Highway 1 in southern Marin County is said to be more twisty than along the famously winding Big Sur Coast, so expect to maintain an average 20 to 25 miles per hour. It would be a shame to not stop and enjoy the beautiful country. FAQ: RVing in California: Is it Right for you? You can easily use this post for a trip all the way to Brookings, Oregon, or on to the coast . Scopa San Francisco. Your email will not be provided to third parties. How to get there: Take Interstate 280 North from San Jose until it links up with US Route 101 North. It's okay, you can start planning your Our travel tips: Yosemite is open year-round, but some roads like Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are closed from November to May. Be prepared for some back country roads as you make your way from Highway 101 to Shelter Cove. California Pacific Coast Highway. Who doesn't love wandering around a ghost town and imagining all the lives lived there? Begin in San Francisco, the City-by-the-Bay, and follow Highway 101 as it winds north through wine country and oak woodlands. During the summer in Napa there's an outdoor concert series hosted by Blue Note Napa called the Napa City Nights. Near Auburn there are also wonderful hikes in the hills along the North Fork American River, where you can also take a refreshing swim on a hot day or even go rafting. Our travel tips: Many of the highlights from the trips above to Mendocino and Fort Bragg also apply here. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:30 pmdrive for about 1 hour, 4:45 pm Willits From Sonora, head northeast along CA Route 108 through Twain Harte, past Pinecrest Lake, all the way to Sonora Junction. Betsy has been writing about California for nearly more than two decades as TripSavvy's expert on the state. Here, you can take the smaller Wards Ferry Road over Wards Ferry Bridge all the way back to Sonora. NASA used to train astronauts for moon landing in the pumice highlands of the park. or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world. Consider breaking up the trip into three parts: from Sausalito to Bodega Bay; from Bodega Bay to Gualala; and from Gualala to Leggett. Our travel tips: Many of the trails in Lassen Volcanic National Park are only open in the summer and fall due to heavy snow, but Sulphur Works is accessible most of the year and is located near the park's southwestern entrance. Even before forest bathing was a fad, people here have been taking refuge amongst these tranquil giants for centuries. Main stops on this road trip: Starting in San Francisco, this route takes you past Muir Woods, Point Reyes National Seashore, Bodega Bay, Gualala, and Mendocino on your way to Fort Bragg. Enter a city to drive through, or find all, trips from San Francisco to Eureka (California), Must dos and good places to stay during June getaway to Sonoma. Yet the real treats of this area lie in the surrounding parks and beaches where miles of trails along pristine coastlines await you. Trippy is where To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. The likeness is so striking that the producers of Murder, She Wrote chose to film many portions of the TV show set in a fictional Maine town here. To find the return map from San Francisco to Eureka via highway 1, Eureka, begin with entering start and end locations in calculator control and click on Show Return Map. How to get there: Leave San Francisco via Interstate 80 over the Bay Bridge and immediately merge into Interstate 580 passing through Oakland and Livermore before changing on to Interstate 205 near Tracy. Road Trip Conditions. Local gems: In case you'd like to walk off some of those glasses of Chardonnay or if you have an interest in one of California's most well-known authors, visit the Jack London State Historic Park, just north of Sonoma. Both Highways 108 and 120 are regularly closed from November to May each year. Harbor Seals Follow CA-120 all the way through Groveland, where it becomes Big Oak Flat Road and takes you into Yosemite Valley. Main stops on this road trip: After passing the town of Mendocino, you'll go inland to Leggett, then drive along the Avenue of the Giants to Eureka, Arcata, and the redwoods. For film aficionados Bodega Bay is a must visit given its place in cinematic history as the filming location of Alfred Hitchcocks film, The Birds. One can spot familiar buildings while walking around this small town such as the St. Teresa of Avila Church and Potter schoolhouse. Camping along the way? For those living in the Bay Area, a stretch of highway from San Francisco, CA to Eureka, CA is an absolute must see. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, Roll the windows down a bit and take in the smells of the forest as rays of light peak through the trees. 21780 Highway 1, Jenner; (707) 847-3231 . Why you should take this trip: The epicurean heart of Northern California is shared between Napa and Sonoma. Going that way is about 126 miles, or about 2 hours of driving. This section could be endless, so rather than trying to Taking the coast route is about 150 miles and will take about 3 hours, as it's a slower route. This is part of my Pacific Coast Highway / Highway 101 road trip series and you can see San Francisco to Mendocino here and Mendocino to Eureka here. Sorry, we have never been here before. Pacific Coast Highway stops include big city vacation destinations like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, and smaller places like Monterey. I would just stay on 101. next trip! driving is a lot slower as you pass through every town on the way. Given the altitude, it isn't quite as hot as Sacramento and other cities in the lowlands, but it's hot enough to really enjoy a cold dip in the river. There are lots of twists and turns, curves, slow roads at time. Between Stinson and Dillon Beach is Point Reyes National Shore, a prominent cape featuring superb hiking trails in addition to whale and elephant seal watching spots in winter. A longtime magnet for free spirits, Northern California has a vast array of landscapes and vibes. Our highlights: Santa Cruz is the home of mainland surfing and conveniently located halfway along this route. Dedicated volunteers maintain a small museum here where you can see some of the original pieces of the older lighthouse, like the Fresnel lens, which was used prior to the lighthouse's electrification. Best time to visit: The late spring and mid fall are two of the most beautiful times of the year in Napa and Sonoma. Pacific Coast Highway Drive Times and Distances, Here are the rough drive times and distances Its southern end is at I-5 near Dana Point and its northern end is at US-101 near Leggett. Best time to visit: Lake Tahoe takes on a different charm in every season. Ditto what Mimi says in Post 3. The primary draw of this portion of the trip is the Avenue of the Giants, a scenic highway that runs parallel to 101. Our travel tips: This is yet another trip you can really make any time of the year. Click the following links to go to Previous Day: San Francisco or Next Day: Road Trip Day 2: Eureka to Coos Bay, Oregon. Ice Plant Nevada City has a well-preserved downtown area with historic buildings and a varied local dining scene which prominently features healthy and fresh options. California Highway 1 (the PCH) runs 655.8 miles from its southern terminus at Dana Point, CA to its northern terminus at Leggett, CA. san francisco, ca 94102-3214 san francisco, ca 94102-3214 . Jordan is a short detour off of Hwy 101 in Healdsburg . While this entire trip is jam packed with coastal views and innumerable curves to hug, the coast somehow becomes even more magnificent south of Carmel-by-the-Sea as you approach Big Sur. Willits (3 answers) If seeing family and friends, understand. So if you really need to, you could shave an hour off your driving time by skipping this bit of the coast. Eureka (California) to San Francisco drive, distance from San Francisco to Eureka (California), San Francisco to Eureka (California) flight plan. Preston Family Vineyards routes from, From Downtown Los Angeles to San Diego is about 120 miles, Pacific Coast Highway Travel's advice on driving the Pacific Coast Highway in five days, including the best places to stay over, and the best things to do and see. 52 mins), FAQ about Map from San Francisco to Eureka. And then there are the winter sports. Angeles to San Diego, given in miles and with the approximate driving time it It's less curvy and hilly than in other areas and from Bodega Bay to Gualala, it's about 48 miles. This is the ultimate CA road trip planner. Best time to visit: Though it might get a bit drizzly in the winter, this is a trip you can do at any time of the year, with some of the clearest weather coming in the spring and fall. When the falls are at their peak, gushing over the granite cliffs, droplets envelope some sections of the trail making for a magical and refreshing hike. All text and images copyright Howard Wu. How to get there: From San Francisco, navigate to CA Route 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. Behind the humble entrance there's a 47-acre property spread over coastal hills, with trails leading to spectacular ocean views. Drive time from Los Angeles to San Francisco: approximately 10 hours. Day 1 : San Francisco highway 1 Eureka Eureka. Local gems: A real treat at the edge of the tiny downtown in Nevada City is the Miners Foundry Cultural Center. Before you go it helps to know what to eat in San Francisco and so here's our list of ten San Francisco dishes and drinks that you have to try. If you're hoping for clear ocean views, spring and fall are the best times to drive this route. who wants the trip to end? Main stops on this road trip: Just south of San Francisco you'll pass Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, and Santa Cruz on your way to Big Sur via Monterey and Carmel. Note that this drive more than any of the others is affected by traffic, Here it's common to see dear, seals, and migrating whales in the winter. On the contrary, Hwy 1 is very scenic and a very nice trip, if you have the time to enjoy the drive. 215 rosemead, ca 91770 solana beach, ca 92075 for: southern california edison company for: san diego community power . Once you're on 1, the routes back to 101 are few and far between, and those are long drives in themselves. They assume you are driving at or just under the speed You can expect to find tickets at that price or lower if you book your trip at least 28 days in advance. Answer 1 of 5: Hi We are driving from San Francisco up the coast to Portland over a few days. There's no time like the present to start planning your next journey. Get the reverse directions for a Eureka to Lava Beds National Monument. Fort Ross, this southernmost Russian settlement in North America in 1800 is now a State Park. If you're planning a road trip to Eureka (California), you can research locations to stop along the way. Lava Beds National Monument is filled with twisting subterranean tubes carved by molten lava which flowed from the Medicine Lake shield volcano hundreds of thousands of years ago. Map from San Francisco to Eureka via highway 1, Eureka. Oozing sophistication and gourmet dining options, prepare for indulgence while you're here. An additional closure stranded passengers on State Route 1, south of the junction with Highway 101. It is never dull as the locations and views are majestic at almost every turn. Further along the Gold Chain highway you'll come to Placerville. Weathered cliffs and natural arches are the main highlights of this coastal scenery. Alamere Falls is a rare example of a tidefall (1 of 3 in the US) that is only accessible via an 8.5 mile hike along the Palomarin Trailhead (4.25 miles if you do not intend on coming back). 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