a mock up of Highway One and the Tides Wharf. The fire was also filmed from a helicopter for film footage that was superimposed on a painting of a fishing village. The village center in the movie was a set. The Tides Wharf was completely rebuilt in the 1990’s and is located across Highway One from the Visitors Center.

The ranch house on Westshore Road, part of the Gafney ranch that had occupied Bodega Head for nearly 100 years was used for exterior shots of the Brenner House. The derelict structure, now part of the U.C. Marine Laboratory in the Sonoma Coast State Beach, was repaired by the film crew and used for exterior shots, including the children’s birthday party and the end of the film. The house has been demolished, but the ancient cedar trees look much the same as they did in “The Birds.” The cedar grove is across the harbor from the Visitors Center and is visible from Highway One.

The scenes of Tippi Hedren driving her Aston Martin into Bodega Bay were filmed on Bay Hill Road, about a mile and a half north of the Visitors Center. There is a guide book with more information about the filming of “The Birds” available at the Sonoma Coast Visitors Center in Bodega Bay.

mdiiulio

Take a left up almost any canyon road in Malibu, turn right on Mulholland Hwy. drive it. If you hit it on the weekend, drive a section called The Snake. There's a pull out at the top of the snake that overlooks that road section and the valley below. Many car enthusiasts hang out up there on the weekends. On Saturdays and Sundays there will be a professional photographer in one of the apexes of one of the MANY turns. Might be a good way to commemorate the trip (website below).

Check out the Rock Store
or the Old Place for food and fun.

...and Rock Store Photos to check out the pro photos.

Richard@Adams

My wife and I lived in Monterey for 24 years relocating to West Jefferson, NC in '08. All the suggestions you've received are excellent.
If you spend the night in Monterey I suggest the Victorian Inn on Canery Row 831 373-8000. Take the 17 Mile Drive in the morning and head south to Nepethene in Big Sur. Make sure there are no slides that may have Hwy 1 closed. This is going to be a great trip.

StArrow68

Minor note from a run I made last Spring down Hwy 1, try to not arrive in Santa Monica in late afternoon unless you plan to stay overnight. Worst traffic I've seen from there to Orange County late in the day. Enjoy the trip, dinners in Carmel and Monterey are a treat, Chart House for early dinner with widow seats is fun.

VETTE-NV

Allright......lets' hear the Elvis story!

Grzldvt1

At the north end of the bridge, you can park and walk across it. I do it every year at the end of April doing the Big Sur International Marathon.
Carmel is very cool. Highly recommend the Carmel River Inn. A bit pricey but really neat little cottages in a gorgeous environment. Much nicer than a hotel room.

WMark

Not sure where you are getting this "pissing contest" thing. I simply stated facts that you haven't really disputed. The school, the school teacher's house, the exterior shots of the cafe, were shot in Bodega, and not Bodega Bay. Sorry guy, I've been there, seen that!! As I mentioned, Hitchcock did a lot of other filming, and editing, to stitch it into one place. It wasn't. It was TWO places. Central themes of the movie were not filmed in Bodega Bay. Dang! I've been there! Saw for my self!!!

Some of us need to chill...

TyBoo

Monterey is a favorite of mine from a few trips through in the late 70s and early 80s. I went back there last June and was looking forward to driving down Highway 1 in the Corvette with the top down.

It is still a very pretty drive but be prepared for the traffic. It seems every spot where there was a good view for pictures there were cars filling the pullout and people walking all over the road. Not a problem if you're not in a hurry, but I was a little disappointed in that it wasn't the same idyllic drive it was in the 1979 MGB.

But it is absolutely worth the time to do it! As you can see from dashotgun's amazing pictures there is a lot of very unique beauty.

I may have missed it in the thread, but where in Oregon are you starting? There are some pretty breathtaking sites to be found here, as well.

///ADMAN

Streets of San Francisco, Lombard Street, etc.

skank

I've driven the West coastline from Vancouver BC to San Diego a few times. While there many beautiful locations in Washington and Oregon, Northern and central California really has it all. I live in Carmel and can honestly say that the stretch of PCH 1 from Monterey to the South end of Big Sur is the most spectacular on the entire West coast. Within the last year I've driven from Carmel down to Indian Wells via PCH 1 at least 10 times for a project that I was working on. Trying to drive the coastline as much as possible will slow your trip but sure is fun doing so. Culturally the Monterey Peninsula has it all. Festivals, Arts, Music, golfing, fine dining, wine tasting, the best automobile Concour in the world, Laguna Seca racetrack, hiking, fishing, and the list goes on and on. The Coast highway really isn't a true driving road for a car as capable as a Corvette so don't expect to stretch it's legs. You will have a great time and drive safely as there are huge drop offs on the Big Sur portion. Also check for mud and rock slides if it rains as you will not want to be on that road when there is bad weather.