You recently moved to California. Maybe you’ve lived here your whole life. Or you live somewhere else, but regardless, you’ve been dreaming of an adventure up this magical coastline.
I’m here to tell you that you don’t need anyone else to do this drive. You may not even want anyone else to be there, honestly. That sounds uncomfortable, you might say. Will I have any fun? What will I do for all those hours in my car, by myself. I hate being alone.
I get it. Our minds can be an uncomfortable place especially when left unattended. However, I definitely think certain adventures are better suited to be done solo than others, and driving up the Pacific Coast Highway happens to be one of them.
How so, you might ask. Solo adventures, in my opinion, are best undertaken when you’re looking for some space to let you mind run wild, or maybe even to just give yourself an escape from your daily routine. Sometimes you may not know you need one until just a day or two before and you may not have more than a few days to take off. That’s what makes this drive perfect. If you live relatively close to the coast in California, you can pack up your car and go at a moment’s notice. It’s your adventure, so you can go as far as you want, over however many days you want.
I recommend minimal planning. I chose to only book an Airbnb and leave the rest up to my curiosity. If that stresses you out, do your thang and create that excel spreadsheet. The spots I hit (and the ones I skipped) between LA and SF are below, but use them more as an idea of what’s possible and less as a step by step guide. Pack your sense of spontaneity.
Convinced? Perfect. Here’s my rundown:
Los Angeles: LA is home for me, so this is where I started. Whether you’re leaving from here or anywhere else, grab a coffee and start early. Right before sunrise is most preferable for two reasons: 1) you’ll skip out on rush hour traffic which can save hours of stressful driving (the opposite of the point for a trip like this) and 2) I can’t think of a better way to leave the city than as the sun comes up.
Solvang: This tiny village was probably the wildcard of my trip. I was deep into a How I Built This podcast when I drove past the exit sign for Solvang on the freeway. It sounded familiar, but I didn’t know why, so I pulled over to the side of the road and did a quick google search (the Internet is always your friend on a solo trip, but safety first!). Turns out this charming town was founded in 1911 by a group of Danes and has managed to preserve its Dutch identity. I only spent a couple hours here, but was able to walk around the whole village. Come for the bakeries, the wine and the cycling and leave feeling like you just hopped on a plane to Denmark.
Pismo Beach/San Luis Obispo: I had intended on driving straight from LA to SLO to have breakfast, but as with all of the best road trips, I veered off course. So instead of spending time in the city, I made a stop at Pismo Beach. It was a little cloudy and cold, but as a result, pretty serene. Before continuing on my way, I grabbed a cinnamon roll at a place that caught my eye on the way to the water. Old West Cinnamon Rolls delivered probably one of the best cinnamon rolls of my life.
San Simeon/Hearst Castle: A well rounded vacation always delivers a taste of history and context. Checking out Hearst Castle, the summer home of publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst in San Simeon, did just that. While walking around this 155 room estate, I got a dose of what California was like during the Gold Rush and how Hearst decided to turn his family’s land into an estate with animal life, vegetation and a castle that was 28 years in the making. Plus the #views are fantastic.
As I left the Castle and continued up North, I found a great place to eat an early dinner before heading up to my Airbnb. The food at Indigo Moon was fresh and fantastic and so was their accompanying wine and cheese shop that sold local cheeses and wines from nearby wine country, Paso Robles.
Salinas: My Airbnb was a converted mini school bus on a ranch in the middle of nowhere in the town where John Steinbeck spent most of his life. Yes, really. It was awesome, and everything that I was looking for — fresh air, great conversation with friendly hosts, affordable prices and as a bonus: sunrise yoga in the morning. I’m a huge advocate for finding a unique place stay along any adventure, and am super grateful that I found this spot on Airbnb.
Monterey: Yes, this is the setting of HBO’s latest hit, Big Little Lies. Or so they tell you (it’s actually mostly shot in Malibu). But it’s also an incredible seaside town that is home to a stunning stretch of coastline, and until HBO came along, was most well known for the Monterey Aquarium and Cannery Row, which was immortalized by John Steinbeck’s novels. Spend a while here — have some seafood at Sea Harvest Fish Market, get lost in a chapter of East of Eden, and go through the 17 Mile Drive on your way down to Carmel.
Carmel by the Sea: Warning, there is a high probability you will fall in love with this tiny village and never want to leave. The streets are lined with the most perfect shops, bakeries and restaurants. There are solo travelers, couples, families and puppies everywhere. The beach was my favorite one I visited during the trip. Come for the shopping and sunset, stay for dinner. Or if you’re like me, head back to your Airbnb to enjoy a makeshift charcuterie with the wine you purchased along the way.
San Francisco: SF was my final stop but I took my time getting there. The clouds had finally cleared up and sun was out in full force. I took complete advantage and probably stopped over 15 times along the way. Once I was in SF, I hit pause on the solo adventure and caught up with some of my closest friends. We went to a house party in Potrero Hill and had dinner at a modern Hawaiian restaurant called Aina. It was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time and a perfect way to end the trip. After a quick brunch in SoMa in the morning, I was back on my way to LA via the 5 freeway. I listened to a few podcasts, called a few friends and family members and was back in LA by sunset.
The four day trip was enough to provide time to recharge, let my mind wander, and experience the wonder of the California coastline. Doing it solo allowed me to follow my instinct, have meaningful conversations with complete strangers and regain a sense of calm during a pretty uncertain time in my life. I have never felt more in love with this place that I have come to call home these past couple of years.
So before you make any more excuses, pick a date, book your stay, cue up the playlists and get on the road.
Side note:
Some spots along my drive I didn’t hit for various reasons (I had been before, road conditions, not enough days) that are most definitely worth the time if you have it:
