For campsites, Im not super sure as Im not a big camper, but this might help: https://www.theoutbound.com/theoutbound/camping-along-the-pacific-10-seaside-campsites-for-your-west-coast-road-trip. Stop 4: Bixby bridge. ), a Jeep Liberty, or most Subarus. That includes missing the Devils Punchbowl and Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in the southern part of the state; you would however get to drive through Oregons Redwoods on your way from Crater Lake to Crescent City. If you would like a customized itinerary, I offer that for a fee to help cover the time it takes me to put those tips together. Would it be worth it to continue to San Diego then back to LA? I started this site to share my travel stories and inspiration to help you complete bucket list trips. Thanks for reading, Thomas. Thank you for sharing. Youve got so much time, thats awesome! Be sure to check the California DOT website for more information. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange . Amazingly great article. I want the most scenic route but RT 1 on the cliffs seem risky ? OPEN SUN, 1PM TO 4PM. Aberdeen has one main claim to fame: it was the hometown of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain. Thanks for your comment, Manny. We are planning our trip for the first half of April, SF to LA. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along U.S. 101 to Crescent City always stick to the coast! Id look at September as an ideal time to catch autumn colors in the Pacific Northwest but admittedly its hard to predict since this part of the country isnt known for the same leaf colors as New England. Sounds like youve got a great plan drive safe! Am planning to do a 10 day PCH drive in August. my best friends and I have talked about driving down from San Francisco to some of the Orange County, CA cities. We planned to start in Seattle and drive to San Diego. maybe to get a car, which adds about 6 hours of driving time. And other than his military time at Ft Lewis many years ago, we have never lived nor toured the west coast at all. Just one small thing, its not the PCH, its just PCH. For bigger cities, there are probably enough options that you can wait until you arrive to book, even during that time of year. In Northern California, the best weather of the year happens between September and October. State Route 1. Am interested in your upcoming 7 day itinerary of PCH. Can you please give me a list of must sees in Santa Barbara (we could have two full days there). Ill have to stop at these places, Thinking about a pch trip from San frans to LA.. suggestions on where to stop and how many days, I have this post that will help you plan your trip: https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/, Hi Valerie I am looking for a 1 day coastal trip from Anaheim back to San Francisco with 4 kids ranging from Teen to toddler. Thanks again for this excellent resource. Ft. 24615 Vista Cerritos, Calabasas, CA 91302 - $1182/sq ft larger lot 5 years newer View comparables on map Homeowner Tools Edit home facts Review property details and add renovations. Next, youll pass through Point Reyes, which again seems underwhelming. Find and save ideas about pacific coast highway on Pinterest. May 16, 2022 by Allison Green. Sorry, I dont have any special suggestions for kids! Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow CA-1 south its a meandering route, but if you follow it all the way until Muir Beach you can make an optional stop at Muir Woods if you want. Hi Valerie- What is the best time of year for this 10 day trip? Prior to retiring I have done the San Francisco to LA 3 times but always by myself. Thank you! I was wondering if you would recommend any wine tasting spots along the way? Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Follow California Highway 1 south. Amazing! Especially watching the sun set over Morro Rock in the distance! Let me know in the comments! I had a question regarding travel to California present time as in next week(August 14, 2021). Now Im going to lay out step-by-step directions for a Pacific Coast Highway road trip based on all my tips so far. Appreciate you sharing your experience and advice. Best of all, theres no cell service so theyll have to look around to see them . I can really tell that you love traveling, Valerie . I wouldnt go all the way to Seattle, especially if you dont like big cities. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Continue south along U.S. 101. Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most famous and beautiful road trips on earth. South of Seaside, be sure to stop in Cannon Beach to admire Haystack Rock. Loved your trip adventure and recommendations !! Thanks for your comment, Shelly! Camp at Second Beach in Olympic NP Photo: Michael Matti What day of the week would you recommend starting from WA? Want to avoid the summer crowds, but still enjoy nice weather. Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip. Any thoughts would be appreciated. There and back that is? The best time of year to do this will be in the summer (June/July/August), probably sooner in the year rather than later. What do you think about making this drive in November? Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Return west to U.S. 101 and turn south. Great article. Thank you for the recommendation! Dont be in a hurry and be cautious so you can enjoy everything. The most easily accessible and breathtakingly stark part of the PCH is a short drive (about 3 hours) sound of San Francisco, so many people in the Bay Area do it as an overnight or weekend trip. Glad this was helpful! Which Direction to Drive the Pacific Coast Highway? Tim and Janice. We continued on until we picked up the beginning of CA Hwy 1. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: From Aberdeen, continue south along U.S. Highway 101. Great info . I have one question where is the best place to fly into? Whats your thought on late availability rooms at that time of year? Awesome, you can sign up using the forms in this post to get the PDF! I dont feel we missed a lot of Oregon coast the views we seen before & after Crater lake were absolutely stunning. Unsurprisingly, a private car is the absolute best way to make the most of a trip along the legendary PCH. You did a fantastic job with this giude, everything is straight to the point but provided in a fun and educational way. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: Its a short drive south and a little east along U.S. 101 from Long Beach to cross the Astoria into Oregon. Hi, we are flying into Seattle 7/27 and out from San Diego 8/7, we are visiting colleges in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and San Diego for my daughter. What would be a good hopping on point? My wife and I were planning to fly to San Diego to start the trip, but your point about southbound visibility makes total sense. First thank you for all the work you put into this! Thank you so much for creating this itinerary! I love road trips & he tolerates them so I am looking forward to all these sights to see! Here, California Highway 1 carves a sinuous path along steep cliffs; the road is beautiful at a price, since mudslides arent uncommon along this stretch of highway, and can close the highway for months. Thanks Valerie. Id find an interesting podcast for everyone in the car and have the kids keep an eye out for whales and wildlife. Starting in San Francisco, you'll cruise south along the Pacific Coast of California, visiting vibrant cities, secluded beaches and stunning State Parks as you go. Pacific Coast Highway (@thepacificcoasthighway) Instagram photos and videos 2,612 Followers, 118 Following, 94 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Pacific Coast Highway (@thepacificcoasthighway) Thanks for your comment . This is a great itinerary! Pismo is a popular camping destination, so the most common amenities youll find if you decide to stay longer than a few hours are camping-oriented. I have 22 foot van camper are their any length height(9.5 ft) restrictions I am hoping their are amp sites along the way? After driving across the famous Columbia River bridge, stop and give yourself a self-guided tour of popular Goonies spots in Oregons northwest-most town. I am not fond of the cold and a bit fearful of icy driving in the mountains. I dont have it I just want to make sure businesses are open? Have a wonderful trip! Hello good morning my name is Cherie Carmona, Wealth to California a little over a year ago I love it I live in Dana Point California, my husband will be moving here in a few weeks and Im so excited my daughter lives in Seattle so we were considering a road trip to Seattle realistically how long do you think it would take thank you so much God-bless. I will be driving from Dallas to Seattle. It was also formed by wave erosion, and now the huge hole is a beautiful vista or hiking spot. A frequent Cali traveler warned me of smog in the late summer and recommended late Sept. early Oct. What are your thoughts? Glad to help, Nancy, and thanks for reading! The first time, we (I) had it all planned out. Thanks for reading, Lauren! In this forest, youll find amazing old growth trees and is incredibly verdant. Lot of driving in 10 days, but I am excited. Planning a trip on PCH last week of July 2020. Have a great trip!! This blog has been incredibly helpful. When you hit the California coast, its like driving in a postcard. Youll have a great time! Can you recommend where to spend time and in which cities to plan to spend the night? Great question So Crater Lake is pretty far inland. Drive safe in between those beer stops! Your email address will not be published. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: When youre ready to continue on your PCH road trip, make your way back to California Highway 1 and head south. I had lots of recommendations from a friend, specific to Big Sur, but your article was so encompassing and complete. I can think off the top of my head that you could do the Columbia River Gorge, Mt. To answer your questions: 1. Thanks for your feedback, Alice, but I lived in California for several years and never heard anyone say Im going to drive PCH Ill be keeping the the if only because its proper English if Californians want to abandon that elsewhere, thats up to them . Thank you. Super excited. (If you decide to fly to SF, heres a recent post I wrote: https://www.valisemag.com/california-coast-road-trip/). Once inPortland, its easy to spend a few days exploring; I have been to Portland repeatedly and there are so many experiences that can more than fill a stop on your road trip. Our Pacific Coast Highway road trip is 575 miles of stunning coastal driving that's simply not to be missed. Manage photos I appreciate you taking the time to answer everyones questions. Thank you for the pointers! You live in SF! NEW CONSTRUCTION. Do you think we could do it in 7 days?? I hate cold! Our plan (2 people) would be to fly into Seattle, where family is. As soon as you hit the section of the Pacific Coast Highway connecting. Though I have visited a few cities in California over the years, I (we) are looking forward to that California coastal drive. Heres a Pacific Coast Highway map and schedule for 10 days: One of the most popular questions I get about driving the Pacific Coast Highway is about when to drive the PCH. Hi Valerie, I am doing the PCH drive southbound from Seattle and as far as we can go for 5 days. Well, now we will have to wait to see how this Covid-19 progresses. "I'm California dreamin'." The. staying at decent places 3-4 star properties. But you missed it and it was so incredible. I was far more interested in the hundreds of miles of coastal roadways. Whether youre planning a San Diego to San Francisco, Seattle to San Francisco, San Francisco to San Diego, Seattle to San Diego road trip, or somewhere in between (Los Angeles! I do too (ish Im in Oakland!). Pacific Coast Highway or PCH, segments of California State Route 1 Pacific Coast Highway, parts of New Zealand State Highway 2 and all of New Zealand State Highway 25 and New Zealand State Highway 35. Thanks for your help in advance!!!! I hope you have an epic time; Patrees such an amazing host! Its a great spot for a short hike to stretch your legs. The Point Reyes Lighthouse is only open to visitors from Fridays to Mondays (weekends) from 10am-4:30pm. Whether you stop to take a few Instagram-worthy spots or ogle the animals, theres plenty of experiences to choose from in San Diego. The journey down Highway 1 is the iconic California road trip, and this coastal route is a great choice whether you're in Northern California, the central coast, or in SoCal. I make all of my must see recommendations in this post, so I recommend checking out the section on California to find the ones that sound interesting to you. It was just gorgeous with a 360 degree view. Most head to the Hollywood area and its movie-related attractions. Do you have any recommendations or modifications while traveling with kids. Sorry, but theres no way to do the drive to Seattle and back along the PCH in just 7 days. Do you highly recommend the LONG route OR is thru Mendocino only enough? Angie, thanks so much for your comment! When driving the PCH south from Portland, how much of a detour would it be to see Crater Lake on the way? Seattle is one of my favorite destinations in the world. This will be a great tool in planning. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: South of Humboldt Redwoods, theres a junction where California Highway 1 (CA-1) begins. Have a great drive! One of the requests I get asked for is a Pacific Coast Highway map with all of the stops I suggest, so I used Roadtrippers to put together this one. How long is the Pacific Coast Highway? As this post is over 6,000 words long, I typically dont provide extra additional itinerary services for free. haha. (As of July 2018, the PCH reopened after a 2017 mudslide!). As we will be married 40 years! Is this going to be a big disappointment? Required fields are marked *. If not, spend your day exploring the Seattle waterfront to see all of the city from above. Making the drive in 2 days. Will we be able to enjoy the drive in March? Start in Seattle and end in San Diego. This is such a great resource. An unanticipated problem was encountered, check back soon and try again The views of the colors changing in the trees were surreal. Booking this trip for late Oct. Id like to fly in ( from East Coast) somewhere north of San Fran. They all offer budget rentals, run regular deals and specials, and have one-way rental options. These stops are numbered to match my Roadtrippers map and trip above (click here to open the trip in a separate window). And it's hard to miss: you'll be driving right through, so when you see roller coasters, it's time to stop. Thank you for all this information. Have a great trip! Would you have any other suggestions since I am using 4 more days and not going south to Sa Diego and strarting in Vancouver? Do you recommend any of your overnights for golf fireworks for 4th of July? "In America, the colors sing, they don't just glower at you. Thanks for your comment, Catherine. With an RV, Id just give yourself a lot more time each day (probably 25% more driving time) since youll need to go a bit slower. Starting at San Francisco ending San Diego. There are a number of epic hiking trails in the area, ranging from a 0.5-mile loop to 16-mile out-and-back trails. Getting excited. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: None! Nate, thanks for your comment. Great article! Im thinking I might end my trip at Santa Barbara. I mapped it here so you can see the option to add in Crater Lake and what youll miss: https://goo.gl/maps/2A4GYTKnBcADVdRw5. Were staying just outside of Long Beach, in cute little Ilwaco, WA, at Salt Hotel & Pub. I would definitely do some research on inland options Im not as familiar with whats inland though. Before launching into a bunch of details for where to stop along the Pacific Coast Highway, I need to define a few things: Now that you know the details, lets dig into the logistics of planning your own Pacific Coast Highway road trip itinerary! I would rather guess on the high side than the low side so Im prepared. It was actually quite a lot colder than I expected so I usually ended up too cold with the top down. We are planning to stay overnight at the Madonna Inn. I am currently living in crescent city and plan to make the drive in a couple of weeks. Thanks for your comment, Erin! Port Angeles is the place for that one-night stop. The Oregon Coast Aquarium lets visitors explore the marine ecosystems around this part of the Pacific Ocean. These seem to be the hardest parts to figure out for this type of trip! Valerie, cant thank you enough for this guide! The Pacific Coast Highway runs along two highways: In Washington and Oregon, the best weather of the year happens between June and September. We stayed in Seattle and drove south to Olympia, to pick up the beginning of the 101. The Pacific Coast Highway is the ultimate road trip - and it's certainly the best one in America. Start here. From Ventura. We've driven sections of this coastline twice, between LA and San Francisco. Its worth it! Also, for a map, I use the app Roadtrippers, which is linked in the post. After reading your blog we are excited to visit San Jose. We will go from Seattle to San Diego using your itinerary as our planning guide. I cant even imagine how incredible it must have been to experience all this in person. Planning a mother/son trip after my son graduates HS next year. If your PCH road trip includes the Olympic Peninsula, follow U.S. 101 west and then north along the eastern side of the Olympic Peninsula toward Port Angeles. Its easy to make a stop in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, so take the opportunity! In smaller towns though, Id recommend committing to those earlier you may find you have nowhere to stay and have to drive on another 100+ miles at some parts! Thanks for reading, Dale. Are you planning to stay in bigger cities (Portland, SF, Santa Barbara), or smaller ones? The best time of year to do this will be in the summer (June/July/August), probably sooner in the year rather than later. If you do decide to spend an overnight in the area, I recommend stopping in the town of Mendocino first for late lunch, walking around the Mendocino Headlands, then continue driving south to spend the night at the beautiful Little River Inn for dinner at the Whale Watch Bar. There are a few restaurants in town and 17 miles of beautiful beach to explore. , Hi. Im also a not-so-secret space nerd and speak fluent emoji! We are planning to do Northboundfrom Ventura to Wine country but only have 5 days returning on the 5th day. lol. Maybe Im AAAA ? Thank you again. Mike, great to hear from you and thanks for reading! The Outdoor Blueprint team pieces together an incredible guide featuring all the best coastal stops from Vancouver, B.C. The ideia is to have a West Coast Beer Route drive. Valerie I just came across this post. Hey Valerie great name yourself! San Simeon Drive for 45 minutes and start the day with a 15-minute excursion inland to San Simeon to tour the elaborate Hearst Castle. I do have the same recommendations youll see A LOT of fellow bikers/trikers out on the PCH; its a great ride on 2-3 wheels as well as 4 wheels . Have a great trip! But there's something extra special about driving the Pacific Coast Highway as it approaches its southern end. I was planning 10-12 days? We then headed to San Fran, our ending point. Here are some different starting/ending points for a PCH road trip: As you can see, you have options! Thanks for reading, Sonia. Travelling from Australia and would like to spend 3 weeks driving around . Stretching from Washington to California, the Pacific Coast is picturesque, with cliffs, sea stacks, gorgeous urban spaces, and the raging ocean. Yes, we intend to stay a couple of nights in Portland and 2 or 3 in San Francisco but well probably look for hotels on the outskirts and travel in to the cities by car or public transport each day. Stay safe. Theres a link to that at the end of the post. Thank you for your great ideas and itineraries! (Be prepared for fog from the marine layer! Both have way more to explore once you stop or pull off the road. I loved the harbor and wharf, was surprised by the food scene, and lightly dabbled in the historical significance of Santa Barbara enough for me to want to return. You can get a printable version by signing up on the forms in this post. That gives you a lot more to do each day to wear the kids out and much more suitable for an RV. Use them in commercial designs under lifetime, perpetual & worldwide rights. Basically, you cant start/end in Crescent City if you want to rent a car. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: At this point in Northern California, the PCH is still U.S. 101. Thanks for your points. Three police agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, crack down on motorists along the Pacific Coast Highway near Crystal Cove on Sunday, May 3, 2020. Downtown is a series of taffy-colored storefronts filled with beach gear, kitschy coastal crafts, and the Funland Seaside Arcade, which harkens back to the heydays of coastal vacations. Explore the route. Great question, Sharon! Unfortunately, I dont have suggestions for Santa Barbara as I havent been there in nearly a decade. Then flying back to Michigan. What a great and comprehensive post! My husband are I are planning 20 days to do the PCH(starting in Seattle and ending in San Diego) We are using your the ultimate pacific coast road trip itinerary as a guide. Crescent City! That route looks good have you input all the drive times in Google to confirm that you want to be on the road that much each day? Best Quotes about the West Coast There are many quotes that sing praises and are written as an ode to the beauty of the West Coast. You'll feel far from it all as you pass through tiny towns and secluded beaches and wind around cliffs surrounded by yellowy beige grasses and cliffs. Were taking the 5 to Seattle with a few stops on the way then PCH from Port Angeles to SD. Well be camping out at most stops except for SF. We will be stopping to see the sights along the way but not for strenuous hikes. Pacific Coast Highway Directions: If you are on a shorter Pacific Coast Highway road trip, continue south along I-5 to Grants Pass, then turn southwest to Crescent City (#11).If you are taking a longer PCH drive, turn west out of Portland along Oregon Highways 99W and 18 to connect with U.S. 101 near Lincoln City. I am planning for this roadtrip this December- starting from Dec 25th. This 20-mile (one way) detour will take you out on Point Reyes, and has a stark and beautiful landscape because its so far out at sea. Additionally, youll get a sense of the magnitude of the San Andreas fault line, which comes inland along the northern part of Point Reyes. Here's an example PCH itinerary: Day 1: Seattle WA, to Forks, WA. Thank you again for all of your information. I dont plan to change any of my travel plans based on the Coronavirus unless there are required quarantines. I do not care to get into the Los Angeles areaHowever, the Sequoias are a must. Thanks for sharing this! I was curious about which one you suggest if you were to slim down this itinerary by 1 day (ex. So heading east eventually to round out the trip. anything you can suggest extra the girls would be wowed by would be great. Okay, now youve got your car, youve got your basic itinerary. I am planning to take this trip with my family of 5 as you have lined out for the 10 days this coming June. Thanks for reading, Dave. Now that you have all the details you need to plan a PCH road trip, you need to know which destinations are worth a stop along the Pacific Coast Highway. San Diego is high on my must-visit-longer list, so Im again a bit short on recommendations here. I hope you have an amazing time! Sounds like it will be well worth it. Hi there, I am thinking of taking a solo trip down the PCH from Long Beach, WA to LA? I recommend researching/contacting each one individual to confirm theyll be open. Thanks for asking! hi planing to do the PCH however we will be in Las Vegas and driving to San Francisco will be there for 2 or 3 days and dont know witch is better to do San Francisco to L A back to Vegas or go north San Francisco to Seattle and then drive to Vegas i will have a extra 3 to 4 days what is your thoughts, we are nature and wildlife lovers not to big into visiting towns. I share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge. I enjoyed it so much that I wrote a whole article about the experiences I recommend in Santa Barbara! It includes so many things each person in my family wants to see and do! You probably wont have any snow its usually just rain in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon & Washington). Just south of the Bay Area, Santa Cruz is a laid back, quirky hippie town. Pacific Coast Highway (1982)(Datasoft)(US)PlatformAtari 8-bitReleased1982Published byDatasoft,. No matter which you choose, youll enter SF by driving across the Golden Gate Bridge; you can either stay along the coast and drive down Ocean Beach or head east into the city. Thank you very much for providing a road map! Youre very welcome, Wilbert! I have a question in regards to your amazing experiences and my hopes to travel the PCH with my older kids. I especially appreciate your links to stays and dine. Im thinking of a four day road trip for easter next year but thinking along the lines of vegas to grand canyon and so. What are the reasons you really never got to enjoy using a convertible car? I hope you had a great drive, Mindy! From the perspective of California Highway 1, it might seem like just a few buildings alongside the road. We are planning a trip in Sept 0f 2022, starting in Portland, ending in San Diego. We are just wondering if you have an estimate on how much it would be to travel the PCH! Thank you! As the tallest lighthouse on the U.S. Pacific Coast, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is picturesque, and you can view it from several different angles along the nearby coastline. Were driving south-to-north. Old Highway 101 is now called the Avenue of the Giants, and I highly recommend slowing down to enjoy this 31-mile stretch through some of Californias oldest living and tallest! Our kids will be 15 & 10Im just afraid it will be a boring ride for them in the car. Donna, thanks for your comment! 1. The ocean's energy is magical. How do I do it? of the PCH? On your stop here, be sure to walk out along the pier and keep an eye out for surfers working the breaks along the beach. I am planning a road-trip with my husband along the Pacific coast. Thanks for reading, Brian. One of the ultimate road trip destinations has to be the Pacific Coast Highway, or Highway One, which spans 600 miles of the California coastline from San Diego in the south to San Francisco in the north. We definitely want to visit the redwood forest, which is the main reason we want to go so far north. Id go with a mid-size car for your rental. It looks so cute! Plan accordingly when you design your PCH itinerary. You can look out over beautiful sea stacks that dot the northern part of the Pacific Coast and stroll along the sand covered with huge driftwood formations and seafoam. Were renting an RV in Seattle (after few days in hotel) and have 30 days before we drop it off in San Fran (and hotel for a few days). Ive done Yosemite and Sequoia, so no need for inland stops. Briefly, here are some of the other must-see attractions in Seattle: If you want to spend a few days in Seattle, consider purchasing the Seattle CityPass. San Diego was the starting point of my Pacific Coast Highway road trip; for you, it may be the end. 9. Your help is appreciated. Regarding I recommend an automatic car with a low center of gravity but skip the convertible! Have a great trip!! This was more expensive than a round-trip rental, but I didnt want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway both ways! I have a few questions. from Seattle to San Diego along this route . Youve put together one awesome road trip! Drive safely! Flew into Seattle and drove back. Long Beach is and always will be one of my favorite destinations in Washington. This is a 23km section of real roads on California Highway 1, one of the great all-American roads on the scenic West Coast, and is widely considered among the best driving roads in the world. Or, do you think one could just take a chance and stop and book a room when in need??? I love all the details and recommendations! Enjoying the Unexpectedly Cool Pitchwood Ale House, All words and images 2013-2023 The Kolibro Group LLC. Such a thorough guide! Have a great trip! Is there any river rafting or boating along the way? Please drop the the. Im glad to surpass the AAA level. Thanks again. Also wondering if you can tell me where I could get a printable version of your article. Be sure to stop at Nicks Cove in Marshall, CA for a meal or Hog Island Oyster if you love oysters! Awesome, Im hoping to do the PCH and NorCal next summer. Next time I have a few days off, Ill have to change that! I was a truck driver for 29 years and could not drive that road. Day 4: Redwood State Park, CA to San Francisco, CA. Mendocino Your Pacific Coast Highway road trip begins at Leggett, so naturally, the first stop is the wonderful Mendocino. Sounds like youre well on the way to it . 3. If we have 10 days to do this and could skip San Francisco, because we just did that 2 years ago, could we drive from Seattle to either Los Angeles or San Diego in an RV? You have the same recommendations? I havent been to some of those national parks, but they sound amazing! My overnight stop in Santa Barbara changed my mind. To ensure accommodations, I was thinking to book all of the hotels in advance. Its a little tough to guess without knowing the exact dates and which towns/cities you plan to stay in on any given night, but I hope this helps! Have a great trip! Thank you for the article. Can you believe theres a rainforest in Washington?