Top Ten reasons to Drive HWY 1 (a must?)

[ctb]

WE have driven HWY 1 (West Coast) twice in our lives(sleeping in an MDX and tenting it) and hope to do it several more times b/c it was so diverse and fun..though the 4x4 isn't needed as if you were on the back roads in Moab, we are thinking it is a perfect SMB cruise for sure...in fact, my wife was pretty much sold on the SMB on our second trip...at the La Push campground, don't remember name..she got to talk to a wife of an SMB couple (we know, women don't really trust us ever)and got all her questions and concerns answered, see the interior etc...So...What (for those of us that have done it, most of it, some of it...admittedly we turned left/E at Eureka 1st trip, then Mill Valley second)what's your top ten reasons...AND PICS!! I am going to dig mine out and post...

1. Neah Bay/Cape Flattery area...camping on the beach, before the local Tribe was given the land.
2. Sunsets
3. Redwood Natl. Park
4. Gold Bluffs Beach/camping
5. Point Reyes Natl. Seashore(everything about it)
6. La Push with all it's Vampire wannabe's and camping on the beach, lot, CG
7. Tillamook Dairy, Tillamook, OR (AND beef jerky, the BEST!!)
8. Pacific Seafood Co. FRESH!!!!!
9.Tolowa Dunes (getting purposely lost in the Dunes for fun and pics
10. Produce stands everywhere!!

[daveb]

Usal beach is a nice place and the campground is OK if there isn't a crowd occupying it.

[CaptainVo]

I sure do love this drive. Just don't join the west of one club.

[jamesc]

I can't remember exactly where, maybe still north of San FranFranc, we pulled off the road too late and decided to just sleep in the car (merkur XR4Ti). We found a nice parking lot overlooking the ocean, reclined the seats and slept. A few hours later I woke up to some jerk shaking the car. I cracked one eye open to sneak a look at who might be doing this. Well the next time he shook the car i saw he was a wave that sent water right on up over the roof when it hit the car. Luckily, the car still started and the back of the parking lot was far enough back to stay dry.

So much for the best spot to gorilla camp.

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[skyrat]

Moonstone Beach near Cambria and San Simeon Creek State Park




Emma Wood State Beach near Ventura




McWay Falls in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park


All of these have camping within 5 minutes of the location.

[sbgrimm]

We drove 101 last November from Washington through Oregon and most of California before hanging a left and heading east for Florida. Scenery on the Oregon coast section as well as Big Sur was outstanding. We had some great moments:

Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas
Cape Arago, Oregon storm watching
Camping in the Redwoods
People watching in Garberville (long story)
Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Eating abalone for the first time, thanks to another SMB family for sharing
Oregon lighthouses
Big Sur on a beautiful sunny day!

Brad

[daveb]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Glass Beach...kinda cool. Camping near by.

Hunting For Sea Glass Treasure In Fort Bragg, CA | FortBragg.com

[joey2cool]

Top five and just Highway 1, not 101:

Big Sur
Monteray aquarium
Halfmoon Bay
San Francisco Presidio Park
Golden Gate Bridge

I'm sure my list will grow with more time spent on the road. There are some gawd aweful twisty, steep, and narrow parts just north of the Golden gate bridge I will not repeat.

[rltilley]

I've done the complete US coast highway by car & by bicycle and would love to do it again in the SMB. Bike is the best way to do it but you need the time. Thinking back what sticks out for me is:

Big Sur coast - tough on a bike with a full tour load but worth it. Kirk Creek is my favorite campsite there.

Being the only one at the hiker/biker site on the Avenue of the Giants. You can see (and hear) the trees swaying a good three feet at the tops.

The free campsite on the SF Bay overlooking the Golden Gate & downtown SF (not car accessible & no water).

The cheese curds at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

Huckleberry jam in Oregon.

Realizing how big CA is. WA & OR go by quick but CA takes a while to get through & has three distinct sections. The North is more rural & then it changes near SF and then again around Santa Barbara.

Camping in Monterey & then riding 17 Mile Drive.

Camping on the beach every night for 45 days.

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[Abitibi]

Originally Posted by jamesc

I can't remember exactly where, maybe still north of San FranFranc, we pulled off the road too late and decided to just sleep in the car (merkur XR4Ti). We found a nice parking lot overlooking the ocean, reclined the seats and slept. A few hours later I woke up to some jerk shaking the car. I cracked one eye open to sneak a look at who might be doing this. Well the next time he shook the car i saw he was a wave that sent water right on up over the roof when it hit the car. Luckily, the car still started and the back of the parking lot was far enough back to stay dry.

So much for the best spot to gorilla camp.

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That's a good one! Didn't realized the XR were were offroad vehicle
I owned one for many years, great little under-rated car!


Well, this thread is of great timing! I'm slowly getting ready to drive from BC to San Diego this July to have my AmbuLand converted to 4wd by Agile's shop and going or coming back that way. It's been years since I drove the coast (in my old 65 VW bus ) but this time I'm taking my wife and kids who have yet to discover that gorgeous route.

Thanks again for all the great info and keep it coming! And hopefully I'll get to meet a few of you on the way.

Cheers
David