Driving from San Francisco to Los Angeles in a rental car

Rent a car and drive along the spectacular Pacific Coast Highway

Many people have this road trip on their bucket list: from San Francisco to Los Angeles (or vice versa, of course). But not the fastest route via Interstate 5, because while that route is indeed fast—you’ll cover the distance in six hours—it’s also incredibly boring. No, the most scenic route is State Route 1 (CA-1), which runs right along the California coast in many places and is therefore known as the Pacific Coast Highway. The drive from San Francisco to LA is one of the most beautiful in the United States and an absolute must if you’ve rented a car in California. We’ll describe the eight highlights along the way.

Starting (or ending) point: San Francisco

If you’re starting in San Francisco, you’ll naturally want to explore this amazing city first—and you don’t (yet) need a rental car for that. It’s no coincidence that this city serves as the backdrop for many movies and TV series, with its steep streets, cable cars, and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Near the bridge lies Presidio Park, which offers a beautiful view. Of course, you’ll want to visit Chinatown, take a ride on the cable car, tour the former prison on Alcatraz Island, stroll through Fisherman’s Wharf —once a seafaring neighborhood and now a trendy district—and savor the city’s culinary specialties.

San Francisco is definitely worth spending at least a few days in. But then it’s really time to rent a car and start the drive to Los Angeles. Take your time: stop wherever you want and enjoy!

1. Beaches, rock formations, and panoramic views

Right outside San Francisco, the road runs right along the coast, lined with many beaches and jagged rock formations. Around every bend lies another stunning view of the coast and the Pacific Ocean. There are too many to list them all, but here are a few spots where you can stop. Gray Whale Cove Beach, so named because you can sometimes spot whales there during their migration from Alaska southward or back. Half Moon Bay has four long, stretchy beaches perfect for a fantastic picnic on the wide sandy shore. At Shark Fin Cove Beach, you can take beautiful hikes along the cliffs. It’s quite steep, so be sure to bring good hiking shoes.

2. Santa Cruz

From Shark Fin Cove, it’s a 15-minute drive to downtown Santa Cruz, once a mecca for surfers. They’re still active there—take your rental car down West Cliff Drive to the Surfing Museum at the ultimate surf spot, Steamer Lane. Santa Cruz has a historic boardwalk along the beach with an old-fashioned amusement park. It’s like stepping back into the ’60s! If you’re in the mood for something delicious, fresh from the farm, then one of the Farmers’ Markets is worth a visit.

3. Monterey

Under Spanish and later Mexican rule, Monterey was the capital of what was called Alta California, and it’s one of the best places to see whales. Book an early-morning boat tour, as that’s when these marine mammals are most active. On your return, you can enjoy a cup of coffee at one of the restaurants at Old Fisherman’s Wharf. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot an entire colony of sea lions lounging on the small beach next door.

4. 17 Mile Drive

Right next to Monterey lies Pacific Grove, which has a charming downtown with Victorian-style homes. But the biggest attraction is that this is the starting point of 17 Mile Drive, which runs along the picturesque coast of Pebble Beach. If you want to drive this route in a rental car, there’s a fee, but the app with detailed information about all the sights is free. The Drive ends in Carmel-by-the-Sea, traditionally a town of artists. They built the first houses there, which have a somewhat fairy-tale-like charm. The town center certainly feels very “un-American.”

5. The highlight: Big Sur!

This is where the truly spectacular stretch of the California coast begins, running from Carmel to San Simeon. This road winds for more than 140 kilometers along the most picturesque coastline on the U.S. mainland. This section of State Route 1 is frequently plagued by landslides, which can close the road for days while crews clear debris and repair the road surface. The latest information can always be found on the website of Big Sur. Make sure your rental car has enough fuel. While there are small gas stations in Big Sur, they charge significantly higher prices than elsewhere in California.

Immediately after Carmel, you’ll reach the entrance to Point Lobos State Reserve, which the painter Francis McComas described as “the most beautiful meeting of land and water in the world.” There’s a beautiful and easy trail along the coastal cliffs. Keep in mind that parking is limited, so it’s best to arrive as early as possible (between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.).

As you drive further south in your rental car, you’ll pass two spectacular bridges: Rocky Creek Bridge and Bixby Creek Bridge. These two bridges are at their most beautiful at sunset. A little further on, at Hurricane Point, you’ll have a beautiful view of the Big Sur coastline. There’s also a small town called Big Sur, which is a good place to stock up on supplies. Nearby is Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, whose highlight is McWay Falls, a 25-meter-high waterfall that flows directly into the ocean at high tide. You can also see this waterfall from the road if you park your rental car at the overlook.

At the parking lot for the Boucher Trailhead North hiking trail, you can often see hundreds of elephant seals lying on the beach. A little further south, just before San Simeon, there’s also an Elephant Seal Viewing Point.

6. Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach is a delightful beach town for a slightly longer stopover. It has a beautiful, wide sandy beach, and the pier extends far out into the ocean. But the town is best known for its excellent restaurants, which naturally feature plenty of fish and seafood. You can also drive through the dunes in a dune buggy. That might seem easy, but it’s actually a lot harder than driving around in your rental car!

Traveling with kids? Just before you reach Pismo, take the exit for Avila Beach. Along the road to that beach town is the Avila Valley Barn, where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as pastries and products like jam and honey. You can also buy lettuce to feed the animals, take a pony ride, or get lost in the hay maze.

7. Solvang

Between Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara, CA-1 isn’t all that interesting. So take a detour here and drive your rental car along US-101, turning off at Santa Ynez toward Solvang, where you’ll feel like you’re in Europe. The village was founded at the beginning of the last century by Danish immigrants, and this is clearly evident in the half-timbered houses. The recipes for Danish pastries have also been preserved there!

8. Santa Barbara

As you drive into Santa Barbara, you’ll immediately notice how green this city is. There are trees everywhere, including a large number of palm trees. You’ll instantly understand why so many celebrities have homes here, away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. The historic downtown has an unmistakable Spanish atmosphere. State Street is the heart of the city and leads to Stearns Wharf, the pier that juts far out into the ocean. Funk Zone is a trendy little neighborhood that feels a bit contrived, but there’s plenty of cool street art to see. If you love wine, be sure to follow the Urban Wine Trail, a route that takes you past more than 20 tasting rooms featuring local wines. Just don’t get back in your rental car afterward!

End (or starting) point: Los Angeles

At Point Mugu, the East Pacific Coast Highway begins, with the ocean on one side and the Santa Monica Mountains on the other. Be sure to drive your rental car into those mountains every now and then, as it’s a stunning area with its highest point at Sandstone Peak (949 meters), offering a panoramic view of Malibu, Santa Monica, Conejo Valley, and the Pacific Ocean with the Northern Channel Islands.

And then you’ll arrive in the “City of Angels,” the end (or starting) point of this road trip. Los Angeles evokes completely conflicting feelings in many people: you either love it or hate it. The latter usually refers to the enormous (traffic) congestion in this metropolis. Of course, you’ll want to visit highlights like the Walk of Fame, Santa Monica Pier, and Venice Beach, as well as drive down Sunset Boulevard in your rental car.

Rent a car, make plenty of stops, and enjoy

As mentioned in the description above: take this road trip at a nice, leisurely pace; feel free to set aside about 10 days for this route, because it’s more than worth it to make various stops along the way for sightseeing, walks, and picnics on the beach. Don’t wait any longer—rent that car and take the ultimate road trip along the California coast!