This is getting me so excited for it! travelers and answer their questions about San Francisco! Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census. The road you think of as the Pacific Coast Highway is probably the section between San Luis Obispo and Monterey. To say this area is a park is a little bit of a stretch. round trip to eureka ca. The Pacific Coast Highway runs along two highways: US 101 in Washington, Oregon, and parts of California and California Highway 1 in the majority of California. In case sights of homelessness (which sometimes can be unsavory) make you uncomfortable, old town Eureka and the other spots mentioned above are your best bets to visit. This gorgeous waterfall is an easy detour from the Redwood Highway at Orick and takes you through a relatively easy hike that starts from the parking lot (free parking BTW) into a lush green paradise of ferns and old growth Redwoods on a moderately easy trail. I would say 5 hrs to Fort Bragg and then another 2 1/2 hrs to 3 to Eureka. And if you know San Francisco well, please help your fellow A one-week Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary will allow you to see the highlights without feeling rushed. Time on this road because there are many wonderful places worth stopping for along the way. Pacific Highway No. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Routing: Highway 101 north to Crescent City . 101 all the way is about 5 hrs drive. Highway 1 (SF to Redwood National Park) - 6 hours 53 minutes (without traffic)/338 miles . It leads to the Golden Gate Bridge. Pull over if five or more cars are following you. It's a busy street with little to see and traffic that's more than annoying. On Tripadvisor's Eureka travel forum, travellers are asking questions and offering advice on topics like "Whats there to see enroute to Eureka from SF..". c. Trees of Mystery: This is one super popular roadside attraction that is quirky, fun and not to be missed, starting right from the huge Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statue in the parking lot (I went to grad school in Minneapolis, MN and so I have a natural obsession with this giant lumberjack whose first statue is in Bemidji, Minnesota). There are some really cool stops between Trinidad and Crescent City along the Redwood Highway that you should explore. Although Shelter Cove is a tiny beach town perched on the southern end of the lost coast, there is quite a few things to do and see here. The end is at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 101 in Leggett. You can either continue along this same highway or take the more scenic route, aka Avenue of the Giants, a 32 mile stretch of road that parallels the Redwood Highway and passes through Humboldt Redwoods State park with the Eel River meandering alongside of it on the west. Day 1. While the miles themselves are not overly long, the drive is on many windy roads that will take a while to complete. Your journey through the Redwoods beings in Mendocino, a Northern California coastal town in Mendocino county that is known for its beaches, hiking trails, coastal views, whale watching spots and great food. Featuring some of the best road trip attractions in Northern California, including Humboldt County, wine country, beaches, and redwoods, as well as Eugene, OR. It simply does not make sense to try to do this all in one day. More information can be found here. Entrance fee is $2 at the giftshop to access the door code. If you have a lot of time to work with, you may even consider taking a few side trips along the way to places like Muir Woods, the Point Reyes National Seashore, or Dillon Beach. This tree was named so to honor the founders of Save the Redwoods League in 1918 to prohibit incessant logging in this area leading to a rapid dwindling of the Redwoods. If youre starting out from San Francisco (or even further south) and this is your very first road trip from SF northbound ever, I highly recommend taking the scenic route (Highway 1) all the way to Mendocino. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Michelin Guides, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Forbes. For an extra 5 dollars, you can get them picnic-style and take them to the picnic tables where you can shuck and eat them while looking over the bay. This famous landmark is between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Either way, once you get to Mendocino take Highway 1 to Leggett, from where the two routes (Highway 1 and Route 101N) merge to become a single highway, aka Redwood Highway, that leads all the way to Crescent City, only 26 miles south of the Oregon border. Back near Garberville, you will drive northwards towards your next destinations, i.e. These days, most Americans are choosing to road trip over boarding a plane, which makes for scenic views and. This is the only national park in California without a highway or paved . 271 mi 5 h 6 min. Healdsburg (25 answers) Plus, I am really fixated with lighthouses in California, their Fresnel lenses and history which sometimes is as tumultuous as the coast they guard. Re: Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Eureka. This drive will take you down the extremely scenic Oregon Coast Highway all the way until reaching the town of Brookings. I did not stop here other than to kayak, but it is a good place for lunch if you are hungry. Northern California. You can walk down the path near the cafe to see a lighthouse and a fascinating statue of an old fisherman with his net rising out of the water. Trunk Organizer | With any road trip comes lots and lots of stuff to pack. I highly recommend embarking on a road trip through the Redwoods in Spring (March-May). Mendocino is 169 miles north of San Francisco on Highway 1, a 5 hour one way drive. c. I personally did not have too many issues with signal and maps along the Redwood Highway (although it does get spotty in several places), but its always better to download an offline map or use Maps.me to store an offline version of your Google Map. Fun facts about coastal Redwoods in California (Sequoia sempervirens)*. by calculating the distance from San Francisco to Eureka (California). Go to Trinidad State Beach for a beautiful sunset. Eureka (California) to San Francisco drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. Return to Mendocino just in time for sunset at Van Damme State Park and Beach, Enjoy a delicious dinner at Ravens at Stanford Inn by the Sea, DAY 2: FINISH UP IN MENDOCINO AND HEAD TO SHELTER COVE, Grab some breakfast/coffee/baked goods at Garden Bakery or Goodlife Cafe Bakery, Spend a few quiet minutes at Portuguese beach at the end of main street or Mendocino Headlands State Park, Check out of hotel and head to Fort Bragg, Break for lunch at Sea Pal Cove (their fish and chips are fantastic), RECOMMENDED STOPS BETWEEN MENDOCINO AND SHELTER COVE, Although Shelter Cove is a tiny beach town perched on the southern end of the lost coast, there is, Explore: Abalone point (picnic area), Cape Mendocino Lighthouse at Point Delgada (steps on the side of the lighthouse lead to Shelter Cove Black Sand Beach and Cove Beach), Little Black Sand Beach, Black Sand Beach (the overlook and Lost Coast trail are nearby), Eat: Gyppo Ale Mill (remotest brewery in California), Delgada pizza and bakery, Mi Mochima (Venezuelan cafe), DAY 3: DRIVE THROUGH THE AVENUE OF GIANTS TOWARDS EUREKA/TRINIDAD, Distance: 120 miles (2.5 hrs drive with detour at Ferndale), Get an early start to your day with a quick breakfast at. If you're planning a road trip to Eureka (California), you can research locations to stop along the way. Although the entire Redwood road trip can be covered in 6 hours or so, that is absolutely no fun because the Redwood Highway passes through some of the most beautiful towns, beaches, waterfalls, hikes and Redwood groves that you absolutely need to explore to make the most out of this road trip. Where does it start and end? Although the entire Redwood road trip can be covered in 6 hours or so, that is absolutely no fun because the Redwood Highway passes through some of the most beautiful towns, beaches, waterfalls, hikes and Redwood groves that you absolutely need to explore to make the most out of this road trip. Willits (3 answers) If that party is a licensed adult, try letting them drive which helps control nausea. From Pismo Beach to San Luis Obispo, Highways 1 and 101 are the same. Shelter Cove (in south Humboldt County) is perched at the southern end of what is known as the Lost Coast, i.e. Looping back to the Highway 1 and the Pacific Coast, the next stop on this San Francisco to Big Sur drive should be the chilled-out city of Santa Cruz. Even if you are not a fan of oysters, you owe it to yourself to try the oysters at Hog Island. Driving Directions to Eureka, CA including road conditions, live traffic updates, and reviews of local businesses along the way. ca. Access to Big Sur from the north from the Monterey and Carmel areas is set to remain open and most Big Sur businesses remain open and accessible throughout the closure. The Charles M. Schulz Airport (STS) in Sonoma County (right below Mendocino county) is a smaller one with fewer flight options, but this is the nearest big-ish airport to Humboldt county. Here are some of my recommendations to stop along the way for a small hike or to checkout a roadside attraction: a. Stephens Grove loop trail: This serene Redwoods grove has a 0.6 mile hiking loop which is quick and easy. Every time I visit, I just get re-excited all over again. drive for about 1 hour. North of the Golden Gate Bridge, the official highway name of Highway 1 is Shoreline Highway. Subscribe to my blog to get super awesome pet-friendly travel updates, foodie finds and insider guides to San Francisco. Driving along these coastal cliffs can be anxiety-inducing, but if you drive from south to north you'll be able to stay on the inside of the curves. So tell us more if you plan to do this in 2 or more days. Day 4: Redwood State Park, CA to San Francisco, CA. packing lunch from Eureka/Arcata. I'd say from there take Hwy 1 up to Santa Cruz, then cut over on Hwy 17 towards San Jose for the last stretch to SF. I opted for staying at the Trinidad Inn which was clean and secluded with easy access to the Redwood Highway. f. One Log House: This was one roadside attraction that was open during our road trip. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. a. Check your gas gauge. The trees themselves are around 100 years old but only 6-10 feet high, which is pretty crazy. I thought this place would be a lot crazier than it was as I pictured Bonsai trees waiting for me; however, the path you walk on is beautiful, so it is a good stop for an exploring family. It runs from Capistrano Beach in Orange County to Leggett in northern Mendocino (Dana Point), a total of about 650 miles. You can read my detailed Shelter Cove guide or find the highlights below: Get an early start to your day with a quick breakfast at Cafe Dolce (on Shelter Cove Road) and bid goodbye to Shelter Cove to get back on to the Redwood Highway, because there will be ton of things to do on this leg of your Northern California road trip. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:46 pmdrive for about 49 minutes, Sonoma (66 answers) On the return trip, you can take the faster route, Highway 101, and pass through Sonoma County, one of the best wine regions in the United States. day 2 driving 3.5 hours. But the room felt quite small. This 50-mile section is sometimes called the Cabrillo Highway. DOG FRIENDLY WEEKEND GETAWAYS FROM SAN FRANCISCO, HOW TO DRESS LIKE A LOCAL IN SAN FRANCISCO, THE BEST DOG FRIENDLY BEACHES IN CALIFORNIA. You need to be comfortable with driving these types of roads. One of the most scenic sections of Hwy 1 goes through beautiful Malibu. The drive through wine country and the redwoods (Avenue of the Giants, etc.) Trinks is a great sandwich and salad place in the town of Gualala that I enjoyed. Here is how to enjoy a day at Mendocino (or you can read my entire Mendocino/Fort Bragg post here for more ideas). For dinner, I went to Pattersons Pub to share nachos and a drink with my wife. Make sure you check road conditions Drive along the Highway 1 Discovery Route in a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The more scenic route (that takes invariably longer) is the Pacific Coast Highway (aka Route 1/Highway 1/Shoreline Highway) filled with amazing stops and detours detailed in this post. Not only is everything lush and verdant, thanks to winter rains, you will also get to see waterfalls in their full force and spot migratory whales along the coast (January-April). The August Complex fire is still very active and could impede your travel on 101. It ends north of Rockport, where it turns inland toward Leggett and disappears. 24 miles of undeveloped shoreline that is only accessible via some serious hiking. Domaine Carneros (14 mentions) Lol* I have some of the same pictures. The two unmissable ones are, Stroll by the Eureka harbor front/marina/boardwalk, Find some amazing murals scattered around 4th street and Old Town. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-108090558', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');California coastline and the redwoods. Is that part of the highway nice also? You will access the trail from the turn out for Fish Cove, where you take a right and park in the first parking lot near the Bluffs Trail sign. There is a lovely scenic stretch of redwoods west of Navarro River to where Highway 128 meets Highway 1. BEST STOPS ALONG THE AVENUE OF THE GIANTS, Avenue of the Giants ends somewhere between Pepperwood and Stafford, after which you get onto the singular highway 101, aka Redwood Highway. Planning a West Coast Road Trip. Trinidad to Eureka. The stretch of 101 between Oxnard and Santa Barbara is especially scenic, with views of the Channel Islands offshore. My first stop was the Muir Beach Overlook. You can either continue along this same highway or take the more scenic route, aka, They are the tallest and oldest trees in the world, They are as tall as 320+ feet (the height of a 30 floor skyscraper), with the tallest being 380 feet (Redwood National and State Parks), The widest tree is 29.2 ft in girth (also in Redwood National and State Parks). Here is the itinerary: Start: San Francisco. It is magical, life changing, unbelievably breathtaking and unforgettable, in the most clich way possible. You could also stay in Eureka because it is the largest town in this area although I personally liked Arcata more. Coast Redwoods are also the worlds fastest growing conifers! It is never dull as the locations and views are majestic at almost every turn. It leads to the Golden Gate Bridge. Food was OK but the view of the marina was fantastic. However, by doing this, you'll miss the beautiful views, beaches, and cool . You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. The most well-known section of this route is along the Big Sur coast, but you don't need to travel that far to enjoy a wild stretch of Highway 1. After an entire day of admiring the gigantic trees, it is now time for a late lunch plus some rest for those achy feet and for this you gotta make a detour to. Salt Point State Park: The Complete Guide, 16 California Lighthouses to Visit on Your Road Trip, The 9 Best Day Trips From Napa and Sonoma, Mendocino Lodging: How to Find a Place to Stay, Scenic California Drives: 7 Routes That Will Make You Swoon, Los Angeles to San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, The Best Beach Camping in Northern California, Los Angeles to San Francisco on US Highway 101, Sonoma Coast State Park: The Complete Guide, The 9 Best Things to Do in California's Marin County. Greyhound USA operates a bus from San Francisco Bus Station to Eureka Bus Stop 5 times a week. I am glad you could relive your trip through this post. Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. Driving The next location is 181 miles away ( ~3.75 hours). Pets are welcome in this place but I highly recommend not bringing them on the suspension bridges cause it can be pretty unnerving. and leave at 12:34 pm. The distance from San Francisco to Redwood National Park is 315 miles. Highway 1 in southern Marin County is said to be more twisty than along the famously winding Big Sur Coast, so expect to maintain an average 20 to 25 miles per hour. Total driving distance = 408 miles California's Central Coast You could live in San Francisco and still miss out on the highlights, but the Pacific Coast Highway south from here includes the best of the best. Humboldt Redwoods State Park (4 mentions). 75001 U.S. 101. You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving Just north of the Gaviota Tunnel (which is north of Santa Barbara), Hwy 101 turns inland, and you won't see the ocean again until you get to Pismo Beach, and then only briefly. First time around, we were only doing this as a daytrip from San Francisco so we turned inland on Jenner. If you want to have lunch, you can stop at Cafe Aquatica. Although that is a very convenient (and familiar) starting point, I have chosen to use Mendocino (nearly 170 miles north of San Francisco) as the southernmost point for this road trip to keep the focus on Redwood Highway alone, because there are tons of things to do and see along this stretch on its own. Minnesota: In Minnetonka, driving with tires or wheel wells clogged with dirt that sheds onto the road is forbidden . A trip to Hearst Castle and Big Sur from. Stop 2: Sonoma County: Bodega Bay, Jenner, and . . Muir Beach Overlook is a quick stop with only a 10th of a mile of hiking, but it is fantastic and is well-deserving of your time, especially if it is a clear day. Scopa A Northern California Road Trip Through the Redwoods: The Ultimate 7 day Itinerary, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP: DRIVING THE REDWOOD HIGHWAY, PLANNING A REDWOODS ROAD TRIP IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, Either way, once you get to Mendocino take Highway 1 to Leggett, from where the two routes (Highway 1 and Route 101N) merge to become a single highway, aka Redwood Highway, that leads all the way. There are two things to keep in mind before leaving for Shelter Cove: First, fuel up/get a bellyful of lunch or heavy breakfast at either Mendocino or Fort Bragg. c. Founders Tree and Dyerville Giant: This is a very short detour onto Dyerville loop road where you start off at the Founders Tree, the fifth tallest tree in this State Park. It is a room carved inside a 2500 year old Redwood Stump. Allow plenty of time. On this leg of the trip, there are no gas stations for almost 30 miles between, so prioritize getting gas in Sausalito, Mill Valley, or Point Reyes. Thank you for supporting free content on this site! This 1,650-mile (2,655 km), mostly two-lane route takes in everything from temperate rainforest . It's less curvy and hilly than in other areas and from Bodega Bay to Gualala, it's about 48 miles. I highly recommend doing the former, i.e. This rule is more important than ever on the curve-filled sections of the highway where visibility is limited. October 22, 2017. 0.2 mi. Right near Garberville is where youll take exit 639B towards Shelter Cove and reach this beach town after driving 24 miles along a somewhat twisty road. 2. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, Depending on how often you stop, it will take you at least six or seven hours to complete this trip, but you will enjoy it more if you spend the night somewhere along the way. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. open-ended. The fastest way to Redwood National Park is to drive north on Highway 101, which takes around six hours. Now that all the pesky logistics are out of the way, here are all the juicy details on pretty much everything you need to plan that airtight road trip through the Redwoods in Humboldt County. Given the many attractions along this route (Point Reyes and the crazy beautiful Sonoma Coast, a perfect romantic getaway in Bay Area), you will need to tack on at least 2-3 additional days to your itinerary. Disclaimer: This post may contain some affiliate links. For reference, Mendocino lies 168 miles and Crescent City is 376 miles to the north of San Francisco. Using Google Maps, just drag the route on the map to Hwy 1 and you'll see the coastal route. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can get through town more easily by merging with I-280 north of Pacifica or by taking CA Hwy 35 north and following the coastline. Between San Francisco and Santa Cruz lies a strip of the coast highway with no traffic lights for forty-five miles. Check its condition. Lots of whimsical wooden statues will greet you all around (of bears and forest creatures) as you drive up to the tree.