[Davil]

So. I’m from Sydney. I’ve decided to drive your Pacific Coast Hwy this June. I’ll be leaving from San Jose down to LA. (Note: I’ve been to SF many times. The wharf area is really very nice but that’s it for me so I don’t need to go there again).

I’ve been watching videos. The drive looks really amazing and it has always been a bucket list item.

I think I’ll rent a 4 series convertible. That seems like something that can be found easily. I like the idea of a convertible for this trip. I’d prefer a Z4 or even something more exotic but that doesn’t seem easily found.

Oddly enough we also have a Pacific Hwy down here that also goes for hundreds of miles. I’ve done that. Going for the cross Pacific box set.

Any tips from locals? If so. Very much appreciated! I’m pretty excited about it. Your state looks so amazing.

[smmmurf]

Before making the drive down the coast, check out Half Moon Bay, Pescadero, and Loma Mar.

Further south, San Luis Obispo and Avila Beach are wonderful places to experience.

[AJAXF1]

Bring sunblock! There was a rockslide that has shut down a portion of the road around Big Sur so be sure that is open for your trip.

Once you are down in the LA area, check out the Malibu canyons for some good roads. Avoid the touristy areas like Santa Monica pier for food purposes. Worth a visit overall but unless you do some diligent work finding respectable spots nearby, it will be super basic american food.

Our favorite town to visit for good food and nice water areas is Newport Beach. Way more classy and expensive but you can spot some awesome cars and even visit the Aston Martin dealership by our favorite french restaurant Marche Moderne.

[CalAcacian]

Stop in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a very interesting town inhabited by the ultra-wealthy (Clint Eastwood was Mayor at one point), go to one of the excellent delis there and have them pack you some sandwiches for the road. Keep driving south and stop at Lime Kiln state park to stretch your legs, go for a brief walk to the remnants of the kilns, and eat your sandwiches at the benches by the beach.

Hearst Castle, also near PCH, is well worth a visit.

Fully agree with AJAXF1 on both LA and Newport Beach. If you want a special meal in LA along PCH, your best bets are in Malibu. Nobu is objectively overpriced, but it is quite the experience and you are likely to see multiple celebrities on any given day.

The best driving roads in LA (Angles Crest Highway) are a bit too far inland for a PCH drive, but the mountain roads around Malibu are fantastic and often home to plenty of exotic metal on the weekend.

[Davil]

Wow. Thanks everyone. Much appreciated!

[jefe2000]

This winter wreaked havoc on CA roads. This includes the PCH through the rugged section of coastline known as Big Sur. There are some significant road closures in the region while repairs are underway. Portions of the road may not yet be open in June. Check here for details to plan your route and potential need for detours:
https://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/hig...onditions.html

[AWDtoRWD]

Oh man what a great trip you have ahead. I assume you'll be going down the 101 which doubles as PCH for the most part.

Out of San Jose I'd drive straight to Santa Cruz...sleepy beach town with massive red wood trees. Probably skip Monterey (including Carmel) unless you want to stop at Laguna Seca. Beyond that, central coast. Like smmmurf said, San Luis Obispo and the smaller towns along the coast are out of a book you want to read.

After that, maybe Santa Barbara or Ojai. If you're into a smaller town vibe with excellent food options but a tiny bit inland, do Ojai. Ventura is right there too.

Enjoy and have fun

[Shino91]

Make sure to make a pit stop at NEPENTHE it’s a restaurant / bar with the amazing views . I always stop there when going up or down the coast .

[not.ramos]

Born and raised in the Bay - here is what I did one summer and it was a good weekend trip.

Start at the Point Reyes Lighthouse and take PCH to Battery Rathbone McIndoe (go passed the popular look out points and take the one way road passed the gate), go stop at Devil's Slide Bunker and continue down to grab lunch at Alice's Restaurant and grab coffee while watching the Porsche's make their way up the mountain. Go down to Bixby Bridge and stop in Monterey or Carmel. Afterwards just take your time to stay in Santa Barbara. The following day make your way down to LA/SD and just stop wherever it seems interesting.

[AlpsRider]

If you like coastline I'd skip LA for the most part and just head to La Jolla/San Diego. The traffic is much more manageable than LA and the hills just east of SD are a canyon carving paradise.

[AWDtoRWD]

How was the trip? Davil

[Davil]

So good!

My vehicle of choice for the trip from San Jose to San Diego was a V8 Mustang convertible. So American. In the end I decided that It needed to be American and have a V8. Quite the colour. I named the car highlight as it looks like a highlight pen.

The Mustang has a lovely sound. A very smooth ride too. Compared to the CS or my Aston it did feel a lot like navigating a speed boat. That’s ok though. It was for cruising. Captain Davil on the high seas.

Very fun trip. California coast is a lot like NSW coast really but different enough to feel like an overseas holiday. Coastal towns. Nice scenery. Driving through LA was the only low point. Urgh.

I drove no more than 3-4 hours a day. Stayed at Santa Cruz (Casablanca Inn), Big Sur (Alila Ventana), Morro Bay (Estero Inn), Santa Barbara (Hotel Californian), Dana Point (Waldorf Astoria), San Diego (Hotel Del Coranado), North Hollywood (The Garland). But I stopped at lots of other places too.

Really enjoyable. The road into Santa Barbara was a really nice stretch. Probably the most fun bit but there were other nice bits.

[Davil]

And a few more.

[projekt-]

Looks like you had a great time! Makes me appreciate more what we have locally, which at times taken for granted.