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Incredible Places To Stop On A San Francisco To Los Angeles Road Trip

June 14, 2018 / California, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Travel, USA / 0 comment

Incredible Places To Stop On A San Francisco To Los Angeles Road Trip

The San Francisco to Los Angeles road trip down Highway 1 is an iconic drive through some of the most beautiful parts of California. Stretching 442 miles / 711 kms and taking around 8 to 9 hours non-stop to drive, the San Francisco to Los Angeles drive down Route 1 is scenic beyond belief. Voted as one of the Best American Road Trips by National Geographic, this is one of the most memorable road trips you can make.

While the fastest route to take between San Francisco and Los Angeles is the Interstate 5 Freeway (382 miles / 615 kms from Downtown LA to Downtown SF, taking approx 5.5 hours to 6 hours), if you have time to spend, I highly recommend taking the scenic LA to San Francisco road trip down Route 1 instead.

Please be aware that after the 2017 landslide there have been road closures on Highway 1 south of Big Sur / North of Piedras Blancas Lighthouse / San Simeon. The road is hopefully reopening in July 2018. Check here for updates and here for info on the detour.

Spending time in San Francisco? Check out things to do in San Francisco with kids here.

Have a few days sightseeing in LA? Check out things to do in Los Angeles with kids here.

Monterey

This seaside town is famous for Cannery Row, the the waterfront street with now-defunct sardine canning factories, Fisherman’s Wharf, the fantastic Monterey Bay Aquarium and world-renowned PGA Golf Course at Pebble Beach.

We also enjoyed spotting sea lions basking on Del Monte Beach. If you have kids in tow, head to Dennis The Menace Playground, which features a maze and rock climbing wall.

The scenic 17-Mile Drive to Pebble Beach is a great detour, with dramatic cliffs, the iconic Lone Cyprus and wildlife to see.

Get more info on Monterey Bay Aquarium here.

Get more info on the 17-Mile Drive here.

Find and compare hotels in Monterey here.

Carmel-by-the-Sea

One of our favourite little towns, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a must-visit on the San Francisco to Los Angeles road trip. Often called Carmel, the town was founded in 1902 and is known for it’s artistic history and beautiful scenery. I would say it’s also known for it’s storybook houses that I would love to retire to one day.

Carmel is very dog-friendly, and you’ll see dogs literally everywhere – on the beach in hotels, restaurants and shops.

We also enjoyed a visit to the Mission San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo, also called the Carmel Mission. Built in 1797, the Mission is one o the best examples of Roman Catholic mission churches in California.

Take kids to the Cottage of Sweets, a traditional British-style sweets shop with homemade fudge and imported candies, and locally-owned Thinker Toys.

Sunset on the beach is a must in Carmel. It gets chilly, even in summer, so rug up.

Where to stay in Carmel

We stayed at the Best Western Carmel’s Town House Lodge for the night, which had all the basics we needed.

Find and compare hotels in Carmel here.

Where to eat in Carmel

We enjoyed a hearty breakfast at bustling Katy’s Place, delicious brunch and lunch at Carmel Belle, great coffee from Carmel Coffee House, upmarket dinner at Casanova (with kid-friendly options!), homestyle Italian food at Il Grillo and baked treats at Carmel Bakery (photo above).

Big Sur

The 90-mile stretch of redwood-trimmed coast between Carmel-by-the-Sea and San Simeon is where you’ll find Big Sur. The name Big Sur comes from the Spanish ““el sur grande” or Big South. The name refers to Big Sur’s location, 25 miles south of Monterey.

Bixby Bridge

The most instagrammable spot on the Big Sur coast, Bixby Bridge was built in 1932, 260 feet/79 metres above a canyon.

Pfieffer Beach and Keyhole Rock

A detour off the beaten path, but well-worth it, particularly at sunset. Pfieffer Beach is south of Big Sur Station, where Sycamore Canyon Creek meets the Pacific Ocean, framed by rocks at either end.

While tidal pools can be fin to explore at low tide, and the north end of the beach has unique purple sand, the beach is renowned for Keyhole Rock, an incredible natural rock arch formation that waves and the last light of sunset pass through. It’s an incredible place to watch the sunset.

San Simeon

The town itself doesn’t offer much, with the main draw cards to the area being Hearst Castle and the elephant seals at Piedras Blancas.

Hearst Castle

A National Historic Landmark, Hearst Castle was the private residence of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in the 1920s. The lavish mansion is accessible by tour only. Advance bookings are highly recommended.

Get more info on visiting Hearst Castle here.

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash.

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery

Piedras Blancas is an excellent spot to observe the magnificent northern elephant seal. Spread over 6 miles of shoreline, the viewing areas provide access to the elephant seals as they bask on the shore at their land-based rookery. We saw literally hundreds of elephant seals when we visited. The elephant seal rookery was one of our favourite stops on the San Francisco to Los Angeles road trip.

There is a free car park at the view area, which is open daily and is wheelchair / stroller accessible.

Where to stay in San Simeon

We stayed at the Days Inn San Simeon, which was basic but catered for all of our needs.

Find and compare hotels in San Simeon here.

Madonna Inn San Luis Obispo

We stopped at the family-owned Madonna Inn for lunch, but it’s an incredible spot to stay the night. The unique resort has been welcoming guests since 1958. The incredible interiors must be seen to be believed. We recommend dining at the Copper Cafe.

Get more info on the Madonna Inn here.

Santa Barbara

Visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History to see the 73-foot long blue whale skeleton, one of only five complete blue whale skeletons in the USA, or the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center for an interactive marine experience. Mission Santa Barbara, also known as Santa Barbara Mission, is also worth a visit. Walk down to Stearns Wharf and enjoy the seaside atmosphere.

Get more info on Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center here.

Get more info on Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History here.

Find and compare hotels in Santa Barbara here.

Photo by OC Gonzalez on Unsplash

Malibu

While there are some beaches (and celebrities) in Malibu, I would suggest visiting the incredible Getty Villa art museum that is located in the area.

Get info on visiting the Getty Villa here.

Santa Monica Pier

The iconic Santa Monica Pier was built in 1909, the first concrete pier on the USA West Coast. Ride the Santa Monica Pier Carousel built in 1939, take a spin on the world’s only solar-powered ferris wheel, challenge each other to a game at Playland Arcade and don’t miss the gorgeous sunset.

Photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash

Get more info on visiting Santa Monica Pier here.

Spending time in LA afterwards? Check out the best things to do in LA with kids here.

Take the slow drive down the coast in a own motorhome. Get tips on motorhome rentals in California here.

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Sydney To Melbourne Inland Drive: The best places to stop on a Hume Highway road trip

February 19, 2018 / Australia, NSW, Travel, Victoria / 0 comment

The Sydney to Melbourne inland drive is a staple road trip that many Aussies have been making since childhood – myself included. We drove down as a family of three with Cheese for the first time this summer to experience the iconic drive for ourselves.

Driving between Sydney and Melbourne will take approximately eight to nine hours to cover the 877.6 km stretch via the Hume Highway. While it can be done in one day, I advise breaking the trip an evening stopover so there’s time to pull into these gems along the way.

Sydney To Melbourne Inland Drive: The Best Places To Stop On A Hume Highway Road Trip

Goulburn

Australia’s first inland city, as proclaimed by letters by Queen Victoria in 1863 is a must, even if it’s just to snap a pic with Rambo, the Big Merino. It’s just not an Aussie road trip without photographing one of the weird “big” icons that Australia loves to set up by the roadside.

The Big Merino stands 15.2m tall just off Goulburn’s southern exit. It was built in 1985 to celebrate the city and district’s fine wool industry. An exhibition on 200 years of wool history in Australia can be seen inside Rambo (open daily, 8.30am-5.30pm).

In the actual town of Goulburn, we loved Belmore Park. It’s a gorgeous spot with a rotunda, flowering gardens, fountain, shady trees, glass house conservatory, war memorials and a playground. There are also public toilets (including a wheelchair accessible toilet). The park is a fantastic stop to let kids run around, cartwheel and stretch those legs.

Across the road from Belmore park you’ll find The Roses Cafe, a delicious spot to stop for refuelling the humans. Their extensive menu features the most amazing homemade cakes, quiches, muffins, salads, frittatas, pies, cookies and more. Every single item is made from scratch onsite, each day.

Gundegai

This classic Australian country town is worth a detour to see. Walk up quaint main street, check out the Old Gungdegai Goal that was built in 1859, the Gundagai Historical Museum and Gundagai Railway station, built in 1885. A must is a stop at the famous Dog on the Tuckerbox, 8km north of Gundagai, just off the Hume Highway. We stopped at this exact spot so many times on our family Sydney to Melbourne inland drive road trips when I was a kid, and I had a ball recreating the photo from an image my parents had saved of me standing in the same spot when I was three.

Inspired by the 1850s poem “Bullocky Bill”, which celebrates the life of the loyal drover’s dog that guarded the man’s tuckerbox (where all his possessions were kept) until his death. The statue was immortalised in the song “Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox (5 miles from Gundagai)”, as was the town in “The Road To Gundegai” both by Jack O’Hagan.

Holbrook

In the middle of rural NSW, almost exactly halfway between Sydney and Melbourne, is a submarine. A real one. The HMAS Otway Submarine is insanely out of place in the country town of Holbrook, but that’s really part of its charm.

Kids can climb up and run all over the submarine, while parents will enjoy visiting the Holbrook Submarine Museum and hearing the story of the daring Captain Holbrook, for whom the town was named. There is a cafe next to the submarine and a park adjacent with a playground and restrooms.

Albury

On the banks of the Murray River, at the border of New South Wales and Victoria, sits Albury. There is plenty to do in this town, making it an ideal place to spend the night. Noreuil Park is a great spot for swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and riding bikes, while more active families might enjoy the 6km Wagirra Trail along the Murray River that features the history of the local indigenous tribe, the Wiradjuri people, and sculptures.

We particularly enjoyed the 130-year-old Botanic Gardens with its winding paths, towering trees and fantastic Children’s Garden. A recent addition to the park, the Children’s Garden is the perfect place for little ones to explore and let their imaginations run wild. We found a dinosaur with speaking tubes in its head and tail, a fairy house, troll cave and story circle, plus lots of other amazing little details carved and sculpted into the garden.

For a great cafe stop, try Mr Benedict at 664 Dean St, where we had a delicious all-day breakfast.

As previously mentioned, Albury is a great spot to spend the night on the Sydney to Melbourne inland drive. If decide to break your journey here, try the newly renovated Atura hotel – the “hippest” accomodation on the Hume Highway.

Glenrowan

A must stop on the Sydney to Melbourne inland drive for history buffs! Glenrowan is best known for its link to the bushranger Ned Kelly and the infamous Kelly gang. It was in Glenrowan where Kelly dressed in a helmet and homemade armour laid siege against the Melbourne troopers in 1880. Pick up a town map from the Glenrowan Bakehouse and follow the self-guided walk around the Glenrowan Heritage Precinct, which includes the siege and capture sites.

It’s a fascinating walk back in time to stand in the exact spot where one of Australia’s most notorious events took place. There’s also no better way to interest kids in history than for them to experience it for themselves.

Another place to stop – although it’s a rather significant detour – is Canberra. Read our tips on Canberra here.

Byron Road Trip 2010

January 2, 2011 / Australia, Holidays, NSW / 0 comment

We had a fantastic road trip up to Byron Bay over the Chrissie break. After Christmas Day in Stockton, we drove to Shoal Bay for Christmas night. We found a delicious pizza shop open and gorged ourselves on sweet, sweet pizza.

The next morning we met Alec’s dad and his wife for lunch, before drive up to Port Macquarie for the night. An early start had us on the road to Byron. We spent the next five nights in Byron, walking on the beach, eating, bush walking to a waterfall, walking up to the lighthouse and reading. Exactly what we needed after a stressful end to the year.

Easter 2009 – Great Ocean Road, Day 4

April 13, 2009 / Australia, Family, Victoria / 0 comment

Last day! We drove to Port Fairy for breakfast to start the day. Port Fairy is a cute little historic town with an unsavory whaling past. Nowadays it’s a tourist stop on the Great Ocean Road. The town has some gorgeous old buildings and lovely cafes. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast and took a stroll around the waterfront – around an island area that used to be home to an Aboriginal tribe.

We cut cross country to get back to the airport, stopping along the way at Tower Hill, an area that was formed by a volcano. We went on several bush walks along the crater rim and saw wild animals like emus and more koalas.

Sadly it was then time to head back to make our plane at Avalon. We had one last stop in Geelong to watch the sunset, then it was back home to rainy Sydney …

Easter 2009 – Great Ocean Road, Day 3

April 12, 2009 / Australia, Family, Victoria / 0 comment

After breakfast we head off to Cape Otway Lightstation for scones and tea, plus a stunning view of the coast.

We then head on up the coast to Port Campbell National Park, where the Twelve Apostles are.

Along the way we stopped at the majestic Gibson Steps and then at the Twelve Apostles look out. The Twelve Aposltes were very beautiful, but after seeing so many photos they weren’t as impressive as the rest of the rock formations I knew nothing about.

I really loved Loch Ard Gorge (below), named after a clipper ship that ran aground nearby in 1878. We also stopped by the London Arch (formerly London Bridge until it collapsed while people were on it).

We drove out of the park until we reached our destination for the evening, Warrnambool. Nothing much to report here – it’s a great place to stop during whale season, but that’s about it. The whales have their babies right off shore, so it would be great to pass by again at the right time.

Easter 2009 – Great Ocean Road, Day 2

April 11, 2009 / Australia, Family, Victoria / 0 comment

Today we planned a day of nature. We drove the long way to Otway Fly, a walk through the national park that includes a boardwalk through the trees. There were lots of people there unfortunately, which ruined the ambiance somewhat, but it was still a majestic walk through the treetops, looking at some amazingly tall trees and huge ferns.

Our next stop was Triplet Falls, a bush walk that wound past three waterfalls.

We had hoped to visit another waterfall after this, and drove there quickly as the sun was starting to sink in the sky. We figured we had about 30 mins until the sun set, so dashed through the bush trying to find the waterfall before the sun completely set and we were left in the dark in the bush. It was a little like being in a movie where the main characters do something completely stupid, like run into the bush at sunset with no phones, torches or supplies and then get eaten by rodents of unusual size … after about 15 minutes of running through the bush and still not finding the waterfall, we admitted defeat and quickly returned to the car – just in time to get back to the road before dark completely fell.

Dinner was at one of Apollo Bay’s most highly recommended venues, Buff’s Bistro, an Italian / contemporary Australian little place that was booked out solid the whole time we were there. The food was delish, the staff friendly and the wine they served was local and matched well to the meals. Yum!

Easter 2009 – Great Ocean Road, Day 1

April 10, 2009 / Australia, Family, Holidays, Victoria / 0 comment

For our first Easter weekend for just the two of us, we decided to drive the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. We flew down to Avalon Airport after work on Thursday night and spent Good Friday checking out Geelong (what’s with the weird peg people?) and then driving along the coast.

We had a quick stop at Torquay, then drove on to Bells Beach, where the Rip Curl Surf Pro was being held. We stopped off for a while and watched the grommet competition that was being run at the time. Next stop was Anglesea for lunch and a play on the beach, followed by a stop off at Airley Inlet lighthouse, which was used in the TV series “Round The Twist”.

It was then a windy drive to out evening accommodation in Apollo Bay. The road hugs the coast line so the whole drive is amazingly picturesque. Somewhere along one of the endless stretches of road we saw a few people had pulled their cars over and we standing around pointing their cameras into the bush. Being the stickybeak I am and always after a good photo, I pulled over also, and found that they were photographing koalas in the wild – right by the side of the road!

The koalas were sooo cute. Sleepy, grumpy little people. and they were really close to is – so close I could have reached our and given one a little pat if I didn’t think it might have gouged my eyes out for waking it from its eucalyptus-induced coma.

We spent tonight and the following night at a cute little BnB called Captain’s On The Bay – highly recommend.

Oh hai! Don’t disturb my nomming!