🇺🇸 15-Day Western USA Road Trip | Stop 2: Highway 1

Finally embarked on the iconic Highway 1! Picked up our rental car at SFO and headed southbound. 🌅 DAY 3 (Afternoon) 1️⃣ Half Moon Bay Just 30 mins from SF. Park at Half Moon Bay Trailhead Parking, then walk toward The Ritz-Carlton—the oceanfront lawn is pure serenity. 🌊 2️⃣ Pigeon Point Lighthouse Under renovation (skipped—not photogenic 🚧). 3️⃣ Shark Fin Cove 🦈 Parked roadside, hiked down to the beach. Golden-hour sunset painted the sky in orange and blue—absolute magic! 📸 4️⃣ Santa Cruz Stayed overnight (cheaper/more hotels than Monterey). Perfect pitstop! 🏨 🌧️ DAY 4 (Morning) Heads-up: Fog + drizzle ruined visibility—always check weather! ☔ 5️⃣ Monterey Coastal gems: Old Fisherman’s Wharf → Lovers Point → Kissing Rock. Stroll, sit, soak it in. 💙 6️⃣ 17-Mile Drive $12/vehicle (entered at Pacific Grove Gate). Luxury homes + ocean vistas , but brutal winds dampened the vibe. ☁️ 7️⃣ Carmel-by-the-Sea Exited 17-Mile Drive straight into this artsy village. Quaint shops galore! 🎨 8️⃣ Bixby Creek Bridge 🌉 Epic engineering! Crowded with tourists—watch your step (no guardrails!). ✈️ DAY 4 (Afternoon) Drove back to SF by 3 PM for our flight to Salt Lake City. #WestCoastRoadTrip #Highway1 #SanFrancisco #HalfMoonBay #17MileDrive #CarmelByTheSea #BixbyBridge #TravelDiaries