Your Favorite PCH (Highway 1) Hole in the Wall Destinations, LA->SF

[pixlpush]

So I've always wanted to drive up Highway 1 between LA and SF and beyond. For one bad reason or another I've never done it. Tomorrow is the day, I'm off work and I'm just going to go. I'm planning on taking it very slow and stopping along the way here and there.

Thats where my question comes in. What are your favorite hole in the wall stops along the way? I'm planning on taking some photo's in route and then putting them up on a Google map for others that may want to do the same. Here's my initial, small, list (I clearly need to get out more). Please keep your additions close to Highway 1. I'll update this post with photo's and the map once I'm back:

1) Santa Monica Pier
2) The Rock Store
3) Mulholland Lookout
4) Malibu Seafood
5) Netunes Net
...

## UPDATED WITH SLIDE SHOW AN MAP LINK ##################

Well I made it back. It was absolutely amazing. Crystal clear sky's, cool but not cold, the road literally to myself, I'm so glad I went. Thanks for all the tips it really helped out. Mark this one off the list of things to do before I die, only problem is I think I need to go again!

link to Google map of recommended stops:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...85dea&z=7&om=1

Link to Slide Show of pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pixlpush...12604435404642

Link to post with Google Earth fly through:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/show...647#post877647

South Side of Big Sur


North Side of Big Sur


Bixby Bridge


View from Bixby Bridge


North Side of Marin Headlands, back at SF

[Randy Chase]

Nepenthe
Bixby Bridge turn out

[Proto]

Just north of Hearst Castle (6-10 miles) there is a turnout where you see the Elephant seals. Big smelly sausages. Pretty cool if you happen to be there when the big males are jousting.

[LARRY]

Stop at the Madonna Inn for Breakfast,

then stay a night at The Big Sur Inn.

Then the Aquarium in Monterey,

and the art galleries in Carmel.

[kestrel74]

MY car's sitting in a cold unheated garage till next April.
( Translation: Wish I were THERE !!! ) PCH rocks !

[azskycop]

Harbor House Cafe right at the bottom of the Water Tower House on PCH in Sunset Beach would be a great Breakfast stop to start the trip.

Food is good anytime and the Banana Shakes are to die for!!

http://www.harborhousecafe.com/

[pixlpush]

Originally Posted by kestrel74

MY car's sitting in a cold unheated garage till next April.
( Translation: Wish I were THERE !!! ) PCH rocks !

Sorry to hear that I'll be back in MI (Westland) over the holidays for my dads 85'th birthday so I'll get a taste of what your talking about

[LBC111]

Of course, the entire coastline of Big Sur, especially:

-McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, 12 mi south of Big Sur. http://www.waterfallswest.com/ca_mcway.html

-Deetjen's Big Sur Inn - an amazing, unique, rustic place to stay right off HWY 1 in Big Sur. If you don't stay over, it also has a great restaurant. http://www.deetjens.com/rooms.htm

The entire coastline from LA to SF along HWY 1 is amazing, but if you plan on doing it very slow you know it will take MORE than one day, right? I tried to do it in one day a long time ago in the spring, taking pics along the way, and after 14 hours and impending darkness, I had to jump back on the freeway at Monterey. Since then, I usually take at least 2 days to do it right.

Have fun!

[delise]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

Nepenthe
Bixby Bridge turn out

I just did an LA to Big Sur run 2 weeks ago and we stopped there for lunch. Excellent burgers, get the ambrosia burger, BUT be prepared for massive crowds and an hour wait if you want to sit down. Here is a tip, the seating person might tell you it's an hour wait for either the bar or to sit down, this is not true! Go to the bar, politely greet the bartenders, ask if you can sit down, then ask very nicely if you can eat there and they usually say yes if you are nice and polite to them !

[pixlpush]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'm leaving in a few hours got the GPS programed with all the destinations along the way to my brothers house in San Carlos. It's guessing 669 miles and 18 hours! not exactly the short cut but it should be great. I'll post photo's next week.

[smashfactory]

Originally Posted by LARRY

Stop at the Madonna Inn for Breakfast,

then stay a night at The Big Sur Inn.

Then the Aquarium in Monterey,

and the art galleries in Carmel.

Madonna Inn is great, it'd be worth staying there. I spent a week shooting there, very cool interiors.

Have fun...take care!

[Gideon]

Father's Office in Santa Monica.

Excellent selection of micro brewed beers and one of the best burgers you'll find anywhere!

[JoshS]

Salvang, (phoney Scandinavian town) the Kitchiest city on earth. 45 minutes above Santa Barbara

[Randy Chase]

I enjoy stopping at Solvang. Good sausages for breakfast and aebleskivers.

[ArticDream]

Nepenthe of course
Carmel - Point Lobos http://pt-lobos.parks.state.ca.us/
Fishermans Warf - Montery
Moss Landing - Eat at Phill's Fish Market, and you will return. Best seafood on the central coast. http://www.philsfishmarket.com/
Capitola Village - Go to Margaritaville, or Zeldas and eat on a deck on the beach.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
If you want to see "Santa Cruz" Cruz "Westcliff Drive" (starts at the Boardwalk) you will see this: http://www.beachcalifornia.com/santa...ean-cliff.html It's surfers domain, the big names. Lots o nice ladies too. Oh yeah, sufers too
You should consider staying in Santa Cruz near Pacific ave, since anywhere north of santa cruz to SF is a little bit of a slower pace IMHO. Catch a HOT TUB on Pacific Ave. "Tea House Spa" $25 for a Private Tub for 1hr. Reserve it. It's Nice!
If your into live acts, Catalyst. Many bars (The Red Room) and restuarants (Vida Bistro) on Pacific Ave. Theaters Too. Gets a little roudy after about 11:00pm on Fri, Sat nights, but it's a memorable place to visit if you can handle a little fun.
Bonny Doon Winery- Nice twisties for about ~3miles getting there (Open at 11am).
Half moon Bay
Then SF

I'm a central coast local and these are the hot spots. My two cents.
If you need a guide hit me up.
Marco

[drstvk]

Wine tasting in Paso Robles.
Just turn right at Cambria

Steve

[avantephoto]

good info, since i'll be doing a similar drive in a few weeks myself. i know it was all for pixlpush but thanks!

[Thomasio]

>> Moss Landing - Eat at Phill's Fish Market, and you will return. Best seafood on the central coast. http://www.philsfishmarket.com/

Be careful what you order there... I was at Phil's on Friday, and asked if the prawns were local catch... the lady went back and checked...
when she returned, she said the prawns were from China! I asked where the shrimp were from, and she said Mexico. (Which is better in my book).

Make sure you order stuff that is local catch.

Also at Moss Landing, stop at "The Whole Enchalada" (the bar part, anyway). It is a must-see... thousands of defaced dollar bills hanging from the walls and ceiling. Very Tarantino-ish.

Thomas

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

Nepenthe
Bixby Bridge turn out

The Bixby Bridge was a great place to take a five minute break and enjoy the structural masterpiece of the bridge, but as Randy pointed out when we did it on the way back from an autocross in Monterey, it's better to do this on the way back, so you don't have to cross the traffic.

Have fun!

[pixlpush]

Originally Posted by avantephoto

good info, since i'll be doing a similar drive in a few weeks myself. i know it was all for pixlpush but thanks!

That's the idea, when I get back I'm going to put all the info into a google map with locations and my photo's. So far so good, I made it up to San Carlos and am heading up to Point Reyes today and then back down the following day.

Not to torment anyone back east that is frozen solid but the weather has been clear as can be. Here's a little teaser, more when I get home: