9 of the Most Scenic Road Trips to Take on the Pacific Coast

The Pacific Coast, or West Coast, is the ultimate destination for road trippers. Here you will find magnificent beaches, evergreen forests, the Cascades, and even volcanoes. When you’re planning your next road trip, keep the below Pacific Coast road trips in mind. You won’t be disappointed!

San Francisco to San Diego

Driving from San Francisco to San Diego is a must to experience the best of what the West Coast has to offer. Make sure you have enough time to explore the sights and wonders along this 615-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Once you leave the Golden Gate Bridge behind, you’ll pass the Muir Woods National Monument before you get to the Land’s End Trail. Then Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz await. En route to San Diego, you’ll also pass Big Sur and the Bixby Creek Bridge. Stop to take in the breathtaking view from the bridge before driving on to McWay Falls, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Monica Pier. From here onwards, don’t miss out on La Jolla before you drive into Ocean Beach in San Diego!

San Francisco to Yosemite

It will take you four hours to drive from San Francisco to Yosemite, and your first stop can be either Oakland or Livermore Valley. If you don’t want to stop so soon, you can travel straight to the Columbia State Historic Park where you will experience a little of what life was like in the 1850s. When you get back on the road, you’ll pass a giant sequoia grove called Tuolumne Grove. If you start driving late in the day, you should sleep over in Groveland. The next morning, you’ll have just one hour to go before you reach Yosemite, with Tunnel View being the first viewpoint.

Yosemite to Death Valley

Yosemite doesn’t have to be the end of your road trip adventure. After you’ve done some hiking and camping, why not hit the road toward Death Valley? It will take around 5 hours to get there, and there are stunning pit stops along the way. Take Highway 395 to get to Death Valley an hour earlier, but if you have a lot of time for sightseeing, Highway 95 is the way to go.

On the way, you’ll pass Mammoth Lakes and Convict Lake which was named after a group of escaped convicts. When you get to Bishop, take some time to visit the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest where 4000-year-old bristlecone pine trees still tower over the landscape. At your next stop, which is Lone Pine, you’ll find the Museum of Western Film History and the majestic Mount Whitney. When you reach the Death Valley National Park, don’t forget to visit the Badwater Basin and Zabriskie Point.

California’s Lost Coast

If you’re in the mood for a rugged road trip experience, take the road less traveled along the Lost Coast in California. Here you won’t run into crowds of people who all have the same idea as you. Instead, you’ll be one of a handful exploring the mostly undeveloped 75-mile inland stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway.

There are no highways to follow and only a few towns dot the Lost Coast. The best place to start is in Eureka, where you’ll enjoy beautiful beach views and massive redwood forests. After you pass Ferndale, you’ll get to the Mattole Road Loop which is a two-lane road that leads to the coast. When you get to the end of the road, black sand beaches await you. Your next stop is Petrolia, one of the few places you’ll find zebras in the US. Pause at the Punta Gorda Lighthouse before you get to the Lost Coast Trail. Other must-see sights along the Lost Coast include the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and Shelter Cove.

Oregon Coast

If you’re heading north to south on Highway 101 to road trip along the Oregon Coast, don’t miss out on the awesome sights and attractions. It will take around two weeks to enjoy all the stops on this route. One of the best places to start this adventure is in Astoria, where you can visit Fort Clatsop. The next stop is Cannon Beach, which is home to Haystack Rock.

Driving further south you’ll pass Tillamook, where you should take the turnoff to the Three Capes Scenic Loop. After taking in the spectacular headland views, you will drive another hour before getting to Depoe Bay. If you go on your road trip during the whale migration season, you may spot some gray whales in the water. Other unmissable attractions you must stop to visit during your trip include the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the Sea Lion Caves, the infamous Oregon Dunes, and Gold Beach. 

Portland to Seattle

If you’re heading towards Seattle on a road trip from Portland, you’ll have five hours to enjoy the best of what nature has to offer. You should drive the coastal route during winter and the mountain route during summer. The coastal route will take you west along Highway 26 and through Nehalem County Park before you get to the Highway 101 junction. Continue with Highway 101 over the Columbia River until you go through the stunning Bone River Natural Preserve. After you cross the Chehalis River, you’ll need to take Highway 12 and Route 8. Stop to take in the wonderful views at the Capitol State Forest before you get to Olympia where you’ll take Interstate 5 to Seattle.

The mountain route will take you along Route 504 until you get to Mount St. Helens which is an active stratovolcano. If you don’t want to drive all the way there, turn onto Route 505 which leads to Interstate 5 before you turn onto Highway 12. Here you’ll find Mt. Rainier National Park, after which you’ll take Route 123, then Route 410 before turning onto Route 164 and Route 18.

Seattle to Olympic Peninsula

Driving from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula will take you past Port Townsend where you’ll find architecture dating to the early 1900s. Leaving the town behind you’ll pass Sequim which resembles a French village before you get to Lake Crescent which is nestled in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains.

Driving on you’ll pass Sol Duc Valley and Neah Bay, before reaching the coastline of the Olympic National Park. Here you can rest along the shores of Quinault Lake before making your next stop in Aberdeen, Washington which is where Kurt Cobain grew up. From here you’ll complete the last 83 miles in the Olympic Peninsula loop to bring you right back to Seattle.

The Alaskan Highway

The Alaskan Highway is one of the world’s most famous and highly popular road trip routes. Driving this highway from Dawson Creek in British Columbia will take you along Fort Nelson and then Lake Watson, where you may spot the northern lights during winter before you get to Whitehorse. Whitehorse boasts several waterfalls and historic sites to explore, and you will find yourself spending many hours here before you get on the road again toward Haines Junction and Beaver Creek.

At Beaver Creek, you’ll find the largest Yukon lake – Kluane Lake before you get to the Kluane Museum of Natural History. Other stops to include on this road trip are Tok and Delta Junction which is both in Alaska. 

Pacific Coast Highway

And then, of course, you can choose to drive the entire Pacific Coast Highway stretching from California to Washington. The entire trip between San Diego and Olympia is 1,675 miles and you should drive southbound to ensure that you are on the ocean side of the road.

Naturally, you won’t want to drive in one long stretch, so you can break up your stops over a week or two, depending on how much time you want to spend at each stop. You should plan your road trip for after most of the rains are over and before it gets really hot. If you choose March or April, you will likely see elephant seals and whales during your trip.

Conclusion

No matter which part of the Pacific Coast you choose for your road trip, you are sure to experience magnificent sights and sounds of nature, including sea cliffs, a wild ocean, and gorgeous vistas.