Planning a California Road Trip up the Scenic Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)

This road trip starts in Dana Point and concludes in Mendocino County. Along the way, you’ll see some of California’s best views and most scenic roads. You’ll hit the state’s most famous seaside cities.

While you could speed through this road in one day, I recommend taking your time. I have created a 5 day itinerary to take a deep dive into all of the famous Californian coastal cities and seaside towns along the way.

Here is everything you need to know about planning a scenic Pacific Coast Highway road trip.

Day One

Your PCH road adventure will start in Dana Point. I would recommend visiting a little early so that you can stay here overnight because this part of California is stunning. This city is well-known for whale watching, seaside resorts, and surfing.

The first part of your trip will take you through world-famous Orange County (the OC). This county has beautiful coastal communities. You’ll pass through all of the beach cities and areas such as Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove State Park, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and Seal Beach. Start early so you can take your time and make stops along the way. Laguna and Crystal Cove are cliffy beaches, and Newport, Huntington, and Seal Beach have exciting towns with scenic piers.

The non-stop journey through the OC will take a little over an hour. However, with stops, it will take you the whole morning. I recommend making a more extended pit stop in Huntington Beach or Seal Beach to grab lunch.

Next, head to Venice Beach. It will take you about two hours via PCH, and you’ll pass through Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Marina Del Rey. Stop off and take your time exploring Venice or anywhere else that catches your eye. Venice is world-famous for its street art, skating culture, and fun shops.

When your done, head to Santa Monica, where you’ll spend the evening and stay overnight. Santa Monica has one of California’s best piers and a massive shopping district called Third Street Promenade.

Day Two

Start your day early again and head to Malibu to explore and grab breakfast.

The next part of the trip from Malibu to Santa Barbara takes about an hour and a half. Stop off in Santa Barbara and grab lunch. Santa Barbara has a beautiful Spanish-style downtown area with countless restaurants and shops.

After lunch, continue your journey.

On the way is Solvang, a “little slice of Denmark in SoCal.” It’s a little off the freeway but worth visiting because it is unique. This little town has Danish-style architecture, windmills, and restaurants.

You’ll end the day at Pismo Beach, where you’ll have dinner and explore the pier and beach. If you’re lucky, there may be whales on the coast. You can also visit nearby San Luis Obispo, a quaint town nestled into greenery with a Spanish Mission.

Day Three

On day three, drive up to Morro Bay to see the iconic rock and grab breakfast.

Pack a lunch and make sure you fill up gas because you’ll hit a large stretch of road without a stop.

Continue up the coast and pass through scenic coastal towns like Cambria and San Simeon.

After these towns, you’ll pass through almost one hundred miles of pristine coastline. You’re likely to see some majestic elephant seals on the beaches. This stretch is two hours non-stop, but you’ll want to take breaks and see the scenery. A few points of interest include Carmel-by-the-Sea and Bixby Bridge.

At the end of this drive, stop in Monterey. If you have time, explore the beach and aquarium.

Day Four

Start the day by having breakfast in Santa Cruz and strolling along the boardwalk before heading north.

Then, continue up towards the picturesque Half Moon Bay (about two hours). Spend a few hours at the bay before continuing your journey to San Francisco.

Have lunch in San Francisco and explore for a few hours before heading north towards Bodega Bay. In between, you’ll stop off at Point Reyes and see the Muir Woods National Monument and Stinson Beach. Then, stay overnight at Bodega Bay.

Day Five

The last part of the trip will take you through Mendocino County.

Take your time exploring the coast, stopping off at Fort Bragg along the way to see Glass Beach.

The end of your trip will be at Leggett. Make sure that you visit some drive-through redwood trees while up there. It is an incredible experience that you can’t miss!

You can stay overnight and take the same route back or take the 101 freeway to the I-5 south for nine hours to get back to Southern California.