Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

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Author
Harrison Amelang
Last updated
November 25, 2024
Category

The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is one of the most traveled roads in the world…

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The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is one of the most traveled roads in the world and for good reason. It’s incredibly beautiful! I have done this trip along the California Coast several times, but had never done it in a campervan. My husband and I had a wonderful opportunity to rent a campervan from VanCraft. Their vans are spectacular and have everything you need to live your life on the go. We also had an infant and having a campervan made our trip even easier than we imagined. Take a look at all their features! Campervan Features.

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We picked up our van in Oceanside and headed straight to Santa Barbara to get past Los Angeles traffic. Santa Barbara is a beautiful city, full of outdoor activities and amazing views. We had a cup of coffee at Dune Coffee Roasters to wake up a bit and it was delicious! Then we headed over to Stearns Wharf which is one of the most historic piers in California and is a wonderful place to take in the views of Santa Barbara as well as pick up some fish and chips. You could also check out State street which has a wide variety of shopping and restaurants. If you’re in the mood for ramen, check out Santa Barbara Craft Ramen.

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After spending some time there we drove up the coast to El Capitán State Beach to catch the sunset. We walked down to the beach and then returned to our van to enjoy the sunset from our bed.

Once the sun set, we headed over to our campsite in Morro Strand State Beach. We found that the easiest way to get a safe location to sleep at while obtaining great views and bathrooms was to stay at campgrounds. Here’s where you can make reservations. I would recommend doing that instead of stressing over where to park and to avoid fines along the PCH. There are also several apps like Park4Night, The Dyrt, and Hip Camp that can help you find free parking to stay overnight.

We couldn’t see much when we arrived, but we walked to the beach anyway. It was low tide so we were able to see all kinds of shells and sand dollars! We were even surprised by a seal. It was time for bed and let me tell you the VanCraft bed is super comfy and spacious! My husband, our son, and I were able to sleep on it without a problem. Oh, and I’m sure some of you are wondering, “Where did you strap in the car seat?” Well, the back seats have a great set up to easily strap in the base of the car seat with a seat belt and it held on very tightly. Anyway, we loved the fact that the van is solar powered, meaning that we had light and heat while the van was completely off. Talk about having all the amenities needed on the road. 

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We woke up at sunrise to the view of Morro Rock and boy was it spectacular! We made breakfast on the propane stove and had a wonderful morning there. After eating, we headed over to the Morro Bay Embarcadero where you can go see the sea otters from 20 feet away. They were so cute and playful! And we were even able to see baby otters with their mothers. Then, we went over to the Morro Rock Beach to see the sand dunes and surfers, which had a super cool vibe!

Not too far from Morro Bay and Cambria is Hearst Castle. If you drive along the PCH, do not miss out on this amazing tour. A little background on William Hearst: Hearst was a newspaper tycoon in the late 1800’s. He was a delegate for the House of Representatives and even ran for President of the United States. As you can imagine, this guy had loads of money. He even owned one million acres in Chihuahua, Mexico at one point! Hearst Castle was his pride and joy. He spent a lifetime making it his home and a destination for famous people like Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, Walt Disney, and even the President of the United States. We decided to take the Grand Room Tour, which is one of 6 tours you can take. The tour will take you on a bus all the way to the castle with some of the most beautiful views off the coast. Then we were able to see the famous Neptune pool. We then went to the main castle and looked at the grand rooms. One of which inspired the Great Hall in Harry Potter. We finished the tour with the indoor pool which was my favorite. It was based on ancient roman baths and the tiles are made with fused gold! You are allowed to swim in the pool, but first you have to be a member of the “Foundation at Hearst Castle” which costs $500 a year and then you have to pay a fee of $1,000. You can book the Grand Room Tour through their website before arriving to make your trip smoother.

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Hearst Castle was an unforgettable experience. After spending a few hours there, we headed over to go see the elephant seals just a few miles away. These animals almost went extinct at one point and they are fascinating to see on the move because they weigh almost 9,000 pounds! And a super fun fact for you – they can hold their breath for more than an hour and a half. Pretty impressive! 

After hearing the loud roars and grunts from these magnificent beasts, we headed up north. Sadly, the PCH was closed a few miles up so we had to go around. The PCH is very susceptible to mudslides and often has road closures, so make sure to read up on it. Just visit this website and type in the freeway you will be traveling. https://roads.dot.ca.gov/

So, we took the 101 freeway up to the Big Sur area. As we drove highway 46 east, we feasted our eyes on the most incredible views of rolling green hills. Honestly one of the more peaceful drives I’ve made. 

We made a stop at the vineyards near Paso Robles. Not the most known valley for vineyards in California, but it does not miss a beat in comparison to Napa and Temecula. We visited the DAOU Family Estate and it did not disappoint. It had the most beautiful views and the friendliest staff. I do recommend getting a reservation prior to visiting because it can get pretty full, especially on weekends. Another option that is not far from the 101 freeway is going to the Firestone Walker Brewery which is where the famous 805 craft beer is brewed. Their restaurant is full of delicious bites too! 

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On a side note, gas is expensive at the moment and the van runs on diesel. But the great news is if you need to fill up and you have a Costco card, the Santa Maria Costco, which is not too far from Paso Robles, has diesel at their station. Not all Costco’s have diesel. You can check the California locations on this website

We couldn’t reserve a campsite for the night in Big Sur because they were booked, but Big Sur State Park has an option called En Route overnight parking: It costs $60 (One night only, parking in Day Use Lots 3 and 4 for self-contained RVs with onboard flush toilets only, 5:00 pm – 9:00 am). It is a great option if you don’t have another choice. The parking lots have bathrooms which is very convenient.

We woke up the next day and headed to the McWay falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. It cost $10 to park so make sure to take cash. The hike is a short walk under the PCH and gives you one of the most iconic views in California. You cannot hike down to the falls as it is a protected refuge. You may get lucky and spot some whales there too. If not, no worries because just a few miles up the road there is a large viewing area and you can spot tons of whales and dolphins migrating up north with their calves! We were lucky to have the rangers there with a telescope and binoculars for people to use freely. The rangers were very knowledgeable as well. You will see whales migrating through the months of December through early April. 

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After spending some time scoping for whales, we went over to Cafe Kevah to have some coffee and a small bite. Most people go to “Nepenthe” right above Cafe Kevah, but we found this coffee shop to be more relaxing and they have the same views. 

The food and coffee were delicious and with full bellies we headed over to Garrapata State Park. Garrapata is the Spanish word for “tick”. So, I would encourage you to stay on the trail, not only to preserve nature, but also to preserve your blood. The state park is full of beach access and trails. We chose to hike Soberanes Point Trail. It is a 1.6 mile loop that is very easy and takes you out to Painter’s Point. The whole hike was enjoyable and beautiful. Check out the hiking trail on AllTrails for more information.

We went back to the ranger station at Big Sur State Park and secured a campground which was amazing and surrounded by the tall giants of California, the Redwood trees. We had a wonderful dinner and a great night’s rest. The next morning we headed to Bixby bridge for breakfast with a view and I’m not kidding when I tell you it was my favorite view of the trip! And, if you get there early, you will enjoy it that much more without the crowds.

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After breakfast we headed over to take the Point Sur Lighthouse tour. This tour is not commonly known and takes some planning to do. They only operate on certain Sundays, so it is important to check their website. They are completely operated by volunteers. We arrived at the front gate at 10:00am and get escorted to the base of the rock where you walk up to the top of the rock with a guide on a road overlooking the entire coast. It costs $30 per person and it is totally worth it. There is so much history to learn at this place. It used to be operated by the Navy and then the Coast Guard. The lighthouse saw many shipwrecks and the iconic fall of the USS Macon. My favorite part of the tour was going inside the lighthouse and enjoying the views of the coast. Most of the land next to it is untouched because people aren’t allowed on it, so make sure to bring your camera! Our guide Steve was super knowledgeable. He is a retired pilot for the Air Force and was super enthusiastic about the tour.

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To finish off our day, we headed over to Carmel-by-the-Sea to drive the iconic 17-mile drive. The 17-mile drive takes you on a scenic tour with 17 stops along the coast of Carmel and some of the most famous golf courses in the world. You will not want to miss the beaches and Del Monte Forest of Monterey Cypress trees, as well as the Lone Cypress. Whenever I go to Carmel, I love to eat at Dametra Cafe. Their slogan is “Let’s eat, sing, and dance!” They have Mediterranean food and live music which is super fun! I guarantee you’ll get up to dance!

And that’s how we ended our trip. We headed back down and took it easy while enjoying the views. You cannot go wrong while driving the PCH and will definitely enjoy it even more with a camper van! 

Happy Exploring! Rocío Arrieta | Wild Traveling Soul

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