Is this your first time driving in the US? In this post, I’m going to tell you all about how we prepped for our L.A. to San Francisco road trip, along with some tips for driving in the US and our final plans.
- Planning the L.A. to San Francisco Road Trip Route
- Accommodations
- Points of Interest along L.A. to San Francisco Road Trip
- General rules and tips for driving in the U.S.
- Last Piece of Advice
Planning the L.A to San Francisco Road Trip Route
The drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco can take at least 6 hours non-stop. If you’re not used to long drives, it’s better to break the trip into a few days. We opted for a 3-day trip, stopping at charming little towns to explore at our own pace.
Deciding the L.A. to San Francisco Road Trip Route
I found two routes for the trip. The first is the famous Pacific Coast Highway, offering a coastal drive. If you prefer mountainous scenery, you can take the I-5 route towards Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, passing through various National Parks including Yosemite National Park.
Remember to discuss with your travel companions which route to take and then identify the stopping points along the way. Although we initially wanted to visit national parks, such as Yosemite National Park, we ultimately decided to take the Pacific Coast Highway as it’s more comfortable for our group. For a detailed list of road trip preparations, you can check out my post here.
One downside of taking the Pacific Coast Highway is that it is prone to landslides. During our trip preparation, one part of the road was already closed. However, the road to Big Sur is still accessible at that point. Even though it will take us a little longer to reach Big Sur, we still proceeded with our plan to stay one night there.
This is what an L.A. to San Francisco Road Trip could look like
Accommodations
Once you have chosen your route, make sure to plan your accommodation in advance. A week before our trip, there was another landslide on Highway 1 near Big Sur. This completely blocked our route to Big Sur Lodge, where we had planned to stay. As a result, we had to change our plans and decided to skip Big Sur. Ultimately, we stayed overnight in Solvang and Monterey before heading to San Francisco.
Where we stayed
Solvang
We stayed at the Vinland Hotel and Lounge in Solvang. Solvang is a walkable village, so we parked our car at the hotel and explored the village at our own pace. The hotel is located next to Olsen’s Danish Bakery and the Hans Christian Andersen Museum. Additionally, the hotel has great vantage points on the third floor where you can watch the sunset.
Monterey
While visiting Monterey, we stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn Express, which is conveniently located near Cannery Row. Due to its proximity to attractions, we were able to park our car at the hotel and explore the area on foot.
For a more luxurious stay, you might consider the Spindrift Inn Monterey. This inn is very close to McAbee Beach and is just a 5-minute walk from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Points of interest along L.A to San Francisco Road Trip
National Park Route
Unfortunately, I don’t have the specific details for this route as we didn’t take it. However, if you’re considering the National Park route, you could make stops at Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park.
Pacific Coast Highway route
Here are some must-see places along the Pacific Coast Highway route.
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier is located just a short drive from Los Angeles and is home to a large pier with a small amusement park. This iconic location has been featured in numerous films and is one of the most filmed spots in Los Angeles. With free admission, Santa Monica Pier is an interesting destination suitable for people of all ages. If you have time, you can also visit the nearby Venice Beach.
Malibu
Malibu is a small town known for celebrity sightings and surfing. There isn’t much to see here, but you can stop and go down to the beach for a stroll. Take a picture at the pier and watch some surfers in action. You might even spot some celebrities.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a coastal city with stunning beaches and historical landmarks. When visiting the city, be sure to check out Stearn Wharf and State Street. Stearn Wharf is one of the longest deep-water wharves, making it a perfect spot for fishing. Along the boardwalk, you’ll find souvenir shops and boutiques, as well as the Museum of Natural History Sea Centre, which features exhibits about local marine life. On State Street, you’ll find great shops and restaurants on both sides.
Santa Barbara was one of our overnight options, but we decided to stay at Solvang instead. If you plan to stay here for the night, you can consider La Playa Inn Santa Barbara or Hotel Californian for a more luxurious stay.
Solvang
The village is a hidden gem, boasting picturesque Danish-style houses and an irresistible array of culinary delights. It felt surreal, like we had been magically transported to a charming corner of Europe. Solvang proudly holds the title of the Danish capital of America.
During my research, I stumbled upon a thrilling ghost hunting tour for the brave souls. Those who are interested in the eerie stories about the village can join this tour to explore Solvang after dark. Solvang also offers a treasure trove of attractions including the captivating Hans Andersen Museum, the intriguing Vintage Motorcycle Museum, and the enriching Museum of History and Arts. Not to mention, indulging in the delectable Danish pastries and cuisine was an absolute must-do!
Roaming through the numerous boutique shops and souvenir stores was a delightful experience. I really liked the Pebble People shop. It is a locally owned shop that sells handcrafted cuckoo clocks and music boxes.
While you’re here, don’t miss the chance to check out Ostrichland, a nearby attraction. We were also hoping to experience the thrill of the zipline at Highline Adventure, but it was closed when we were there.
Pismo Beach
Another beach town that you will pass on the route is Pismo Beach. When we visited, it was quite cold, so it was not crowded. The boardwalk offers a stunning view of the area – it would have been a great place to chill and watch the sunset. However, due to the strong winds, we didn’t stay long at the beach.
Morro Bay
We stopped by Morro Bay for a quick lunch at a Thai restaurant. We had a friendly chat with the local staff, and he recommended that we check out Morro Rock Beach.
Morro Bay Rock is one of 13 volcanic plugs, which are leftover necks of extinct volcanoes. I always thought squirrels lived up in the trees, so it was interesting to find squirrels under the large boulders near the beach.
The restaurant staff also suggested we check out Santa Cruz, but we did not have enough time to squeeze it into our itinerary.
Big Sur
Unfortunately, we had to skip Big Sur due to road closures during our trip. However, I’m including the information here in case the road reopens during your visit. Our original plan was to spend one night at Big Sur Lodge to allow plenty of time to explore the area. Noteworthy nearby attractions include Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, McWay Falls, Andrew Molera State Park, Great Sur Vista Point, Hurricane Point Vista Point, and Bixby Bridge Vista Point. We also intended to visit the Coast Big Sur cafe, which offers a great view and delicious-looking food. If you end up visiting, let me know in the comments.
King City
We made a quick stop in King City, California to take a break, stretch our legs, and get some fresh air. While there, we tried some handmade ice cream from a local shop called La Michoacana Paleteria. The ice cream was refreshing and made without any added sugar. They offered a variety of interesting flavors like Taro, Chai, and traditional options. If you’re ever in town, be sure to check them out.
Monterey
Monterey is a charming city located just a 2-3 hour drive away from San Francisco, making it one of the top vacation destinations for both locals and tourists. It is renowned for its spectacular coastal views, famous golf courses, and incredible wildlife. There are numerous activities to enjoy in the city, such as exploring the shops and restaurants at Cannery Row, visiting the Fishermen’s Wharf, and touring the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium. If you happen to visit during the whale migration period, you can join the whale watching tour.
If you have the time, consider taking a trip to Carmel-By-The-Sea and doing the 17-mile drive to experience the breathtaking coastal views.
Asian Market
Before leaving for Foster City, we remembered a Korean reality show on Disney+ called “Unexpected Business.” In this show, famous Korean actors take over a local business for a week so that the boss can finally enjoy a vacation. A big demand on the show is for the Kimbap roll, which was the most challenging task for the team. Since it was just a 15-minute drive from our place, we decided to go grab and try some of the in-demand Kimbap. The verdict? The kimbap tasted really good and was quite affordable too (only $2).
Foster City
After Monterey, we decided to head back to San Francisco. Since we had already seen most of the city, we chose to stay at a place near the airport that offered free parking. So, for the remainder of our trip, we stayed at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Foster City. Our accommodation was located right next to the Bridgepointe Shopping Center and conveniently close to the San Francisco International Airport.
General rules and tips for driving in the U.S.
Gas stations in the United States are self-service. We were a bit lost when we had to stop for gas for the first time. The gas stations do not accept international credit cards, so we had to go to gas stations that have mini food marts to pay for the gas.
It’s actually pretty easy – just inform the staff of the pump station number where you stopped your car and then pay for the gas. You can prepay, for example, $50, and the pump will automatically stop once it reaches $50. If it reaches a full tank, you can return to the shop and get the change.
Some driving rules in the US that you should be aware of:
- They allow right turns on red, except where prohibited by a sign.
- You should always wear your seatbelt, even for backseat passengers.
- If you are stopped by the police, stop the vehicle and do not exit the vehicle.
- Different states have different speed limits, so be aware of the speed limit signs.
- When you see the stop sign, stop before the white line. The driver that arrived first, goes first.
- When you finalize your route, check whether the road or bridge that you will be crossing needs to pay a toll fee. If you need to pay the toll, you can set up a one-time payment temporary account. You can check the details here.
Last Piece of Advice
So, the thing is, it’s super important to be flexible when you’re planning a trip. Honestly, I was really worried about our first L.A. to San Francisco road trip because driving in a new country can be pretty nerve-wracking. A bunch of unexpected stuff happened just two weeks before our trip. One of our travel companions got sick and canceled on us. And then, one of the places we were supposed to stay at told us they couldn’t host us because of a city inspection. On top of all that, there was a sudden road closure near Highway 1, so we had to totally redo our plans. We ended up changing our trip itinerary five times!
Things don’t always go as planned, you know? Flight delays, bad weather, and unexpected road closures can mess things up. But the cool thing about road trips is that we can go wherever we want. So, if we see a cute town or a nice beach, we can just stop and check it out. If this is your first road trip, just chill and enjoy the ride! I hope you find some useful information in this post.
If you are visiting San Francisco and Los Angeles, you might be interested in these posts too:
- Visiting San Francisco For The First Time
- Great places to see Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco
- Our 6D5N Itinerary: Visiting Los Angeles for the first time
- Rating the most popular theme parks in Los Angeles
- Your Guide to visit Disneyland Resort California for the first time
- Visiting Universal Studios Hollywood for the first time
