Road trip along the California Coast

Road Trip along the California coast.😀

I am not a fan of road trips. That said, when I planned an eight day road trip from San Francisco to San Diego, I convinced myself that driving along what could arguably be America’s most scenic route, taking in some of the best coastal views, would be enough to convert even a cynic such as myself. As it turned out, I was correct.

The drive along California’s rugged Pacific coast can be exhilarating, and at times downright scary. But one thing is certain. The views never get old. The scenic vistas are mesmerizing. So much so, that being cooped up in a car driving for miles on end, will begin to seem like fun.  

The key to a successful and enjoyable road trip is to have a plan: mainly a place to rest your head once the sun goes down. Once that’s covered, you can be as spontaneous as you like.

Day 1-2: Drove over nine hours from San Diego to Redwood City, where we visited my sister in law Dorte. Spent Saturday morning hiking. Visited Stanford University (The beginning of Zoe’s college induction).

Day 3: Redwood City- Monterey: Stopped in Santa Cruz, quaint seaside town.  Drove through Salinas: I now have a reference point for all of the John Steinbeck novels I have read and the ones I have yet to read.

Spent the night in Monterey: Beautiful seaside town. Touristy, but well worth a visit. Spent the morning at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, before hitting the road again.

Day 4: Monterey -San Luis Obispo: Stopped in Carmel, another wonderful and very touristy beachside town. Drove through Big Sur, San Simeon, and Hearst Castle: breathtakingly beautiful.

Spent the night in San Luis Obispo, at the Madonna Inn: very quirky hotel, with themed rooms. We stayed in the Sir Walter Raleigh room.

Day 5: San Luis Obispo- Santa Barbara: A brief stopped for gas in Buellton, and there it was Andersen Pea soup, from Diners, Drive ins and Dives.  Stopped in Solvang, an authentic Scandinavian enclave, nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley. It really is a small replica of a Danish city. Sven Eli Drastrup was a happy man: he got to eat real Danish pastries from Mortensen’s Danish Bakery.

Day 5-7: Two nights in Santa Barbara, very pretty Mediterranean style city. We stayed at the Franciscan Inn where freshly baked cookies were served in the lobby from 3-5 p m (guests actually sat in the lobby, waiting for the cookies): Ate, at what according to Diners, Drive ins, and Dives, is the best British style fish and chips in Santa Barbara.

Day 7-8: Santa Barbara to Los Angeles: Spent the night in Los Angeles. Visited the Santa Monica Pier, but didn’t care to see or do anything else. We were tired, and wanted to go home, which we did on day 8.

N.B: These are a few of the photos that I managed to save. Lost quite a few of them.