To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Pfeiffer Beach isnt a good beach for swimming. Amtrak Amtrak is the largest passenger railroad service in America, offering daily intercity trains to hundreds of destinations across the contiguous United States, as well as several cities in Canada. Yes Shannon! This is one of the best stops on your San Francisco to San Diego drive or San Diego to San Francisco drive if you have a love for nature and history! Since the first stop is just south of San Francisco, you won't want to fly into San Jose International Airport (SJC). But if youre just looking to spend a few hours, Cambria is a great stop for stretching your legs as well! What an iconic sight in the USA the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge! Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach, wine and dine, shopping, art galleries, overnight stay, ~ 146 miles from San Francisco & ~ 415 miles from San Diego. There are several guided tours available, which we highly recommend looking into! Pismo Beach, which is close by, is a good alternative. Youll notice their neighboring winery, Rocky Oaks, perched high on the next hill (appointment required). Its always a spectacular sight to behold! Some of my favorite wineries include Spear Vineyards and Winery, Sweetzer Cellars and Montemar Winery. You'll get the lowest rates if you reserve on their website at least a couple of weeks ahead of time. Outdoor enthusiasts are in for a treat on a visit to Long Beach! Just before you reach the San Diego metro, youll get to Torrey Pines State Reserve. Lets keep the sights and adventure going! Bixby Creek Bridge. If youre hungry, opt to grab some food at Capulin Eats and Provisions, La Botte Italian Restaurant or Toro Loco. Southwest Airlines is a popular option, with no baggage or change fees. The good thing with the Carpinteria State Beach is that they have en route sites for last minutes campers. This beach town is one of the little gems of Southern California along your San Francisco to San Diego drive. Its even one of the best swimming beaches in the state of California. Be sure to stop in at Linns, a Cambria institution, for a slice of their famous olallieberry pie, and pick up some goodies to take home! Lots of nice motels/hotels and restaurants. Another iconic spot to see in Big Sur is the Bixby Bridge! San Luis Obispo is a nice college town. This is a great opportunity to experience the outdoors with your family! Youll find great cliff views and fewer crowds on this hike. Visit the gorgeous city of Laguna Beach located in Orange County, California along your San Francisco to San Diego drive. So if youre hungry by the time you get to Carmel, California, this is the place to stop! This central coast is a magnificent escape for those travelers looking for a paradise. While youre in the area, check out the luxurious Pebble Beach. With a total length of 1942 feet, this wooden pier is the longest over-water pier on the West Coast. The third meeting of the season between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks is headed for a tense second half, with the latter leading 17-14 at halftime. Big Sur has been claimed to be one of the most, if not the most beautiful state parks in all of California. This small beach town is perfect for parking it on the sand and sunbathing, surfing, and swimming. Specifically, many locals and tourists love Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park for its gorgeous coves, waterfalls, and famous trail, the Waterfall Overlook Trail that leads to McWay Falls. Or head to Pacific City for some popular retailers, local shops and tons of great restaurants, like Old Crow Smokehouse and Philz Coffee. Oh, and youve gotta try the hula pie! Add in a gorgeous sunset and youve got an amazing spot to sit and watch the sun dip below the horizon! Yes, Southwest flies nonstop from San Francisco (SFO) to San Diego 3 times per day on Saturdays and 4 times per day on Sundays. There are several walking paths near both Dunes Beach and Francis Beach. Santa Barbara is some 220 miles (354 kilometers) north of San Diego on Route 1. Or explore the huge variety of exhibits at the expansive Aquarium of the Pacific. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beaches, food & drink, shopping, entertainment, overnight stay, Suggested Hotel: Waypoint Ventura Vintage Trailer Hotel & Campground, Day trip to the Channel Islands National Park, ~ 363 miles from San Francisco & ~ 187 miles from San Diego. Responsibly, of course! What an action-packed road trip. Enjoy these few things then gas up and hit the road! Unless you have a wetsuit, this far up on the coast isnt super comfortable for swimming. There are many galleries and tons of work from local artists. If it were me, I would most definitely stop over for a little walk to Lands End Trail and take a relaxing break from all that driving at Half Moon Bay. Theres also a world-famous golf course here if youre into golfing! The Santa Monica Pier is definitely one of the greatest attractions in the city, it is home to the Pacific Park, full of rides, carnival games, an aquarium, good eats, and more! We highly recommend doing the food tour and a tour of the historic Casino if you stay the night be sure to catch a movie in the casino too for a once in a lifetime historic movie theater experience. Theres even an arcade where you can try your hand at skeeball. The top stops along the way from Los Angeles to San Diego (with short detours) are Disneyland Park, La Jolla Cove, and Disney California Adventure Park. Located along the Central California Coast, San Luis Obispo is nicknamed The Happiest City in America. The town offers year-round outdoor opportunities and rich culture, but it is overshadowed by the glamorous Santa Barbara located south of it and the famous Big Sur to the north. There are also alternate routes you could take for this trip, but we recommend the beautiful and scenic Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 1 for this road trip of a lifetime! Distance on the Interstate between the two cities is 635 miles and the trip . I did most of this journey, and especially loved Point Lobos that you mentionedand I completely visited it on a whim. Also, if you love charming boutique shops, youll love stopping in Carmel on your San Francisco to San Diego road trip. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: beach trip, sightseeing, wine tasting, and overnight stay, ~ 241 miles from San Francisco & ~ 304 miles from San Diego. Take your time exploring the area, the Santa Ines Mission, and taking an iconic photo in front of the windmill (theres more than one!). From beaches to hiking, shopping to wineries, this scenic drive will have you begging to come back for more! Check the hours before you go as its not open 24/7. This is an easy option too if you had started by flying to Mexico and drove across the border first to get to San Diego. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) After nearly a week straight of on-again, off-again rain and stormy weather for the Bay Area, Thursday will see a break between storms. Its one of the nicest beaches on the coast since it has a lot to offer to adventure travelers. Smog Repair San Diego. Road trip from Vancouver, B.C. There is a wide variety of hotels to choose from in Laguna Beach as well. Choose whichever one suits you best and will be the most enjoyable hiking experience for you and your group! Were almost to San Diego! Its the famous Top Gun House, where Maverick fell for his flight instructor Kelly McGillis. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. If youre traveling with children, theres a fun playground called the Tomol Interpretive Play Area near the campground. Thank you for supporting us in this small way to help us continue bringing helpful travel guides to our readers. While the fog is essential and provides much-needed moisture to the local ecosystem, its not ideal for catching the best sights of the coast. Visit the art galleries, golfing, shopping, relaxing spas and more! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46622497', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car as I am traveling on my own not feasible but will get train and bus so can look into your advice. Oh, and prepare for a windy walk! Most people spend 1-2 days here. Lompoc is located about an hour northwest of Santa Barbara. Thanks, Get answers to your questions about San Francisco. Heres another opportunity to visit a central coast beach, and if youre driving along PCH on your San Francisco to San Diego road trip, this beach will be a tough one to resist. Other town highlights include Montereys Old Fisherman Wharf and Cannery Row for shopping and dining. Or any unique places also. No matter which direction you go along Californias coast and a good chunk of the US west coast there are tons of incredible and scenic stops along the way. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46614611', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Denver and then San Fran. Of course, surrounded by the beautiful hills of the Santa Inez Valley, youre in wine country! Nothing beats the San Diego beaches, La Jolla combines classy yet casual into the perfect beach city to visit on your San Francisco to San Diego road trip. For the adults, there are tons of food and shopping options along the boardwalk as well! However, if you want to see all the highlights along the Pacific Coast Highway, you should aim to spend at least 10 days driving between the two cities. Make your drive unforgettable by adding in some of these amazing stops. Take a day trip from San Luis Obispo for a nice getaway to Paso Robles located about 30 miles away. Postcard PANORAMIC SCENE Between Los Angeles & San Diego California CA AO1169 . ~ 431 miles from San Francisco & ~ 79 miles from San Diego. Lompoc is a great stop to spend the night as well because hotels are pretty affordable and way cheaper than Santa Barbara. Smog Check Star Station San Diego. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46636308', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Denver for few days then to San Francisco. Great stop on your San Francisco to San Diego drive for: photography, beaches, hiking, food, ~ 245 miles from San Francisco & 355 miles from San Diego. In person, its absolutely massive! Or spend a few peaceful hours visiting the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden on the campus of California State University, Long Beach. One of the most popular attractions is the Zip Line Eco Tour. This one square mile town is easy to get around by foot and by car! Bixby Bridge is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world and is one of the most photographed bridges on the Pacific Coast, right after that other . For just a little effort, youll see one of the most beautiful spots along the coast. I recommend I-5 out of San Diego, then cross over to State Route (SR) 1 in San Clemente. There were even an incredible amount of domestic and foreign animals that roamed the estate as well. Santa Barbara is one of the places you'll want to spend time in when driving from San Diego to San Francisco. to San Francisco, CA, Scenic drive from San Francisco to Las Vegas, Staypineapple, An Elegant Hotel, Union Square, Inn On Grove - San Francisco Civic Center, Holiday Inn San Francisco-Golden Gateway, an IHG Hotel. I would recommend bringing water shoes though, so that walking on the sand is comfortable and you can dip your feet in the water if youd like to. Cambria is a 25 minute drive from herebeachcombing, art galleries, that kind of thing. If youre looking to stay a night in Pismo, check out the camping! You may be surprised to find out you cant actually reach the sign itself, films have portrayed this to be some hot and mysterious hang out spot sometimes. California, the Golden State, is one of the best places in the country to go for a road trip. Theres a few different trails you can explore at Torrey Pines, they range from just under a mile to a little over two miles. What are good day trips? If not, take a look around the historic Downtown Ventura and make the most of the vintage boutiques and second hand stores. Feel free to snag a coffee or OG aa bowl from Better Buzz, one of the best and cutest coffee shops in California. Choose from Pebble Beach Golf Links or perhaps The Hay, a 9-hole short course designed by Tiger Woods. Lets recap the list one more time, in a more succinct manner, Related content you might like: 33 Cool and Unique Things to Do in Big Sur Youll Love. I'll share guides to help you plan an epic road trip, check the next adventure off your bucket list and explore amazing places you've gotta see to believe! Many restaurants have outdoors dining in the summertime, which is honestly just perfect. One of the best spots in Monterey is easily Cannery Row. The average train journey between these two cities takes 13 hours and 56 minutes, although the absolute fastest you could get there is 13 hours and 20 minutes. This little spot is a paradise full of amazing outdoor activities perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway! Built in 1937, this absolutely must be a stop on your San Francisco to San Diego road trip! Fun fact: a ferry got people across this waterway before the bridge was built. One of the top things to do in Solvang is to do wine tastings or visit a winery. #3 Santa Cruz A fun California beach town known for its beautiful university campus and surfing culture, Santa Cruz is also enviably close to forests of towering redwoods and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Was wondering where is best to stop in California between San Francisco and San Diego? Santa Monica Pier has been a beacon of the PCH since the route was built back in 1934 as the pier had already been open for 25 years! In addition to the famous redwoods, the park offers gorgeous waterfalls, views of the Pacific Ocean, over 80 miles of trails, a variety of animals roaming the park, and much more. The final stop on your journey from Los Angeles to San Francisco has to include one of the most iconic bridges in America and in the world for that matter. Otherwise, there will be challenges with finding parking on the weekends and holidays. For a lighter hike try the Torrey Pines Beach Trail Loop. Carmel-by-the-Sea is one impressive little village along the coast. How far is it from San Diego to San Francisco It is a little over 500 miles or 800 km from San Diego to San Francisco on the fastest route which is Interstate 5. Are you planning on driving Hiway 1 through Big Sur? For a more in-depth wine tasting experience, take a break from the ocean and head for the hills. Encinitas has a variety of calm and quiet beaches along with cute coffee spots, restaurants, and tons of surf/antique shops. In that case, youll have quite the walk! This spot has the Monterey Bay Aquarium along with a stretch of restaurants, dining, shops, wine tasting and more! 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