Pacific Coast Road Trip Itinerary
+ Top Attractions

Enjoy the star-studded walkways of Hollywood Boulevard and nearby movie studios, including Universal Studios Hollywood, which doubles as a theme park. From the iconic Griffith Observatory in the Hollywood Hills you can enjoy breathtaking views over the vast urban metropolis of Los Angeles, as well as the nearby Hollywood Sign, which you can even hike up to if you like.

Los Angeles is home to many important museums, such as the Getty Center, LACMA, The Broad, and the La Brea Tar Pits. The city's many world-class restaurants offer an extremely diverse cuisine from around the world. You'll find exciting nightlife scenes in Downtown, Hollywood, and West Hollywood.

Head to the coast to enjoy the picturesque sandy beaches of Venice or Malibu, and walk along the Venice Beach Boardwalk and nearby Santa Monica Pier, which hosts a waterfront amusement park.

California's central coast is located roughly between Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. The route up the coast follows along the coastal cliffs of Highway 1 and 101 and is among the most scenic drives in the world. Along the route are many scenic pull-offs and viewpoints to enjoy the majestic scenery, as well as many beautiful beaches and mesmerizing natural formations.

You'll encounter many unique attractions along the Lower Central Coast, such as the lovely Dutch town of Solvang, the massive Morro Rock which towers above the entrance to Morro Bay, and the famous Hearst Castle, an incredibly opulent mansion housing priceless art and artifacts. The castle is also known for its extravagant Neptune Pool.

Along the breathtaking Big Sur Coastline you'll encounter picturesque bridges, the Pfeiffer Beach Sea Arch, and the gorgeous McWay Falls which cascades onto the beach.

Along the Upper Central Coast near Carmel-By-The-Sea is the incredibly scenic seaside landscape of Point Lobos with its vibrant coves and wondrous rugged coastline. Between Carmel-By-the-Sea and Monterey is the scenic 17 Mile Drive, which hosts sights such as the Lone Cypress and Bird Rock Vista Point.

The city of Monterey is home to the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, which was recreated in the animated movie Finding Nemo 2. On the other side of Monterey Bay is the city of Santa Cruz, which is known for the iconic waterfront amusement park of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Santa Cruz also hosts a striking natural sea arch.

Along the coastline between San Francisco and Santa Cruz are several stunning beaches, including Shark Fin Cove which is named for the massive rock in the middle of the cove which closely resembles a shark fin.

San Francisco hosts an immense selection of world-class dining options as well as amazing nightlife. This beautiful city sits on a hilly peninsula at the entrance to the massive San Francisco Bay. Spanning the bay's entrance is the city's iconic Golden Gate Bridge, which can be admired from many different viewpoints. Golden Gate Park is home to many gardens and museums, including the famous California Academy of Sciences.

The city is home to many more iconic sights including the hilltop Coit Tower, the windy Lombard Street, and the lovely row of colorful Victorian homes known as the Painted Ladies. Among the city's most impressive structures is the majestic Greco-Roman style Palace of Fine Arts.

Amongst the dense towering skyscrapers of Downtown is the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, one of the largest modern art museums in the world. Nearby you can take the ferry to the famous early 20th century prison island which housed Al Capone, Alcatraz Island.

California's Lower Northern Coast follows along the extremely scenic coastal Highway 1 north of San Francisco and Point Reyes. This route includes the lovely Point Arena and Point Cabrillo Lighthouses, as well as many beautiful views over the coastline such as at Bodega Bay. Along the coast you'll even find a huge reconstructed 19th century Russian fortress known as Fort Ross.

In the seaside town of Mendocino you'll find the Mendocino Headlands State Park, which hosts gorgeous views over the vibrant blue-green waters of Mendocino Bay, as well as a rugged coastline of sea arches and stunning natural features that you can explore. In nearby Fort Bragg you can visit the elegant clifftop Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and marvel at the tiny dull pieces of glass that make-up the city's Glass Beach.

California's Upper Northern Coast is located along Highway 101, which passes through vast redwood forests including Humboldt, Prairie Creek, and Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Parks. All of these state parks offer scenic hiking trails through the stunning dense redwood forests. Humboldt Redwoods State Park hosts a 32 mile (51 km) long alternate route, which offers much better views of the towering redwood trees than the main highway.

Within the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park are two incredible trails, including the Fern Canyon trail which ventures alongside a rocky stream through a vibrant canyon, surrounded by lush green walls on both sides. The other trail is the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail, which is exceptionally beautiful and mystical when visited during the early morning fog.

Additionally this route offers picturesque views over the Trinidad Harbor, as well as the chance to visit the lovely Battery Point Lighthouse, which is cut-off from the mainland during high tide.

Oregon's southern coast features several extremely scenic areas located along Highway 101, although the entire drive along the coast is quite scenic. This route follows along a stretch of this highway between Brookings, OR just north of the California border and Yachats, OR, which is located near the center of the Oregon Coast.

Oregon's northern coast hosts a variety of scenic viewpoints and attractions along Highway 101. This route follows a long stretch of this highway between Newport, OR near the center of the Oregon Coast and Astoria, OR near the northwestern tip of Oregon.

Olympic National Park is located along the massive Olympic Peninsula of Washington, centered around massive breathtaking mountains and forests. The national park hosts several lush green rainforest eco-systems that you can explore, including the Hoh Rainforest, Quinault Rainforest, and the Sol Duc Falls Trail.

Along the coast are several gorgeous beaches with dense forests that stretch to the rocky coastline. These include Ruby Beach, Rialto Beach, Second Beach, and Cape Flattery, with Cape Flattery located at the most northwestern tip of the continental United States.

The Olympic Peninsula also offers amazing hiking, including the Hurricane Hill Trail which traverses alongside lush meadows and abundant wildlife, while offers majestic views of the Olympic Mountains and the coast. On the other side of the mountains it the Mt. Ellinor Trail, from which you can enjoy magnificent far-reaching views over the surrounding vast wilderness of forests and lakes.

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia and is located at the eastern edge of the massive Vancouver Island, which sits off the coast of Canada. Due to its location, Victoria can only be reached by plane or ferry, which departs from both Vancouver and Port Angeles, Washington.

Vancouver is a stunning modern city of striking high-rise buildings surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Downtown Vancouver is the main hub of the city and is located on a peninsula, with lavish marinas along the southern and northern end of the peninsula and the vast Stanley Park located on the northwestern tip.

The best way to tour the city is to bike along the Vancouver Seawall and Stanley Park, enjoying picturesque coastal views while passing sights such as the Totem Poles, Olympic Cauldron, Coal Harbour, and False Creek.

Popular neighborhoods hosting excellent international cuisines as well as great bars and nightlife include Yaletown and Gastown, which are both located Downtown. Gastown also hosts the city's iconic Steam Clock, as well as the Vancouver Lookout from which you can enjoy panoramic views high above the city.

In North Vancouver you'll find the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge, as well as vast forests hosting many hiking trails.

To the north of Vancouver is a seemingly endless landscape of massive mountains, vast green valleys, and glacial lakes located between Squamish and Mount Currie.

Near Squamish is the majestic 1,100 foot (335 m) tall Shannon Falls, as well as the Sea to Sky Gondola which takes you up 2,900 feet (885 m) above the Howe Sound, with striking views, hiking, and a suspension bridge. Further north of Vancouver is the stunning Garibaldi Provincial Park, which offers long-distance hiking trails set amongst tall mountains and the beautiful Garibaldi Lake.

Seattle is a gorgeous seaside city full of contemporary high-rise buildings and landmarks, surrounded by breathtaking natural scenery. Around Downtown Seattle you'll find many excellent restaurants and a thriving nightlife scene.

Seattle Center hosts the city's iconic Space Needle tower, which offers sweeping panoramic views from the top. Nearby you can visit the stunning Chihuly Gardens & Glass as well as the incredible Museum of Pop Culture, which was designed by famous architect Frank Gehry.

Downtown Seattle hosts the first Starbucks Cafe, the scenic Seattle Waterfront, and Pikes Place Market, where you'll find many unique shops as well as the famous Gum Wall. Also Downtown are the city's iconic Smith Tower and Columbia Center skyscrapers, both of which offer amazing views from the top. To enjoy picturesque views overlooking Downtown for free head to Kerry Park, as well as the Gas Works Park, which sits on the shore of Lake Union.

Mount Rainier National Park is centered around the colossal Mt. Rainier volcano, which towers nearly 14,100 feet (4,300 m) above the surrounding landscape and is among the tallest peaks in the continental USA. The volcanic mountain is covered in glaciers, forests, and meadows, and harbors abundant wildlife.

Oregon's capital city of Portland is located just south of the Washington border and over 60 miles (100 km) inland from the Pacific Coast. Portland has a renowned nightlife scene, with the most popular areas being Downtown Portland, Morrison Street, and Burnside Street. In these areas you'll find many great breweries, restaurants, and bars.

Downtown Portland hosts the tranquil Lan Su Chinese Garden, the Portland Art Museum, and Powell's City of Books, a massive multi-leveled bookstore that's quite famous.

One of Portland's top sights in the hills above the city is the chateau-stye Pittock Mansion with its fancy historic interiors and excellent views overlooking Downtown Portland. Nearby are two lush and beautiful gardens, the Portland Japanese Garden and International Rose Test Garden. On the northeastern side of Portland is Rocky Butte Park, which offers excellent views overlooking Portland and both Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood on a clear day.

The Columbia River Gorge separates the state of Washington on the northern side, and Oregon on the southern side of the river. On the Oregon side of the river gorge you'll find many stunning massive waterfalls surrounded by lush dense forests, connected via the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Heading east from Portland you'll encounter the Crown Point Vista House, which overlooks a picturesque section of the Columbia River Gorge from high above.

Approximately 1 hour south of Portland is Silver Falls State Park, so be sure to get an early start on the day in order to visit this beautiful place. Silver Falls State Park is a miniature rainforest ecosystem featuring several huge waterfalls amongst an incredibly lush green landscape, with all of the waterfalls connected by a single creek.

To see all of the waterfalls you can hike the popular Trail of Ten Falls, which connects all of the park's waterfalls via an extremely scenic 7.2 mile (11.6 km) hike through this rainforest-like environment. Alternatively you can see some of the park's largest and most notable waterfalls with a much shorter amount of hiking.

The gorgeous Crater Lake National Park is centered around a massive deep blue lake which sits inside of a vast crater, surrounded by beautiful mountains and forest.

You can drive around the vast Crater Lake to enjoy multiple perspectives over this gorgeous natural wonder, most notably Meriam Point, the Watchman Overlook which looks out directly over Wizard Island, and the Sinnott Memorial Observation Station in Rim Village. From Rim Village you can take the short hike up to one of the lake's best viewpoints atop Garfield Peak.

On the northern side of Crater Lake you can hike down to the lakeshore via the Cleetwood Cove Trail, which also leads to the lake's boat tour dock, although these tours must be made far in advance.

This area of Northern California near Oregon is home to several gorgeous waterfalls, including one which many claim is among the state's most beautiful waterfalls, Mossbrae Falls. Nearby you can visit the stunning Burney Falls as well as the various waterfalls along the McCloud River. While driving along this route you'll be able to take in excellent views of Mt. Shasta, which towers high above the surrounding landscape.

The Yosemite Valley of Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful valleys on Earth with its towering canyon walls including El Capitan, which towers 3,000 feet (900 m) over the valley floor.

The Yosemite Valley is filled with lush dense forest and abundant wildlife, surrounded by incredible geological formations such as Half Dome. The valley also hosts several massive waterfalls, including Bridalveil Falls, Vernal Falls, Nevada Falls, and the behemoth Yosemite Falls. Many of these waterfalls and formations are among the Yosemite Valley's vast array of world-class hiking trails.

Other amazing features of the valley include the picturesque Mirror Lake, and the serene meadows in which you can relax and enjoy the park's natural splendor. The valley is highly developed yet still quite wild, with accommodations and many roads. Many easily-accessible yet breathtaking viewpoints such as Tunnel View, Valley View, and the sweeping high altitude views from atop Glacier Point are connected via Yosemite Valley's roads.

The Tuolomne Meadows district of Yosemite National Park is a majestic valley full of lush meadows and lakes, which sits at an average elevation of about 8,600 feet (2,625 m), surrounded by many mountain peaks and interesting geological features. This district of Yosemite hosts vast meadows filled with abundant wildlife alongside picturesque scenery.

Tuolumne Meadows hosts many excellent hiking trails to gorgeous places such as the serene Cathedral Lakes, Mount Dana from which you can view Mono Lake from high above, and Clouds Rest from which you can enjoy truly breathtaking views of the backside of Half Dome with Yosemite Valley framed behind it. Further north of Tuolumne Meadows is the Hetch Hetchy district of Yosemite, which is also discussed in this itinerary.

Mono County is located on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, adjacent to the gorgeous Tuolumne Meadows district of Yosemite National Park. Within this county is the largest and best-preserved Western ghost town in the United States, Bodie State Historic Park. Nearby is the beautiful Mono Lake, an alkali lake with otherworldly tufa tower formations that you can explore.

Located approximately 2 to 3 hours away from Los Angeles and San Diego is Joshua Tree National Park, which is named for the many unusual-looking Joshua trees spread out over the landscape.

This national park is located across several desert valleys surrounded by tall desolate mountains, with many stunningly beautiful rocky areas spread throughout this extremely scenic national park. Joshua Tree also hosts many amazing short hiking trails such as the Hidden Valley Nature Trail and Barker Dam Nature Trail, as well as striking rock formations, such as Skull Rock, Face Rock, and Arch Rock.

San Diego is a magnificent seaside city with many different neighborhoods, located just above the Mexican border. Because of its location, San Diego hosts excellent Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. The city hosts many stunning beaches including La Jolla Shores La Jolla Cove (a year-round seal and sea-lion habitat), Pacific Beach, and Coronado Beach where you can admire the iconic Hotel del Coronado.