2 day road trip: San Francisco to LA Pacific Coast Hwy - must see places?

This is such a beautiful trip. Approaching  Monterey, you can make a short stop Castroville, the artichoke capital of the world. Nearby, on Route 1 at Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, is an amazing produce road stand with some of the world's freshest fruits and vegetables. It is so old California, from the time when produce road stands were everywhere. 

 Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel are charming small towns definitely worth a visit. Lodge at Pebble Beach  and The Inn at Spanish Bay are both luxury properties, but very friendly to tourists. 

 In Big Sur you have the choice to go Old School, at Nepenthe, or upscale at Post Ranch Inn. The area is spectacular, so I hope you have a sunny day. 

 Coming out of Big Sur, after Paso Robles, you have Morro Bay. It is a charming small town with beaches, yacht harbor and many low cost motels and dining choices. I personally think Santa Barbara is overpriced. So I suggest Morro Bay is a great place to break the trip. 

 If you stay on Route 1 all the way to LA you will go past Carpinteria, Oxnard, and the most beautiful stretch of unspoiled coastline coming into Malibu Beach. The road there is close to the Pacific and the ocean is full of kelp. 

Have a great trip.

If I were to do the trip I would definitely stop for lunch at the club at Pebble Beach Golf Links . The view from the outdoor deck is amazing and it feels like eating at a very exclusive country club. 

Another spot is Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur. It's a small beach with some cool rock formations that you can climb on. It's a great place to enjoy the sun, have a picnic, and watch the waves. 

A good town to spend the night is probably San Luis Obispo . It's about halfway between SF and LA, and the town has a fun beach boardwalk area and a cute downtown. 

Big Sur is a hands-down must. There are numerous pull offs and beaches...you'll have your pick. I would say it rivals the Amalfi Coast.Someone else already mentioned Nepenthe for a meal...and that's a great choice. The food is ok, but the view and location is spectacular. I would recommend the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant as the best meal. You don't get the view, but you get an incredible meal. Carmel is also a great stop once you've gone through Big Sur.

So many great responses here! Feel compelled to chime in as this is my favorite drive in the US, and I've done it a number of times.

Beginning in SF, I recommend taking Highway 1 through Pacifica (stop for a great shot of the pier!), through Davenport (California), Santa Cruz and Capitola. Santa Cruz and Capitola both have cute little downtown areas, and I'd recommend stopping for a snack or picnic. If you find yourself in Santa Cruz, The Penny Ice Creamery has amazing ice cream!

From there, continue past Moss Landing (California) (if you're hungry at this point, I recommend The Whole Enchilada and the market next door for fresh fruit & bulk snacks). Keep following Highway 1 to arrive in Monterey.

For your first night, I recommend staying in Monterey, Pacific Grove or Carmel. Regardless of which place you choose, there is tons to see and do nearby. In Monterey, I recommend seeing the downtown area (particularly if you're a fan of John Steinbeck, Thomas Kinkade or would like to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium). Pacific Grove is super cute and has a gorgeous walking path along the water, and Carmel is full of gorgeous shops and the beach. When in Carmel, be sure to grab an overpriced but delicious eggs benedict at Katy's Place, visit Carmel Plaza and the boutiques lining ocean avenue and see Scenic Rd. The famous Mission Ranch Hotel (owned by Clint Eastwood) is a fun place to have dinner and drinks, and may present an opportunity to see the man himself. :)

After leaving the Monterey Bay Peninsula, hop back on Highway 1 to cruise past Point Lobos State Reserve and make your way into Big Sur. An idyllic retreat, Big Sur presents the opportunity to dine on cliffs over looking the ocean (Nepenthe), witness a picturesque sunset (Pfeiffer State Beach) and witness some amazing crafts (Coast Gallery & Cafe). Be sure to stop by Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to see the natural waterfall! If you don't sleep in Carmel and want to try a neat experience, I love the yurts at Treebones Resort - and their phenomenal sushi bar is available to everyone, guests or not. 

Continuing further down Highway 1 will bring you into Cambria, where you can see elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve and visit the Hearst Castle. The castle really shouldn't be missed - it's spectacular! Keep going to arrive in Santa Barbara, a great spot for second night. I like Hotel Milo as it has a European feel, superb location and is reasonably priced. 

When you've finished up in SB, make the last leg of the journey to LA! As Fritzi mentioned, remaining on Highway 1 will give you amazing, coastal views coming into Malibu.

Hope this helps! :)

Hi Sid,

Must stop places include Carmel, Hearst Castle, Pismo Beach (California), Paso Robles and Santa Barbara. Spend the night in an area close to Big Sur. That will give you a chance to linger around in Big Sur which is amazingly beautiful.

This is such a fun road trip! I would definitely stop by the famous Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur for a photo op on your way down, and maybe Hearst Castle. An overnight in Santa Barbara would be great, since it's just two hours from L.A. and is small enough to see the highlights in a few hours. And at least one of you can enjoy a glass of wine! 

Definitely Carmel & Big Sur.

Take the 17 Mile Dr , the most beautiful route out of San Francisco.  Carmel and Monterrey are beautiful places to spend half a day.  Cannery Row if you're a Steinbeck buff, and Monterey Bay Aquarium is spectacular.

As others have mentioned, Big Sur is a must.  Have your cameras ready. 

So it looks like San Francisco to Carmel is about 2.5hrs so that would not be halfway, so what do you guys think of San Luis Obispo as a midpoint to stay the night and then next day go to Santa Barbara and Malibu Beach.

Rather than repeat everyone else's excellent suggestions, I'm going to show some love to San Gregorio State Beach and Isla Vista, which are both worth a look. 

Stop in Cambria and dine at Sow's Ear where they have the best chicken and dumplings ever.  At some point you need to try something with Olallieberries, like pie if you can get it, or even toast with jam.  They have it in Carmel too.  

I would also add Carmel. San Luis Obispo or Pismo Beach (California) are good for the overnight stay.

I agree that San Luis Obispo would be a good place to spend the night. If you are going to stop in Big Sur don't miss the Big Sur Bakery. 

Be sure to check out Hearst Castle in San Simeon and Big Sur. Santa Barbara is also great to visit if you have time.

I did this trip a year or so ago. 17 mile drive through Pebble Beach (California) is a MUST, also Hearst Castle in San Simeon was worth the trip.