During this trip, I opted for a different type of travel. I decided to avoid high flight fees, busy airports, limited luggage, flight cancellations due to weather, and all the complicated parts of traveling by plane during the winter. My California road trip started in San Diego and went up the coast to Monterey Bay, with a few stops along the way. It’s a bit long since it’s a long road trip, but I broke it down by areas, so please bare with me.
Here I share the best stopping places for gas, restroom, coffee, food, and most importantly, the views!
Road trip logistics
If you need or prefer to rent a car and would like to avoid dealing with the airport, I recommend the CBX bridge. If you’re unfamiliar with CBX, this bridge connects San Diego, CA with Tijuana’s airport in Mexico. It’s smaller and less busy than the airport, it’s open 24 hours and has several car rental companies.
The only downside of this is that you’ll need to drive south – all the way to Mexico’s border – if you’re already in San Diego city. The bright side is that you can return your car at any time and CBX has shuttles that drive you to different parts of the city or nearby cities like Los Angeles.
What to bring for a road trip
This might be obvious to some, but I hope this advice will be useful to most. I suggest you pack the following:
- Spare tire and jack
- Car battery charger or cables
- Flashlight
- Download your route on offline maps
- Download lots of playlists and podcasts for the road
- Snacks and drinks in a small cooler
- Pain relievers (ibuprofen, aspirin…)
- Check the weather! You might need a raincoat or a warm jacket.
Road trip stops
These stops are mere suggestions and depend on the route you choose. I opted for valley views on the way up and drove along the coast on the way back down. This way the coast is on my right side and easier to stop along the way.
Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita, CA is mainly known for Six Flags Magic Mountain. I feel this was a good point to get out and stretch since this is passed Los Angeles traffic and because of its proximity to one of the biggest theme parks in California. This makes it a good stopping point for tourists looking for affordable lunch or a quick bathroom or coffee stop. My mandatory lunch stop in California is of course In n’ Out. The only fast food that it’s worth the while! (in my opinion at least). There are many grocery stores and gas stations nearby in case you need to stock up on snacks.
Paso Robles
After lunch in Santa Clarita, I drove north for a few hours. Not long after Bakersfield, where I saw endless rows of lovely cotton trees in February, we stopped by Blackwell’s Corner General Store. I feel this store is worth mentioning since it’s famous for a very odd event. James Dean’s deadly car crash happened near this store, and for some eerie reason, they are very proud of this historical event. They have huge cardboard cutouts of James Dean, and newspaper clippings with pictures of the car crash on the store’s walls. In its defense, the store has a wide variety of snacks, drinks, and clean restrooms.
A short drive ahead, you’ll find yourself in Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County. If you have the time in your itinerary, you can stay at one of their many hotels or cabins and enjoy the wineries and valley views. Please note that the road from here to the coast gets to be a bit winding and dark in case you’re driving at night.
If you decide to continue your journey, don’t worry about how desolate the road looks. Not far from there, you’ll find yourself in Soledad. This small city has many places to stop for food, gas, or restrooms.
Exploring Monterey Bay
Not much more than an hour from Soledad, you’ll finally arrive at Monterey Bay. The most famous places to visit are Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove, and of course, Big Sur. This last one was my main reason for this road trip. Big Sur has been on my bucket list for years. During my first attempt to visit, it was closed down due to the wildfires. It took a second road trip along the California coast to finally experience these breathtaking cliffs and it did not disappoint.
Lodging in Pacific Grove
There are many hotels, cabins, homes, and apartments to stay in along the coast. This was a romantic getaway so we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast near the coast at Pacific Grove. Our cozy room at Gosby House Inn had a fireplace! The victorian style house is beautiful and dates back to 1887 but was renewed in 2023. Although the price per room was a bit steep, it was very similar to everything nearby but included a delicious and complete breakfast AND cheese and wine in the evenings!
I will also be honest and say that we were probably the youngest guests in the Inn. Keep in mind that most of Pacific Grove has a very calm and quiet vibe where restaurants close at 9 or 10pm. One of the reasons we stayed at Pacific Grove is that the beach is within walking distance. Lover’s Point Beach deserves a visit.
Pacific Grove is also located centrally from other stopping points. Carmel-by-the-sea is a 15min drive, Big Sur is about 30mins, and Santa Cruz is the furthest with an hour’s drive.
Driving to Big Sur
“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey”
My priority after arriving in Monterey Bay was finally exploring Big Sur. We had breakfast at the inn, stopped by an ATM for cash, refilled gas, and snacks, then drove down Pacific Coast Highway.
The cliché saying “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey” couldn’t be more true here. We drove down PCH with the coast to our right side and stop at every viewpoint we could. The positive side of visiting in the winter is the low amount of cars and tourists on the highway and stopping points. The strong winds made some stops quite treacherous, but at least it blew away the clouds and fog so we got spectacular views everywhere we stopped!
What to do in Big Sur
If you decide to visit a State Park, know that the $10 fee per car will allow you to enter all State Parks and private trails in the area on that day.
To name a few from north to south:
- Garrapata State Park
- Point Sur State Historic Park
- Andrew Molera State Park
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
- McWay Waterfall Trailhead
McWay Waterfall Trailhead is a short and sweet trail along the beach that ends on a cliff facing a waterfall. The waterfall is facing the ocean and can only be seen from this trail. There’s no access down to the beach.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is enormous! There are cabins, a store, a rec room, and HUGE trees that you can walk through! The hike trails are never-ending. We took a short hike along the river and took in the forest views before dark.
Where to eat in Big Sur
Big Sur Taphouse has a rotating menu depending on the holiday. We tried the B’nai sandwich during the Mardi Gras festivities, it was delicious and big enough to share. You can also enjoy a cold local brew. Connected to the tap house is the deli where you can buy souvenirs, groceries, and snacks. I got my mandatory postcard for my wall collection.
Also, next to the Deli and Taphouse there’s a bakery and a restroom available to all, customers and passersby. I’m still not over that hilarious bathroom sign!
Central Coast
After a few days of enjoying Pacific Grove, Carmel, and Big Sur, we kept driving down Pacific Coast Highway until we arrived at the central coast. The biggest cities to visit are Santa Barbara and Pismo Beach.
Pismo Beach
One of the reasons I decided to stay here is Monarch Butterfly Grove. Despite arriving during their season (November – February), the place was closed due to strong winds. Still, we were able to spot many monarch butterflies flying around the trees by the entrance.
Compared to San Diego and to Monterey Bay, Pismo Beach is more affordable. I really recommend trying the award-winning bread bowl of clam chowder at Splash Café. Followed by a visit to Boardroom Beer Pub where you can choose from their large catalog of Californian beers.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is known for its wine and college parties. Definitely worth the stay if you have the time.
Near Santa Barbara, you can also camp at Los Padres National Forest. This forest is huge so, having camping experience is definitely recommended. Also, track the weather prior to your trip since this is the only point on the trip where we drove through a snowstorm. Followed by sunshine at Santa Barbara Beach.
Solvang is another cute town to visit. It’s built to look like a Dutch town with cozy Inns and windmills. Like many places in California, it is famous for its wine and valley views.
Southern California
San Clemente
After spending the night in Pismo Beach, we kept driving down the coast passed Los Angeles and down to Orange County. San Clemente is a beautiful beach town known for its clean beaches and Outlet stores. This is a good place to stretch your legs if you’re no longer interested in walking the boardwalks along PCH or if the weather does not allow for it. The Outlets have clean restrooms, a variety of food, and of course, lots of shopping.
San Diego
There’s so much to do in San Diego that it deserves its own post. I also purposely left out Los Angeles because of this. I lived in both cities for many years and my recommendations do not fit in this post. SoCal recs coming soon!
Ending the road trip on a high note
After such a beautiful, but very cold trip, we headed down to Mexico where the adventure never ends! Also, we were looking forward to warmer weather and more affordable prices. Tijuana is another city that I know very well. Check out a local’s advice on how to enjoy Tijuana’s nightlife safely.
Overall, this road trip was a bit ambitious but I wouldn’t have done it any other way. When planning a road trip, always plan ahead and overestimate the time it will take you to get to your next stopping point. Traffic and weather conditions may cause delays in your itinerary. Also, if when you’re tired of driving remember to look around and be mindful of the gorgeous and ever-changing sceneries that California has to offer. Always BE PRESENT!
If you’ve done a road trip along the California coast, which were your favorite stops? Let me know in the comments below.
