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🌊 California Highway 1 Road Trip Guide｜2025 Must-See Stops

*Currently on a 2-month road trip through the Western U.S. & Canada—Highway 1 is our second stop!* 🌟 Overall Rating: 7/10 (See scoring criteria in ) Pro Tip: 90% of the experience depends on weather 🌤️—but this coastal drive delivers charming towns + wildlife 🦦. Worth it! 📸 Itinerary & Spot Reviews DAY 1: San Francisco → Carmel 1️⃣ Half Moon Bay: ⭐⭐⭐ Decent beach views, skippable if short on time. 2️⃣ 17-Mile Drive: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ *Stunning ocean cliffs + cypress forests . Spend 2-3 hours here!* 3️⃣ Carmel Sunset Beach: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ *Atmospheric coastal trees + playful pups DAY 2: Carmel → SLO 1️⃣ Bixby Bridge: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ *Iconic cliffs, turquoise waves—must-stop 2️⃣ Pfeiffer Beach (Purple Sand): ⭐⭐⭐ Purple hue fades on cloudy days, but tide pools hide starfish & crabs! ‼️ Critical: Road closure after McWay Falls—detour via Highway 101 adds 3 hours. Check Caltrans for updates. 3️⃣ Piedras Blancas (Elephant Seals): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hundreds of snoring seals (…but brace for the smell 😆). 4️⃣ Morro Bay T Pier/Coleman Park (Otters!): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Otters wrap themselves in kelp to nap—adorable DAY 3: SLO → Santa Barbara 1️⃣ Solvang (Danish Village): ⭐⭐⭐ *Cute windmill + bakeries, but touristy.* 2️⃣ Santa Barbara: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Photogenic Old Mission *+* County Courthouse clock tower *(open weekdays 8AM-4PM). Whale-watching tours available (we skipped).* DAY 4: Santa Barbara → LA Saving LA for another guide! 💡 Pro Tips 1️⃣ Check weather ☀️—sunshine = epic views. 2️⃣ Download offline maps 📶—spotty signal en route. 3️⃣ Gas up early ⛽—prices spike along the coast! #TravelGuide #Highway1RoadTrip #CaliforniaTravel #WestCoastUSA #RoadTripEssentials #AdventureAwaits

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Caroline Kelly
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🌊 California Highway 1 Road Trip Guide｜2025 Must-See Stops

*Currently on a 2-month road trip through the Western U.S. & Canada—Highway 1 is our second stop!* 🌟 Overall Rating: 7/10 (See scoring criteria in ) Pro Tip: 90% of the experience depends on weather 🌤️—but this coastal drive delivers charming towns + wildlife 🦦. Worth it! 📸 Itinerary & Spot Reviews DAY 1: San Francisco → Carmel 1️⃣ Half Moon Bay: ⭐⭐⭐ Decent beach views, skippable if short on time. 2️⃣ 17-Mile Drive: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ *Stunning ocean cliffs + cypress forests . Spend 2-3 hours here!* 3️⃣ Carmel Sunset Beach: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ *Atmospheric coastal trees + playful pups DAY 2: Carmel → SLO 1️⃣ Bixby Bridge: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ *Iconic cliffs, turquoise waves—must-stop 2️⃣ Pfeiffer Beach (Purple Sand): ⭐⭐⭐ Purple hue fades on cloudy days, but tide pools hide starfish & crabs! ‼️ Critical: Road closure after McWay Falls—detour via Highway 101 adds 3 hours. Check Caltrans for updates. 3️⃣ Piedras Blancas (Elephant Seals): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hundreds of snoring seals (…but brace for the smell 😆). 4️⃣ Morro Bay T Pier/Coleman Park (Otters!): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Otters wrap themselves in kelp to nap—adorable DAY 3: SLO → Santa Barbara 1️⃣ Solvang (Danish Village): ⭐⭐⭐ *Cute windmill + bakeries, but touristy.* 2️⃣ Santa Barbara: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Photogenic Old Mission *+* County Courthouse clock tower *(open weekdays 8AM-4PM). Whale-watching tours available (we skipped).* DAY 4: Santa Barbara → LA Saving LA for another guide! 💡 Pro Tips 1️⃣ Check weather ☀️—sunshine = epic views. 2️⃣ Download offline maps 📶—spotty signal en route. 3️⃣ Gas up early ⛽—prices spike along the coast! #TravelGuide #Highway1RoadTrip #CaliforniaTravel #WestCoastUSA #RoadTripEssentials #AdventureAwaits

Carmel
Pfeiffer Beach
Pfeiffer BeachPfeiffer Beach