Paula O.

In New York City, a barefoot guy crossing Broadway in trunks with a surfboard wouldn't raise eyebrows because anything unusual is usual. In Sunset Beach it's the usual. We were doing an early morning drive from Long Beach to Laguna Beach. Turn right at the PCH mall and we're on PCH itself. Calm and lovely. Clearly the land of the free of the poor. Light traffic. Packs of bicycle teams calmly traveling along side. Newport Beach announces itself with grandeur. In their backyards at sea level or terraced hill balconies the residents hear cushioned traffic sounds, noises are just murmurs. Fragrant buttery molecules dress up the soon to be spring air. Their view is astounding.

Ivory B.

California Coastal Highway 1 through Half Moon Bay is safe, well maintained, and offers gorgeous ocean views and coastal trails which lead to beaches. The many beautiful beaches, state parks, picturesque coastal villages, and historical landmarks in the Half Moon Bay area are located along the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The area is full of marine biodiversity. My only complaint is the dead-locked, crowded and busy one-way-in and one-way-out traffic on the weekends. Other locals and I must plan to pass through early enough to avoid the tourist traffic. In the meantime, please drive safely -- no texting or putting your makeup on while driving. Accidents can block the road for hours. Please be considerate on the road so we all can enjoy the beautiful coastal view. Thank you!

Richard D.

California has some of the most beautiful and scenic coastlines in the world. From the coastal cities of San Diego, Malibu, and Santa Barbara through the canyons and overviews of Big Sur. Seriously you can flip through pictures all day of what California has to offer. So how do you navigate your way through the beauty? Make your way west and jump on Pacific Coast Highway. Stretching over 650 miles PCH can take you from San Diego County all the way up to the Bay Area. Even with all the beauty the shoreline highway has to offer be sure to be aware of your surroundings and conditions while driving. Big Sur is a popular destination for those looking to take some cool pics, but it is also one of the most dangerous routes in California. With elevation levels changing throughout your drive and multiple twists and turns even the most seasoned drivers should be on their A game. If you're looking for a fun day trip or mini vacation definitely checkout all the stops along PCH. You'll definitely find some hidden gems that you'll be Yelping about later

Shayla B.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for beautiful views. Beaches, coast lines, lush greenery, flowers, blue skies, sunsets... you name it and I probably love it. And, I'll travel far and wide just to see it. The Pacific Coast Highway is one of those places. The amazing views that it provides just seem to be endless. I cannot drive down this highway without stopping during my trip... multiple times. Yes, it delays the journey to my destination, but once you've driven down this highway, you'll understand. Just take a moment to pull over and get out of the car. Let that wind hit your face as you breathe in the fresh cold air. Let the view of the beautiful blue ocean warm your eyes. Let the spirit of the enchanting coastline light up your soul. Just take it all in. In a world where it seems like there's just never enough time... all we really have IS time. When you are on this highway, just sit back and enjoy it. There are so many great things to see. The Bixby Bridge, McWay Falls, Carmel-by-the-sea, the Big Sur, and so much more. There are so many spots where you can pull over and park your car. There's a neat vista point that you can stop at right before you get to Big Sur where you can read up on the history of the Pfeiffer family. It's a great place to escape and a beautiful drive down the California central coast.

Georgie M.

Whenever I feel as if the world is a little too crazy, I get into my car and look for a stretch of open road. I know that might seem like a counter intuitive thought, but driving the speed limit plus five miles or so over on an open road, is relaxing to me. And, one of the best drives on earth, is the drive down PCH near Big Sur. It's reinvigorating! Yes, I know. It won't take long for someone to get on my tail. But that's okay, because I'm going to pull off soon to take a few more pictures (like 60 other Yelp'ers). Besides.... you cannot drive the speed limit on this road anyway, unless you have a death wish. FYI, this part of PCH has all these sharp turns, up and down moves and switch backs. Best part? There is NO guard rail! But it's fun just the same. Honk if you see a green "California 1" sticker on the back of a car. It might be me. Enjoy the journey! And don't worry too much about the destination.

Ida H.

You haven't lived if you haven't driven along HWY 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. It is a thrill ride to say the least! Filled with twists and turns, steep inclines or near edge drop offs. Thick fog and mists that would swoop down upon you then flow away like it was alive. It's all there for the adventurous and sight seer alike. This is a very long stretch of road that follows the cliffs bordering the Pacific Ocean. The highway extends from Monterey and goes as far as LA. Forests and mountainous landscapes are to one side of the road, while beautiful ocean views, tide pools and rocky beaches are on the other. I have been on the highway many a time throughout my life, and it never has been a boring ride. Sometimes I find myself white knuckling the car seat as we get close to some of the cliff edges, or when some drivers think they can speed their way past slower vehicles. Fortunately this scenic drive offers many stopping points to enjoy the view and to let the other impatient drivers get by you. During our most recent excursion, as we headed to San Luis Obispo, we had several opportunities to see some state parks and other sites along the way. One place we stopped at was to see the most photographed bridge on the coast known as the Bixby Bridge. Conveniently built into the walls of the mountainous cliffs with the intention of ensuring your drive will safely continue without a hitch. My boyfriend wanted to make sure we got pictures of the bridge complete with a haunting mist surrounding it. There were many other highlights along the way, beside the continuous wave action of the ocean. Lots of interesting wildlife, marine life and marine mammals can be spotted from time to time. We even came across a small waterfall that emerged from the mountain side shooting out like a water hose and landing far below to the sandy beach, drilling a hole into the mud, only to be washed away by the ocean waves, and then replacing the sand back into the crevice. An unusual symbiotic relationship for sure! Another stop along the way was Piedras Blancas State Beach. This is home base to an elephant seal colony, where juveniles rest and play as they learn how not to eat for long periods of time. Food is hard to come by during certain times of the year, so they must prepare within a few months for a long perilous journey out to sea for migration and mating, in which they spend most of their lives living in the ocean. For more interesting information about these marine mammals, there is a web site available that talks all about the once mysterious lives of the elephant seal: www.elephantseal.org . There is also a web cam currently up and running where you can watch them in action! http://www.elephantseal.org/Rookery/livecam.htm Despite the dangers that lurk when driving this highway (mostly caused by idiotic drivers), there is a lot of beauty and wonder along this winding, narrow strip of road that shouldn't be missed in this lifetime. It is one of the most striking places of California!

Rebekah T.

I am in love with the Pacific Coast Highway, it just reminds me of how lucky we are to live in California. Absolutely beautiful. We took a drive down the coast this last weekend with stops along the way. Even when we were stuck on the side of the highway, due to a landslide closure, we had a great time. The sun and the scenery were enough to keep us from getting stressed out about the 2 hour delay. I took so many pictures of the beautiful views from high above, I hope you enjoy some of them and take this trip yourself someday.

Mike K.

Probably one of the better scenic drives along the California coast. Set yourself at least a day or two to truly enjoy the drive and take your time. The cliffs look beautiful but pay attention. Those drop offs are a one way proposition. And no guard rails (thankfully). If at all possible I recommend you take this trip on a weekday to avoid the weekend rush and crowds.

Eddie K.

Roadtrippin' up the California coastline. City of Angels to City by the Bay. Off my bucket list? Check. As recommended by my LA local buddy, get up early and get out of crazy LA traffic before 630am. Uhh, why does vacation require waking up early? Oh, now I know, LA traffic is nuts, 7 lanes of freeway and a sea of brake lights. Google maps shows 462 miles (yikes!) in 8.5 hrs if I take Highway 1 as far as I can. If I drove 462 miles in Hawaii, I'd be somewhere in the Pacific Ocean (or at least at the bottom of it). If I did my math right, we should be there just after 3pm with zero stops. But was I really kidding myself, no stops, not even for a bathroom break? I guess I gotta bust out the empty beer bottles if we are to make this in record time. Head out of LA to Santa Barbara to Santa Maria to Pismo Beach to SLO to Cambria to San Simeon to Big Sur to Carmel to Monterey to Santa Cruz to San Francisco. Throughout the journey, you will be treated to twists and turns sitting on the edge of sheer cliffs. Every mile seems to slow in time as you enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Pacific Ocean greeting the California coastline with each rolling wave. The misty air brings a haunting backdrop to horizon. .....9 hrs later, I finally reach Monterey. Clearly, Google Maps does not calculate in "Hawaiian Time". Although being in Hawaii allows me to view some of the most beautiful coastlines, the drive up PCH has to be one of the most breathtaking views I've seen. Hmm, maybe PCH stands for Probably Close to Heaven?

Dennis C.

Wow... just wow... this highway is BEAUTIFUL between santa cruz all the way to pismo. There are so many opportunities for great kodak moments. For those like me, who have a lead foot, youre going to love ALL the twisties around the carmel and big sur areas. Be careful to keep your pace. if you get stuck behind a caravan of motorcycles, youre screwed for miles and miles. it also holds true for people in minivans... just pass them when you have the chance. even if its double yellow, go ahead and go on the opposing lane and pass... or else youre gonna be frustrated. and of course, be careful when you do this... and only do it if your car is actually decent enough. i dont wanna see people in a prius trying to pull this crap, because its just not going to work. *** LIKES: Twisties GALORE!!!!! awesome views. It might be better as a passenger because theres just so much to see... but as a driver, youre too engaged in the driving DISLIKES: Slow ass drivers. Some parts are single lane, but there are no cops.. so go ahead and pass when you can... safely VERDICT: Do this drive starting from Norcal heading to Socal. Theres really not much to see down on the socal leg. I would just do from Carmel to pismo, then take 101 to LA. PCH between pismo to malibu has a whole lot of nothing to see... and takes forever... and not much of a fun drive....

Ryan M.

The drive along PCH is absolutely beautiful. I have driven a couple times out of my way down to Southern California from the Bay Area because of how mesmerizing some of the views are along this route. It's by no means a quick drive, but by no means it should be. It's nice to have so many little areas that you can pull over along the drive that allow for some sightseeing and picture taking. I actually found myself at times in a gaze while standing along the cliffs, just taking in the views. One thing you must remember, if you are short on gas, make sure to fill up before hand because if you end up having to fill up for gas somewhere along the road in Big Sur, you might have to stop and get gas that will hit you at more than $7/gallon. Just a recommendation if you haven't been there beforehand. I highly recommend taking this drive if you ever get the chance. Take your time and enjoy the ride.