Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Asijr]

I'm in the early part of planning a ride from San Diego all the way up to Seattle.  I was wanting to see if any one had any suggestions on must see or do while on my ride up the coast.

Thanks,

[lilcoot]

What a great trip!  Take me with you!    When are you going, and what is your time frame?

Plan your trip through LA for the late morning and early afternoon (or the middle of the night!).  Riding through LA traffic is enough to ruin the rest of the trip for you.  I've ridden down from the Bay Area a couple times, and the trip was spectacular.  But then I got in the SoCal traffic, and swore I'd never do it again. 

The Hearst Castle is a great thing to see.  Stop to eat in Big Sur.  Take your time thru Avenue of the Giants south of Eureka.  North of Eureka at Prairie Creek State Park, take the Newton B. Drury Pkwy.  I've never been further north than that.

Don't be in a hurry.  There's always construction delays (road maintenance on unstable ocean cliffs is a bitch!), and there's always those fools who "safely" drive 10 mph lower than the speed limit, but don't know that there are turn outs to let drivers behind them pass. 

[RGlideKid]

The trip of a lifetime!  Do your due diligence on the internet ahead of time.  Take a small notebook of places you want to eat or stay at or visit.  You won't hit them all, but hey, you'll hit some of them!
I envy you!  Have a ball!

[luc.who]

great thread the PCH is on my bucket list as well. 

[FlaHeatWave]

Around September of '13 "The Ball & Chain and I were fortunate to spend 6 weeks riding the Coast from Seattle to San Diego, the list of places to see / visit is almost endless...

While in Malibu, we suggest riding up into the Topanga Canyon / Mulholland Drive area to the Rock Store, we had the best "Tour Guide" one could dream of. Thanks Greg

I've been both Northbound and Southbound on the PCH, let's just say that Southbound is a little more challenging... 

[DesertHOG]

I've done it from San Diego up to San Francisco. My recommendation would be summer or early fall. I rode it late May and once I got past Santa Barbara the coastal breeze, humidity and wind from the moving motorcycle cut to the bone. It was as if I was arthritic, and I am not .. or wasn't then.

Also, I experienced this more when moving inland a bit, be ready for variable temperature. In one day I had put on multiple layers with long johns to start the day, pulled them all off as the sun heated me up and then layered it all back on as I climbed in elevation. Again, YMMV as this was late May.

I plan on finishing the rest of that trip one of these days. Maybe after the Redwoods GTG but then again, that's in May .. brrrrrr...

San Francisco saying, "May Gray, June Gloom" - apparently the nice weather in SF doesn't hit until August and September. Another saying goes, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."

Simon

[JCZ]

It's a much nicer ride going from the north to the south (ocean on your right).  I would suggest starting in Seattle and riding south to SD.  It's much easier to use all the turn outs.  It can get to be a challenge when traveling from the south to the north.....long lines of tourist traffic and single lane in each direction with no shoulder in much of it....just makes it difficult and dangerous to get across the oncoming traffic and so you'll end up riding by areas that you would have really wanted to stop at.

Nothing much to see between LA and San Diego except San Diego and Coronado.  But if you make it this far south let me know and we'll be sure to show you around this area.

Hearst Castle is worth at least a stop for one of the tours.

Ave. of The Giants up in Nor Cal is also a must see.

What month are you planning on doing this?  How long from the Canadian boarder to the Mexico boarder?  Have you considered starting in Victoria, Canada and riding the Blackball Ferry over to Port Angeles, Wash?  I've done it all the way from Victoria, BC to San Francisco and it was an experience!

Here's some links for you.....previews if you will.  The first is from the Monterey area down the coast but you can see what the road is like and why it's so much easier going from the north to the south.....  http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=64369.0

Another of the Big Sur area....  http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?28881-Spontaneous-ride-to-Big-Sur-for-lunch-today-3-12-11&p=350550#post350550

This is the ride report where we left Sacramento and rode up to Victoria, British Columbia and then came all the way back down the coast....   http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=37161.0

And if you're really up for an adventure, bring your passport.....Ensenada, Mexico (on the coast) is only about 85 miles from San Diego.  Maybe we could get a group of the So Cal members of this forum together again for an overnighter to Ensenada....   http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=100428.0

[JCZ]

Almost forgot.....north of San Francisco is Pt. Arena Lighthouse that is worth a half hour visit. 

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=63955.30

[GregKhougaz]

Around September of '13 "The Ball & Chain and I were fortunate to spend 6 weeks riding the Coast from Seattle to San Diego, the list of places to see / visit is almost endless...

While in Malibu, we suggest riding up into the Topanga Canyon / Mulholland Drive area to the Rock Store, we had the best "Tour Guide" one could dream of. Thanks Greg

I've been both Northbound and Southbound on the PCH, let's just say that Southbound is a little more challenging...

Asijr,

If you let me know when you're coming through, I'd be happy to do a tour day with you and have you meet some S. CA crew.   

Greg

[bakon]

I did LA to San Fran one time and Seatle to Eureka California this year. North to South is better if your better half don't mind the cliff side. South to north keeps you back at least a lane. Pull outs are hard at times. I took a week going  LA to SF north and still left much to see. Plan day in some small towns, Carmel, Hearst Castle, Monteray, San Fran needs two days. Don't be in a hurry and stop a bunch, otherwise shorten trip.

Seattle down to Oregon was half day getting to the coast. Not many roads there and some traffic in the area, plus Lemay Auto Museum and couple other sites. we went inland for about half of Oregon coast line (skipped it), then back out. Columbia River Gorge was original Kings Highway for USA and must see. We hit border of Washington and Oregon, went down gorge some but went back into Washington for Mt St Helen, then Portland for night, After Portland find old road on southern side, waterfalls and up and down the hillside in spots, must use 4 lane in spots, but stop and see the Powerhouse and Dam tour. Fish latters,  more Gorge to Mt Hood, circled down staying inland to Crater Lake then back out to coast. Wild fires changed route a few times on back roads.

Coast is cold. We went first weeks of August both times and wore jackets, gloves and long sleeves. Both trips. Not like east coast all hot and sunny. Inland was 105, coast was 70 with fog everyday sometime. In morning its like riding in a cloud, grey and wet. Afternoon is good until the fog rolls in again (north trip, south stayed clear and slightly warmer on coast.)

Coast is awesome, but better sights and weather inland at times. Southern trip was completely different than northern one. Just different tempo and more to see.

Buy guidebooks and read them, a few, they list some very good spots.

[2k]

Hwy 112 in Northern Wa along the Strait of Juan de Fuga is great, but no loop so a out and back is required. The rest of Wa is hohum when compared to Or, Ca.

[kiro]

I don't know too much about planning a West Coast ride, but if you get in the area of Hearst Castle I'd definitely take time to stop by the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery for a short visit. I thought this was quite unique. They have a website that indicates what activity level to expect by month. I visited the rookery twice with my cameras when in the west.

[Asijr]

Thanks for all the great info and now I'm even more exited to go.  We are leaving the first of June from ABQ taking two days to get to San Diego, and planning on three weeks on the road.

[sadunbar]

It's a much nicer ride going from the north to the south (ocean on your right).  I would suggest starting in Seattle and riding south to SD.  It's much easier to use all the turn outs.  It can get to be a challenge when traveling from the south to the north.....long lines of tourist traffic and single lane in each direction with no shoulder in much of it....just makes it difficult and dangerous to get across the oncoming traffic and so you'll end up riding by areas that you would have really wanted to stop at.

 

What JC says is very true, traveling north south to south north can be much more challenging than traveling south north to north south.  Keep in mind when traveling north, and crossing the southbound lane of traffic when stopping on ocean side pullouts, that many of the vehicles traveling on Hwy 1 have one eye on the road and one eye on the tremendous views.  Distracted drivers taking in the scenery require extra caution on your part, for sure...  But it's well worth it.  The trip you're planning is without doubt "bucket list" quality.   

[JCZ]

What JC says is very true, traveling north to south can be much more challenging than traveling south to north.  Keep in mind when traveling north, and crossing the southbound lane of traffic when stopping on ocean side pullouts, that many of the vehicles traveling on Hwy 1 have one eye on the road and one eye on the tremendous views.  Distracted drivers taking in the scenery require extra caution on your part, for sure...  But it's well worth it.  The trip you're planning is without doubt "bucket list" quality.   

I think you got it backwards here but we all know what you meant. 

June along the Calif. coast you will have early morning fog but it burns off by mid-morning to noon.  I actually found this to be true in parts of Wash. and Oregon also.  Maybe plan your days  by starting a bit later in the day and riding later into the afternoons.  It's daylight until nearly 9 p.m. in June.

Again, I would strongly encourage you to go straight up to Seattle and then head south along the coast for the best views and Kodak moments.

A heck of a lot of members on this forum along the way.  Let us know your schedule when you get it laid out and you might get some people to join you along the way for short bits of the ride.  Nothing better than to find a "local" to show you the way, the sights and the things that you'd otherwise miss.