Travel Guide: PCH Road Trip

Hello Friends,

In September (2018 - I think) we took a trip where we drove the stretch of the California coast, San Fransisco to Los Angeles. This trip was 9 days and 7 nights. When driving the coast I recommend going North to South so you will be driving on the side with the most dramatic views.

Stop 1: San Fransisco (3 Nights) 

  • Stayed: Stanford Court Hotel

  • Favorite Eats: Just got baked (Great bakery), Foreign Cinema (Fancy restaurant that plays old movies) Nob Hill Cafe, Swensen’s Ice Cream, Ghirardelli Square, Chinatown

  • Tourism: Golden Gate Bridge via Marin Headlands, Bernal Heights Park, Painted Ladies, Kirby Cove, Lombardo Street, Ferry Building, Cable Car, Socalito & Tibron (2 small towns over the golden gate bridge) 

DRIVE: (San Francisco to Carmel) 

We went from San Fransisco to a little town in Big Sur known Carmel along the way we made 3 scenic stops known as Half Moon Bay (Ritz: 1 Miramontes Point Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 & Shark Fin Cove (Shark Fin Cove, Davenport, CA 95017)

Stop 2: Big Sur (2 nights)

Pebble Beach is an amazing gold course in Big Sur that costs $500 to play, naturally we opted out of hitting a round of golf but we were able to enjoy some cocktails and lunch on the 18th hole. We drove on the 17 mile drive and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. In Big Sur there also is a town named, Carmel, that has a French and Spanish flare to it.

  • Stayed: Tickle Pink Inn (view from our hotel room pictured)

  • Ate: Tickled Pink Inn, Hyatt, Hog’s Breath Inn (Clint Eastwood’s restaurant), The Bench (Pebble Beach)

  • Tourism: Point Lobos, Montery, exploring the city of Carmel, Pebble Beach

DRIVE (Carmel to Cambria)

From Carmel we head to Cambria, this is the most scenic stretch of the drive so we opted to stop in Cambria for a night to get some rest before heading to Santa Barbra. We wanted to do the scenery of Big Sur justice and not rush through it. Now people do ask, whats in Cambria? and I’ll tell you, not a whole lot.. However, it is by Hearst Castle & it is the last stop before a stretch of nothingness to Santa Barbra so it is a great rest stop should you need one.

  • See: Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, Mc Way Falls 

  • Eat: Nepenthe

Stop 3: Cambria (1 night)

This is most certainly a less epic stop along your trip, this stop is designed for a day of rest on a gorgeous beach near Hearst Castle

  • Stay: Ocean Point Ranch

  • Eat: Ocean Point Ranch Restaurant

  • See: Heart Castle

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DRIVE: (Cambria to Santa Barbra) One Stop

This drive you are going to see a lot of country, vineyards and will pass some pretty great dunes, on this portion of the drive we stopped at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, there is an option to rent ATV’s here so if you want to do that I suggest planning ahead! 

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Stop 4: Santa Barbra (1 night) 

  • Stay: Santa Barbra Inn

  • Eat: Bella Vista (Four Seasons)

  • See: Four Season’s hotel, Red roof tour at the court house, 1000 steps, State Street shopping, the beach by the cliffs

(DRIVE) Santa Barbra to Los Angeles

Our big stop on this drive was Malibu, I could not recommend more stopping for a bite a Malibu Farms. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip!! Truly these pictures done even do it justice!

Stop 5: Los Angeles (2 nights)

  • Stay: La Mondrian - (LA Hot spot with insane pool!)

  • Eat: Catch LA, In and Out, Venice Beach

  • Do: Laugh Factory, Venice Beach, Beverly Hills Hotel, Hollywood Hills, Griffith Observatory, Venice Canals, Rodeo Drive




Madison Townsend