The Ultimate 4 Day Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary

The fastest route from San Francisco to Los Angeles is the mind-numbingly boring 101 freeway, taking about 6 hours to drive the roughly 380 miles. But why rush through one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world? Instead, we took the gloriously scenic route down the iconic Pacific Coast Highway 1.

Stretching over 650 miles along the California coast, the Pacific Cost Highway is considered one of the most stunning drives in the entire USA. It winds along rugged seaside cliffs, through lush forests, and past countless breathtaking beaches and state parks such as Big Sur. It’s strongly recommend to drive the highway from north to south to stay on the ocean side throughout the entire journey, so we planned our trip starting in San Francisco and ending in Los Angeles.

Over 4 unforgettable days, we discovered fascinating coastal towns, indulged in some of the freshest seafood, and revelled in the wild natural beauty that makes the Pacific Coast Highway such a treasured bucket list road trip. Here is a recap of our amazing 4 day journey down this sensational stretch of highway.

Day 1 – San Francisco to Carmel

On the first day of our road trip, we picked up our rental car and left the San Francisco city limits behind us and headed south on route 1. Our first pitstop was Half Moon Bay, about 25 miles down the coast, where we indulged in fresh pastries and stretched our legs with a quick stroll along the quiet beach.

Continuing south on the Cabrillo Highway, we spent the afternoon at the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium (the inspiration for Pixar’s Finding Dory) marvelling at the local marine life. We then enjoyed strolling the historic Cannery Row, browsing the cute shops and watching the seals in the bay and of course no trip to Monterey is complete without grabbing some fresh seafood from the pier.

In the late afternoon, we took the short drive the coast to the picture postcard town of Carmel-by-the-Sea to watch the sunset on the beach and enjoy an alfresco dinner. With it’s quaint cottages, boutique shops, and gorgeous scenery, Carmel is storybook charming. We spent the night at the Stevenson motel back in Monterey, resting up before continuing the next leg of our adventure.

Day 2 – Carmel to San Luis Obispo

Our first stop on day 2 was the iconic 17 Mile Drive, winding past impressive mansions and scenic overlooks atop craggy oceanside cliffs.  We made sure to stop off for a quick peek at one the most famous golf courses by the way, Pebble Beach. We then headed back into charming Carmel-by-the-Sea proper for an hour to wander the boutiques and grab some coffees and snacks for the day.

Continuing south on Highway 1 past Point Lobos State Reserve, we stopped numerous times to admire the jaw-dropping views along Bixby Creek and Rocky Creek bridges before entering the lush redwood forests and dramatic cliffs of Big Sur.

Heading further south we stopped at the Elephant Seal Vista Point just outside of San Simeon. These massive marine mammals breed on the beaches and are an impressive sight. By late afternoon, we had completed the 200 mile stretch, rolling into the laidback beach town of San Luis Obispo. We spent our evening wandering the downtown area, trying local craft beers and enjoying a fantastic Italian meal at the quaint Buona Tavola on Monterey street.

Day 3 – San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara

After a good night’s sleep, we awoke on day 3 ready to tackle the next segment of the epic coastal drive. We started the morning right with incredible pastries from Old West Cinnamon Rolls and frozen mochas in nearby Pismo Beach. When the timing is right, Pismo is the place to witness the incredible monarch butterfly migration where the beach’s grove turns into a teeming kaleidoscope of butterflies from October to February.

Our next stop was the quirky Danish style village of Solvang, where we visited authentic bakeries and novelty stores set against a backdrop of windmills and timber-framed houses. We fuelled up on a great selection of world beers and sausages at the Copehagen Sausage Garden before getting back on the road south. By late afternoon we arrived in Santa Barbara and spent the afternoon wandering the palm-lined downtown streets and watching the sunset over the beach.

With gorgeous Spanish architecture and an idyllic oceanside setting, Santa Barbara oozes charm. We walked out on the pier to take in the views then wrapped up the day with a seafood dinner, a perfect day to another unforgettable day on the Pacific Cost Highway.

Day 4 – Santa Barbara to Los Angeles

On our fourth and final day, we explored Santa Barbara’s downtown State Street area, admiring the red-roofed buildings. We stopped for a bite to eat and some incredible coffee from Crushcakes & Cafe on Anacapa Street before climbing back into the car for the last leg south.

Rather than rush down the inland 101 freeway, we took a leisurely drive along the coast through upscale Malibu. We pulled over frequently to admire the stunning coastline, walking down the beaches dotted along Malibu road. We also took detours down the hillside roads to get a closer look at the Malibu mansions and stunning ocean views through the homes’ floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

By mid-afternoon, we’d completed our full Pacific Coast Highway road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, feeling blessed to have experienced something so many people aspire to. The diversity of landscapes and scenery never ceased to amaze us around each bend. Just beware – once you take this glorious shoreside highway, you might never want to take the boring inland freeways again!

Wrapping Up

Our 4 day Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary just scratched the surface of what there is to explore along this famous stretch of highway. We only had time to stop at a fraction of the countless charming coastal towns, State Parks, beaches, hiking trails, and attractions dotted along the route.

You could easily spend weeks completing this drive and find incredible new sights each day. Places we had to miss like Hearst Castle, Morro Bay, Cambria, and Ventura all warrant a stop. Not to mention taking time to hike or camp in Big Sur.  We cannot wait to return and dive deeper into this rich landscape.

If you only have a limited time, we hope our 4 day itinerary inspires you to take the scenic route and offers ideas of the must-see stops. But try not to rush – pull over often, soak up those Pacific views and wander down to the sea. However you choose to experience it, the Pacific Coast Highway offers an unforgettable drive along one of the world’s most beautiful coastlines.