San Diego to Seattle

[Robert Schaller]

Five days from Seattle to San Diego is enough time to make the miles, certainly. It'll give you enough time to see a few things along the way and not have to rush TOO much. Bob

[PNW Judy]

I agree with Bob. You can do it in 5 days and see the highlights but, if you can squeeze out more time, all the better.

[cath75]

We are two Aussies moving from San Diego to Seattle. We're loading our stuff into the back of an SUV in a couple of weeks and heading up the coast on a one-way trip. We start our new jobs next month so we have a set amount of time to complete the road trip - namely 4-5 days. Is this enough time to take the coast highway the whole way (or should we make part of the trip on the I5 as well)? We'd like to see as much of the good stuff as possible - can anyone suggest a route for us? We're not into experiencing every little tourist attraction on the way up - we just want to see the amazing stuff (like Big Sur etc). Also, if anyone has any recommended places to stay that would be awesome. THANKS!

[AZBuck]

Yes, 4-5 days will be enough to drive the coast road the entire way. For example, I made it from San Francisco to Rogue River, OR in a single day while stopping to smell the roses along the way. While you won't have time to stop at "every little tourist attraction on the way up", it should be enough time to experience and even linger at a few of the ones that appeal to you most. It would be a shame to just buzz up this route and not stop to savor some of it. There are lots of threads around that list the highlights, try a search on 'pacific coast highway' for starters. Pick what interests you, and enjoy.

AZBuck

[cath75]

Thanks for that - I guess we'll just have to figure out how far we can get each day and book accommodation in advance (being summer I assume that's the most sensible thing to do). :)

[PNW Judy]

I usually like to travel without reservations but, in the case of the coast highway, reservations are probably a good idea. But it is really hit and miss. We have done trips during busy summer times on the coast where lodging is easy to find and, at other times, we can't find a room or a campsite to save our life. We had one memorable night in a horrid, fleabag when we couldn't even find a spot to pitch a tent, much less a better hotel room. It was late, we were zonked, and we ended up bringing in our sleeping bags and laying them on top of the mattress because we just didn't trust that things were clean enough for us...and used our own pillows as well. Yucky place.

You might get a good guidebook to hotels along the coast (AAA is a good resource for this) and wing it a bit. In other words, hit the road without reservations but each day, when you get a feel for where you're going to end up, start calling ahead via cellhone (if that's an option for you) and make a reservation that day. This way you have some flexibility but, at the same time, don't end up dog-tired without a place to hang your hat for the night. Of course, you're still taking your chances this way and may end up driving farther than you want before you find lodging.

Another option: make reservations but make sure you have all the details of their cancellation policies. Then you can actually make more reservations than you know you will need and just cancel the ones that you won't need along the way prior to any charges kicking in.

[cath75]

That is great advice - thanks Judy. I think we'll make reservations before we leave and keep our eye on the cancellation policies.

[Skiboysd]

Having lived in SF it's about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive each way to Napa. It can be done on a day trip but because you'll probably be drinking at the wineries I'd recommend staying a night at a B&B. Also, since teens can't drink it may be a bit boring for them. What might be better is simply driving through Napa on your way north simply to see the scenery and picking just one or two wineries to visit. Unless you're doing the tastings one winery tour is enough, two and you will have a great feel for it. Three + is for aficionados.

[PNW Judy]

That is great advice - thanks Judy. I think we'll make reservations before we leave and keep our eye on the cancellation policies.

No problem. Note that sometimes they put a hold on your credit card for the amount you will owe them. If you have a high limit or a lot of room on your card, that should be no problem. But if you run it fairly close to the limit, this might cause you problems. Just something to consider.