Pacific Coast Highway

H

helesh

New member
In a week or so Helen and I will make our yearly trek south from Bellingham to AZ for the winter. No boat, kayaks or bikes just driving slow down US 101. We've been this way before but would love to hear from folks about their favorite side trips, offbeat attractions, and places to eat. We plan to take 8+ days so we are in no hurry.
Thanks in Advance
Les
 
I like any of the parks right around Crescent City Ca. The coastal redwoods are incredible. In June we camped, hiked and kayaked at Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park off of Hwy 199. There seemed to be plenty of places for a quick walk to stretch the legs.
 
Sally and I used to live in the Carmel Highlands, right off the coast highway south of Monterey. The trip south of there is spectacular, through Big Sur and further south. Bring a camera!

Charlie
 
I know of some areas worth checking out.

If you have time for a couple mile walk Ecola st park north of Manzanita, Or. It is a beautiful park. Camping only. Locals call it short sand beach.

In Crescent City take a trip over howland hill road. The casino is on the western entrance and it winds through old growth redwoods for around 10 miles and ends up in Hiouchi which puts you back on 199 through the redwoods and into Crescent City. This is more of a local knowledge thing as parks and attractions all want you to stop.

Of course 101 stays inland below Eureka, so if you have the time take 1 at leggit and head over to fort Bragg and south to San Francisco. This adds around 8 hours to the trip, but follows the coast. Lots of beaches, small communities, sea stacks and 20 mph corners.

If you surf and have made it to fort Bragg, you have passed many great surfing beaches. I know of most of them from Westport to Cabo. That would be my mission.

Have a good trip.
 
Tillamook, Stop and see the Cheese Factory. Then get some fresh curds. It's cheese in the raw, squeaky clean and soooooooooo good :thup :thup

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
A suggestion, Les. El and I enjoy 'quests' - like see all the covered bridges in New England, or explore the hometowns of the major conquistadors of the New World, or 500 North American bird species in two years, or ...

So, we would suggest (if you enjoy quests, and the out-of-the-way places they lead you to visit) - collect the lighthouses of the West coast. Here are a few, with data from AAA:

Point Bonita-Golden Gate-Marin Highlands -
www.nps.gov/goga/pobo.htm

Heceta Head off 101 on way to Yachats, OR -
www. hecetalighthouse.com

Pigeon Pt - Hwy 1, s. of Half Moon Bay, CA -
www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=533

Pt. Reyes - nps.gov/pore

Cape Disappointment - 101 Ilwaco, WA - parks.wa.gov

And more, you can look up if interested: www.westofpch.com/lighthouse/

You can even stay in or near many in b&b's: bandb.about.com/cs/uniquegetaways/a/lighthouses_2.htm
 
Marc....When ya make that "out west" trip I sure would like to buy you that steak at F. Mclintock's....my Yamaha motors are still running well after your guys found the problem in my carbs....

Joel
SEA3PO
 
The good news is that the start of the best hike on the Oregon coast is just a short walk from Hwy 101. Heading south after Cannon Beach you'll pass the tiny settlement of Arch Cape before entering a short (1/4 mile) tunnel. When you emerge from the tunnel you'll be in Oswald West (there is no Oswald East.....Oswald West was an early governor of Oregon) State Park. You'll see a large parking lot on the left hand side of the road. Don't let the large number of cars in the lot scare you. After you park you'll realize that few of them are hikers but rather surfers wanting to use one of the best spots on the north Oregon coast. Walk toward the beach on the path that leads under the highway bridge (about 1/4 mile). When you get to the campground (that overlooks the beach/cove) look for the start of the Cape Falcon trail. It climbs quickly to points 5-600 feet above the cove and then heads out along the open ocean for fantastic flora/fauna and coastal views. The best part is that you can tailor the length of the walk to your comfort level as you return the same way. Afterward head to Manzanita for a snack.
 
Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is California State Route 1. This is a beautiful drive. Come on down south of Monterey, through Big Sur and watch the road- it gets very curvy, but the scenery is great.
Mclintocks is good, but you might want to wait until you get to Nipomo and have a steak at Jocko's- just a few miles south of Shell Beach.

Give us a shout when you get close to Carpinteria.
 
Back in the 70's when I worked for a bank, whenever we traveled north from L.A. we'd eat at the Far Western Tavern/Restaurant in Guadalupe. They had great steaks and rocky mountain oysters!

Having not been there since the 70's, I "googled" the Far Western and the following is a recent quote from one of their extremely satisfied customers. "tourists go to McKlintocks and Jocko's, but locals go to Far Western". How about it guys, is the Far Western still a great place to eat?

Durn, I'm getting HUNGRY!
 
Awesome you guys, this was exactly what I was hoping for! Keep those thoughts coming. Hopefully at the end of our trip I'll be able to add to the conversation and even answer Dave's question on the Far Western. Bill, Helen likes your Lighthouse quest idea.

Les
 
DaveS":6jx9ages said:
Back in the 70's when I worked for a bank, whenever we traveled north from L.A. we'd eat at the Far Western Tavern/Restaurant in Guadalupe. They had great steaks and rocky mountain oysters!

Having not been there since the 70's, I "googled" the Far Western and the following is a recent quote from one of their extremely satisfied customers. "tourists go to McKlintocks and Jocko's, but locals go to Far Western". How about it guys, is the Far Western still a great place to eat?

Durn, I'm getting HUNGRY!
Click to expand...

The Far Western is still good---- so is Cold Springs Tavern :thup

Joel- it's tri-tip for tonight -- ya'll just have to suffer with my cooking in the back yard :roll:
 
A few restaurants we stop at regularly on the coast.

Seaside - Norma's Ocean Diner, 20 North Columbia Street, Seaside,OR 97138 (This is popular and can be crowded. It's worth the wait) Phone (503) 738-4331

Just South of Tillamook is:

Pacific City and The Inn at Cape Kiwanda - Just across the street from The Inn at Cape Kiwanda and next to the ocean is Pelican Pub & Brewery. The food is very good - breakfast, lunch & Dinner. Phone (503) 965-7007 http://www.innatcapekiwanda.com/

If you are still there for breakfast you might try:
Grateful Bread Restaurant & Bakery, 34805 Brooten Rd. 97135 Phone (503) 965-7337

Just South of Lincoln City is:

Depot Bay - Tidal Raves, 279 NW US 101, 97341 Very good food and a splendid view of the beach & ocean. Phone (541) 765-2995


In California, 13 miles South of Willits on 101 is:

Broiler Steak House turn West at the Uva turn off from the freeway and North on UVA Drive a short distance to 8400 Uva Drive, Redwood Valley Phone (707) 485-7301


Enjoy your trip. We have friends who spend the winter at a R/V Golf course outside of Mesa.

Bill
 
If you're going to stay on Hwy.1 down the California coast, through Fort Bragg, I have a recommendation. Queenie's Roadhouse in Elk has IMHO the best breakfast in Mendocino County. Very good lunches too. If you want a little exercise afterward there's a nice walk down to the beach, where you can see remnants of the old "doghole" schooner lumber days. We don't have well protected bays along this part of the coast but San Francisco needed lumber. So they loaded ships using cables and swinging platforms. Very interesting and very dangerous.

My wife and I stayed at the Benbow Inn south of Garberville, for the first time, last week. It's a pretty, historic, kind of place. Not the cheapest place to lay your head but very nice, if that kind of thing appeals to you.
 
We used to live in Half Moon Bay, just south of SF on Hwy 1. In Pillar Point Harbor, I highly recommed Barbara's Fish Trap as a local, on the water fish restaurant. Not fancy, just good fresh seafood. The Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., across the street from Barbara's is also good, but more fancy.

But wherever you eat there, you can't miss just walking main street. Cunha's Country store is a century old general store (it has been rebuilt the same as it was since it burned a few years ago) that has been operating since the town was young. It is just an overall picturesque place, isolated from the Bay Area, friendly and wonderful. Just don't stay at the Ritz south of town, they just don't get what the Coastside, as it is called by the locals, is all about.
 
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