Ashwini_Karnik

IS there a way to get a good map for the drive from LA to San Fran via PCH. When I do mapquest the first way I am shown is via US101. I can drag the route to CA 1 but I have read somewhere that you do have to go on US101 for some stretches! TIA

happytrailstoyou

Yes, you will be on 101 from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo (also a scenic drive).

I don't know about mapquest; however, at maps.google.com all you need to do in destinations is enter towns on Highway 1 along the way. For instance: santa monica, malibu, oxnard (watch signs carefully), ventura, santa barbara, cambria, monterey, half moon bay, san francisco.

HTTY

montereybob

Do not use the directions tab. Use the search tab and search for LA. Then move the map to the ocean. When you see hwy 1, scan in and out and move the map northward to trace the route. There are some minor breaks in hwy 1 ( which is only called PCH in southern CA)

Tomsd

Here is some maps map of the Big Sur area. Actually - you really don't start driving next to the Coast on PCH (except for from Malibu to south of Santa Barbara) - until you get up to about Morro Bay, a half hour or so south of Cambria/San Simeon/Hearst Castle.

http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/lodging.html

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/cali...articles/68907

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com...ast-road-trip/

http://byways.org/stories/47129

http://wikitravel.org/en/Big_Sur

Tomsd

Here is the best map I have seen for the Big Sur area - and it gives the various lodging options.

http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/map.html

montereybob

Also, you can buy a paper map or atlas of CA.

dbdurand

Here is a detailed description of CA State Route 1 from its southern terminus to its northern terminus. You can easily trace it out on Google Maps or just a plain old paper map of CA, as suggested by montereybob.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1

It's true that there are segments that are concurrent with other routes, notably US 101. Also, the total length of the route is 656 miles, of which only 90 is the Big Sur section.

november_moon

No way dude - a PAPER map?

happytrailstoyou

We always travel with appropriate state, regional, and city maps and we use atlases for WA, OR, CA, and AZ in which we travel frequently.

However, when we want accurate estimates of the distances between places, we use the method I described above.

HTTY

mary1007

I am also doing the LA to SF drive (actually starting in San Diego)and was wondering if there are any stretches that merit getting on the more express highway because the scenery is not particularly worth it on PCH?

Tomsd

I think the scenery on/along PCH/Cal Hiway 1 - is great - from here in SD up to Camp Pendelton, and then you have to head up Interstate 5 - and would recommend when you get to Orange County - take the 405 up to the 10 West (at about Santa Monica) - and from the Ocean/Malibu up to Oxnard - and on in to Santa Barbara, it's a beautiful drive.

From Santa Barbara - you pretty much wind up taking the 101 up to Paso Robles - which moves at a pretty brisk pace - and then from there - on up to Carmel/Monterrey - taking the Coast road again is beautiful.

Tomsd

Oops. I meant San Luis Obisbo - not Paso Robles. Actually - at Cambria - if you were in a hurry - you could take the 46? over to Paso Robles and "jet" up the 101 to SF - but you would be missing what might be the most beautiful stretch of the Coast Hiway - which is from Cambria up through Big Sur on into Carmel/Monterrey.

Tomsd

Here is a map for driving from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obisbo - and we actually like to drive through Solvang - and some of the wine country above Santa Barbara - but up the 101 is faster.

http://tinyurl.com/79aodal

Ashwini_Karnik

Thanks so much everyone!!! I have mapped out our 4 points and have tried to drag out the routes as close to CA1!!
Our iternary is:
LA 17th ,18th July
Cambria(Sand pebbles inn) 19th July
Carmel(Vagabond Inn) 20th July
San Fran(Sheraton Fishermans wharf) 21st and 22nd..23rd evening fly out to Chicago

Hopefully the 2 days drive from LA to SFO is enough...The sister and brother in law from India will be with us so want to show them as much as we can having a 10 & 8 year old with us!
Ashwini

sf7307

Perfect stop-off locations! Too bad you don't have more time, but some is better than none.

Here's my report on a day-trip we took from south of San Francisco to south of Carmel a couple of years ago:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...t-part-way.cfm