hi all i was wondering if someone could advise on a town to stay over at while driving from sf to sd. i am flying into sf, spending about 3 days there and then driving down to sd. i would like to stop somewhere halfway. (i am driving the pch) not really that interested in LA and was possibly thiking of Santa barbara but that is not really half way? any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! also i am more interested in nature and a laidback enviorn than crowds and shopping if that helps. Thanks!!

I think Santa Barbara is about half way, maybe a little more if you're going on Highway 1. It seems like a good choice to me. If you want to go a little further, Ventura. Less? Pismo Beach.

thanks, how many hours from sf to santab and santab to sd on pch?

I can't really say, but I would get off of Highway 1 (PCH) at San Luis Obispo (I think you actually have to) and stay on 101 the rest of the way to San Diego. Once you get south of Ventura it starts to be going through town after town and it's all very much the same and too many traffic lights. I also would not take 1 from SF to Santa Cruz. Actually, there's a closure between SF and Half Moon Bay.

Actually, Catbert, CA-1 and US-101 are contiguous with each other for a good stretch between Santa Barbara and Oxnard. Another point to clarify: US-101 does NOT go to San Diego. You can follow US-101 into downtown LA, then catch I-5 going south to get to San Diego.

But let's review that last sentence: That route means you will drive into downtown LA and deal with traffic through City of Industry, Norwalk, Anaheim and Disneyland, etc.

I can recommend a slightly nicer route:

CA-1 splits from US-101 at Oxnard. Meander happily down CA-1, which in Santa Monica merges with I-10. Follow this east to the I-405 interchange. Take I-405 southbound past Long Beach and just into Orange County. Exit at Seal Beach Blvd., then take that road south to PCH. Turn left on PCH, follow all the way down to San Clemente, then rejoin I-5 south. Take down to San Diego.

For the OP: It's not "the PCH", it's "PCH". And only called that south of Oxnard. And there's plenty of beauty and laid-back stuff in the greater Los Angeles area, if you know where to look.

RJW, you can't be a natural born Southern Californian.... they all say "the" 405 and "the" 205 and "the" 101. It's the only place in the country I've encountered that.

Sorry, I didn't get detailed enough south of Santa Barbara. The point I was trying to make was that the section of Highway 1 between Pismo Beach and Gaviota (via Lompoc) isn't worth the time, and also I would avoid the Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Monica to Dana Point. It's more traffic and lights than scenery.

Catbert, don't you know? After 5 years here, you're a native!!

Actually, I was being precise in my directions. Believe me, it's "the 405" and "the 101" and "PCH" and "Laguna Canyon/the 133" for me!

If you are driving down Hwy 1...then you want to stop overnight, probably, in Cambria or Morro Bay, for what you want. These are less than halfway, but, after your trek down Hwy 1 are good stopping places. Small, good views of the ocean, etc. The rest of your trip to San Diego will go faster.