Highway 101 is All Kinds of Fun

The Pacific Coast Highway changes names several times, and becomes Route 1 and Highway 101 as you work your way up the coast. No matter what you call it, meandering along the splendid stretch of road from San Diego to Seattle is sheer perfection, and you won’t regret a single mile. I’ve made the trek up and down between LA and San Francisco a couple times now, but it’s never ever enough. I revisited old favorites and discovered new gems and I hope beyond all hope that you find yourself meandering up the coast sometime very soon.

My first adventure was Southbound from San Francisco to LA, but I more frequently start in LA and head north, so that’s the way I’ve organized this blog for you. The photos are selections from several trips, so please excuse the different lighting :)

After my epic day in Pasadena, I overnighted in Ventura. It was my first time in the charming beach town, and I checked out a couple of breweries walkable to my hotel. I didn’t love Ventura Coast or MadeWest , but Leashless , the organic brewery was really special. I loved every single sample. I didn’t have long to explore, but I’d definitely plan a repeat stop. The sunset on the pier was spectacular.

Solvang is a sweet little Danish village near Santa Barbara; it’s a kitschy tourist trap, and I should hate it, but I couldn’t care less. It’s adorable and I really love the windmills, bakeries, and beautiful facades. I watched a terrible Hallmark Christmas movie last year which serves as a solid primer for this adorable town. I was pretty pumped to wander into the chocolate shop from the movie, and finally get a taste of the classic Danish dessert, aebelskiver. The food and beer at Solvang Brewing Co didn’t really do anything for me, but this is the cusp of wine country, so you’re better off drinking vino anyway. Calilove’s branding drew me in, and despite my very low expectations, I was still pretty underwhelmed by the wine. It’s a fun little family owned shop and it has a distinct bachelorette vibe. It’s a good stop for a sangria or a chambong… but not so much for a classic California tasting. I’m a member of the wine club at Toccata Vineyards, and I’d highly recommend a stop there or their sister location, Lucas & Lewellen. There are some really unique vintages and the tastings are informative and fun. Don’t forget to check out the Little Mermaid statue, she’s half the size as the one in Denmark, and so are the lines to visit her. Solvang is sweet, and definitely worthy of a little field trip.

I’d really like to explore Carpinteria, Pismo Beach, and Morro Bay, but I seem to only pass through in crummy weather. I’ve made a couple quick stops in Santa Barbara, but I don’t have any real recommendations for you beside the beautiful stairs at Paseo Nuevo and to check out the free and ever evolving exhibits at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum. I was blown away by the collection at the Tacoma location, but the Texas History documents on display weren’t enticing enough for me to try to plan my stop in their limited days/hours (Wednesdays-Sundays 12-4.)

San Luis Obispo is adorable, and there are lots of things to see and do, but I cannot be anywhere in the near vicinity without a stop at the tacky and touristy Madonna Inn. I’ve stopped every single time I drive up the coast, and I’ve even managed to stay in one of the ridiculous rooms once. I stayed in one of the Merry Go Round rooms with hot air balloons lights and glitter walls. It was INSANE and I loved it. Like the Hermitage Hotel, the bathrooms are not to be missed. You’ll want to visit the ladies and mens rooms regardless of your gender, because they are both pretty impressive. The Lady Antebellum album, Heartbreak, was spectacular, but the album teaser was a mini-movie shot through several rooms at the Madonna Inn. I’d highly recommend a watch to get a feel for this lovely old hotel.

I had heard that the steakhouse wasn’t worth the money, but I’m still thinking about te prime rib salad. You can get anything off the steakhouse or cafe menus at the Silver Bar, and there’s no such thing as strangers there. I have met the loveliest people and had a wonderful time every single stop. The Pink Cloud is their classic cocktail, but it tastes so pink it hurts. should come with an insulin shot. I’d consider it less of a cocktail and more of dessert in a cup. I’m a huge fan of the Raspberry Gimlet. The pink champagne cake is a classic, and they go FAST. So I suggest reserving a slice in the bakery or buying one early in the day to eat later. I’m not even a cake person, so it was no hardship to share my slice (the last one in the shop) with the couple celebrating their anniversary beside me at the bar. I only wanted to taste it, and I can honestly say, I probably could have taken down a slice on my own. The dessert was as magical as the company, and the spectacular surroundings. It’s over the top, too much, and so terrific it makes me giddy.

Harmony is a tiny little town between SLO and Cambria with a petite population of 18. If you blink, you’ll miss the ice cream shop, chapel, glass studio, pottery shop, and winery… and that would be a shame. If a passing car honks, the cows will all moo in harmony while you do your wine tasting. It’s hilarious and fun, and the wine is pretty good. Who couldn’t use a little more Harmony in their lives?

Cambria, California is officially one of my favorite places on the planet. I missed the last tour of the Hearst Castle on my first HWY 1 Roadtrip, and decided to overnight there to wait for a tour the next morning. The hotel suggested dinner at the Sea Chest, and I was serendipitously seated next to Debbie at the bar. She felt like the mayor of the picturesque beach town, every one knew her and she was full of excellent suggestions. She introduced me to Linn’s Fruitbin, which I dream about every week without shame. It’s the only place I’ve ever had olallieberries- a happy hybrid of raspberries and blackberries. I live for their olallieberry iced tea, the linn’s bin special with an olallieberry scone, and then I wander the town/beach. I can’t leave town without one last stop at their pie shop for a slice of olalallieberry pie and a souvenir jar of sizzling topper, a sweet and spicy spread that is EPIC on a charcuterie board. You can order their pies and preserves shipped directly to your home. I swear, if you ever need a corporate gift you won’t be sorry, except maybe if you don’t order yourself some too.

I was captivated by the magical Moonstone Beach, and spent hours strolling the boardwalk and searching for beautiful stones for my jeweler friends. Nitwit Ridge is a fun roadside attraction, and the shopping is excellent. You can’t go wrong in Bounding Main, Ocean Heir, Garden Shed, Among Friends, Rich Man Poor Man Antique Mall, Simplistic Home, or Slabtown Mercantile.

San Simeon is home to Hearst Castle, the insane architectural marvel of William Randolph Hearst. The history, home, gardens, and pool are worth every dollar of admission to visit. There’s a herd of zebra, an insane seal beach, a vineyard along the water, and it’s all fantastic. It’s FINALLY about to re-open after a long COVID Closure, and it’s all worth a full day to explore. I’d like to go back and do the Julia Morgan tour. She’s the famous first female architect in California, and she brought this beautiful building to life, and she also worked with Georgia O’Keefe in Abiquiu. The Lady Gaga GUY video was filmed here, and so was Spartacus.

The stretch between San Simeon and Big Sur are my favorite in the entire world. There is something so soothing and comforting about the smell of the redwoods, cypress trees, eucalyptus, sea salt and sunshine that mix together and bring joy to my soul. Go ahead and roll your window down, and don’t be ashamed if your head drifts to the window like a peppy puppy. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall- I’ve made the drive and seen them all. Sunrise, sunset, with the fog closing in, healing from wildfires, and blossoming with wildflowers, it doesn’t really matter when you go, it’s STUNNING.

It wouldn’t be unheard of if you wanted to pull over at every single scenic pull off. You’ll definitely want to see the Bixby Bridge, which you’ll recognize from the Big Little Lies opening credits. This trip, I took Debbie’s recommendations and pulled over to check out McWay Falls and the Calla Lilly Valley at Garrapata Beach. Neither had crossed my radar before, and I’m so grateful for the suggestions. They were GORGEOUS, and pretty easy walks from their roadside turn offs.

I’m not much of a golfer, but the Seventeen Mile Scenic Drive to Pebble Beach is a must for everyone. The Lone Cypress Tree, a drink at the clubhouse, and a walk around the ridiculously bougie resort town are a great way to kill a couple of hours.

Apparently I loved Carmel By The Sea as a kid, but adult me can’t seem to get into it. I made a quick stop at Alvarado Street Brewery this last trip, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I didn’t feel the need to do any additional exploring there. An hour stroll around town was plenty for me.

I FINALLY made it to Monterey Bay Aquarium on my last day of this UHaul Adventure. I got up really early so I could get an easy street parking spot and wandered around Cannery Row. The Aquarium is every bit as enchanting as everyone says it is. The bay was so active, I spent just as much time on the decks watching the Humpbacks and Blue Whales, otters, and birds play as they passed.

The website warned me that Easter Sunday was their busiest day of the year, and they weren’t kidding. It was a madhouse in there. I wore my mask and tried to keep my distance, but it was like swimming upstream all day. If you can swing it, go on a weekday. My favorite tank was a total zoo, but I could have stood there and listened to the adorable kids scream with glee when they saw Nemo and Dorie. I caught the opening announcements, but if you miss them, be sure to ask someone for the daily feeding schedule, because you definitely want to wander to the tanks when they do. I got to watch the feeding/training of the otters (my favorite) and in the impressive open sea tanks. I never knew jellyfish could be so captivating. I spent a lot of time exploring species I’d never seen or heard of before. They even had a newly discovered and yet to be named new species, which I thought was very cool.

If ever there was a shining example of the power of a perfect name, I found PigWizard on Google Maps and absolutely had to check it out. I was a little sad to learn that the Banh Mi and Larb sandwiches I saw online were just specials, but I got the special pineapple teriyaki pork belly sandwich. I can honestly say it’s the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten, and it will haunt my dreams until the end of time. This was my first time getting ANGRY that I didn’t have a second stomach. I could have happily made my way down the menu. I will say, meals this good are the only time I get sad about traveling alone. Companions mean menu diversity. I got slices of their mole apricot salumi and a bag of bacon caramel porkcorn for later, and they were equally terrific. It’s just a mile down the cannery and a beautiful walk along the water from the aquarium. I sat and watched sea lions and otters play in the water and it was a highlight of the trip. It was honestly so good, I had to go back. I decided to head to Santa Cruz for a day and as my stomach growled at my exit and the sign said 60 more miles to Monterey- I made the executive decision to just keep going. I got a porchetta sandwich and bacon mac and cheese and my heart and belly were extremely happy. Don’t leave without a walk along the dock, the sea lions are VERY chatty here. I was also able to make it back to Dust Bowl Brewing which was closed for my first two tries, it’s in a converted train depot, pretty adorable and worth a stop. Skip the seltzer though, woof.

Santa Cruz is a picture perfect beach town, and if you say you have a place called Pleasure Point, I’m going to go. There is a bit of confusion because the map shows two, and that supplied an endless amount of giggles for me. You have your quintessential wharf, boardwalk, lighthouse, and a healthy assortment of victorian houses. I found the picture rock, and there is a monarch preserve that has upwards of 8,000 monarchs in early spring.

It doesn’t matter if you’re heading north or south, where you start or where you go. Make a stop in Mendocino County, drive up to Eureka, or go all the way up to Seattle. I honestly don’t care where you go or what you do. There is so much, you really don’t need advice- just get in the car and drive. You can get a taste in a weekend, and I don’t even know that a week would really be enough. I promise Highway 1 /101/PCH is so fun, you’ll be called to repeat visits for the rest of your life.