I have to admit, before arriving in the us the only famous road i had heard of was route 66, but every time i mentioned to people that i planned to travel south from seattle, the first thing they would say is you have to drive the 101, its beautiful. Here you can stretch your legs on the temperate rainforest trails in olympic. Hi all, this is going to be my first family road trip. Take 101 cross columbia river to astoria, continue down and stay overnight at one of the coastal town. Coast to the canyon roundtrip from san francisco amtrak.
This coastal scenic drive begins in monterey and travels to san luis obispo. Drive from san francisco to seattle fodors travel talk. How to plan a road trip from las vegas to san francisco. Amtrak in seattle leaves from king st station 303 s jackson st, and in san francisco trains arrive at 425 mission st and 2 other train stations. Road trip from san francisco to seattle, where should i. Start in san francisco days if youve never visited the city by the bay before sf, you should really stay and wander for a few days. How to plan a road trip from san francisco to new york usa.
America invented the road trip, but which are the greatest of the great. One of the major highlights in san franciscos history was the golden gate international exposition held at treasure island in 1939 to celebrate the building of both the bay bridge and the golden gate bridge, which had each only recently been completed at the time. Seeing san francisco by the scenic route the new york times. Click on the link below for a list of the west coast usa road trip itinerary. Continue north to reno then i80 over the sierras all the way into san francisco. How to complete an epic pacific coast highway road trip valerie. Download the app and youll get a guided tour along the route with.
Whether youre planning a san diego to san francisco, seattle to san. Scenic drive from seattle to san francisco portland. Near the small town of leggett home to the famed chandelier drivethru tree us101 transitions into scenic highway 1, the most popular portion of this route and the classic coastal california road trip. The distance between san francisco and vancouver is approximately 796 miles, or 1281 kilometers. The average train journey between these two cities takes 27 hours and 15 minutes, although the absolute fastest you could get there is 27 hours and 15 minutes. For the first part of the drive, i would take 280 out of san fran, 85 around san jose, to 101, 156 to the coast, then follow rt 1 down towards san simeon or, easier, just take 101 out of san fran to 156, then towards monterey peninsula part of hwy 1 is closed just south of sf anyway. Driving coast between seattle and san francisco fodors. Whether youre planning on driving from san francisco to seattle or the. To reach monterey from san francisco, head south on ca1 for spectacular views, or if you are in a rush, use us101 until you reach the scenic ca68 in salinas. Here, you can experience many iconic and famous landmarks. Im taking my first long trip and going all the way from near san francisco to seattle, washington. The following route will be very scenic until the nevada portion but will only be about 2 and 12 hrs. Travelling san francisco to seattle in 2 days, need advise. Hop on i5 north, and you can drive from san francisco to seattle in around 14 hours.
If you have a scheduled stop in san francisco on your pacific coast. It is only 3 hours longer than the most direct option. One of our favourite road trips to date is the garden route drive in south africa. Scenic route seattle to san francisco seattle forum. Written by selmanlouis on september 4th 2006 in itinerary. Before you hop in the car, download a map to your mobile device or get one. This was a day road trip to the pacific northwest starting in san francisco.
We are flying into san francisco and hiring a car to drive to seattle in 4 days. United airlines rock n roll san francisco 5k rock n roll. Venture from the breathtaking great plains of the midwest to the serene waters of the pacific coast on this scenic rail journey from chicago to san francisco, with a stop in seattle. Drive from san francisco to seattle we are planning a road trip from san francisco to seattle in sept 15. This classic westcoast road trip knots together interstate 5 and route 101 as it follows the curving pacific coastline from seattle to san francisco. Sync your trip to your phone, and then let roadtrippers lead the way with turnbyturn navigation. Honestly, both are great options but being from seattle, berty and i began in washington and made our way south. Big sur coast the big sur scenic drive on california. If youd rather take the scenic route, swing west into the olympic peninsula. Whats the best scenic route from san francisco to seattle. The worldclass monterey bay aquarium a1 on cannery row is a must. I was thinking of 3 days in seattle, 3 in san francisco and the rest driving and. Three days in the city is the perfect amount of time for any firsttime visitor to san francisco.
First night i would like in the wine country north of sf. Since this is such a beautiful part of the country, with numerous national parks, scenic vistas, and iconic destinations, youll want to spend some time at each location. Go north on the golden gate bridge 1, and 101, in a couple of miles, highway 1 splits off to the west. Driving from sf to portland the scenic mountain way. I was thinking of 3 days in seattle, 3 in san francisco and the rest driving and exploring.
To find the return map from seattle to san francisco via highway 1, begin with entering start and end locations in calculator control and click on show return map. San francisco to seattle road trip along hwy 1 in 7 days. Seattle tours so much to do and you can experience it all. There are two directions to do a pacific coast road trip, driving south or driving north.
Driving directly from seattle to san francisco is about 800 miles, but following this route it is closer to 1,000 miles and, with many twolane roads, it requires 2122 hours behind the wheel. Pacific coast highway west coast america road trip california. Stop at some beaches along between gold beach and bandon before cutting over. My preferred route is highway 1785280 into san francisco, which passes through beautiful mountain scenery. Seattle san francisco express tour members will board amtraks empire builder this afternoon for the 2,200mile journey to seattle, wa. Interstate 80, driven from end to end, is the most direct route between san francisco and new york city. Golden gate heights mosaic stairway scenic lookout in san. San francisco national c emet ry pres id o blvd t ransv es d stow lake dr south dr bowling g reen d downtown detail see inset map lands end ocean beach baker each crissy field old post hospital lincoln park golf club market street from twin peaks f or tp in n aion l h is tor c s e 3 r s t f u l to n s c a l i f o r n i a s t t u r k s t 1 9 t. State pre1964 history unconstructed deleted freeway scenic the 49mile. The route then swings around lake merced, the southern tip of which is at san franciscos city limit, and returns to golden gate park. Driving seattle to san francisco twins that travel. So, we are going to hire a car and drive from las vegas.
From walking on the golden gate bridge to seeing the bay upclose via boat, foot or aquarium, youll find san francisco offers a fantastic blend of outdoor experiences and cultural opportunities. Hi all my daughter and i are first timers to this beautiful part of the world. Stop for a lunch of freshly shucked oysters along the way before crossing the golden gate bridge into san francisco. Unlimited stops, edit, share, find recommended places of interest and campgrounds, manage budgets, print or export directions and more. Driving from san francisco to portland, the scenic mountain way. As an avid road tripper of the usa i would suggest this path if you want a scenic and fun to stop route. Unfortunately, this is our last stop on this incredible road trip. Scenic drives through monterey county coastal highways and. Rome2rio shares the most jawdropping scenic routes, compares coach seats vs business class, and explains how to find and book the best value amtrak tickets.
The 180mile drive between san francisco and fort bragg on. Take the train with amtrak and immerse yourself in americas natural beauty from the comfort of your own seat. Travelling san francisco to seattle in 2 days, need. Click below for the san francisco to seattle road trip itinerary. The classic pacific coast highway road trip road trip usa. Pacific quest seattle to san diego tour trailfinders. This two lane highway follows the coast next to the pacific ocean. We decided, instead, to do a san francisco to seattle drive. There are few better places to start a road trip than san francisco. The stretch of highways between seattle and san francisco offer some incredible, scenic views and plenty of unique attractions worth exploring. A detailed, daybyday itinerary for your greatest road trip yet. Everything you need to enjoy californias most scenic drives, from the beaches to. Stop for a night in the pretty town of fort bragg, on the mendocino coast, to break your journey. I have 14 days to spend on a first trip to this area.
From walking on the golden gate bridge to seeing the bay upclose via boat, foot or aquarium, youll find san francisco offers a fantastic blend. Road trip from seattle to san francisco enterprise rent. Here are some places to see while in san francisco. If youre driving from san diego to palm springs, dont let your gps or navigation app take you on a boring drive on busy interstate highways. If by inland you mean the main i5 freeway that runs south from seattle.
Any suggestions where we can head to, and then park the car and take to. Second day, gold beach to portland, cutting over to i5 via or hwy. As you approach downtown oakland, look for the 580 freeway it will either say. Therefore, i recommend driving the pacific coast highway in. It is one of the most astoundingly scenic roads in the world, meant to be traversed. Seattle to san francisco best tourist route in 14 days tripadvisor. Instead, take control of your route to travel through the cuyamaca mountains, visit a gold rush town from the 1870s, and descend to. Discover the best seattle tours from seattle tours4fun. However, if you are taking this trip in the near futureaka winter hwy 26 is a better road and i think a little lower in elevation if snow levels are a factor. I am from the caribbean and look forward to the change,i have explored from san francisco to calistoga and loved it. San francisco ultimate getaway roundtrip from seattle. View petfriendly stops between san francisco and seattle. Wed like to stop in portland overnight and take the coastal route.
Driving from san francisco to seattle washington taking. Please recommend a scenic route and suggested stops for overnight stay on the drive. Relax in your comfortable reclining coach seat with leg rest. Over the summer, rent a convertible in seattle and hit the open road to experience the beauty of the pacific northwest. I hope youre still following this post as i have good news. Route 93 via wickenburg to kingman then to the new bridge over hoover dam and then on into las vegas. Then, we can either continue to drive 101 down to san francisco, or we can cut back to i5 through highway 38, then take 8 to crater lake.
What is the best route from san francisco and boston. Yes, seattle is a big city biggest in the us pacific northwest, in fact. Explore san francisco and the napasonoma wine country and stay in our affordable hotels. Days 910 crescent city to san francisco the wild mountains and coastal scenery, so typical of oregon, finally give way to the rolling hills and bays of california. The threehour drive along i5 from seattle to portland is fairly unremarkable. Theres a reason amtraks coast starlight is often described as one of americas most beautiful train rides.
Seems the length of time your trip along the coast will take depends on. Drive from san francisco to seattle road trips forum. Oct 26, 2017 driving from seattle to san francisco make your road trip down the west coast an epic one by following this route from seattle to san francisco. One of the key features of this expo was the launch of the 49mile scenic drive, which. I dont have any camping gear so i plan on staying in hotelsmotels on my way up. Well start on the 16th of june and would like to be there by the afternoon of the 19th. When you leave san diego, there are very few ways to do so gracefully. We are looking to drive from seattle to san francisco over a couple of days. What is the most scenic route to drive from san diego to. The last leg of your trip from seattle to san francisco is something to savor. My current plan is to head to washington coast from olympia by highway 8. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places.
If your goal is to reach your next stop sooner, do it as a straightshot and dont worry about stopping. Road trip san francisco to seattle in 3 days enterprise. Explore californias stunning coastline from san francisco to san diego. En route, travellers can stop off on the slopes of active volcanos, delve into misty redwood forests, and indulge their senses in rolling wine regions. Big sur san francisco 147miles236km head north back to san francisco, and explore the city. There is plenty to explore here and many ways in which you can get around and be a part of it all. Climb aboard a hopon, hopoff tour that includes all san franciscos great locations, like fishermans wharf, downtown, the golden gate bridge, golden gate park, and many.
My wife and i are driving to san francisco from seattle. Driving from seattle to san francisco scenic routes. From portland to seattle, take i5 up toward seattle, and take a detour through rainier along the way. I anticipate taking about three days to make the journey considering that there will be places i. Heres a sample itinerary for a drive from san francisco to seattle. How to plan a road trip from las vegas to san francisco usa.
Usa train travel with amtrak rome2rio travel guides. Not sure which routes youre considering for the drive. Use our scenic drive finder and road trip planner to easily create custom road trips. Discover oregons scenic byways and densely wooded mountains en route to the sand dunes of the pacific coast. Daily there are 3 amtrak schedules to san francisco. If youre planning a road trip to seattle, you can research locations to stop along the way. In washington, oregon, and at the northern end of california, the pacific coast route follows us highway 101. Roomettes or bedrooms may be available at an additional cost and include dining car meals. Day 5 san francisco you will arrive in san francisco this morning and then head to your hotel to check in and drop off your belongings.
Download your gps directions, grab a map, plan it out. Our original plan was to a san francisco to portland drive, but we found a cheaper oneway fare coming back from seattle. Having booked a car from downtown seattle, it was time to hit the road and drive south along highway 101. Enjoy the landscape as you travel along major portions of the lewis and clark trail. Take the bay bridge i80 east over the bay to oakland. Instead, take control of your route to travel through the cuyamaca mountains, visit a gold rush town from the 1870s, and descend to the desert to explore a world biosphere reserve. The mendocino coast is known for its wild and rugged shoreline, turquoise waters and inviting coastal towns. Scenic lookout in san francisco, ca foursquare uses cookies to provide you with an optimal experience, to personalize ads that you may see, and to help advertisers measure the results of their ad campaigns. There are tons to do in this bustling city so see our post on the top things to do in san francisco. You can also try a different route while coming back by adding multiple destinations. Weve rounded up the most scenic routes found in or near the bay area, from the more touristy routes such as 17mile drive just two hours away. We plan to make the drive down from seattle to san francisco a rather effective one, with a good combination of narrow and winding seaside roads and more hispeed and less scenic express highways.
Oct 26, 2017 this classic westcoast road trip knots together interstate 5 and route 101 as it follows the curving pacific coastline from seattle to san francisco. Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes, the coast starlight links the greatest cities on the west coast. The coastal route takes about 10 hrs more than i5, the most direct route. This tends to be a less crowded stretch of highway 1 vs. Vancouver to san francisco road trip road trip makes stops at vancouver, british columbia, canada, white rock pier, whatcom falls park and others. From tillamook head north on 101 to cannon beach taking in the views over neahkahnie mountain. San francisco to yosemite national park road trip my. If youve been driving southbound on your pacific coast road trip, san francisco will be the first large city you will encounter. Follow the 49mile drive through the park for a comprehensive. A guide to the worlds best road trips theres something about seeing a country or a region on four wheels that lets you feel immersed in a place.
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