PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAYS ROAD TRIPS

This edition written and researched by Andrew Bender, Sara Benson, Alison Bing, Celeste Brash, Nate Cavalieri, Adam Skolnick

000-contents-title-pg-tr-pch1.indd0-contents-title-pg-tr-pch1.indd 1 115/01/20155/01/2015 2:10:512:10:51 PMPM HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Symbols In This Book Reviews Top Tips Food & In the Destinations section: K Drink All reviews are ordered in our authors’ Link preference, starting with their most Your Trips Outdoors preferred option. Additionally: Tips from Sights are arranged in the geographic Essential Locals Photo order that we suggest you visit them and, within this order, by author preference. Trip Walking Detour Tour Eating and Sleeping reviews are ordered by price range (budget, midrange, top end) and, History & within these ranges, by author preference. Culture 5 Eating Family 4 Sleeping

Map Legend

Routes Trips Routes Trips Sights Sleeping Trip Route Trip 1 4 1 Numbers Trip Detour Beaches Eating Linked Trip r 5 Linked Trip #9 Trip Stop Walk Route 2 Walking Tour 2 Activities 6 Drinking Tollway 2 Walking tour Freeway Trip Detour C Courses 3 Entertainment place-Primary Secondary Highway Route Markers T Tours 7 Shopping Tertiary Ù[97 US National Hwy Lane Ù[ US National Hwy Festivals Information Unsealed Road VÓU5 US Interstate Hwy z & Events 8 & Transport Plaza/Mall dk44 California State Hwy Steps holderHydrography Tunnel River/Creek Pedestrian River/Creek Overpass Intermittent River These symbols and abbreviations give Walk Track/Path Swamp/Mangrove vital information for each listing: Canal Boundaries Water International mapDry/Salt/ % Telephone # Pet-friendly State/Province Intermittent Lake Intermittent Lake number g Cliff Glacier Bus h Opening hours Population Areas f Ferry Population Areas p Parking Capital (National) Beach j Tram Capital Cemetery n Nonsmoking (State/Province) (Christian) d Train (State/Province) (Christian) a Air-conditioning City/Large Town Cemetery (Other) apt apartments Town/Village Park i Internet access d double rooms Forest Transport Forest W Wi-fi access Reservation dm dorm beds Airport Reservation s Swimming pool Cable Car/ Urban Area q quad rooms Funicular Funicular Sportsground v Vegetarian selec- r rooms Parking tion s single rooms Train/Railway E English-language Tram menu ste suites Underground c Family-friendly tr triple rooms Train Station tw twin rooms

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Fort Bragg ...... 68 PPLANLAN YYOUROUR TTRIPRIP Eureka ...... 69 Trinidad ...... 70 Patrick’s Point State Park ...... 71 Welcome to Pacifi c Coast Highways ...... 5 Humboldt Lagoons State Park ....72 Pacifi c Coast Highways Map ...... 6 Central Coast ...... 74 Pacifi c Coast Highways Santa Cruz ...... 74 Highlights ...... 8 Monterey ...... 77 San Francisco City Guide...... 10 San Luis Obispo ...... 80 Los Angeles City Guide ...... 11 Santa Barbara County ...... 82 Need to Know ...... 12 Santa Barbara ...... 82 Santa Barbara Wine Country ...... 86 Los Olivos ...... 88 RROADOAD TTRIPSRIPS Solvang ...... 89 Los Angeles ...... 90 Pacifi c Coast Disneyland & Orange County ...... 98 1 Highways 7–10 Days 17 Disneyland ...... 98 Northern Orange County Beaches ...... 101 2 Redwood Coast 5 Days 29 Laguna Beach ...... 102 Big 3 Sur 2 Days 37 Newport Beach ...... 103

Disneyland & Orange Huntington Beach ...... 104 4 County Beaches 2 Days 43 San Diego ...... 106

DDESTINATIONSESTINATIONS CCALIFORNIAALIFORNIA DDRIVINGRIVING San Francisco ...... 54 GGUIDEUIDE ...... 111414 Northern Coast & Redwoods ...... 66 Mendocino ...... 66

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WELCOME TO PPACIFICACIFIC CCOASTOAST HHIGHWAYSIGHWAYS

Starry-eyed newbies head to the Golden State to fi nd fame and fortune, but you can do better. Come for the landscapes, stay for the farm-fresh and global fusion food, and glimpse the future in the making on America’s creative coast.

The trips in this book will take you along the breezy, wildlife-rich Pacifi c coast highways, from the towering redwoods of Northern California, the open roads of Big Sur, through to the famed Southern Californian beaches of Orange and San Diego Counties. Take time out to explore the vineyards of Santa Barbara County, the chilled out beach cities of Monterey and Santa Cruz, and the big city lights of San Francisco and Los Angeles.

From backcountry lanes to beachside highways, we’ve got something for you.

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1 San Rafael 1 The ultimate coastal road trip #\ \# #\ Yosemite / Seashore Stockton Columbia 2 \# Angels \# National takes in beaches, redwood 0 #\Berkeley Sonora Park Mono 1 #] #] Camp 5 San Francisco Lake forests and more. 7–10 DAYS

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National Peak 7 Forest (11,049ft) Paso \# Tecopa \# Robles er Riv ern \# San Luis K ARIZONA Morro Bay #\ \# Obispo Bakersfield Baker#\ \# Pismo Beach \# Mojave Kingman \# National Mojave Preserve Goffs Barstow #\ \# Los \# Olivos Needles Lompoc\# \# Mojave \#\# Lake Buellton Solvang Desert Big Sur #\ #\ Havasu Victorville Amboy \# 3 Stunning ocean vistas beckon \# City along this stretch of highway. Santa Barbara Pasadena 2 DAYS #] \# Malibu #] San Bernardino \# \# Los Angeles Joshua Tree Channel Islands Santa Monica National Park #] Anaheim \# Long Beach #] \# Seal Beach Palm #\ Indio Blythe #\ #\ Huntington Beach \# Newport Beach Springs \# Laguna Beach \# P A C I F I C Catalina San Clemente Anza-Borrego Salton Island #\ O C E A N San Nicolas Oceanside Desert State Sea Island Park Cleveland #\ National La Jolla Forest San Clemente #] #] Yuma Island San Diego ^# #] Tijuana Mexicali 223/01/2015 9:46:05 AM Disneyland & Orange 3 / 0 4 County Beaches 1 /

2 Meet Mickey Mouse, then surf 0 0100km M E X I C O 1 e# 050miles the ‘OC’ Coast.

5 2–4 DAYS

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T S S A Y O A C

W C I H 8

F G d I d I n i . C 1 HIGHWAYS HHIGHWAYS h c A p - PACIFIC COST PACIFIC r t PACIFIC COAST COAST PPACIFIC - r e HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS t t a m - t n o r f - 1 001-front-matter-tr-pch1.indd 8 M A

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SEAN SCANLON / GETTY IMAGES © 44

(left) (left) 11 22

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(right) Enjoy (right) Enjoy

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d n i . 1 h c p - r t - r e t Redwood Coast Coast Redwood Beaches SoCal

Get another perspective on Get another perspective 20th- this world-famous, by engineering feat century it. driving across Trip it on See Nothing compares to the to Nothing compares while walking feel you’ll awe ancient these underneath trees. Trips it on See vacation beach ultimate your Orange of sands on the warm Counties. Diego and San Trips them on See Golden Gate Bridge Golden Gate Bridge t a m - t n o r BRAD WENNER / GETTY IMAGES © f - 1 001-front-matter-tr-pch1.indd 9 MATTHEW CROWLEY / LONELY PLANET IMAGES © DENIS JR. TANGNEY / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©

CITY GUIDE

Victorian architecture, San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO Ride the clanging cable cars up unbelievably steep hills, snake down Lombard St’s famous hairpin turns, cruise through Golden Gate Park and drive across the arching Golden Gate Bridge. Then go get lost in the creatively off beat neighborhoods of California’s capital of weird.

garages start at $2.50 per conveniently located for Getting Around hour or $25 per day. walking. Avoid the rough- Avoid driving downtown. edged Civic Center and Cable cars are slow and Tenderloin neighborhoods. scenic (single rides $6). Where to Eat MUNI streetcar and bus The Ferry Building, are faster but infrequent Mission District and South Useful Websites after 9pm (fares $2). of Market (SoMa) are San Francisco Travel (www. BART (tickets from $1.75) foodie faves. Don’t miss sanfrancisco.travel) Destination run high-speed Bay Area the city’s outdoor farmers info, events calendar and trains. Taxis cost $2.75 markets either. Head to accommodations bookings. per mile; meters start at North Beach for Italian, SF Station (www.sfstation. $3.50. Chinatown for dim sum, com) Nightlife, restaurants, the Mission District for shopping and the arts. Mexican, and the Sunset Parking or Richmond for pan- Lonely Planet (www. lonelyplanet.com/usa/san- Street parking is scarce Asian. francisco) Travel tips and and meter readers travelers’ forums. ruthless. Meters take coins, sometimes credit Where to Stay cards; central pay The Marina is near the stations accept coins or family-friendly waterfront Road Trip through San cards. Overnight hotel and Fisherman’s Francisco: 1 parking averages $35 to Wharf. Downtown Destinations coverage: $50; downtown parking and Union Square are p54 more expensive, but

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5 1 c and c ffi 0 2 / 1 0 / 3 223/01/2015 9:46:09 AM (www. (www. (www.laweekly. 11 (http:// Los Angeles skyline cial tourism website. tourism cial ffi Destinations coverage: p90 Useful Websites Inc LA City’s discoverlosangeles.com) o Weekly LA dining entertainment, Arts, com) calendar. and events Planet Lonely lonelyplanet.com/usa/ hotel tips, Travel los-angeles) forums. and travelers’ reservations through Los Road Trip Angeles: avoredEast fl Where to Stay beach For life, escape to Santa Monica or Venice. Long Beach is convenient to Disneyland and Orange County. Party people adore Hollywood; culture LA. Downtown vultures, typically $5 to plus tip. $10 Overnight hotel parking averages $25 to $40. Where to Eat Food trucks are a local cooks Downtown obsession. a worldlyup mix, with Chinatown, Tokyo, Little Thai Koreatown Town, Latin- and LA Trend-setting nearby. eateries inhabit Hollywood, Mid-City, Santa Monica and Venice. also California’s most ethnically diverse city, with new immigrants immigrants with new city, diverse ethnically most California’s also 1 1

c jams arejams c ffi d d n i . 1 h c p - r t - r e t Parking Street parking is tough. Meters take coins, sometimes credit cards; central pay stations accept coins or cards. Valet parking is ubiquitous, earthquakes. But it’s But it’s earthquakes. scenes. food music and arts, global the boundary-breaking evolving arriving daily, Getting Around Angelenos drive everywhere. tra Freeway LOS ANGELES think may You magic. Tinseltown Hollywood and dreams starstruck land of LA, Loony tra endless blondes, beach Botoxed worship, celebrity what to expect: know you endless, but worst during morning and afternoon rush hours. Metro operates buses and subway and light-rail trains (fares $1.75), with limited night and weekend services. minibuses DASH (single-ride zip around 50¢) Monica’s Santa downtown; Big Bus Blue (fares from $1) connects West LA. Taxis cost $2.80 per mile; meters start $2.85.at t a m - t

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MATTHEW CROWLEY / LONELY PLANET IMAGES © NEED TO Climate Arcata # KNOW GO Apr–Oct

CELL PHONES The only foreign phones that will work in the USA San Francisco # Yosemite Village GO Apr–Oct # are GSM multiband models. GO Apr–Oct Network coverage is often spotty in remote areas (eg mountains, deserts).

INTERNET ACCESS Los Angeles GO Apr–Oct Wi-fi is available at most # Palm Springs # coff ee shops and lodgings. GO Dec–Apr Some accommodations Desert, dry climate Dry climate have free guest computers. Warm to hot summers, mild winters Cybercafes ($6 to $12 per Warm to hot summers, cold winters hour) are common in cities.

FUEL Gas stations are everywhere, except in national parks and remote areas. Expect to pay When to Go $4 to $5 per US gallon. High Season (Jun–Aug) Accommodations prices up 50% to 100%. RENTAL CARS » Major holidays are even busier and more expensive. Alamo (www.alamo.com) » Summer is low season in the desert: temperatures exceed Car Rental Express (www. » 100°F (38°C). carrentalexpress.com) Simply Hybrid (www. Shoulder Season (Apr–May & Sep–Oct) simplyhybrid.com) » Crowds and prices drop, especially along the coast and in the Zipcar (www.zipcar.com) mountains. » Typically wetter in spring, drier in autumn. IMPORTANT NUMBERS » Milder temperatures and sunny, cloudless days. American Automobile Association (AAA; %877- Low Season (Nov–Mar) 428-2277) » Accommodations rates drop in cities and by the coast. Emergencies (%911) » Many attractions open fewer days and shorter hours. Highway conditions » Chilly temperatures and rainstorms; mudslides occasionally (%800-427-7623) wash out coastal highways. Traffi c updates (%511) » In the mountains, carry tire chains; heavy snowfall closes higher-elevation roads. » Winter is peak season in SoCal’s desert regions.

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001-front-matter-tr-pch1.indd1-front-matter-tr-pch1.indd 1212 223/01/20153/01/2015 9:46:099:46:09 AMAM Train BART ($8.25, 30 minutes Daily Costs Sleeping to downtown SF) leaves every 20 Budget: less than $75 Motels & hotels Ubiquitous minutes (take free AirTrain from any terminal to BART station). » Camping: $20–40 along well-traffi cked highways and in major tourist areas. » Meals in roadside diners and cafes: $10–20 Camping & cabins Ranging Money from rustic campsites to luxury » Graze farmers markets for ATMs are widely available. Credit ‘glamping’ resorts. cheaper eats cards are accepted almost B&Bs Quaint, romantic and universally. » Hit the beach and fi nd ‘free pricey inns, found in most days’ at museums coastal and mountain towns. Tipping Midrange: $75–200 Hostels Cheap and basic, but Tipping is expected. Standard » Two-star motel or hotel double almost exclusively in cities. tips: 18% to 20% in restaurants; room: $75–150 Price indicators represent the 15% for taxis; $1 per drink in » Meals in casual and midrange average cost of a double room bars; $2 per bag for porters. restaurants: $20–40 with private bathroom: Theme-park admission: » Opening Hours $40–100 $ less than $100 $$ $100–$200 Banks 8:30am–4:30pm Top end: over $200 Mon–Fri, some to 5:30pm Fri, » Three-star lodging: from $150 $$$ more than $200 9am–12:30pm Sat per night in high season, more Business hours (general) for ocean views 9am–5pm Mon–Fri » Three-course meal in top Arriving in California Post offi ces 9am–5pm Mon– restaurant: $75 plus wine Los Angeles Fri, some 9am–noon Sat International Airport Restaurants 7am–10:30am, Eating Rental cars Major companies 11:30am–2:30pm & 5–9:30pm off er shuttles to off -airport lots. daily, some later Fri & Sat Roadside diners & cafes Shops 10am–6pm Mon-Sat, Cheap and simple; abundant Door-to-door shared-ride noon–5pm Sun (malls open later) only outside cities. shuttles $16 to $27 one-way (reservations recommended). Beach shacks Casual burgers, shakes and seafood Taxis $30 to $50 to Santa Useful Websites Monica, Hollywood or Downtown; meals with ocean views. Lonely Planet (www. 30 minutes to one hour. National, state & theme lonelyplanet.com/usa/california) parks Mostly so-so, overpriced Buses Take Shuttle C (free) to Destination info, hotel bookings, cafeteria-style or deli picnic fare. LAX City Bus Center or Metro travelers’ forums and more. FlyAway bus ($8) to Downtown LA. Vegetarians Food restrictions California Travel and and allergies can usually be San Francisco Tourism Commission (www. catered for at restaurants. International Airport visitcalifornia.com) Multilingual trip-planning guides and an Eating price indicators represent Rental cars Take free AirTrain events calendar. the average cost of a main dish: blue line to SFO Rental Car Center. Door-to-door shared-ride $ less than $10 shuttles $15 to $18 one-way $$ $10–$20 (reservations recommended). For more, see Driving in $$$ more than $20 Taxis $35 to $50 plus tip to most California (p114) San Francisco neighborhoods; 30 to 50 minutes. 13

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Pacifi c Coast Highways 7–10 Days 1 The ultimate coastal road trip takes in beaches, redwood forests and more. (p17) Northern Redwood Coast 5 Days 2 Stand agape at colossal primeval forests and drop in on kitschy mid-20th-century roadside attractions. (p29) Big Sur 2 Days 3 Get lost at wild beaches and bohemian camps along coastal Hwy 1. (p37) Disneyland & Orange County Beaches 4 2–4 Days Meet Mickey Mouse, then surf the sun-bronzed ‘OC’ coast. (p43)

Highway 1, Big Sur (p37) HAUKE DRESSLER / ROBERT HARDING ©

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