Hot Rods Anybody ever driven Hwy 1 in California?

Make sure you stop and get out and take some walks through the redwoods and breathe in deep..........it is the most peaceful, amazing walk in a forest you can ever take.
When I lived in the L.A. area many years ago......at least every other year was a trip to the redwoods.
Do it!

 

I see your from Kentucky and you have some beautiful drives there but everytime I'm in Cal. I find a way to do a partial drive. Your out there do it, just get a map and do some planning within your time constraints. Once you do your hooked.

 

If you can't find the time for going north of I80 there are plenty of redwoods in the SF Bay Area. John Muir Woods (famous) had old growth trees. My land was logged 100 years ago, all are second growth but still substantial. Honda rented it last year for a car commercial, even brought in fake snow, from Hollywood! You're welcome to camp there, I'll even give you a tree if you can drag it back to Kentucky!

 

When I was in the corporate world and had business trips to the West Coast I always took a few vacation days and drove sections of the coast highways. Spectacular scenery and some really good places to eat. The Monteray Bay Aquarium should be a must see and the area around it was the infamous Cannery Row that was in the John Stienbeck novels.
When you asked about Hwy 1 I thought you meant US 1 that runs down the East coast. I have driven it from Aroostock, Maine to Key West, Florida and there is no comparison. Not much of interest until you get almost to Florida.
Take some time and enjoy the trip.

 

yes and yes. The Hwy was built back when driving was part of owning a car and there is a lot to see. I have driven and ridden that hwy many times in the last 60 + years.

If I was a close to the redwoods as B-Ville and lived in Kentucky I would not miss the chance to see it.

 

Took the hwy 1 "virtual" drive on TV---dropdead gorgeous. Especially around Monterrey.

 

A Must SEE
I lived and worked there and every ride was something I did not see before
I lived in Mill Valley ( Mure Woods) Pt Reyse
lined out by China Camp off the SF Bay
Take your time every thing posted is true

 

Like all others say, do it! Fantastic scenery and whatever you do, DO NOT miss Hearst Castle.

 

Don't miss taking the "17 mile drive" while on the Monterey Peninsula.

 

Its a must drive. Take a 3 days so you can enjoy it One of the best in the world. Have done it with the family a few times. Kids loved it. Do some research and map out your stops along the way to sight see. Top off before you go, gas is few and expensive in the northern section. If you like odd ball attractions, Santa Cruz has the Mystery Spot and San Luis Obispo has bubble gum alley. Lots of great food stops too. Morro Bay, Pismo Beach. We even did a side trip once to Cho;ame to the site of James Dean's crash.
There's a pretty cool sea lion beach near Hearst Castle. Leo Carillo beach in Malibu is worth a stop and a walk. Caves as well as movie history (Grease, Gidget, opening sequence of the Monkees).

 

I think i took a week to do the san diego to oregon border. But i was towing a trailer and had a toddler with me. We also spent two nights in santa cruz. We also took the 101 to montery bay, so we bypassed the 1 through big sur. Since i live in so cal i wanted to get up north. I really like the 1 just north of san fransico along tomalas bay. There is a bunch of oyster shacks right on the water if your into that. That whole drive north of there along the coast is amazing. Then when the one cuts back in to the 101 and the avenue of the giants is awesome. There is like 3 drive through trees. North of that is eureka and cresent city which i mostly just blasted through. But right up at the top of california is the Jedediah Smith state park or forest. Its like a redwood fern rainforest.

I forgot to add, youll see lots of slabs of redwood to make coffee tables out of. They really arnt that expensive and some of them will ship around the world. Course you gotta sand it and finish it yourself. Also eat lots of fresh salmon.

 

For work I drove from Orange County to Santa Barbara once a week.....I didn't consider it work....A small part of your trip but a nice part.....

 

Did it a couple times in a '63 bug but I was a "young" 39 or so at the time...LOL !!

 

I can't add much to what's already been said, but you have to do it, you'll never forget that drive from Carmel to SLO. I've done it twice in my roadster, once in my daily driver and once in a big ass motor home, not so much fun in the MH.

 

Do it!! The southern Oregon coast is unbelievable, but starting at Eureka and going south will certainly do it for you. Check out Samoa Dragstrip, beachfront NHRA strip across the bay from the city center. Try the Samoa Cookhouse for lunch or dinner. See their logging museum. Head south to Ferndale if you like Victorian buildings. Back on 101, take the first Avenue of the Giants exit all the way south to where it reenters the freeway. The redwood drive will bring you south to Drive-thru Tree, where you will turn onto Hwy 1, the road less traveled. Stop wherever you can, but check out Fort Bragg and the Hotel in Mendocino. You may be ending Day 1 (or 2) in this area, unless you have been smoking a trail. Leggett to Stinson Beach can be done in a day, but why? There are lots of turns and even more beautiful views. On the southern end of this run, you are winding thru ranchland, bays, and cool small towns. Don't tell anyone I told you about Smiley's in Balinas (oldest continuously operating bar in Cal). Stinson Beach, up and over to Mill Valley, lunch at Jake's in Tiburon (looking across the bay at San Fran), and across the Golden Gate to the city and all that awaits you there. You could start south immediately by staying on Hwy 1 just south of the bridge, but why? When you come into Half Moon Bay from the north and see the airport on your right, you will be looking at the legendary dragstrip. Take the jog off Hwy 1 to drive thru the real downtown. Stop at Half Moon Bay Bakery to visit Mark's drag racing museum/shrine. Costal farming and some of the best whale watching in the world will be part of the drive to Santa Cruz, where you must turn off 1 to get to action central. Don't miss this.
Rounding the bay to Monterey will begin the southern part of your odessey. I'll get to that next time. Get a Gazeteer (most comprehensive atlas available) for California. It shows every cowpath and will be a great reference during your adventure.

 

The past 4 years a buddy and I have attended the Grand National in LA in January. Each year we have given ourselves an extra 5 days to travel up sections of HWY 1 and then back down inland to see different parts of CA. We now have completed the whole HWY 1 experience from the Border below San Diego to lower Oregon. Every part of the trip was worth the drive. Some sections are pretty desolate and lots of curves and up and down driving as you hug the coast. And there are some dangers, as mentioned above, with rock slides and wash outs, but the road crews do a pretty good job of keeping the HWY open. You have to watch your gas gage and don't try to stretch the mileage. There are some sections that are pretty far between stations. We never had a problem finding a place to stay but we are there in Jan/Feb. Lots of interesting sights and little out of the way places to eat and some "great" micro breweries. Our favorite sections are between LA and San Diego, the Pismo beach area, and up around Carmel by the Sea with the various forests. My opinion only, I would skip the San Francisco area and as someone else said find the quickest way around LA.

 

I just returned home from the trip to SF driving the 1. I would do it again tomorrow. Breathtaking views of the Pacific and lots of winding roads. You can stop at numbers places along the way but make sure you have gas as the stations can be far apart.


Words don't do justice to the feeling you have when driving the coast.

 

Thanks for all of the input. Looks like I have some homework to do.

 

Back in the early 70's we did a "hippie" road trip from Texas to San Diego and up the coast highway to SF.
Along about Malibu we swerved off the road and skidded to a stop to take pic's of a whale swimming and
spouting about 50 yards out. After several pic's we determined that it was a smooth grey rock with waves passing
that gave the illusion of motion and also provided occasional "spouting " spray. HA-HA!
Still, it was an unforgettable scenic drive. Take the time. You won't regret it.

 

Edmonton to Tijuana via Hwy 1 is on my bucket list - on a bicycle. I'll have to give up a season of drag racing and hot rodding though.

I've already done Key West to Canada (1768 miles; 31 days; solo) and a shorter trip from Orange Co to San Diego as a prelude

 

You'll be sorry if you don't!!!! I've done parts of it numerous times and the only thing I intentionally saw twice was the Avenue of the Giants. You've heard most of the good spots, include Morro Bay. Its all gorgeous. Tim

 

A MUST drive!
I made that trip umpteen times in the 70's to early 80's , though I haven't since then.
Patricks Point State Park is a GREAT place to camp, in any case make sure you stop a lot if you really want to get the feel of it.
GREAT memories of the early 70's hippie days! Lots of fun, unspoiled woods and spectacular women! GOOD TIMES!
Everyone should make that drive at least once!

 

In 2004 a friend and I followed the Lewis and Clark trail from Iowa to the west coast on motorcycles and then down the coast to San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, then east to Yosemite and Sequoia National Forest --the bears ran us out of there in the middle of the night, I guess the answer your question, just do it. It was the trip of a lifetime!!! We did a journal of the three week 6500 mile trip, if you want it just send a note.

 

Did anyone say that the trees along the Avenue of the Giants are huge !

 

Did someone mention Ferndale , cool little town . Try Papa Joe's for breakfast , they even have poker tables if you're so inclined .

 

If you go by Point Lobos be sure to stop. If you are looking at the redwoods in Sequoia depending on your route you may be a little far south but check the map. Check out photos on Google.

Charlie Stephens

 

I've done it twice so far. Was working on a third trip when someone threw out a bunch of nails on the road. Was somewhere around Los Osos.

 

I'm from N.Y. but both of my son's went to college in Cal. One went to a school in So Cal and one went to a school in northern Cal. My wife and I made that coastal trip dozens of times and never got tired of it. We went to Cal. three or four times a year and I always scheduled the trips around west coast car shows. It's amazing how the shoreline changes the further north you get and then you get into redwood country, can't get any more beautiful.

 

I sure hope the salt dries out....

 

Without a doubt the most beautiful drive and my favorite place on earth! I've done it four times, and the best was when went as far north as Coos Bay in Oregon in the our roadster, which we did after the LARS in four days. We just did it again in January up to Monterey after the GNRS in our 36' motorhome with a Suzuki Samurai in tow. It's a great trip no matter what you're driving, except its a bit more stressful trying to keep the paint on a big rig because it gets pretty narrow and twisty on Big Sur. If you're coming south, start as far north a you've got time for and but if you can't, start south at San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge. Stop and take in the Bixby Bridge on Big Sur too. There are so many things to see and do so just pick out where you want to stop. The Hearst Castle is a must see, Cambria and Morro Bay is a nice place to stop and see too. You'll never forget a trip like this, and take lots of pics!