Highway One Road Trip Guide
As someone who grew up in Southern California and traveled Highway One multiple times with friends and now with my husband and toddler, I can say it’s as scenic and beautiful as you imagine. This guide brings all my learnings into one place. You’ll find curated itineraries, helpful tips, family-friendly ideas, and links to individual blog posts that dive deeper into each trip.
Table of Contents
Why Highway One?
Best Time to Go
Sample 7-Day Itinerary
What to Pack (+ free checklist)
Family-Friendly Highlights
Favorite Stops by Region
Tips for Road-Tripping with Kids
More Highway One Posts
Why Highway One
Highway One, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway (also, for non-Californians, if you say “the PCH” we’ll know you’re not local — it’s just PCH) has captured artists, writers, and others imaginations for many years. It offers everything from city, to beach, to redwoods, to rural farms, and scenic mountains. You can drive the whole thing, or just part of it, and still leave with wonder. I’ve had the opportunity to see Highway One from beginning to end, and there’s still more I want to explore.
Get your own Highway One Road Trip flexible itinerary with a packing list.
Stops by region
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.
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Bucket List experiences
FAQs
Best time to visit
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
What to expect
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Check before you go
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
An original Dutch operating windmill (the only in the United States!), Lake Michigan feels like an ocean, there is actually an overlook (we miss climbing up to a view!), B&Bs that really feel like you’re in Europe, and an iconic red lighthouse – what more could you want?