For both local Californians and tourists, a road trip that snakes up California’s coast is a classic to enjoy pure beauty. I grew up in San Clemente -- a small beach town in Southern California -- and now go to college at Sonoma State University. I usually try to power my travels from one place to the other by zooming through Highway 5. This time, I made the decision to take advantage of this drive and to fully embrace it by planning a three-day road trip of enjoying California’s beautiful coast.
Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is full of nature’s beauty and boundless ocean horizons. It was an escape from California’s usual traffic jams and was a relaxing road trip with the open road and breathtaking scenery. My trip was full of memorable scenery, but I definitely recommend at least three days for a road trip from Orange County to San Francisco, so that you will be able to not feel rushed and full enjoy it.
Day 1: San Clemente to Morro Bay.
Santa Barbara is a must-see stop and the highlight of day one. Being from Southern California, it reminds me of a bigger, more populated Laguna Beach. Though they still have their differences, they are both hilly beach cities with houses filling the coastal hills. I would definitely recommend going through State Street in Santa Barbara to walk around, or at least drive through.
Day 2: Morro Bay to Monterey.
This drive was unforgettable, especially through Big Sur. Before you even get to Big Sur, a must stop is at Ragged Point, which is right off PCH on the left-hand side, you can’t miss it. I was lucky since there was no rain or fog that it was a beautiful clear view to enjoy what's known as the portal to Big Sur. Remember to fill up your gas tank before you get to Big Sur, because there are about two gas stations throughout the drive that are overpriced.
Once you are into Big Sur it is full of breathtaking stops, so stay prepared to pull over at any time. One stop to not miss is McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Mcway Falls is falling into the blue cove with the mountain, green cliff surrounding it. A tip for stopping here is to just pull over to the side of the road and walk into the park to avoid having to pay $10 parking. Just at the end of Big Sur is Bixby Bridge, which leads you out of the Big Sur beauty with a bang.
Day 3: Monterey to San Francisco.
The day was started off with the 17-mile drive, which loops Monterey Peninsula, got to enjoy looking at beautiful homes and white sand beaches. The drive does cost $10, but I believe it is worth it, especially if you are in a group where you can split it. Once you are out of Monterey, the drive up the coast from Santa Cruz to San Francisco is a seamless and scenic drive of the ragged coast. Throughout this drive, you will pass continuous surf break with giant, powerful waves.
Though these are just the highlights of my trip, there was much more that I enjoyed throughout this road trip and more that I plan to do next time I do it. I realized on this trip the happiness that is shared when we experience the beauty of our world, which gets overlooked far too often.
