Oct. 12, 2022 | Updated: Oct. 12, 2022 5:33 p.m.
California’s coastal highway is a national treasure. This wondrous, 1,000-mile driving route weaves through long stretches of rugged, natural scenery the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else on Earth, punctuated by historic towns and, of course, the state’s cultural capitals.
This is the ultimate guide to the unrivaled experience that is Highway 1.
We have parsed the route into 6 unique regions, each with its own character and flavor, and spotlighted 153 must-see stops, landmarks and towns along the way. Here you’ll find a mix of the coast’s greatest hits, boutique stopovers and under-the-radar experiences to help you plan your perfect coastal getaway.
Select a region below to see recommended destinations for each segment of coast, from the Oregon border south to San Diego. Then use the interactive map to create a personalized list of your favorite places, viewable in the “My favorites” section.
Jump to itinerary: – Select -Crescent City to MendocinoMendocino County to MarinSan Francisco to MontereyBig SurCambria to Santa BarbaraVentura to San DiegoMy favoritesJump to map
Show all
Look through all our recommended places to create your perfect itinerary!
Select an item from the list below to see its location on the map
California Department of Parks and Recreation
Pelican State Beach
This jewel of a beach is just a couple of minutes south of the Oregon border and often overlooked due to minimal signage. Pull into the tiny parking lot, then tromp through the thick vegetation onto a beautifully desolate beach strewn with driftwood. The bleached, broad logs make great seats for picnicking and appreciating the view — white breakers, gray-green water, conifers and evergreens visible up the coast.
Add to my favoritesEducation Images / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Howland Hill Road
A highlight of Redwood State and National Parks is the gloriously scenic drive down Howland Hill Road, a 6-mile dirt track that plunges straight into the giant ferns and huge trees of the Late Cretaceous period. The road dips and twists through the trees, sometimes dwindling to a single lane and pulling the forest close around it. Note: Although the road is maintained remarkably well and often passable even without four-wheel drive, trailers aren’t allowed.
Add to my favoritesJoanna Di Tommaso / Special to The Chronicle
Grove of Titans Trail
The newly opened Grove of Titans Trail (1.7 miles) lives up to its name. Completed in early 2022, it takes hikers through stands of stately redwoods and down through a creek valley slung with moss. The Titans themselves are walls of vegetation the size of apartment buildings. For a longer jaunt, walk the impressive Boy Scout Tree Trail (5.3 miles). For a shorter option, stroll through Stout Grove (0.5 miles), where afternoon sunlight filters through the canopy of what many consider the state’s most beautiful redwood grove.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Redwood National Park
Redwood National Park is shorthand for the full patchwork of state parks and tribally managed public lands in this region. Look for the resident elk herd, often found at the well-named Elk Meadow or along Davison Road. And you’ll almost certainly want to make time for a side trip to famous Fern Canyon, the green and lush gorge featured in “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” (1 mile). Check for road closures, bring water-resistant shoes, and reserve parking during the summer season.
Add to my favoritesCavan Images / Getty Images
At least geographically, Crescent City is a good starting point for exploring the Jurassic wonders of Howland Hill Road and other highlights of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The south side of town offers a line of affordable and mostly pleasant motels, along with several diner-style restaurants that fit the community’s homey vibe. Otherwise, there’s not much to downtown Crescent City: a post office, a few stores, a brewery and Tsunami Lanes.
If you have extra time outside your redwood forays, be sure to check out charming Battery Point Lighthouse and its neighboring tide pools. For other pretty seaside spots, dodge sea lions on the long Lighthouse Jetty that stretches into the harbor or head to the B Street Pier to watch sea birds and see locals fishing and catching crabs.
Add to my favoritesEducation Images / Universal Images Group Via Getty Images
Battery Point Lighthouse
Built in classic Cape Cod style and first lit in 1856, the tiny, picturesque beacon sits on a rocky outcropping under a solitary tree on the outskirts of town. It is maintained by a cadre of volunteers who wait years for their turn staying in and caring for the historic building and giving tours. The lighthouse is open most days, but you’re free to venture across the wet sand to visit the outside whenever low tide allows. The beach is also prime tide pooling territory, but keep an eye on the sea or a tide chart, or risk wading back to your car.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
Tidepooling at False Klamath Cove
The best spots at False Klamath Cove are found close to Lagoon Creek Picnic Area, where you can park and follow a short trail to the beach, scrambling over mussel-and-seaweed-covered rocks to hunt for russet sea stars, DayGlo sea anemones and spiny urchins. But this isn’t your only tide pooling option. To work tide pooling into your itinerary elsewhere, try Luffenholtz Beach Park and College Cove at the northern end of Trinidad Beach if you’re headed farther south, or hunt for treasures up north below Battery Point Lighthouse in Crescent City.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
Trees of Mystery
As you drive past Crescent City, you can’t miss the Trees of Mystery. After all, not many stretches of highway feature a giant, waving Paul Bunyan and his equally imposing blue ox. Inside, kitschy delights await: a set of hand-carved murals based on Paul Bunyan fables; a zigzagging path through the eponymous trees; a gondola ride through redwood treetops, and a skywalk that offers a unique chance to see these awe-inspiring trees from up in the canopy.
Add to my favorites
Radar Station B-71
For a short but eventful side trip, take a left on route D7 south of Klamath, right before you cross the river on Highway 101. A one-way 9-mile loop along Coastal Drive and Klamath Beach Road offers picnic-worthy views along the coast and the mouth of the river; a couple of interesting historical plaques about the flood that ruined the up-and-coming town of Klamath in 1964; and a stop at Radar Station B-71, a World War-II era intelligence outpost disguised as a farmhouse. A few minutes after that, the road will deposit you on a cliff overlooking the river, a scenic spot for a snack before you start your drive again.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
This alternate route through Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park offers a variety of lovely walks, including Moormon-Pond Trail (0.8 miles), a meander up a moss-covered redwood canyon, and Revelation Loop Trail, a similar-length route through one of the most genetically diverse old-growth redwood forests around. Most redwood forests are populated with clones, but many of Prairie Creek’s redwoods grew from seed. Try to notice the differences here — curly bark, lighter, darker — as well as the prairies that mark this place as one of the forest gardens maintained for centuries by Yurok and other Indigenous communities.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
EdeBee’s Snack Shack
Travelers passing through take note: Food options are minimal along the chunk of 101 that runs between Orick and Crescent City, so you’ll want to plan your meals carefully. EdeBee’s Snack Shack makes for a quick, fun and tasty stop. The elk burger, pulled pork sandwich and milk shakes are perennial favorites. Farther north, the Log Cabin Diner serves down-home fare in Klamath during the high season but closes in winter. And a little way up the road, the drive-in snack bar A Good Place to Eat (also known as Woodland Villa) is, well, you know.
Add to my favorites
Traditional canoeing in Yurok County
The Yurok tribe believe canoes are beings worthy of honor and treat them as such: A traditional Yurok canoe has a nose, heart, kidneys and a name. The Klamath River was once a bustling byway filled with these watercraft, but when it bucked its banks in 1964, a huge portion of the tribe’s canoes were washed out to sea. You’ll learn this story and more on a two- or four-hour canoe tour leaving from Klamath, a peaceful journey full of misty redwoods, waterbirds and Yurok storytelling. If you’d like to learn more, you can also visit the newly opened Stone Lagoon visitor center and Yurok Country Visitor Center.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Sue-Meg State Park
Formerly known as Patrick’s Point, this state park was renamed in 2021 at the request of the Yurok tribe. Though it covers little more than 1 square mile, the park packs a lot in a small area, offering summertime camping, beautiful cliff walks overlooking turquoise bays, beaches filled with agates and anemones, and rich Yurok history. Once you’re finished with the longer Rim Trail (2 miles) or have gone to Wedding Rock (0.2 miles), stop at Sumêg Village, a re-creation of a traditional Yurok compound.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Popular for its stunning beaches, plentiful and beautiful walks and upscale restaurants and fish market, Trinidad is also a prime jumping-off point for Sue-Meg State Park and the Avenue of the Giants. The town has a classed-up fishing village feel that’s half California surfer, half Oregon bohemian. If you’re eager to hike, follow the path that curls around Trinidad Head, or one of a number of scenic options in Sue-Meg. If local history is more your speed, the small-but-mighty Trinidad Museum offers exhibits on Indigenous basketry, the Gold Rush and the rise of the region’s fishing and logging industries.
Add to my favorites
Trinidad Bay
With its tony-restaurants-meets-fishing-village feel, Trinidad town has plenty to offer. But the top draw here is Trinidad Bay, which offers an exquisite set of cliff-top lookout points and sandy beaches backed by dramatic sea stacks, extending south from Trinidad Head through the sandy expanse of Moonstone Beach. The views along Scenic Drive south of town are uniformly stunning, with each nook boasting its own vibe. Stop to watch folks slacklining from incredible heights at Baker Beach, catch the sunset from Houda Point or let your dog run free along Moonstone Beach.
Add to my favoritesMatt Gush / Special to The Chronicle
Life in Arcata revolves around the charming Plaza at the center of town and the Cal Poly Humboldt campus to the north. This coastal town is a mix of old school (Jacoby’s Storehouse, a 19th century department-store now filled with boutiques and the Gold Rush history of Phillips House Museum) and college-town vibes (record stores, a remarkable variety of pizza purveyors, and the region’s only 24-hour diner). Along with the standard restaurants and bars, you can also find quirkier fare, such as Hatchet House Arcata, where you can try your hand at ax throwing, and Cafe Mokka, a vintage coffeehouse with newspapers from around the world and Finnish-style saunas that you can rent by the hour.
Add to my favoritesAmy Kumler / Eureka Lodging Alliance
Eureka has quieted down since it heyday as the capital of the West Coast lumber industry. Still, the city’s Old Town has blossomed in recent years. With a new coat of paint (and over 100 murals), plus bars and restaurants lined up along the water, it’s a lively stopping point. Keep your eyes peeled for the characteristic Victorian architecture scattered around town, particularly the why-is-that-so-familiar-level famous Carson Mansion (now a private club). Then immerse yourself in the majesty and power of the trees you’ve come to Northern California to enjoy, at Sequoia Park Zoo’s Redwood Skywalk, which brings visitors up into the canopy to see the forest from a fresh perspective.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that Ferndale is the storybook Victorian town of your dreams. Just a few minutes off Highway 101, the absurdly picturesque Main Street is lined with brightly painted confections, making it a great stop for a stroll or dinner on your way north or south. Admire the native flowers and elaborate Victorian kids’ playhouse at Hadley Garden, then walk to the center of town, where you’ll find gift shops, art galleries, antique stores and bakeries. Although Palace Saloon is erroneously labeled the westernmost bar in the U.S. — that honor belongs to the Yellow Rose in Petrolia — it’s still historic and charming. For an off-the-beaten-path experience, consider tagging along with local musician Margaret Kellerman on an Art Hike, combining history, exploration and sketching. And don’t leave town without using what are without a doubt California’s cutest public bathrooms.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
At more than 50,000 acres, Humboldt Redwoods State Park is California’s third largest, featuring myriad groves of old-growth trees along a variety of hiking trails and the legendary Avenue of the Giants. Besides the requisite drive along that famed route, a walk is the best way to experience the park. Marvel at the heft of the fallen Dyerville Giant at the end of Founders Grove trail (0.6 miles), crane your neck at the immensity of the trees at Stephens Grove Trail (0.8 miles), or wonder at the bright green carpet of redwood sorrel at Grieg-French-Bell Grove (1 mile).
Add to my favoritesHUM Images / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Confusion Hill
Confusion Hill dates from 1949, meaning this is retro roadside kitsch at its best. The central attraction here is the Gravity House (think Santa Cruz Mystery Spot), but Confusion Hill also offers a half-hour small-gauge train ride through an appealing mountain forest. Keep an eye out for the “chipalope,” a diminutive chipmunk with antelope antlers that’s the attraction’s fabled mascot. The area is chock full of kitschy fun, from the tasty grub at the Peg House, with its “Never Don’t Stop” motto, to the chain-saw carvings and cryptid paraphernalia for sale at nearby Legend of Bigfoot.
Add to my favorites
Grandfather Tree
Since you’re here to see the redwoods, lean into it and really see them. The enormous, ancient Grandfather Tree is some 1,800 years old, with a 24-foot diameter and its own gift shop. Have a snack at the Living Chimney Tree Grill and walk down into the remnants of the tree that gives the spot its name, a huge hollowed-out trunk. Or pop into the One Log dispensary and ask for the code to see the One Log House, a 1946-era tiny house built from a 2,100-year-old redwood.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Avenue of the Giants
This 32-mile stretch of highway has been around since the days when stagecoaches brought throngs from San Francisco to see the giant trees many thought were a hoax. Since 1960, you’ve had the option to cut around this drive to stay on Highway 101, but why would you? It’s just a few minutes longer from end to end than the highway — and many times more beautiful. Pull off at one of the many trailheads along the route and explore the forest.
Add to my favoritesGregory Thomas / The Chronicle
Nothing in Shelter Cove is a straight line, from the shimmer in the air over Black Sand Beach to the roads that wind precipitously from Route 101 down to this remote fishing village. The town is a scattering of quirky houses and cabins huddled under the cliff against what is often a wind-whipped ocean. To take in the views, stop at one of the waterside picnic areas along Lower Pacific Drive, makiing time as well to visit Cape Mendocino Lighthouse. Pause for a beer at Mario’s Marina and watch the occasional plane land at the airstrip across the street. This small downtown area hosts Arts at Heart, a local artist collective where you can pick up souvenirs, along with the Shelter Cove RV Campground and Deli, which serves killer fish and chips. A quick drive is Black Sand Beach, which marks the southern end of the 25-mile Lost Coast Trail, a beloved hiking route through a wild slice of coast.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Chandelier Drive Thru Tree
It’s not a proper Northern California road trip until you’ve driven through a hollowed-out redwood. Happily, you have multiple opportunities to do so. For a classic, simpler experience, drive through the Chandelier Tree in Leggett, or try the Klamath Tour-Thru Tree, 150 miles north in Klamath. For a more elaborate experience, hit the Shrine Drive Thru Tree in Myers Flat.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
Glass Beach
There was a time when Glass Beach was covered with so much ocean-smoothed glass that there was almost no visible sand. That bounty was thanks to what locals called the Dumps, an accumulation of the town’s junk at the water’s edge until 1967, when authorities closed the site. Time, tourism and the power of the waves have all taken their toll, which means that if you’re out to see the pebble-size shards of yesteryear, you’re likely out of luck. The waves still crash dramatically here, and the sand that’s pushed and pulled with the tides is still bursting with multicolored gems — they’re just much smaller. For more sea glass content, head to nearby International Sea Glass Museum, which features many remarkable finds from Glass Beach.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
Sandwiched between Mendocino and grittier towns along the Redwood Highway, Fort Bragg is a pleasant mix of “historic beach destination” and “no-nonsense Anytown, USA.” Vistas from Pudding Creek Trestle, Noyo Headlands and Pomo Bluffs Park showcase the rugged cliffs and sandy seashore of this part of the coast. Kayak the Noyo River if you’re feeling adventurous. Or visit world-famous Glass Beach, the town-dump-turned-sea-glass-treasure-trove. Ride through the redwoods on the 130-year-old Skunk Train to see a bit of the area’s history. Afterward, stop by the old Union Lumber Company store, which has been converted into a mini mall. Top off your visit with a meal at one of the restaurants in Fort Bragg’s compact, charming downtown.
Add to my favoritesYalonda M. James / The Chronicle
Skunk Train
The name Skunk Train comes from the distinctive stench of the fuel that powered the historic cars that have plied this railway for more than 130 years. This was the last train to deliver mail in the U.S. until 2003. Now the mix of historic cars and open-air platforms offers another fun opportunity for visitors to get out into the redwoods and learn a little local history. The open-air cars are pleasantly breezy, especially with redwoods rising all around and accompanied by a cocktail or bag of popcorn from the snack car. If your schedule doesn’t match up or you prefer more exercise with your train experience, try the line’s rail bikes. And for train enthusiasts or those with more time to spend, the Skunk Train can still take you all the way to Willits.
Add to my favoritesCavan Images / Getty Images
Point Cabrillo Lighthouse
Taller and more traditionally designed than its cousin in Shelter Cove, the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse sits on a spit of land between Mendocino and Fort Bragg. A spur off Route 1 winds past the white sand and clear blue water of Caspar Beach to the light station, a slice of greenery and rocky cliffs accessible via hiking trails or a walk along the road. The lighthouse also hosts a small museum full of local history and marine science.
Add to my favorites
Russian Gulch State Park
Most people stop at Russian Gulch for the photo op — the park offers a spectacular view of the dramatic Fredrick W. Panhorst Bridge and plunging cliffs around — but it’s also a prime spot to picnic, stretch your legs and learn a little about the area’s local history. It’s named for the settlers that plied this coast in search of seal and otter furs starting in the early 1800s. The park offers easy access to hiking, including beautiful water views along Headlands Trail (0.75 miles). That walk includes a stop at the odd, oddly spectacular Devil’s Punchbowl, a 100-foot-wide, 60-foot-deep sinkhole that fills with ocean water at high tide and features an impressive waterfall during the wet season.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
With its pretty Victorian houses and cliffs plunging into the ocean, Mendocino is one of the most picturesque spots in Northern California. The town manages to squeeze several blocks of earthy-crunchy cafes, art galleries and wine bars onto a compact peninsula. Tucked among them is the bright red and green Temple of Kwan Tai.
Architecture and culture aside, the natural beauty surrounding Mendocino is the real highlight here. Start your morning on the cliffs of Mendocino Headlands State Park, take in the exotic flora at Mendocino Botanical Garden, then spend the afternoon by the beach at Big River or the lighthouse at Point Cabrillo.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
Mendocino Headlands State Park
This park, a quick jaunt from town, features huge, slablike cliffs dropping dramatically into aquamarine pools below. It’s a lovely stop for a picnic and picture taking if you’re in a hurry, or for exploration by foot, canoe or kayak if you have more time. The Headlands Trail (4 miles) is one way to explore the area in depth.
Add to my favoritesJessica Christian / The Chronicle
Little River Blowhole
A short trail through the Little River Cemetery takes you to a odd geologic feature that started as a blowhole but has eroded into a punch bowl. At high tide, ocean waves funnel through a narrow rock tunnel and empty into the punch bowl’s sandy bottom. During nights when there’s a full moon illuminating the Gold Rush-era cemetery and a low tide at sea, drum circles will occasionally form in the depths of the punch bowl — percussionists rappell down with their instruments using a fixed rope at the site.
Add to my favoritesMichael Maloney / The Chronicle
Van Damme State Park pygmy forest
This so-called pygmy forest formed when trees are stunted by low-nutrient soil that sits on ancient former ocean floor. The result is a collection of natural bonsai, with half-inch tree trunks boasting decades of growth rings. The pygmy forests of California’s North Coast (found at Salt Point, Van Damme and Jughandle state parks) formed due to an “ecological staircase” made of giant terraces uplifted from the ocean floor over many millennia. The quarter-mile Pygmy Forest Discovery Trail at Van Damme sits just inside the park’s southern entrance, and its boardwalk wends through stands of miniature pines and cypresses that normally might tower more than a hundred feet. For a longer jaunt, try Jughandle, where you can play giant on the 2.5-mile Ecological Staircase Trail.
Add to my favoritesDavid Zentz / Getty Images
The hub of the late 19th century North Coast logging industry is now a booming creative community. The wares of this tiny coastal town’s disproportionately deep bench of artistic talent can be discovered at the Artist’s Collective Gallery, a shared exhibition space for 30 local artists. Elk’s gastronomic culture is also surprisingly robust. The Elk Store’s stacked-high deli sandwiches — particularly the banh mi with house-smoked pork belly — are standard provisions for beach picnics. The Restaurant at Harbor House Inn, where celebrated chef Matthew Kammerer serves a 12-course fixed-price dinner featuring purple sea urchin and four types of seaweed sourced from the property’s private ocean cove, is currently the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Mendocino County. For a dose of nature, have a seat on a driftwood log at Greenwood State Beach or watch the harbor seals at Navarro Beach.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands
In March 2014 former President Barack Obama declared these 1,700 undeveloped acres as the only onshore section of the California Coastal National Monument. A rich microcosm of wildlife, from humpback whales to peregrine falcons to the endangered Point Arena mountain beaver, thrive in the equally wide variety of habitats. A quintessential visit includes a stop at the historic Point Arena Lighthouse, a wander along the 5.7-mile out-and-back coastal trail and a photo opp teetering atop one of the sandstone spheres at Bowling Ball Beach.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
B. Bryan Preserve
Animal conservationists Frank and Judy Mello established the 110-acre B. Bryan Preserve in 2004, not just to restore populations of threatened species (including the greater kudu antelope and Rothschild’s giraffe), but also to spread the word about Africa’s natural wildlife habitats, declining due to an increase in poaching and intensified political unrest. Each motorized tour — self-guided is an option — culminates in hand-feeding carrots to the giraffes.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Not that this town wasn’t already on the map before March 2014, when President Barack Obama established 1,665 acres of its coastal prairie as the first onshore addition to the California Coastal National Monument, but such a presidential declaration can be a reputational boon and boost for the local economy. Of the varieties of hikeable terrain here, one landmark has been helping travelers get their bearings since 1870: The Point Arena Lighthouse (the tallest of its kind on the West Coast at 115 feet). Another vestige of the logging era is Point Arena Pier, which was rebuilt in the mid-1980s after a 1983 storm dismantled its forebear. Anglers have been known to hook cabezon, buffalo sculpin, sea perch and even octopuses from its railings. It’s also been a favorite place for locals to sit on the dock of the bay with a pie from the iconic Point Arena Pizza and watch the whales float by.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Bowling Ball Beach
Crucial to visiting this Point Arena beach is checking the tide tables. Peak low tide is the best time to see the dozens of globular sandstone concretions, shaped by millennia’s worth of whipping winds and crashing surf. From the north end of the parking lot, take a short hike through a meadow, which will lead to a rickety ladder — some scrambling over boulders will be in order. Then walk along the beach for a half mile to see these geologic wonders.
Add to my favorites
Surf Market BBQ
For the last decade, this vintage gourmet grocer has been mounting a festive weekend barbecue to live music in its parking lot, drawing anyone who finds the aroma of smoke and charred meat irresistible. Over grills smoldering with white-hot mesquite charcoal, the market’s skilled pitmasters prepare baby back ribs, rotisserie chicken and tri-tip to their tenderest smoky-sweet potential. Since the barbecue experience is often judged by the available sides, Surf Market’s roasted sweet potatoes and corn on the cob are slathered with butter and then topped with chile crunch.
Add to my favorites
Oz Farm cabins
Cabins on Oz Farm, a 17-acre, off-the-grid horticultural oasis powered by wind and solar, include yurts and a two-story octagonal shanty called the Tower that evokes a stove-top espresso maker. The most architecturally striking are the Domes, on the south bank of the Garcia River, which hark back to the counterculture structures handbuilt in the Mendocino backwoods. In the spirit of the surroundings, guests can order a CSA farm box and purchase bottles of estate-brewed hard cider made from over 50 varieties of European and heirloom apples grown on Oz Farm’s orchard.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
The rural Sonoma Coast seems like an odd place for a globally acclaimed utopia of modernism, but nevertheless one exists on a jagged coastal shelf that was once a late-19th century ranch. In 1963, visionary developer Al Boecke, landscape designer Lawrence Halprin and the San Francisco architecture studio MLTW broke ground on Sea Ranch, a residential community driven by nature, a philosophy inspired by area’s Indigenous Pomo nation.
Clad in local redwood, the exteriors of structures here develop the familiar weathered-gray patina of coastal trees and echo the color of the frequently soupy setting. Homes are arranged perpendicular to the coast for democratic access to ocean views, while others are intentionally tucked behind cypress hedgerows for protection from the elements. The hamlet’s 10-mile-long bluff-top trail offers opportunities to descend to black sand beaches and tide pools, plus close-ups of the groundbreaking architecture.
Add to my favoritesKathleen Duncan / The Chronicle
Coastal Bluff Trail at Sea Ranch
This 10-mile trail fronts Sea Ranch’s jagged coastal shelf and leads to a variety of outdoor experiences, not to mention endless close-ups of the modernist enclave’s iconic architecture. Be sure to stick to public-access paths. Head down to Black Point Beach, just a two-minute walk north from the newly renovated Sea Ranch Lodge for a perspective on the coastal terrace from the bottom of the bluff. Swimming is highly discouraged due to dangerous rip tides.
Add to my favoritesGeorge Rose / Getty Images
Meyers Grade Road from Jenner to Timber Cove
This higher-altitude detour is popular for motorists seeking a brief respite from the twists and turns of Highway 1. Along this approximately 11-mile route, you’ll find Fort Ross Winery. A reservations-required, 90-minute wine tasting at the estate — a modern mountain cabin surrounded by forests and meadows — is paired with small chef-prepared bites like risotto with leeks or beef sliders with peri-peri sauce, making the winery a pleasant pit stop for the peckish over-21 set. If the coast happens to be socked in, you’ll be above the fog line, which will feel like you’re floating, no wine required.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
You may not recognize Bodega Bay as the location for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller “The Birds.” But take a closer look at the subdued, treeless landscape and old-school fishing harbor, and you’ll soon be able to imagine large flocks of fowl darkening the sky. The old Potter Schoolhouse (now a private home), was the site of a key bird attack in the film, and can be found a few miles inland in the town of Bodega. Not far from there is the Casino Bar & Grill, hardly a gambling hall as the name implies, but rather a favorite among locals for its homey tableau and sophisticated, farmers’-market-driven menu.
Beach camping is popular in Bodega Bay. Where the Bodega Dunes campground is more secluded — that is, by a pleasantly strollable mile — from the popular surfer haunt Bodega Dunes Beach, Doran Regional Park has a beachside campground for immediate toes-in-the-sand gratification. Doran’s Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail, a 1.2-mile loop around saltwater marsh, turns a morning constitutional into a birding excursion worthy of the town’s cinematic history. On any given day, you may see northern harrier raptors, Bewick’s wren, merlins and maybe even a bald eagle.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Bodega Head
Atop this granite promontory that protects the town of Bodega Bay from stormy ocean weather, the 1.7-mile Bodega Head Nature Trail loops through windswept meadows of California poppies, lupine and aster, plus large patches of ice plant. From November through April, when gray whales make their annual migration from the cold feeding grounds of Alaska to Baja’s warm calving lagoons, this bulbous landmass is a prime viewing spot along their 10,000-mile round-trip journey.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Oysters on Tomales Bay
A slurping excursion to Marshall, on the eastern shore of Tomales Bay is a favorite pastime of Bay Area residents. Slide into a picnic table at Hog Island Oyster Co., where a selection of freshly harvested oysters — from buttery Kumamoto to French Hog, a rare variety with coppery notes — is served raw with a side of Hogwash, the jalapeño-spiked house mignonette.
Add to my favorites
Chicken Ranch Beach
In the gently lapping waters of this under-the-radar beach in Inverness, on the west shore of Tomales Bay, swimmers may be surprised to find no fowl in sight, but rather juvenile bat rays skimming the shallows and fist-size jellyfish farther from shore, making this beach a captivating aquarium setting for swimmers, paddleboarders and kayakers. See nearby Blue Waters Kayaking for rentals.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Heidrun Meadery
This wine producer, located on a pastoral 300-acre former dairy farm just outside of Point Reyes Station, puts a spin on Northern California’s winemaking heritage by fermenting honey with water to create sparkling mead. If you’re new to this grape-less style, a tasting flight is a good introduction to the “flower to flute” fizz.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
As the main commercial district for the Point Reyes National Seashore, this no-stoplight town’s culture quotient is higher than that of most rural outposts. The destination officially came to be in the 1870s when a train depot was built on a dairy pasture belonging to a ranching heiress. That frontier feeling endures, perhaps due to the main drag’s original late-1800s Italianate-style edifices. Point Reyes Station’s two gourmet grocers, Palace Market and Toby’s Feed Barn, are stacked with packable artisan provisions. As for a relaxing apres-adventure scene, knock back a cold one in the dark and musty Old Western Saloon, a mainstay since 1860.
Add to my favoritesTalia Herman / Special to The Chronicle
Point Reyes Lighthouse
This far-flung, westernmost point on the Point Reyes National Seashore also happens to be the foggiest — and second-windiest — spot along North America’s Pacific coast. After a 45-minute drive from the town of Point Reyes Station, the journey culminates in a 313-step descent to the historic lighthouse, which transmitted its inaugural beams a whopping 24 miles out to sea in 1870 thanks to its “first-order” Fresnel lens, restored for posterity in 2019.
Add to my favoritesMason Trinca / Special to The Chronicle
By now, this little shoreline bohemia’s begrudging attitude toward outsiders just adds to its charm. For a place that takes its hidden-gem status perhaps too seriously, enchanting amenities seem tailor made to oblige respectful visitors: There’s a vintage inn (Grand Hotel) and a cool new vacation rental (Ocean Parkway House). There are quaint eateries (Coast Cafe) and drinkeries (Smiley’s Saloon, rumored to be the oldest continually operating watering hole on the West Coast). Surf schools (Bolinas Surf or Tamalpais Surf Club) capitalize on Bolinas Beach’s beginner-friendly waves. And art and history are under one roof at the Bolinas Museum. The shoreline of the Bolinas Lagoon, once lined with hotels, is now a 1,100-acre protected tidal estuary, part of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, where harbor seals, large waders like herons and egrets, and birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway, take refuge.
Add to my favoritesDon Feria / Special to The Chronicle
Visitors arriving to Stinson Beach have either cruised in on a roller-coaster section of Highway 1, hiked in via challenging footpaths in the labyrinthine Mount Tamalpais trail system, or completed the famous Dipsea Race, which has led racers 7.5 rugged miles from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach since 1905. You’d think such arduous travel would discourage tourism in this normally sleepy coastal town, but it seems only to make it more alluring.
This former World War II observation post turns into a slice of beachy Americana on weekends and especially on patriotic holidays, when barbecue picnics fill the grassy 51-acre beach park. Colorful umbrellas dot the town’s eponymous attraction, a 3-mile-long crescent of white sand beach; surfers and skimboarders vie for easygoing waves and frothy shore break, respectively; and the overall mood among Stinson Beach visitors is flag-wavingly festive.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Agate Beach
Predominantly pink thanks to a proliferation of coralline algae, the tide pools at this large shale reef on the southern tip of the Point Reyes peninsula can be easily accessed through Agate Beach in Bolinas. Just like all discovery missions to the intertidal zones along the California coast, it’s best to visit Duxbury, a state marine conservation area, during an ebb cycle (consult the NOAA tide table).
Add to my favoritesGabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle
Dipsea Trail
This quintessential Marin County trail dates to 1905, when two friends — members of San Francisco’s Olympic Club — made a wager: Who would finish first in a strenuous footrace over 7.5 miles of rugged Mount Tamalpais terrain, starting at the Mill Valley train depot (Cascade Drive, Cascade Way and Molino Avenue in Mill Valley) and ending at the Dipsea Inn, a hotel in the coastal town of Willow Camp (now known as Stinson Beach). But you don’t have to participate in the race to enjoy the trail. If you finish in Stinson Beach, consider a dip in the sea to celebrate.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
In picturesque Sausalito, houses either cling to hillsides or, famously, float on the bay. Taking a self-guided tour of Sausalito’s iconic floating homes is a classic way to pick up the local vibe, whether by land or by sea. From Sea Trek on Richardson Bay, rent a kayak and paddle 15 minutes due north.
While downtown Sausalito is a borderline tourist trap, strolling the promenade is practically obligatory. At Copita Tequileria y Comida, the juicy lamb quesabírria is a gamey, gourmet take on a trendy dish, and more than 100 tequilas and mezcals are available. Head to Fish, at the Marina Plaza Harbor, for piled-high albacore tuna melts, grilled local octopus stew and crab rolls to celebrate peak-winter Dungeness season.
Sausalito is also home to major forces of art and design. The Headlands Center for the Arts, in historic Fort Barry, offers immersive experiences — open houses, workshops, nature walks, exhibitions and community meals — for visitors to engage with artists in residence. And a tour of the original Heath Ceramics factory on Gate 5 Road is full of historic and artistic insight into the award-winning mid-century brand.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Golden Gate Bridge
This globally recognized marvel of engineering, constructed in the 1930s, attracts scores of travelers the world over. Pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users can travel the 1.7-mile span via a walkway on its eastern edge, and linger below the 746-foot towers and cables. With two trailheads on Lincoln Boulevard, the Batteries to Bluffs Trail above Marshall’s Beach and Baker Beach features an elevated view of the Pacific Ocean horizon, as well as the Presidio’s western shoreline.
Add to my favoritesGabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle
Rodeo Beach
Arriving at this semi-sheltered cove beach toward the end of a loop around Fort Cronkhite (take the Miwok up to Wolf Ridge, then descend on the Coastal Trail) includes a detour through military history. Hill 88, about two-thirds of the way around the loop, once housed Cold War-era Nike missile bunkers and a radar station. Once you reach the beach, you’ll immediately notice its unique sand geology — different iron levels in undersea chert form the multicolored pebbles. Rodeo Lagoon is a brackish habitat for river otters, American goldfinch and the endangered tidewater goby, a small fish that lives its entire life in this shallow body of water.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Hike the Marin Headlands
Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
Land’s End
At the northwestern corner of San Francisco, Lands End contains hiking trails, a memorial to the USS San Francisco, the West Fort Miley batteries, and the ruins of Sutro Baths. Mile Rock Beach can be found from the Lands End Coastal Trail, and is a ruggedly beautiful place to enjoy the sunset. The Lands End Lookout Visitor Center was added in 2012, and has indoor exhibits and videos on the natural and cultural history of Lands End, Sutro Baths, and Sutro Heights.
Add to my favoritesStephen Lam / The Chronicle
Between the city and the Great Highway, which runs along Ocean Beach, Sunset and Richmond district residents embrace the neighborhoods’ reputation for fog with a wink, knowing it’s often sunnier than visitors expect.
Start your journey by having brunch at Outerlands, known for its driftwood décor and delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. Or, visit Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant to discover why the margaritas have a global following. While Playland, the storied seaside amusement park, is long gone — those in search of outdoor fun have a wide swath of Golden Gate Park to enjoy, from watching the bison paddock’s shaggy residents to lounging near six of the park’s 10 lakes.
Shoppers in search of material items that have a strong sense of this area’s vibe should drop in at Mollusk Surf Shop or General Store in the Sunset.
Add to my favoritesCarlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
Ocean Beach
This 3.5-mile beach forms San Francisco’s western border, and at one time, it was separated from the rest of the city by a vast sand-dune wilderness. Between 1850 and 1926, 20 ships were wrecked on the beach. Ocean Beach and the Great Highway marks the western edge of Golden Gate Park, and those looking for more history can step into the Beach Chalet to view WPA-era murals with scenes from the everyday life of San Francisco and Golden Gate Park.
Add to my favoritesCarlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
Sharp Park Beach
Extending along Pacifica’s waterfront near the Pacifica Municipal Pier and south to Mori Point, this black-sand beach gets its distinctive color from the iron oxide magnetite. The L-shaped pier is one of the most popular fishing locations along the coast, and anglers often pull in catches if salmon, striped bass, surfperch, and jacksmelt. Located on a promontory, 110-acre Mori Point was once a haven for settlers, travelers, and bootleggers, and today is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Add to my favoritesSmith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
It takes only a 20-minute drive to feel as if you’ve been transported a world away from San Francisco. Highway 1 cuts straight through Pacifica, between the Southern Coast Ranges and the Pacific Ocean, and those tempted to blaze a trail south have missed out on this city’s coastal vibe.
Public lands surrounding Pacifica are part of one of the world’s largest urban national parks, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and you can look out to the edge of the horizon from Milagra Ridge and Sweeney Ridge or stop for an oceanside moment at Mori Point.
Since the Tom Lantos Tunnels between Pacifica and Montara were opened in 2013, the old roadway through Devil’s Slide has been converted into a 1.3-mile multi-use trail where hikers, runners, and bicyclists can pause to enjoy gazing at the coastal waters without having to worry about keeping an eye on the road.
Add to my favorites
Linda Mar Beach
The southernmost of Pacifica’s large beaches, Linda Mar Beach is also known as Pacifica State Beach. The wide cove and crescent beach are beloved by many who come for the surf, hiking trails, and chilling out on the sand. Nearby merchants include the Nor Cal Surf Shop, and a beachfront Taco Bell that some believe is the most beautiful of the fast-food chain’s locations. To the south, the Devil’s Slide Trail is a 1.3-mile paved foot-and-bike trail that was converted from a roadway to part of the California Coastal Trail.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is one of the most spectacular, accessible, and protected tidepool sites along the Northern California coast. To get the most out of a visit, come during a low tide; the lowest low tides tend to occur around the time of the full moon and new moon. Winding across the Moss Beach bluffs is the California Coastal Trail, part of an effort to connect more than 1,200 miles of trails along the state’s coastline. Nearby, the historic Point Montara Lighthouse is an 1875 fog signal station and lighthouse that’s been repurposed into a hostel.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Pillar Point Harbor
A haven for both commercial and sport boaters, Pillar Point Harbor is also an ideal spot for those who love the ocean. It’s home to Mavericks, the big-wave surf break that shows up in winter months, and lures avid surfers to either test their mettle against the huge waves, or the more forgiving swell at Surfers Beach at the harbor’s south jetty. Enjoy the view from the beach or handful of harbor restaurants, or venture out on a kayak or stand-up paddleboard at Half Moon Bay Kayak Company.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
With a population of approximately 12,583, the city of Half Moon Bay may be the largest of its coastside neighbors, but it’s still a small town. The region is an agricultural center for farmers, Pillar Point Harbor is an active commercial and sport fishing harbor, and Half Moon Bay is a day-trip haven for Bay Area residents.
Historic Main Street is home to boutique shops, art galleries, cafés and restaurants—many in renovated 19th-century buildings. Sandy beaches line the coast, ideal for beachcombing, long walks, and spying migrating California gray whales.
Big-wave surf spot Mavericks lures skilled surfers eager to ride 60-foot-high waves in winter, but smaller waves also abound, as well as opportunities for stand-up paddling, kayaking, sailing, and fishing. Visit in fall to see fields packed with bright-orange pumpkins just in time for the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival.
Add to my favoritesPeter Prato / Special to The Chronicle
Half Moon Bay State Beach
Half Moon Bay State Beach is comprised of four beaches: Francis Beach, Venice Beach, Dunes Beach, and Roosevelt Beach. The combined 4-mile stretch of wide, sandy beach has day-use parking at each of the four beaches — the most popular of which is Francis. Get sustenance at The Barn, a casual restaurant with locally sourced ingredients, or Dad’s Luncheonette, where reinvented roadside classics are served from an historic train caboose.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Heading south from Half Moon Bay gets you into Slow Coast territory — that 50-mile stretch of coastal land that stretches to Santa Cruz dotted with you-pick farms, produce stands, redwood forests and pocket beaches. Tucked 2 miles inland from the coast, the small town of Pescadero retains its old-school vibe as part of the coast’s farming and ranching community.
Slow down and wander the relaxed main drag, which has a variety of shops, markets, restaurants, and cafés where you can find locally made furniture, wine, olallieberry pies, artichoke bread, and grilled fish tacos. At the edge of town, spy farm animals from pigs to dairy goats. Road bicyclists love riding the lesser-used ribbon of Stage Road that runs from downtown Pescadero to San Gregorio, or even following Pescadero Creek Road into the hills to Loma Mar and La Honda.
Add to my favoritesClara Mokri / Special to The Chronicle
Pigeon Point Lighthouse
Standing 115 feet high at the edge of a rocky outcropping, Pigeon Point Light Station is one of the tallest lighthouses in the United States. Located just outside the town of Pescadero, it’s a great excuse to get close to the ocean without sitting in the sand. Drop in, explore the grounds and snap photos. There’s also a hostel here where you can book a rental hou