Driving Route help: Pacific Grove to Point Reyes
 

I’m interested to hear which route would be the most scenic/interesting, driving on a Sunday from Pacific Grove to Pt Reyes.
I’ve been to San Francisco, so no need to stop there.
All the routes on google maps take around 3 hours, but there is a lot of variation.
TIA

CA1 all the way. After Pacifica you will rejoin I280 and then you follow the signs for the Golden Gate Bridge. You will be going down 19th Ave. and when going through the park do not stay in the left lane which will become a left turn only lane in the park and will be the worng turn for you--there are no signs to warn you. As long as you stay on the main road you will find yourself on the Golden Gate Bridge. You will be on US 101 at this point. You can turn off whe you reach the flats to go on CA1 or you can go on to Sir Francis Drake Blvd. to go to Point Reyes.

If you have the time, you could also stop at the Henry Cowell redwoods, then up the spine of the SF Peninsula on CA 9 and Skyline Drive (CA 35) to intersect with I-280, then through SF, over the bridge, then wind your way down to Stinson Beach. This is considerably slower, but extremely scenic. Map - https://goo.gl/maps/1dLbY7wtRgA2

This is probably the BEST view of SF. You can look through the Golden Gate Bridge & then above the bridge to SF and all the way south down the San Mateo County Coast on a clear day. Do this late in the day. Take the first exit past the lookout off the GG Bridge going North (marked Alexander Ave). Turn left the first chance you have, & go under 101. Follow the sign back to SF, but just before getting on 101, make a right turn up the road & follow this road. It’s easier to find than this description might indicate (get a AAA map & take a road called Conzelman). Old WWII bunkers & gun turrets along the way. DON’T MISS. Go all the way to the "top" and then continue down on the winding one lane road. There will be some fabulous views of the entrance to the bay. Then continue on and "get lost" in this region (it's called the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). Find the lighthouse, Marine Mammal Center (visit), a very nice beach, very interesting visitor's center/museum, and pristine surroundings. You won't believe that this region is just 2 miles from San Francisco. Then go through a tunnel, and turn left into Sausalito and drive through this bayside village.

Stu Dudley

I think this may be a more scenic route to Pt Reyes than Sir Francis Drake Blvd - which has a lot of commerce on it for 2/3 of the way to Pt Reyes.

On 101, keep going north past Sir Francis Drake and just past the city of Novato, take San Marin Dr west. Go through some commerce a couple of miles, and on your right you will see a high School. Just past the high school, turn right on Novato Blvd. Now you'll be out of the commerce area into some beautiful countryside. Continue on Novato Blvd until it dead-ends at Petaluma - Pt Reyes Blvd & turn left towards Pt Reyes. In about a 1/2 mile, you will see the Cheese Factory on your right. Pull into the parking lot & grab some cheese and/or other stuff & have a picnic on one of the benches there next to the pond with ducks. Then continue on to Pt Reyes Station (cute village).

Stu Dudley

Lovely details, thank you all so much.