How many days do you need to drive the Pacific Coast Highway?

If you want to do the whole thing, you'll need at least 14 days. However, if you're low on time, you can rush through it in 10 days (I really don't recommend this!) There are a few Pacific Coast Highway stops where I suggest spending 2 days, while others are quick stops along the route.



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If you want to drive the Pacific Coast Highway then you can do it in half a day. Officially it's less than 130 miles long, running between Dana Point and Oxnard in southern California. This is the stretch of Highway 1 which has been legally designated the Pacific Coast Highway by the California state legislature.

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Can You Camp Along Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway)? Unfortunately, you cannot camp on the side of Highway 1. Camping or parking your car overnight is illegal. Prosecutors will receive a fine of up to $1,000.

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Big Sur The most easily accessible and breathtakingly stark part of the PCH is a short drive (about 3 hours) sound of San Francisco, so many people in the Bay Area do it as an overnight or weekend trip. Big Sur is defined as the stretch of coastline and adjacent state park between Carmel and San Simeon.

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Big Sur. At Big Sur, the most spectacular portion of the Pacific Coast Highway 1 begins, where huge, rugged cliffs and forested inlets overlook the pounding surf below. Whale-watching is popular here at certain times of year; depending on the season you can see blue, gray or humpback species breeching off the coast.

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Everyone has different preferences, of course, but we'd highly recommend driving the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado if you get the chance. The 25-mile stretch of highway between Silverton and Ouray is one of the most gorgeous drives in the United States and features plenty of places to stop along the way.

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As a general rule, it's better to start your Pacific Coast Highway road trip in the north and head south so your car is always in the lane closest to the ocean. That way, there's nothing blocking your view of the cliffs during your drive down and you can really enjoy the sights.

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As you drive from southern Oregon into northern California, the Pacific Coast Highway turns inland for a bit, and takes you through one of my favorite landscapes in California, the forests of Coastal Redwoods.

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