Expert: Ernest Tufft - 3/31/2009

Question
I am planning on taking a trip, flying from Philadelphia to San Francisco and then renting a car and taking the Coastal Pacific Hwy down to Santa Anna just north of San Diego. My family and I plan on taking a one way flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco. I have relatives who live in Santa Anna where we plan on spending a couple of days before flying back to Philadelphia leaving from the John Wayne Airport. We would like to know the following:
1. best and cheapest way to do this trip.
2. tourist attractions along the Pacific Coast Hwy.
3. what would be the best way to do this trip in an in-expensive way.
Thanks you

Answer
Hi John,

I recently wrote several such recommendations for this very popular route, and so I recommend reading those.  But, I do have some tips for economizing your adventure.

Don't rent the car in San Francisco or the airport.  You'll find that there are rental car companies near a BART station in the East Bay Area where rentals cars are sometimes $20- or so cheaper per day, just due to no airport taxes.  However, given your family movements, and the inconvenience of waiting, don't panic.  SFO does have an excellent rental car system that is not a "rip-off".

After leaving San Francisco, take Hwy 280 south to find Hwy 9 (use Mapquest.com to do this.  Keyword from San Francisco to Boulder Creek, with Saratoga as an intermediate stop, and you will likely find Hwy 9.)  This drive through the Santa Cruz Mountains provides many opportunities to stop and hike through Redwood Forests.  The oldest California State Park is Big Basin, which is an old growth forest within a remarkable conical basin within these mountains.  Then, stay in the Santa Cruz-Aptos area for better hotel costs, rather than in Monterey.  Santa Cruz pier has a group of seals which can be enjoyed while munching on a fresh crab sandwich.  Arches State Park, on the north end of Santa Cruz, has a number of family related activities, in addition to frequent surfer action that can be fun to watch.  Santa Cruz is a world-class surfer hang-out, but even downtown Santa Cruz, which is off the beach, is worth a stroll for window shopping.

Moss Landing, which is on Hwy 1 between Santa Cruz and Monterey, is also a great place to take the family for a seafood lunch at a good price.

Pay the fee and drive 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach, and then proceed into Carmel.  Carmel's downtown is worth a stroll, but don't buy here.  This gallery and clothier studded small town has world-class prices.  Visit Mission Carmel, which is cheap and well-worth the history lesson of early California.

The drive between Carmel and San Simeon is the longest and most beautiful stretch of coastline on the Hwy 1 route, and has many places to pull over and admire the view.  Don't rush through here.  Drive carefully.

Piedras Blancas, near San Simeon, has a protected colony of sea lions that may be viewed free of charge.

Morro Bay has lodging that is cheaper than some of the other more fashionable places in the south central coast area.  But, actually, I'm a real fan of this place.  The "Morro" is a mountainous butte on the beach which provides nesting santuary for birds.  There are a number of decent places to eat here too.

Solvang is a popular tourist destination--check it out online.

Hope this helps...alan