I'm going to be traveling PCH from San Francisco to Seattle (via Portland) later this year. Anyone have any tips on things not to be missed? I've got Sea Ranch down on the list already. We will not be stopping in SF for anything.
ALSO : we have to make a choice between taking a day to go down and see Big Sur or to cut inland for a bit and see Napa. I've already seen Napa, so I was pulling for Big Sur... but I'm wondering : is there something good to actually *do* in Big Sur or is it more just looking at the coastline? Is the coastline tremendously different there than anywhere else?
I looked at pictures online, but they're all pretty, and it's hard to tell from a photographer's picture what the experience is actually like. If anyone's actually been there and can advise I'd really appreciate it.
The Sea Ranch just south of Gualala. Don't forget to check out the Wave Chapel while you are there.
Point Reyes is cool, they have a light house there and an awesome view. Check to see if/when the lighthouse is open. I believe its closed certain days of the week. Muir Woods is nice too, and Bodega Bay has an excellent restaurant called the Tides that you can eat at and watch the sea otters play. Get the clam chowder, it rocks. All are north of San Fran. There's an old Russian Fort at the mouth of the Russian River called Fort Ross. Mendocino is touristy but has nice gardens and views everywhere. Whatever you do, if you like seafood eat it every chance you get.
That's as far north as I've gotten. Napa and Sonoma are awesome too. If you go to the wineries make sure you make sure you don't need to have an appointment. Most places you can go to without one, but there are a few in which you do and will get a smidgen uppity if you saunter in without one.
Most of all have an awesome time, watch the road (not the map, you'll get sick), let your car glide and hug the curves. Take advantage of the lookouts and pull offs to get out and take photos; but don't be surprised if it's cloudy/foggy. Don't let the local drivers get to you, they will ride up on your ass b/c they know the roads like back of their hands and seem to drive insanely fast. Be sure in these cases, to pull off in the areas you can to let them pass.
Free free to email me if you want with any more questions.
i wouldn't go down to big sur and detour back to north. plus, there has been a lot of fires in big sur and unless you want to inspect the sad loss of nature...
if you go northward, i'd stay as much as on hgwy 1 and make some inroads to russian river area when possible.you'll go into some nice small towns and redwood forests. really beautiful this time of the year.
i don't know how mendecino is now, but i hitch hiked there in the summers of 76 & 78 staying three months at a time, speaking broken english, btw which i still do, and town of writers and artists adopting me as their native son... mendecino was my artistic introduction to america.
further north, there are great fishing towns and other spots all the way to oregon. i'd stay away from very unpopulated hiking trails as they might lead you to a some herbal gardens where an armed protection of the plants might be underway.;.))
stay on 1 there is plenty of beauty and whale sitings if it is the season. is it? those guys are great mammals and make amazing sounds. seeing one from the shore is a memorable spritual experience.
the headlands institute in petaluma is pretty cool. on the site of an old wwII army base/nike missle battery. on certain sundays, the old guys who are in the process of preserving/restoring the missile battery get together and re-enact the prepping and pre-launch drill of a nike missle, hydraulic lifts and all...
pretty sobering stuff and the site is incredible.
I would skip big sur. I have done it twice, the last time a week ago on a trip up from LA and it is very nice, but not worth the backtrack. About 40 miles north of the city on 1 is just as nice as big sur with less traffic.
If you like oysters there is a cool little place in Inverness where you can get eat them on a pic-nic table about 15 yards from where they pull them out of the water.
Glass beach near Fort Bragg is also very cool. An old garbage dumb that the ocean has turned into smooth polished glass all over the beach. You can also go tide pooling and check out starfish, crabs and other weird ocean thing. link
Big Sur is beautiful, but not worth the time to drive down and back to see (unless you want to see Santa Cruz or Monterey).
Napa / Sonoma is a good bet. Pick a winery or two off the beaten path and do a tasting and pick up a few bottles. Sonoma also has good cheese.
A longer detour might be to Crater Lake in Oregon, it's pretty cool, but will take you off the coast.
Personally, I'd look for some Cutler or Kundig to see up there in the Pacific Northwest, but that's my personal taste.
Have fun.
on your way to portland, if you decide to head inland and take the 5, you can visit the mount angel abbey library in st. benedict, oregon. it's a small town established by monks who arrived from switzerland. you can maybe plan to arrive there by lunchtime. pick up the monograph and a shirt.
if you'll be staying in motels and happen to be around roseburg, oregon by the end of the day. i recommend staying in rose city motel instead of super 8 or whatever chain motels are close by. it's cheaper than than the chain motels and the rooms are super clean with bed bath and beyond toiletries. it is all non smoking rooms and the fluffy bed linens smell like they just came out of the washer. i don't know if all the rooms had kitchenettes but mine did. the decorations and wall paper were cool too.
drive through avenue of the giants to disconnect from the fast driving enjoy to enjoy the coolness and shade.
when i did the trip from los angeles to seattle, i stopped by every rest stop in washington that had free coffee and sometimes pastries.
Are you a National Trust for Historic Preservation member? If you aren't it might be worth looking into, they can hook you up with historic Inns and cool sights to visit (with discounts). Kinda like AAA triptiks, but with an architectural slant.
Thanks, everyone, this has been hugely helpful!!! We're going to spend an extra day on the Humbolt coast and see Fort Bragg, Fort Ross, Sea Ranch, and all that and perhaps stay the night in Eureka before moving on up the Oregon Coast.
We'll save Big Sur / Monterey for another trip. This works out very nicely.
Any more tips on Oregon Coast / Portland / Seattle things to see and do?
So far our Seattle list has:
Boeing facility tour
Space needle
OMA library
Public Market
Pioneer Square
Ferry / Island trip
possible seaplane tour
possible Northern Exposure city visit
If you're up for a 4-mile day hike through some incredibly beautiful scenery, I'd suggest Kentucky Falls in Oregon's Coast Range, not far from the town of Florence. The hike actually includes three decent-sized waterfalls, and the last two (Lower Kentucky Falls and North Fork Falls) are almost side-be-side even though they occur on two different creeks.
Getting to the trailhead requires some confusing backcountry driving on a maze of logging roads, so be sure you bring good directions and a map.
How about combining the island tour and sea plane and hop on a sea plane to Friday Harbor for the day, perhaps spend one night, perhaps do a little kayaking there too.
There is the best ice cream shop just off the Friday Harbor ferry launch,my fav flavor is their blackberry ice cream, mmmm.... great paths to bike and explore the island, there's even a lavender farm that's nice to visit if the season is right.
PortTownsend is also a great little day trip/ from Seattle.
Couple Seattle "little favs" that don't also make the list:
Jolly Roger's Pub in Ballard - locals pack this place for the great beer and mini ahi tuna burgers, I kid you not, there are soooo good, get a plateful of these little guys in a totally unpretentious microbrew spot...then head over to the locks to watch the salmon jump or perhaps just roam Ballard.
Acqua Verde - they offer great mexican food and kayak rentals, what a combo - great place to hang on a lazy saturday morning.
Portage Bay Cafe - It doesn't get as much love cause the location is a little too close to the university district, but, epic, epic breakfasts, trust....
------------------------------------------------
Also, have you considered staying in a national park watch tower for one of your nights. Depending on the tower, it may require camping equipment/hiking in, etc...but there are some great park watch towers that can be reserved thru the park system in CA, OR, WA. It feels so special to stay in one and its kinda like exploring a first-year architecture/structures student project! Just google watch towers and national parks, info will come up.
Have fun, it sounds like you'll have a great trip!
Jul 27, 08 1:44 pm ·
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Pacific Coast Touring : Advice?
Hi everyone,
I'm going to be traveling PCH from San Francisco to Seattle (via Portland) later this year. Anyone have any tips on things not to be missed? I've got Sea Ranch down on the list already. We will not be stopping in SF for anything.
ALSO : we have to make a choice between taking a day to go down and see Big Sur or to cut inland for a bit and see Napa. I've already seen Napa, so I was pulling for Big Sur... but I'm wondering : is there something good to actually *do* in Big Sur or is it more just looking at the coastline? Is the coastline tremendously different there than anywhere else?
I looked at pictures online, but they're all pretty, and it's hard to tell from a photographer's picture what the experience is actually like. If anyone's actually been there and can advise I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks!
been there. done that. why doncha stop in indy?!?
The Sea Ranch just south of Gualala. Don't forget to check out the Wave Chapel while you are there.
Point Reyes is cool, they have a light house there and an awesome view. Check to see if/when the lighthouse is open. I believe its closed certain days of the week. Muir Woods is nice too, and Bodega Bay has an excellent restaurant called the Tides that you can eat at and watch the sea otters play. Get the clam chowder, it rocks. All are north of San Fran. There's an old Russian Fort at the mouth of the Russian River called Fort Ross. Mendocino is touristy but has nice gardens and views everywhere. Whatever you do, if you like seafood eat it every chance you get.
That's as far north as I've gotten. Napa and Sonoma are awesome too. If you go to the wineries make sure you make sure you don't need to have an appointment. Most places you can go to without one, but there are a few in which you do and will get a smidgen uppity if you saunter in without one.
Most of all have an awesome time, watch the road (not the map, you'll get sick), let your car glide and hug the curves. Take advantage of the lookouts and pull offs to get out and take photos; but don't be surprised if it's cloudy/foggy. Don't let the local drivers get to you, they will ride up on your ass b/c they know the roads like back of their hands and seem to drive insanely fast. Be sure in these cases, to pull off in the areas you can to let them pass.
Free free to email me if you want with any more questions.
i wouldn't go down to big sur and detour back to north. plus, there has been a lot of fires in big sur and unless you want to inspect the sad loss of nature...
if you go northward, i'd stay as much as on hgwy 1 and make some inroads to russian river area when possible.you'll go into some nice small towns and redwood forests. really beautiful this time of the year.
i don't know how mendecino is now, but i hitch hiked there in the summers of 76 & 78 staying three months at a time, speaking broken english, btw which i still do, and town of writers and artists adopting me as their native son... mendecino was my artistic introduction to america.
further north, there are great fishing towns and other spots all the way to oregon. i'd stay away from very unpopulated hiking trails as they might lead you to a some herbal gardens where an armed protection of the plants might be underway.;.))
stay on 1 there is plenty of beauty and whale sitings if it is the season. is it? those guys are great mammals and make amazing sounds. seeing one from the shore is a memorable spritual experience.
i guess writing old experiences is not much of a travel advice but the area always stuck in my mind..
you should come back to Boston... for old times sake...
Wow, Orhan I'm envious of your experience. I think whale season begins in November/December.
the headlands institute in petaluma is pretty cool. on the site of an old wwII army base/nike missle battery. on certain sundays, the old guys who are in the process of preserving/restoring the missile battery get together and re-enact the prepping and pre-launch drill of a nike missle, hydraulic lifts and all...
pretty sobering stuff and the site is incredible.
I would skip big sur. I have done it twice, the last time a week ago on a trip up from LA and it is very nice, but not worth the backtrack. About 40 miles north of the city on 1 is just as nice as big sur with less traffic.
If you like oysters there is a cool little place in Inverness where you can get eat them on a pic-nic table about 15 yards from where they pull them out of the water.
Glass beach near Fort Bragg is also very cool. An old garbage dumb that the ocean has turned into smooth polished glass all over the beach. You can also go tide pooling and check out starfish, crabs and other weird ocean thing.
link
Big Sur is beautiful, but not worth the time to drive down and back to see (unless you want to see Santa Cruz or Monterey).
Napa / Sonoma is a good bet. Pick a winery or two off the beaten path and do a tasting and pick up a few bottles. Sonoma also has good cheese.
A longer detour might be to Crater Lake in Oregon, it's pretty cool, but will take you off the coast.
Personally, I'd look for some Cutler or Kundig to see up there in the Pacific Northwest, but that's my personal taste.
Have fun.
on your way to portland, if you decide to head inland and take the 5, you can visit the mount angel abbey library in st. benedict, oregon. it's a small town established by monks who arrived from switzerland. you can maybe plan to arrive there by lunchtime. pick up the monograph and a shirt.
if you'll be staying in motels and happen to be around roseburg, oregon by the end of the day. i recommend staying in rose city motel instead of super 8 or whatever chain motels are close by. it's cheaper than than the chain motels and the rooms are super clean with bed bath and beyond toiletries. it is all non smoking rooms and the fluffy bed linens smell like they just came out of the washer. i don't know if all the rooms had kitchenettes but mine did. the decorations and wall paper were cool too.
drive through avenue of the giants to disconnect from the fast driving enjoy to enjoy the coolness and shade.
when i did the trip from los angeles to seattle, i stopped by every rest stop in washington that had free coffee and sometimes pastries.
Are you a National Trust for Historic Preservation member? If you aren't it might be worth looking into, they can hook you up with historic Inns and cool sights to visit (with discounts). Kinda like AAA triptiks, but with an architectural slant.
Thanks, everyone, this has been hugely helpful!!! We're going to spend an extra day on the Humbolt coast and see Fort Bragg, Fort Ross, Sea Ranch, and all that and perhaps stay the night in Eureka before moving on up the Oregon Coast.
We'll save Big Sur / Monterey for another trip. This works out very nicely.
Any more tips on Oregon Coast / Portland / Seattle things to see and do?
So far our Seattle list has:
Boeing facility tour
Space needle
OMA library
Public Market
Pioneer Square
Ferry / Island trip
possible seaplane tour
possible Northern Exposure city visit
anything else we shouldn't miss?
if you are going to portland, hit the mt. angel library as well.
prev. seattle discussion
also lots of food suggestions in seattle.
i'd suggest kayaking lake union. it's not to expensive and it's great being on the water this time of year.
enjoy the drive, it's one we've always wanted to do (but haven't had time) - the other being route 66.
If you're up for a 4-mile day hike through some incredibly beautiful scenery, I'd suggest Kentucky Falls in Oregon's Coast Range, not far from the town of Florence. The hike actually includes three decent-sized waterfalls, and the last two (Lower Kentucky Falls and North Fork Falls) are almost side-be-side even though they occur on two different creeks.
Getting to the trailhead requires some confusing backcountry driving on a maze of logging roads, so be sure you bring good directions and a map.
How about combining the island tour and sea plane and hop on a sea plane to Friday Harbor for the day, perhaps spend one night, perhaps do a little kayaking there too.
There is the best ice cream shop just off the Friday Harbor ferry launch,my fav flavor is their blackberry ice cream, mmmm.... great paths to bike and explore the island, there's even a lavender farm that's nice to visit if the season is right.
PortTownsend is also a great little day trip/ from Seattle.
Couple Seattle "little favs" that don't also make the list:
Jolly Roger's Pub in Ballard - locals pack this place for the great beer and mini ahi tuna burgers, I kid you not, there are soooo good, get a plateful of these little guys in a totally unpretentious microbrew spot...then head over to the locks to watch the salmon jump or perhaps just roam Ballard.
Acqua Verde - they offer great mexican food and kayak rentals, what a combo - great place to hang on a lazy saturday morning.
Portage Bay Cafe - It doesn't get as much love cause the location is a little too close to the university district, but, epic, epic breakfasts, trust....
------------------------------------------------
Also, have you considered staying in a national park watch tower for one of your nights. Depending on the tower, it may require camping equipment/hiking in, etc...but there are some great park watch towers that can be reserved thru the park system in CA, OR, WA. It feels so special to stay in one and its kinda like exploring a first-year architecture/structures student project! Just google watch towers and national parks, info will come up.
Have fun, it sounds like you'll have a great trip!
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