Once-in-a-lifetime California Drive

[Allan Kelsey]

What scenic California drive would you recommend - in my 1985 Carrera, with my elderly Dad?
I truly owe my love and appreciation of cars to my Dad. He was a motor racing driver in his younger days and is a phenomenal mechanic with naturally good intuition.

These days he is in his early 80's and lives in South Africa, but is in good shape and I want to plan a trip next summer to drive the 101 and the PCH from LA to San Francisco.
Something that will provide us twisty roads, great views and fun memories with motels along the way and and not too many Kojak's with a Kodak.... if you know what I mean?

Any suggestions? Or alternate routes you think would be great?



I think I might have to ship the car to LA from Texas and fly down, drive the drive and ship it back from San Francisco.

Your input is welcomed!
Allan.

[GH85Carrera]

Highway 1 is hard to beat for views. There are indeed many twisty parts.

The thing to remember is millions of people every year do just what you are doing, come from all over the world to California to drive H1. Most rent a local car, and a lot of them are convertible Mustangs. You will see many dozens of them. Stop often and see the sights and eat the food.

The drive from Texas to California is long and boring. Been there, done that. Actually I drove from Oklahoma, three different times. Shipping it will save two or three days of driving.

[jasonlee]

did the drive from Vancouver to Orange county last year, along the Oregon coast then down PCH. Hard to beat HWY 1 for view and twists We lucked out little to no traffic. Incredible drive and the scenery is out for his world.

[wildthing]

I've only done Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz (1-way), and Monterey to Ragged Point and back.

No AT&T coverage most of the way to a Ragged Point. Not sure if that matters to you.

Plan your stops. I use Yelp a lot to find places to stop.

[Allan Kelsey]

Has anyone driven both this PCH route and the Dragon's Tail on the east coast?
If so, do you have a preference?

[TRE Cup]

Here we go :
If its still open, start with a visit to the Petersen Auto Museum on Wilshire and Fairfax. They are scheduled to close in October for a major remodel, so check their site first. If open, spend a couple hours there and then get down to the 10 freeway west till it ends on Pacific Coast Highway. Follow PCH with a stop at either the Malibu Market center and/or Trancas Beach (small fish fry shack there).
Keep on PCH up thru Oxnard to the 101 north. Take the 101 north thru Santa Barbara and you have two options : San Marco pass (saves about 30 minutes over 101) or stay on the 101. Consider visiting Solvang , which is past Lake Cachuma off San Marcos. Or to the east off the 101. Danish community which is good for a coffee break.
Continue 101 north. Choices: Exit towards highway 1 in San Luis Obispo, or continue to 46 West in Paso Robles. If you have some extra time and want to explore some great sports car roads, check out the following to make loops from the 101 continuing north.
Roads to consider : Santa Margarita : Highway 58 to Highway 229 left to Highway 41 left to 101 north again Your head will be spinning for days wondering what drugs the highway department enjoyed laying down asphalt on 229

Paso Robles: Visit the Estrella Warbird Museum and Woodland Car collection at the airport off 46 (east of the 101 by a few miles)
Check out the maps for G14, G15, lake nacimiento, Indian Springs road, 198, 25 to Gilroy. Plan a visit to Canepa in Scotts Valley (near Santa Cruz)
Also towards the coast - Fort Hunter Liggett is an active army base, but there is public access through the fort to highway 1. From G14, past Jolon, you can enter the fort , visit the mission there, then head west to the coast on a VERY interesting road. Extremely scenic.
At Highway 1 go north thru Big Sur to Carmel/ Monterey. If overnight in the area, go to Baja Cantina on Carmel Valley Road (about a ten minute drive from the coast) and visit this motorhead's restaurant. Good food for lunch or dinner.

Once you get past Canepa's you have a lot of civilization to contend with. Check out Skyline Blvd, Alices Restaurant , stop at the park north side of the golden gate bridge. There are tons more roads north of there, but highway one is pretty spectacular . Fort Ross is interesting to visit. It was built by the Russians for protection of their colony there !

Others here can suggest other loops and roads

have fun !
Dave

[Allan Kelsey]

Wow!
Dave - Thank you so much.
I would never have that kind of insight or detail to consider without the local perspective.

I really appreciate the time to spell it out for me.
I hope to see some views like these....
Allan.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by Allan Kelsey

Has anyone driven both this PCH route and the Dragon's Tail on the east coast?
If so, do you have a preference?

Yep - Many times....CA I from Morro Bay thru SF, then north to where #1 ends in Legget....Heaven...

[TRE Cup]

I forgot to add visits to Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, as you are just over Laureles Grade (another fun road) from Carmel Valley Road. There is always something going on there and you could probably drive up the hill to the corkscrew with your car to watch the school cars running around. Their gift shop may be open too

Infineon (Sears Point) is in Sonoma near Napa , and that track is very technical. Same deal as Laguna , but with more independent shops next to the track (meaning lots of race cars to look at) . this is a ways inland from the coast, but worth considering. Lots of wineries and twisty roads to play on too

[VZ935]

Alice's at "Four Corners" in Woodside California about 35 min south of San Francisco is where all us locals often times end up when we go for a drive. I have been going up there for over 30 years and you never know what you will see. They just had a bunch of Porsche up there for Ferry Porsche' birthday including some four cams.

Recently went up there with my better half in the old 69 Z. From there you can drive to the Bay or take all the awesome back roads out to the coast/beach

[sky1jord]

I would definitely stay away from Highway 1 between Monterey and Morro Bay, it's beautiful (the famous Big Sur country), but you can be slowed to an exasperating crawl by the campers and RV's that love to hang out there in the summer.
My favorite is between Watsonville or Monterey and Mendocino (you can take a side trip to the wine country and the redwoods), though I have no guarantees about traffic. In any event, you're better off in the fall if that works for you.

Feel free to PM me if you want more detail.

[poorsha]

Dave knows his roads

[Lapkritis]

Great drive with many options...

I did the top to bottom recently and would recommend it to anyone with the time and means. I would consider night 1 at the casinos in the desert with a room at one of the resorts. From there Palms to pines down to the bottom to pick up PCH... it can be tricky to stay on the coast near the military spans.

Other add-ons to consider:

- Yosemite for a night.
- Wine country
- Redwoods
- Camp out near San Luis Obispo
- Hearst Castle
- Golden Gate & San Francisco for a couple days - Alcatraz, old port etc
- Crater Lake
- Lake Tahoe
- Mt St. Helens
- Olympic Peninsula and Port Angeles are anti-climactic but you will get great views of the mountains which are impressive.
- Wrap with a ferry ride across the sound into Seattle

I am an off the beaten path personality which meant I would choose the back road between popular points and see what turned up. I wasn't disappointed and I don't think you would be either. Best advice I can give is to allow plenty of time so you can explore and be spontaneous... too tight of a schedule as you know can make for a hurried and uncomfortable pace which spoils the moments. I took a bit over 3 weeks for the trip.

Enjoy- it'll be over before you know it.

[wayner]

Once in LA, would a romp up Angelas crest highway be advisable?

I know I enjoyed that route into the high desert and off to Willow springs to catch some racing. I think that highway is a good substitute for the dragon.

What do the locals say?

[LakeCleElum]

All great suggestions.......Calif has many great roads......A few more:

1) Hwy 36 from the coast all the way to Susanville
2) Hwy 49
3) Feather River Canyon near Quincy
4) Klamath River Rd - Hwy 96
5) 299 - Eureka to Redding

[avale]

Time it to do the historic races at Laguna Seca and the Concours at Pebble Beach.

[Nachtfalter]

Santa Monica to Ventura, then Ventura to Santa Barbara (best city in California ) then S.B. to Santa Ynez wine country for a quick wine taste, then Santa Ynez to Monterey. S.F. is a fun town with great views and great food.

Plan your trip around some car events (happen here daily all year round) and enjoy yourself.

[cornernfool]

TRE Cup, aka Dave is being bashful. He does a 3 day Rally (Targa California) in April. Starts in LA and works lots of backroads up the coast to Monterey. 85-90 cars of mixed heritage, driven by a great group of characters. I think you and your Dad would enjoy it, and then you could continue up the coast. Corner Dave and make him talk.

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Highway 1 is hard to beat for views. There are indeed many twisty parts.

The thing to remember is millions of people every year do just what you are doing, come from all over the world to California to drive H1. Most rent a local car, and a lot of them are convertible Mustangs. You will see many dozens of them.

I was down last weekend for the Reno Air Races and opted for the blah Oldsmobuick. On Monday I had the day to myself so I headed over to Bodega Bay and then south, taking my time, along Highway 1 to Mill Valley via the Muir Beach road. Man, was I aching for my 911! I did see a long-hood parked at a restaurant alongside the road along Tomales Bay and then an '80s Cab in Stinson Beach with period-perfect BBS wheels. Yes, there must have been at least a dozen Mustang convertibles and I did assume rental cars and thought "good idea." I saw a Daytona Yellow Camaro RS rag at the Hertz lot at OAK when I flew in but didn't want to drop the coin on it. Yeah, should have.

Bolinas Lagoon just north of Stinson. That is my Oldsmobuick. I actually tossed it through the curves and it wasn't too bad.



A beautiful '69 GTO Judge went past and I was able to snap a pic when he appeared around another bend.

[dyusem]

Many great suggestions so I won't add any now, however please let us know when you are in the Bay Area and we'll shepherd you through some of our twisties.

Here is a pic of a few of us H2O pumpers showing a Belgium Rennlister through Marin.

Have fun planning and give us a heads-up re dates!