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Old 08-05-2011, 11:00 AM   #1
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30-day west coast trip. must see?

I am planning a 4-week road trip up the west coast from san diego to vancouver between 8/22 - 9/16. i'm planning it out right now and would love to hear from those who have traveled this route where you suggest staying, site-seeing, and any other tidbits you can share that would be helpful on this journey. it will be me, my pup and the airstream. that's it! super excited but very nervous, too. this will be the first real trip i've taken in the airstream.
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Old 08-05-2011, 12:07 PM   #2
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Sounds exciting! Who wouldn't be just a little nervous? Bit it will be great.

We'll be interested to hear what folks have to say as well ... a trip up the Pacific Coast Highway is on our list of "must dos"... maybe next summer.
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Old 08-05-2011, 12:21 PM   #3
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There is so much to do and see up and down the coast. Are you going to travel up HWY 1 or Fwy 5. Knowing this will help people know what to tell you about. Have fun and travel safe.
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Old 08-05-2011, 12:32 PM   #4
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Nice blog, Kyle.

You ask a lot, buddy. There are at least a jillion nifty places, so here's my input on a few of them.

1. Elephant seals just below Hearst's Castle on Highway 1. Despite the sign that says "no camping," the CA Highway Patrol says you can stay overnight in any CA rest stop, as long as you don't start unloading "making camp."
2. Nepenthe (great bar, restaurant south of Big Sur)
3. Wine country
4. Nick's Cove on Tomales Bay--best Bloody Mary ever
5. Redwood NP
6. Bandon Beach--plan to say a day and walk the beach at low tide
7. Sunset Bay and the Oregon State RV park there. Combine with 6 above. Go to the gardens in Shore Acres State Park and then go to the SW corner of the gardens, through the gate, and down the hill to the cove. You will see something that rivals any natural area in the world. One hint about the coast highway north of Coos Bay--do not drive it unless you are happy going 25 mph, which seems to be the top speed of most of the drivers in the area. I generally arrive from the south along the coast on Highway 1, then cut over to Interstate 5 from Coos Bay to go north.
8. Crater Lake
9. Kalaloch. If you're a photographer, this small creek has a wonderful aspect and changes every season as the storms pile up the sand and drift logs. Just being on the coast of the Olympic Peninsula is a gift in and of itself.
10. Port Townsend. It's just a great little town, right on the water. Get reservations at the Port Hudson RV park. It's just grass, but it's right on the water. Walk over to Pygmy Boats and test paddle their kayaks in the harbor.

Red Dots: I don't know what your route plan is, but if you have the chance, drive over the top of Yosemite on route 120--you don't even have to go in the park and you can look down into the valley and see Half Dome, etc. It's a great drive and it dumps you out at Mono Lake. Go north on 395 and unhitch the trailer for a day in order to drive the rough road to Bodie, a terrific ghost town. From there I'd take 395 south to Owens Lake and gaze at the Sierras all the way. If you like odd places, head east towards Death Valley from Lone Pine and take a detour to Darwin, not quite a ghost town, but so damn hot everyone lives underground. Then on to Death Valley, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Kayenta and Monument Valley, etc...

Zep

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Old 08-05-2011, 12:59 PM   #5
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Punch up Littlerock, Ca 93543 and if it's on your way we can dock you for a night.

Shoot a PM if you are stopping in.
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Old 08-05-2011, 01:18 PM   #6
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P.C.H. >>>>Pacific Coast Highway slow and steady, it's a great ride.
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Old 08-05-2011, 02:35 PM   #7
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There is so much to do and see up and down the coast. Are you going to travel up HWY 1 or Fwy 5. Knowing this will help people know what to tell you about. Have fun and travel safe.

I want to stay on Hwy 1, if I can. But I am open to suggestions...
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Old 08-06-2011, 06:31 PM   #8
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We're doing something similar but just starting off North to South. I like your suggestions Zep. :-)
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Old 08-06-2011, 06:56 PM   #9
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I did the trip by bicycle several years ago and loved just about everything about the whole route. When I did the trip, I had no set agenda of what to see and I'm glad because there is much to see that you discover while en route and planning for seeing everything is difficult. I found it much more enjoyable to take it as it came. If I found a place I enjoyed, I stopped for a few days to explore. Sometimes that led to discovering nearby places of interest that would cause little side trips.
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Old 08-06-2011, 07:01 PM   #10
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We're doing something similar but just starting off North to South. I like your suggestions Zep. :-)
North to south makes a much nicer trip as the pull outs along the coast will be on your right. Much easier than crossing traffic. You will want to pull off the highway often, especially along the Oregon coast.

We travel down the Oregon coast every year from Astoria to Crescent City, CA. We will be making that trip, leaving Astoria, on August 30th. This is one of our favorite rides. Don't miss a good burger and home made pie at the Port Hole just south of the bridge in Gold Beach, OR, or fish and chips at the Chart Room out on the jetty in Crescent City, CA.
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Old 08-06-2011, 11:06 PM   #11
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If you need a nice stop along the Pacific Coast Highway, I'd suggest the Malibu Beach RV Park.
Malibu Beach RV Park | RV Campground | Malibu | California

Here are some pictures I took from the campground.
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Old 08-06-2011, 11:18 PM   #12
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Another nice place to stay is Pismo Coast Village in Pismo Beach, CA. You can walk over the sand dune and along the beach into town. Several good places to eat, and not expensive.

If the wind is blowing, you can watch the kite surfers "getting air" down the beach. They're only a little bit nuts.
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Old 08-07-2011, 08:25 AM   #13
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Places to stay, Oregon

I've never offered this before but I own a place on hwy 101, ocean side in a beautiful spot near Yachats Oregon. It has easy access and parking for an AS with private steps to a wonderful agate strewn beach whose public access is a mile away. This is not a camping site but a place to unhook and look at the sites in the area and there are many! (Cape Perpetua, Sea lion caves, Oregon Dunes N rec area, etc) all for a bottle of white wine expense. PM me if interested.
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Old 08-07-2011, 08:32 AM   #14
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I want to stay on Hwy 1, if I can. But I am open to suggestions...
Honestly, I'd stay off 1 with the trailer. You can camp and take day trips on 1, but there are spots I wouldn't want to have anything but a car. Besides, you will want to be looking, not driving, and having to pay attention to the trailer will take away from your "gape time".
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Old 08-07-2011, 08:45 AM   #15
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Honestly, I'd stay off 1 with the trailer. You can camp and take day trips on 1, but there are spots I wouldn't want to have anything but a car. Besides, you will want to be looking, not driving, and having to pay attention to the trailer will take away from your "gape time".

you think so? i was wondering about that. and i have a big trailer. where in particular should is it really tricky with a trailer.
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Old 08-07-2011, 09:18 AM   #16
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Despite the sign that says "no camping," the CA Highway Patrol says you can stay overnight in any CA rest stop, as long as you don't start unloading "making camp."
Mhh, where do you get this from? My sense is that you'll be kicked out no matter how you behave. As far as I recall, most of the parking areas also specify no overnight parking or closed sunset-to-sunrise or equivalent.

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Honestly, I'd stay off 1 with the trailer. You can camp and take day trips on 1, but there are spots I wouldn't want to have anything but a car. Besides, you will want to be looking, not driving, and having to pay attention to the trailer will take away from your "gape time".
Given that adwriter73 seems to have a 31' trailer, I'd second this for some sections of PCH. In particular the Big Sur part is iffy. Where the road tends to slide the pavement often has quite some waves and you can easily bottom out in a 31' . Also, where to road winds down into a cove and then back out the curves often have no visibility and the lane isn't wide enough for such a long rig, so you have to swing out half way into the opposing lane. I've gone there in a 23' which was fine, but then I'm also used to pulling that up&down any mountain road. So if you're the adventurous type that goes anywhere with your 31' then go slow and have fun, but if you're used to the flat and highways don't go there...
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Old 08-07-2011, 10:20 AM   #17
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I talked directly of a CHP officer about staying at rest stops. The only place I've been chased out of at night in CA was a known [to locals] make-out spot. That made sense. As part of that discussion, the officer said that the signs were there to make it easy for the CHP to "evict" campers/RVs that were abusing the location.This was just from one officer, but seemed reliable and has proven correct on several occasions. I guess there are no guarantees.

As for taking a 31' on Route 1 in CA south of Monterey--I think the rewards are well worth the trouble. Go slow, be nice, have a great time.

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Old 08-07-2011, 10:50 AM   #18
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Mhh, where do you get this from? My sense is that you'll be kicked out no matter how you behave. As far as I recall, most of the parking areas also specify no overnight parking or closed sunset-to-sunrise or equivalent.



Given that adwriter73 seems to have a 31' trailer, I'd second this for some sections of PCH. In particular the Big Sur part is iffy. Where the road tends to slide the pavement often has quite some waves and you can easily bottom out in a 31' . Also, where to road winds down into a cove and then back out the curves often have no visibility and the lane isn't wide enough for such a long rig, so you have to swing out half way into the opposing lane. I've gone there in a 23' which was fine, but then I'm also used to pulling that up&down any mountain road. So if you're the adventurous type that goes anywhere with your 31' then go slow and have fun, but if you're used to the flat and highways don't go there...

Good advice. I break out into a nervous sweat just driving in traffic with this thing. Don't need to be stuck hanging off a cliff. : )
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Old 08-07-2011, 01:02 PM   #19
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don't miss PCH

I went through this discussion last year and i finally dedided to go and just slow down. Do not miss the thrill and scenic beauty of pulling your airstream down or up this great stretch of highway. We jumped on Hwy 1 at Leggett down and to Fort Bragg where we stayed at the harbor rv park and the view was great. From there it is onto Bodega Bay...overlooking the bay with a view of "the birds", then thru san franscisco and across the bridge and a stay at half moon bay, again right on the oean.

San Simeon, Cambria, Morrow Bay, the county park at Lompoc and lake casitias are all beautiful spots not to be missed. we too stopped at the rv park in malibu and it was great.

we can't waith to make the trip again this winter.


we are currently finishing up our tour up the oregon coast and are now inland at mcminneville and tomorrow we head for sauvie island before venturing up the washington coast....
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Old 08-07-2011, 04:20 PM   #20
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The PHC is no worse a driving experience than any of the THE hi-ways (5,405,10 etc) in California.....70 or 10mph over a washboard, twenty feet in front of and behind a very stressed out fellow traveller.

Had no problems at all with the Classic last year or the Safari 20yrs ago.
Slow and steady...it's a trip that shouldn't be missed.
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