Need help, driving from SF to LA...

[momtoce&j]

Morning,

So my oldest DD now lives in Berkeley while going to Grad school in SF, we are here visiting her this week. I'm renting a car this morning and today we are going to Muir Park (DS wants to see Redwoods), then we are heading into Chinatown.

I need help with tomorrow.

Tomorrow we are driving down the coast to LA. DD #2 was accepted to Whittier College and since we are from New Jersey, I should probably at the very least, walk around the campus where she'll most likely spend the next 4 years.

Getting back to why I need help.

1) How long is the drive down to LA on Rt 1?

2) Where are some good spots to stop to look at the coastline/take some good pictures between here and LA?

3) Are there any must see/stops/activities we should do on the way down?

yes, we are also heading to DL. We'll be there for New Year's Eve. I'm so used to WDW (I can do that in my sleep) I'm panicking about what to see first there, but that's a whole other thread. Lol.

Thanks so much!!!

~Momtoce&j

 

[wanderlust7]

We did this in reverse before (LA to Bay Area) with an overnight stay in Avila Beach. It's a beautiful drive, but very winding and takes a LONG time (10-12 hours). I don't think I would do it again unless I had a few days for a road trip. If you only have 1 day to drive down, I would have lunch (or brunch if you get an early start) in Monterey or Carmel, then stop at Bixby Bridge. I think the views around there are pretty representative of the views driving on Hwy 1. Then backtrack a little to get on the 101, then the 5, which will take 5-6 hours to LA.

Here's a good overview of the area:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...ited-States:Sf.To.La.Coastal.Road.Primer.html

 

[VandVsmama]

What wanderlust said is correct. SF to LA on Hwy 1 is VERY LONG and could take ALL DAY. According to Google Maps, here are a couple of options:

Interstate 5: about 6 hours
This from Berkeley to Whittier College in Whittier, CA.

• 580 east
• I-5 south
• 60 east
• 605 south
• exit 16 for Beverly Blvd E, then follow other steps on your map to get to Whittier College

The above route gets you there the fastest. But there is no scenery.

Berkeley to Whittier via Hwy 1 & 101: 10 hours, 30 min

• 880 south
• 101 south
• CA-156 west to Prunedale
• Hwy 1 south
• when you get to Santa Barbara county, you have to switch to 101
• Between Ventura and Camarillo, switch from 101 back to Hwy 1
• Then in Santa Monica, get on I-10 East
• 605 south
• then follow other steps in your map tool to get to Whittier College

The above method via Hwy 1 is only driving time. You will basically have NO time for sight seeing. Forget stopping to take pictures. Hwy 1 takes forever. I would highly recommend you not go this route.

Here is another option - driving time is about 8.5 hours

• 880 south
• 101 south
• 605 south
• then follow other steps in your map tool to get to Whittier College

This route still gets you to see some coastline. Hwy 101 follows the coast in Pismo Beach, Goleta, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Camarillo. There are a lot of nice places to stop and take pictures along this part of the route. It is still going to take you all day, though, just in driving time alone. When I was in college, my parents lived just south of San Jose and it would take me 4 hours to drive on 101 from south San Jose to UC Santa Barbara. So if you left in the morning (factor in rush hour traffic of course), a good place to stop for lunch (or maybe a late lunch, if you leave Berkeley around 9:30 am) would be Santa Barbara. Goleta Beach has a very nice restaurant right on the beach and it's not as touristy as Stearns Wharf near downtown Santa Barbara. It's called the Beachside Bar-Cafe (http://www.beachside-barcafe.com/) and is located at 5905 Sandspit Rd, Goleta, CA 93117.

Or if you're hungry earlier, stop in Pismo Beach. There are some nice places to eat there and it is right on the water. You can't miss it.

 

[China Expat]

My son lives in San Fran. We always take the 5...about 6 hour ride. Highway 1/101 will take all day and then you dump into LA risk traffic around 5 pm. Painful.

 

[momtoce&j]

Holy Cow!!! I somewhat knew it would be a long drive, but never quite realized how long.

I'm used to driving 18 hours straight every year to go from NJ to WDW....only stopping for gas and 1 1 hour rest. Yes, I'm the only driver, BUT 95 is a nice fast straight highway, not a slow winding road on the side of a cliff. If rt 1 is anything like what we drove yesterday to get to/from Muir Woods, there's no way I can do that ALL the way down the coast.

Thank you so much for the suggestions! I plan on leaving Berkeley by 8 am the latest. I think what we are going to do is find our way to Moss Landing, Monterey, and Point Lobos State Reserve. Try to see the coast, some sea otters and sea lions, then make our way back to the faster highways and get down south.

Again, , I always tell my kids that I can count on my DIS friends to help us out.

I'll try to post tonight once we check into our hotel.

~Momtoce&j

 

[bcla]

I'm a little bit late to the party, but just going down to about Monterey is going to mean lots of hours on the road.

I-5 is clearly the fastest way down, especially if you're starting in Berkeley. If you're on Highway 1, I'd say forget about trying to get back onto I-5. 101 might be the best choice. Staying on Highway 1 won't even be that bad, but perhaps not your thing if you're uncomfortable with two lane, undivided highways.

 

[momtoce&j]

Hi everyone.

Well, we made it!

Can't thank you all enough. You're suggestions really helped.

We wound up driving to Moss Landing State Beach, saw sea otters (soooo cute and way bigger than I thought), the ocean, surfers, and just spent some time taking it all in.

Then we ate lunch at English Ales Brewery in Marina, gassed up and started our trek back towards the 101 and over to 5. Took us a total of 12 hours before we pulled in to our hotel in Anaheim. (Our stop at the coast including lunch was about 3 1/2 hours.) The last 75 miles took over 3 hours! LA traffic/congestion really is horrible!

Anyway, I wanted to post an update and thank you all again for your suggestions and advice. It really helped a lot and was much appreciated. (Now I can worry about our day at the parks. We head over to take a look at Whittier tomorrow.)

Happy New Year!

~Momtoce&j

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Hi everyone.

Well, we made it!

Can't thank you all enough. You're suggestions really helped.

We wound up driving to Moss Landing State Beach, saw sea otters (soooo cute and way bigger than I thought), the ocean, surfers, and just spent some time taking it all in.

Then we ate lunch at English Ales Brewery in Marina, gassed up and started our trek back towards the 101 and over to 5. Took us a total of 12 hours before we pulled in to our hotel in Anaheim. (Our stop at the coast including lunch was about 3 1/2 hours.) The last 75 miles took over 3 hours! LA traffic/congestion really is horrible!

Anyway, I wanted to post an update and thank you all again for your suggestions and advice. It really helped a lot and was much appreciated. (Now I can worry about our day at the parks. We head over to take a look at Whittier tomorrow.)

Happy New Year!

~Momtoce&j

Glad you had such a nice visit! Hope your days at the parks have also been good.