Sovna NaikIf you ask me one thing about the road trip I would say brace yourself to see beauty at its best. Having been staying in Seattle, WA for 3 plus years we knew the nature, greenery and lush beautiful landscape it has to offer which is just incomparable and about the California coast, I had huge expectations from the videos and blogs I had seen and read earlier. But, one thing that surprised us was Oregon, oh my God! I am literally getting chills while typing about it. It’s so full of raw gusty wind(I was hit hard by the wind during our visit lol), lush mountains, the coastline, the small coastal towns, sand dunes, and most importantly the giant waves at least the time we visited. So, why not come on board to go along the places we visited on our 7-day road trip through the coast starting from Seattle, WA to Los Angeles, CA. We had plans to do the west coast via the Pacific coast highway and California 1 because of obvious reasons(we wanted to drive along the coast).
We took around a week to complete the entire road trip. I’m sharing briefly about our experience and mentioning places we visited and places we stayed along the way on our west coast road trip. Eventually, I will put up blogs in detail about each day.
Day 1
We started from Seattle at around 10 o’clock in the morning( I know it’s a bit late to start) but we did and as anticipated we did get stuck in traffic on I5 at the beginning, but traffic was until the diversion which we took in Olympia, WA. Since we were in a hurry to reach our destination of the day we just visit the capitol building in the state’s capital and I must say it was a pleasant day with fall just about to begin and the lush greenery around the building gave us a kick we actually needed that very moment. Though we could not visit entirely in peace because of a time crunch. Thereafter we started our drive to the long beach which for some reason looked so vast and stretched. One thing interesting about the beach was that cars could actually park near the beach, I mean on the sand even some vehicles were driving on the sand.
The next destination of the day was Astoria, Oregon which seemed to be an interesting place. Since we had just the time to visit only one place we chose to visit The Astoria Column, which was open during our visit, we did take stairs to go to the top of the tower and flew some planes for fun which were available at the gift shop. Even if you are not wanting to climb up the stairs not worry at all! the view is just amazing and technically the same. the landscape around the Columbia River is just so mesmerizing. It’s a must-go place if you are around Astoria.
Long Beach 
View from The Astoria Column 
The Astoria Column 
Astoria 
View from The Astoria Column 
The Astoria Column
Finally, we had to rush because it was already approaching sunset and we did not want to miss the epic sunset so to say the fantasy image of the Haystack Rock at the golden and blue hour. You are right the final destination of the day was Cannon Beach, Oregon. Trust me we were just in time to witness one of the marvels of nature. Words won’t suffice the feeling and beauty it offers. It definitely lives up to its hype. One of the best sunsets without the sun actually setting just the rays penetrating through the dense clouds. We just got a small window to view the amazing palate of the sky, felt like every sunset is different yet everyone is beautiful. I will put down some of the pictures of that evening at Cannon Beach.
Day 2
We started our day early in the morning and the first place we visited was the viewpoint in the Ecola State Park. The wind was so gusty and cold I could not open my eyes properly but the view what do I say! again mesmerized by the rocks popping up the ocean coast with the silhouette of mountains in the backdrop giving it an epic contrast. It is definitely a must-visit place for at least 5 minutes if you happen to be around Cannon beach or Astoria. You can also see the Haystack Rock along with many others from the viewpoint.
After spending some time walking around the park, we made our way to the next destination, Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook. But along the highway took many stops because we had to, we could not ignore them and pass those sceneries. So, my suggestion would be to anticipate and take buffer time while driving because you never know what those hidden gems can mean to you.
It was almost noon when we reached Tillamook Creamery we took a self-guided tour which was fun to watch, where the cheese-making process was shown all the way from scratch. It’s definitely a fun place for kids and families. There is even an eatery and an ice cream place in the vicinity of the Creamery. And, I must say food and ice cream are top-notch.
Later, that afternoon we made our way to Cape Kiwanda, where we parked our vehicle on the pacific city beach which was paid parking lot, and walked up the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, and to my surprise, it looks like a huge sand dune similar to small mountain size. We saw people going up the dunes and sliding, rolling, in a way having the best time. We did the same as well. But for some reason the wind was so harsh and powerful at the top(which is actually paved and seems more secure to go), I could not literally open my eyes because the loose fine sand particles would hit really hard so make sure to keep that in mind if it is windy. There is no doubt the views are beyond amazing, the waves are literally huge. I had read somewhere “Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area is a scenic beach known for its wave action” and it’s true!
Later, we started driving towards Yaquina Head Light House. The view from the light House was again amazing with huge waves roaring and crashing on the rocks. In fact, the lighthouse itself was too cute and beautiful. Since it is just by the side of the parking lot you can take a small walk around it and soak in some amazing vibes and views.
After a while, it started raining which was expected so we pulled over from the parking and headed towards the final destination of the day which was Thor’s Well. It’s an unusual seabound rock formation as stated on google maps. It’s a small and easy hike down to reach the exact location but be mindful where you step cause it might be slick. There is even a blowhole so have the patience to watch water spraying out of the rock hole.
There is even a viewpoint from the highway if you are in a time crunch or for some reason not willing to take the hike. When planning out the trip we made sure to reach the final place of stay for the day before sunset but day 2 was an exception we reached late around 8 PM at Bandon, Oregon where we had our hotel booked.
Day 3
It was a rainy day throughout but this was the day we realized the true beauty of Oregon, indeed untouched raw beauty. mountains on one side and ocean on the other but the entire west coast was similar in one way though! The rain did give a different perspective and in a way enhanced the beauty of the place. Anyways, we started early and decided we need to reach the final destination before sunset because it was risky and difficult to drive at night in rain. We made some amazing stops on the highway. The coastal towns are so full of life and energy, they are beautiful with so many stories and historic museums. So we have decided to go to Oregon again when we aren’t in a time crunch and explore even more. While driving we stopped at the Sisters Rock State Park and the views from the highway only are spectacular, do not feel real. After that, we did stop at a random place by the highway which happens to be Myers creek beach viewpoint. you can see some giant rocks popping out of the ocean.
And finally, we entered the golden state of California with the redwoods around, and speaking of redwoods how can we not visit the giants in the Redwood National Park since we reached early and had the full day to ourselves. So the first thing we did was go to the visitor center and tell them about our timing in the area and ask for suggestions within that limited time, and the ranger was so nice she suggested we do the stout grove trail which is an easy 0.5-mile loop around the grove and witness some of the giant redwoods. We felt so minuscule in the forest, it is really a pleasant feeling to be around such amazing living things.
We did spend quite a lot of time in the redwood forests afterward we headed towards the coastal city of Eureka, CA where we had booked the hotel for the night. After reaching Eureka we strolled around the city for a while and to my surprise saw some amazing murals on the walls all around along with the Victorian buildings. We did not have time to visit the famous Carson Mansion hopefully next time.
Day 4
The next day early in the morning we started towards redwoods again, we went to Humboldt Redwoods State Park where we strolled around the forest for a while and later made our way towards the Immortal Tree, and trust me it’s huge I couldn’t see the top of it which is approximately 248 ft now and happens to have survived lightning and flooding in the past. Afterward, we went toward the Avenue of the Giants to watch the founders tree, and can you imagine the height of the tree is? It’s 346.1 ft with a diameter of 12.7 ft. Totally unbelievable. We walked around there for a while and finally made our way towards the highway. We took the diversion onto California 1, it’s a winding road through the forest until you reach the coast. The highway from the coast onwards is magical with cliffs on one side and ocean on the other.
The drive now seems exciting. The next stop of the day was the Glass beach which is in Fort Bragg, CA. I have never seen beaches like that with no sand but some material which looks like crystal glass. I wasn’t sure to believe what I saw but it was real. I will drop down some of the images I took for reference.
After walking along the beach for some time we realized it was getting late so we made our way towards the destination where we had booked our stay for the night which was Bodega Bay. Along the highway, we made some stops because we could not stop ourselves from not stopping. It is beautiful no doubt about it. And finally later that evening we reached our hotel and that is it for the day.
Day 5
It was an early morning drive to the first destination to Cypress Tree Tunnel because we wanted to catch the sunrise over there and finally, we did. I believe it was one of the most beautiful mornings to wake up to, those views and vibes kick-start the day really well. If you are around that area, do give it a visit it’s quiet, and a lot of places to visit around that area but because of the limited time we couldn’t stay longer.
From that destination, we drove straight towards San Francisco. Since we have been to SF quite a few times now and our main motive is to see the Golden Gate Bridge from different perspectives every time we visit, so we choose to take Conzelman Rd to stop at Golden Gate View Point at Battery spencer. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge was as usual amazing with the city skyline on the backdrop. It was just perfect! I would like to mention that there are many stops along the way as well if in case you want to pull over and take in the view.
later we went to Sausalito where we walked for a while and grabbed our lunch, and after that made all the way to Monterey, CA which was the final destination of the day but in between, we did take a lot of random stops. Pigeon Point lighthouse was one of them, it’s in a beautiful location just near the highway. We had a lot of time to explore hence took a longer break at the lighthouse took some beautiful photos of the ocean and the succulents planted near the lighthouse.
finally made our way to Monterey, California went straight to the hotel took some rest, and then decided we should go to the area near the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Since we had visited the Aquarium earlier, so we did not go inside this time but it’s a really nice one if in case you have time and are around should visit it. So, we just strolled around Cannery Row and Alvarado St tried some local coffee and that was it for the day.
Day 6
Here comes the day I have been waiting for the drive-through of the scenic Big Sur. We started early because we knew we are going to make more stops than planned and had a big day ahead of us. The first stop of the day we took was the Bixby Bridge which is so amazing and the location is just unreal, an awesome stop to soak in the views and the wind, it’s just perfect.
Next, we wanted to go visit Point Sur Lighthouse but when we did our research we got to know it would require us to allocate a lot of time which we did not have that time so thought maybe later sometime when we drive to Big Sur again in future. The lighthouse looks beautiful in the picture though! I tried to take one from the highway wasn’t clear but I’m pretty sure it must be amazing from near.
So, we drove up to Cafe Kevah where we had our brunch with a view. The location is again outstanding I feel like I have been using amazing a lot now but what to do is indeed amazing. It was a good break we did take, even went to the gift shop to have a look at things and had a hot coffee on a hot day(it was hot the day we drove). The Next Stop was the very famous McWay Falls. We stopped at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns state park vista point and made our way to hike to the viewpoint of the McWay Falls, it’s a small hike from the parking lot. Fall looked a bit small than I had anticipated but the view is awesome. The fall just drops onto the beach, it is no doubt one of the most picturesque places I have visited.
After that, we were totally soaked in sweat cause of the temperature on that day. We took a short break in the car under a shade in the parking lot and made our way towards the Danish Capital of America which is Solvang, CA but as you would already know we made stops in between because of obvious reasons they were beautiful, even went to a beach called Sand Dollar Beach (recommended by a ranger in the Big Sur Station) where you need to take stairs to go down to the beach and the water.
Solvang feels like you are in Europe!, those windmills, danish buildings, and most importantly danish bakery! we checked in the hotel once we reached Solvang. Freshened ourselves and went out to take a walk around the city and see Danish architecture at the sunset. We tried some bakery and had our evening coffee and strolled around until the sun was completely down and could see twinkling stars, we had our dinner and came back to our room and decided to go out again the next morning before leaving the place. I believe the best way to visit a place is by walking.
Day 7
Finally, the day has come with a week-long exciting drive coming to reach its final destination. We started not so early because we did not have much to do that day so we wanted to chill have breakfast in one of the breakfast places in Solvang afterwards took a small walk around the neighborhood and decided it would be such an amazing getaway for weekends and should definitely come over later.
Later, we started driving to Santa Barbara, CA. It is one of the places which we had visited earlier and would love to visit it again and again. It was kind of a short drive from Solvang to Santa Barbara. We parked the vehicle in the public parking of the city and decided to walk and explore. It’s a beautiful town with Spanish buildings and architecture. I just love the vibe out there, Had coffee at the handlebar Coffee Roasters after that we walked clicked some amazing photos. we went to the courthouse complex but unfortunately, the overlook was closed but we had seen the city from the overlook on our first trip to Santa Barbara. So, we did not mind that much! later in the afternoon had an early lunch at an Indian Restaurant. I will upload some of the photos we took from our previous visit as well.
In the afternoon we decided to start driving toward Los Angeles and we did not take the pacific coast highway because we had driven through it earlier hence took highway 405 instead, we were thinking we would be able to dodge traffic but what to say LA traffic is a thing and I have to accept it(Kidding). It took us more than 3 hours to reach. Yay, we made it to LA!
**Eventually I will upload blogs individually going by days in detail about restaurants, places, and things to do while visiting those places. So come back soon!
