HWY 1 ..SF to LA?

Question

Hi,
If we are planning to drive from SF to LA taking HWY 1...what would be the best place to stay at night to break our jouney as we have little kids with us? and we want to complete our trip in 2 days. instead of driving the whole day.
We dont wanna stay in some forest type lonely place. We are looking for some place where there is some population around.
Thanks

Answer 1

I would think the best place to stay would be in the Morro Bay-San Luis Obispo-Pismo Beach area, somewhere along in there. There really isn't much along Hwy 1 before that , and would get you a little more than half way there. Plus, if you have the time, you would be near the Hearst Castle, probably the only worthwhile tourist site in Central Ca.. This is the area where Hwy 1 starts moving away from the coast and soon will merge with Hwy 101. If you get much further than that, the Santa Barbara area is very nice, but then you're not too far from LA once you get that far. Hwy 1 is a beautiful drive, have fun. The Monterey area is the nicest, but it doesn't get you very far from San Francisco, and would leave you a very long drive on your 2nd day.

Answer 2

That is a tough drive in 2 days with kids. (curves, curves, curves along the coast). It is a beautiful drive but you and the kids will get very tired.
Start off by taking Highway 1 all the way to Santa Cruz (about 80 miles south of S. Fran along the coast.) Then get over to highway 101 ( by going west at Watsonville from Highway 1) Then you can take highway 101 and make some good time. Stop over night at either San Lois Obisbo or Paso Robles (about half way to L.A.) Both have plenty of hotels/motels. San Lois is on the coast.

Answer 3

I've actually biked most of this route - in my younger years. I have to agree when I read the answers that Monterey is much too soon to stop on this trip. My suggestion is the cute little area of Cambria (you could do Hearst Castle first thing in the morning then continue on south).

Another suggestion is to visit Cayucous - cozy little town just before Morro Bay that has a nice pier, swings and rentals if kids want some beach, and an excellent little one street feel.

I think it would be a heck of a first day if you tried to make it to San Luis Obispo, about 5 hours from L.A.

Have fun.

Answer 4

Stop off in San Luis Obispo.... Staying the night in Monterey would be like taking a pit stop in Burlingame on your way to Redwood City. It just doesn't make any sense. If you're driving to LA (which only takes about 6-8 hours to drive, depending on your speed and which route you take anyway), you might as well stop somewhere that's genuinely "half-way"

I work with a lot of people from SLO and I hear its beautiful, so it would be a great place to stop off, and kid friendly as well. Wikipedia lists a lot of interesting information, in fact it even says that SLO is "midway" between SF and LA.

Have a good trip!

Answer 5

All the above answers are great for hotels but here's a few other tips.
If you or your kids get car sick don't make the trip without some Dramamine it's a VERY winding road.
Also because it's so winding and the speed limit is so slow in some area I'd consider adding an extra day to the trip.
Good luck.

Answer 6

The holiday ought to be executed without delay by way of in one day, very quite in 2 days. With 3 days you have adequate time to truly end someplace for an entire day. i could propose the Channel Islands or Hearst citadel for that end. in case you pick for the Channel Islands, stay Monday evening in Ventura or Santa Barbara. Ferries go away from the two cities. See Santa Cruz or Anacapa Island on Tuesday. once you get returned, tension directly to San Luis Obispo to make some forward progression on that day. in case you pick for Hearst citadel, flow forward directly to Cambria on Monday and stay the evening there 2 nights, seeing Hearst citadel on Tuesday. Wednesday tension massive Sur. A end to no longer omit is McWay coastline the place a waterfall cascades off a cliff onto the coastline. yet you may no longer quite flow all the way down to the coastline. (There are different seashores the place you may flow in case you pick.) you may spend the evening on the city of massive Sur, that's close to the north end of the huge Sur sea coast, so which you haven't got too a lot farther to flow on Thursday. Or it is extra inexpensive to stay in Monterey. camping out is likewise an determination at lots of the state parks, and that i think of privately on the city of massive Sur.

Answer 7

As a Californian, I second everything that Gerald said. I've spent a lot of time in S.L.O. and Pismo Beach, it's a nice halfway point, either that or Santa Barbara. Have fun!

Answer 8

Monterey CA. You'll play heck taking that drive in two days, slow down and enjoy the view.

Answer 9

I did it few years ago with my family and friends and we stayed overnight at Monterey. It's beautiful city and I still want to go back there again.

Enjoy your trip and scenaries along the highway.