Stops and things to do on Eureka to San Francisco drive or road trip Although the entire Redwood road trip can be covered in 6 hours or so, that is absolutely no fun because the Redwood Highway passes through some of the most beautiful towns, beaches, waterfalls, hikes and Redwood groves that you absolutely need to explore to make the most out of this road trip. stay overnight and leave the next day around 11:00 am, 11:00 am leave from Willits I highly recommend shopping by Humboldt Mercantile and, Explore the nearby Woodley Island-we had lunch at Cafe Marina & Woodleys bar. Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Eureka Highway 80 - San Francisco to North Lake Tahoe (Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Incline Village, Homewood, Palisades/Squaw Valley & Sand Harbor) With either, you'll pass through Sacramento before heading to either the north or south end of the lake. Entrance fee is $2 at the giftshop to access the door code. I passed the Golden Gate Bridge without stopping, as I have been many times, but you can always stop at Battery Spencer if you didnt the previous day. 1 , which runs along the west coast of the United States, is called the Pacific Coast Highway and is rich in a variety of attractions. We have finally reached the end of this megapost detailing our road trip through the Redwoods through Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties. Day 3: Cape Kiwanda, OR to Redwood State Park, CA. The two unmissable ones are, Stroll by the Eureka harbor front/marina/boardwalk, Find some amazing murals scattered around 4th street and Old Town. North of the airport to Santa Monica, it's Lincoln Blvd. After an entire day of admiring the gigantic trees, it is now time for a late lunch plus some rest for those achy feet and for this you gotta make a detour to. packing lunch from Eureka/Arcata. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Its places I still have to explore? Maps of the Pacific Coast Highway: Free Driving Maps of the PCH Drive defensively. 110,000 acres of old growth forests remain (Oregon-California central coast). This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. There are very few options to divert from 1 to 101. There are two things to keep in mind before leaving for Shelter Cove: First, fuel up/get a bellyful of lunch or heavy breakfast at either Mendocino or Fort Bragg. CA Hwy 1 is prone to closure due to landslides, especially during rainy winters. is beautiful. Chances are you wont be driving this far up north so frequently, so why not live a little? Depending on how outdoorsy you are, there are quite a few things to explore on this road trip in Northern California and so it is best to stay in one of these three towns for at least 3 nights, which is what we did. stay for about 1.5 hours. Best Stops Along Highway 1 - San Francisco to Santa Cruz - POST The northern leg of this route has a lot to see from gardens to historical lighthouses. This staircase winds down from the edge of the cliff to a beautiful vista point that overlooks both Muir Beach and the coastline above it. It's less curvy and hilly than in other areas and from Bodega Bay to Gualala, it's about 48 miles. Eureka is the largest town in California between San Francisco and Oregon border and is flanked by the Arcata Bay on the north and Humboldt bay in the south. The Pacific Coast Highway runs along two highways: US 101 in Washington, Oregon, and parts of California and California Highway 1 in the majority of California. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census. Fun facts about coastal Redwoods in California (Sequoia sempervirens)*. The fastest way to Redwood National Park is to drive north on Highway 101, which takes around six hours. Save. From the parking lot itself, you can hike up to the overlook (0.5 miles trail) and go further down to a secret, black sand beach that you can spot from afar. Along the way, you'll pass spots where you can hike through old-growth forests and relax in the quaint waterfront towns along the Pacific coast. A port city in northern California, Eureka will remind you of a Victorian-era town. Trunk Organizer | With any road trip comes lots and lots of stuff to pack. Routing: . Without stopping I would guess 8 hrs. The return trail back into the gift shop is lined with wood carvings featuring Paul Bunyans life story (from when he was a baby) and other whimsical creatures. Gas. You can read my detailed Shelter Cove guide or find the highlights below: Get an early start to your day with a quick breakfast at Cafe Dolce (on Shelter Cove Road) and bid goodbye to Shelter Cove to get back on to the Redwood Highway, because there will be ton of things to do on this leg of your Northern California road trip. Known for being an iconic coastal surf town, Santa Cruz is the perfect place to stop if you want to take in a cool city with wonderful seaside vibes and watch some of the best surfers in California. Flexible Itineraries for a Coastal California Road Trip | Moon Travel North of San Francisco, California's Highway 1 clings to the state's western edge, winding north from Sausalito through Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties. This looks like an amazing road trip to go on! Here are all the details for getting to Fern Canyon (a narrow canyon lined with ferns of all kind) and hiking there. The 337-mile drive from San Francisco to Redwood National Park will take you around 6 hours. The most well-known section of this route is along the Big Sur coast, but you don't need to travel that far to enjoy a wild stretch of Highway 1. It is never dull as the locations and views are majestic at almost every turn. drive for about 53 minutes, 11:53 am Drive-Thru Tree Park Especially, Trinidads beautiful Beach* And Humboldt County has the humblest people? Try searching for places within 5 hours of San Francisco. Its sights include Hearst Castle, the Big Sur coast, Carmel, Monterey, and Santa Cruz. Highway One begins in the town of Capistrano Beach in Orange County. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:30 pmdrive for about 1 hour, 4:45 pm Willits I hope you enjoyed reading this detailed guide on planning a Northern California road trip to remember and are inspired to see the majestic Redwoods. The nachos here are called killer nachos, and it is easy to see why. 1 is a 2 lane road almost the whole way - curvy, cliffside, and inevitably behind someone who's going 35 mph. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Guide - Outdoor Blueprint As per Wikipedia, "Eureka is the regional center for government, health care, trade, and the arts on the North Coast north of the San Francisco Bay Area.