Northern California Coast Trip: We are landing in San Fran next month and then for 12 days driving north up the coast to Redwoods National Park. I would appreciate any advice anyone...

National Park

We are landing in San Fran next month and then for 12 days driving north up the coast to Redwoods National Park. I would appreciate any advice anyone has to offer on "don't miss" spots to see and photograph, places to eat and stay, etc.

appreciate the journey Loc: wandering

I lived a few years in Brookings, Ore; the north coast of Cali and South coast of Oregon are a loy of fun with the many rocky points and islands. Samuel Boardman park north of brookings has many turnouts along the highway with trails, both down to beaches and along cliffs....often windy.
For dining, there is an Irish pub of sorts down in the port (harbor, oregon) across the bridge from brookings called 'Fat Irish Pub'.
If you are a beer drinker, Brookings has the Chetco brewing co.

DRM Loc: NC

National Park wrote:

We are landing in San Fran next month and then for 12 days driving north up the coast to Redwoods National Park. I would appreciate any advice anyone has to offer on "don't miss" spots to see and photograph, places to eat and stay, etc.

Headed there myself in May. Following this thread for information.

Gatorcoach Loc: New Jersey

DRM wrote:

Headed there myself in May. Following this thread for information.

Spending the day in Muir Woods is an excellent way to start your trip. Beautiful and an easy hike.

National Park

Gatorcoach wrote:

Spending the day in Muir Woods is an excellent way to start your trip. Beautiful and an easy hike.

Thank you.

Celtis87

Some nice tips on this site. https://www.visitcalifornia.com/region/north-coast/ We did the trip 5 years ago. It was terrific! Stayed at Elk Cove Inn and did day trips from there. The lighthouses, the Pacific Coast Highway, just the views in general, are fantastic. A couple of times, I simply had to pull over and take a picture. I won’t bore you with a lot, but these are a few shots from the trip. I probably have shown them before here on UHH.

(Download)

National Park

Celtis87 wrote:

Some nice tips on this site. https://www.visitcalifornia.com/region/north-coast/ We did the trip 5 years ago. It was terrific! Stayed at Elk Cove Inn and did day trips from there. The lighthouses, the Pacific Coast Highway, just the views in general, are fantastic. A couple of times, I simply had to pull over and take a picture. I won’t bore you with a lot, but these are a few shots from the trip. I probably have shown them before here on UHH.

Thank you, and great photos!

Celtis87

Thanks. I hope you enjoy the trip. Beautiful scenery everywhere. Mendocino is a nice town to visit. There’s a Botanic Garden in Fort Bragg that’s fun, if you like plants. It’s also right on the coast, so the views are nice, too. https://www.gardenbythesea.org/

DougS Loc: Central Arkansas

Check out this place. You have to make reservations in advance, just to park! I am going there in June.
Fern Canyon in Prairie Creek Redwoods SP
https://www.visitredwoods.com › listing › fern-canyon-...

If you have never been... You may want to visit Crater Lake, in Oregon.

Celtis87

This is worth a visit, just north of San Francisco. https://stateparks.com/point_reyes_national_seashore_in_california.html

Gabyto

National Park wrote:

We are landing in San Fran next month and then for 12 days driving north up the coast to Redwoods National Park. I would appreciate any advice anyone has to offer on "don't miss" spots to see and photograph, places to eat and stay, etc.

Highway 101 to high 1 goes by the coast and is beautiful. Also be very careful with your camera gear in SF. The robbery of cameras is pretty high and the robbers usually have guns. I live in the the Bay Area, so I am not exaggerating. Here's the website www.onlyinyourstate.com

Have a safe and great time.

mtino312 Loc: Pennsylvania

A bit off the coast but Lassen Volcanic NP outside of Redding is also way cool. We were heading south from Portland to SF, almost all on the coast and added the 3-4 hour detour east with an overnight in Redding.

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

Stop in Fort Bragg and take the Train Ride into the redwood forest.
Drive about an hour north to Leggett, CA and visit the Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree.
You will be close to the redwoods from here.

izziadog

If planning on driving US 1 north and never have, bring some dramamine for the many sharp slow turns....

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Gatorcoach wrote:

Spending the day in Muir Woods is an excellent way to start your trip. Beautiful and an easy hike.

Advance reservations are required.