Pacific Coast Highway Travel Blog
Dec 04, 2020
Dana Wharf Whale Watch 8-hour Ultimate Whale Watch
We saw 3 humpback whales, a fin whale, plus several thousand common dolphin. The humpback whales included Twitch and Flicka who are often seen together with a yet to be identified third humpback. These humpback whales were with several large pods of common dolphin feeding with hundreds of birds, sea lions and at times seemed to extend for miles in every direction. Conservative estimates are about 2,000 common dolphin which is well over the 1,000 needed to be considered a “super pod” or “mega pod.” These humpback whales were very active on the surface. We observed multiple extended sessions of tail throws, plus pec slaps, rolling, breaching and more!
Continue reading "Dana Wharf Whale Watch 8-hour Ultimate Whale Watch"
Nov 25, 2020
9 hikes to be grateful for this Thanksgiving
From easy family walks to local bucket-list treks, here’s where to go to walk off those candied yams and feel grateful to be here. Use a hiking app such as AllTrails (alltrails.com) or Gaia (gaiagps.com) for details on routes and trailheads.
Continue reading "9 hikes to be grateful for this Thanksgiving"
Nov 05, 2020
Cruising Down The PCH To Santa Monica’s Stunning Classic Beach Retreat: Shutters On The Beach
Road trips are back. Thanks to the pandemic, Americans are discovering the vast array of landscapes, small towns, and beautiful scenery across the US like never before, all from the private bubbles cars afford. Fortunately for those close to California, road trips are an option nearly year round, and there’s no better all-weather drive like the coast-hugging Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), the longest state route in California clocking in at 656 miles. I haven’t completed the whole route yet, but one of my favorite portions runs down Malibu and ends just a mile from one of Santa Monica’s prime properties: Shutters on the Beach.
Nov 03, 2020
Take the scenic route through California with this new version of Monopoly
Forget Mediterranean and Baltic avenues, Monopoly gets the California treatment — minus the traffic on I-80 — in a new artistic version of the classic board game.
A newly released limited edition of the classic board game comes with a scenic California route where players can take in the view from the Pacific Coast Highway, cruise along Route 66, check out Rodeo Drive, head to the desert or up to the Bay Area for a look at the Lower Haight
Continue reading "Take the scenic route through California with this new version of Monopoly"
Oct 31, 2020
Carlsbad is calling as the perfect getaway destination
Visit Carlsbad has launched its Carlsbad is Calling campaign to entice regional and local travelers looking to safely escape and experience the Coastal Southern California destination while staying within current COVID-19 restrictions. The campaign is designed to remind visitors of the destination’s incredible outdoor activities including seven miles of uncrowded coastline, serene hiking trails, peaceful lagoons which can all be experienced year-round.
Continue reading "Carlsbad is calling as the perfect getaway destination"
Oct 31, 2020
10 Great Reasons To Ride California’s Central Coast
Explore a rugged coast with endless views, pristine forests & relics of the past.
Continue reading "10 Great Reasons To Ride California’s Central Coast"
Oct 31, 2020
Doheny State Beach campground in Dana Point shuts down until May
The popular campgrounds, one of the most in-demand in the California State Parks system, will be off limits for six months, a closure put in place so a sewer system can be repaired.
Continue reading "Doheny State Beach campground in Dana Point shuts down until May"
Oct 29, 2020
The Painted Dumpsters of Huntington Beach
If you walk around the downtown area in Huntington Beach, you can spot dumpsters artistically decorated in vibrant, colorful designs. They are scattered all around and even in some hard to find spots.
Back in 2017, the Huntington Beach Public Art Alliance brought dumpster painting to the community with their “Dumpsters on Parade” project. They teamed up with 30 local artists of all ages to have the dumpsters designed and painted in an ongoing effort to help beautify the city with public art and bring the community together.
Kim Kramer, co-founder of HBPAA, said all the artists came together to paint the bins in one location and they really learned from each other.
Continue reading "The Painted Dumpsters of Huntington Beach"
Oct 29, 2020
A Malibu Megamansion Unlike Any Other—Asking $115 Million
The 12-bedroom house has its own private beach, a custom-built marble staircase and an 18-foot crystal chandelier
Continue reading "A Malibu Megamansion Unlike Any Other—Asking $115 Million"
Oct 28, 2020
Take the scenic route through California with this new version of Monopoly
Forget Mediterranean and Baltic avenues, Monopoly gets the California treatment minus the traffic on the 405 in a new artistic version of the classic board game.
Continue reading "Take the scenic route through California with this new version of Monopoly"
Oct 27, 2020
America’s Best Golf Road Trips, Part IV: The California Swing, from Pelican Hill to Pebble
Slip on your shades, slide open the sunroof and stash your sticks in back. A long weekend approaches, and a road trip awaits. We’ll be motoring north on the Pacific Coast Highway, also known as Highway 1, the famously scenic route that hugs the California coast, on our way from Orange County to the Monterey Peninsula.
Oct 27, 2020
Five perfect cars for five great American road trips
The right road trip isn’t right without the right car
Continue reading "Five perfect cars for five great American road trips"
Oct 15, 2020
Construction Work To Close Lanes Of PCH During Overnight Hours
Road crews will be repairing slabs and completing slurry seal work on a four-mile stretch for the next four nights beginning Wednesday.
Continue reading "Construction Work To Close Lanes Of PCH During Overnight Hours"
Oct 04, 2020
14 things to know about Hyatt’s Ventana Big Sur
The Ventana Big Sur is an Alila property, located just off the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur, California. Hyatt acquired Alila in 2018, and ever since then, my now-fiancée and I have had our eyes set on visiting what’s arguably Hyatt’s nicest resort in North America.
Continue reading "14 things to know about Hyatt’s Ventana Big Sur"
Oct 02, 2020
A Visual Tour of the Mullin Automotive Museum
Nestled in the seaside city of Oxnard, California, a short stroll from the Pacific Coast Highway, the Mullin Automotive Museum is home to a treasure trove of Bugattis and Delahayes. Given the current restrictions in the state of California, though, the Mullin Automotive Museum is closed until further notice. That, however, is not an excuse for you to miss out on a visual tour of one of the finest French car collections in the world.
Continue reading "A Visual Tour of the Mullin Automotive Museum"
Sep 30, 2020
Hotel Shangri-La
The Hotel Shangri-La in Santa Monica overlooks the Pacific Coast Highway and Santa Monica Beach and is a short walk from Santa Monica Pier.
Sep 24, 2020
Billie Eilish's producer brother Finneas, 23, drops $5.2 million on small Malibu beachfront home
He's a music producer best known for his work with younger sister Billie Eilish.
And now Finneas O'Connell, 23, has splashed out $5.2 million on a small beachfront home in Malibu, Variety reported Wednesday.
The property is located on Pacific Coast Highway at Las Flores beach, a little way south of the Malibu Pier and celebrity hotspot Nobu.
Sep 20, 2020
Wildfires hit tourism industry still reeling from pandemic
This is supposed to the time of year for clear skies in Morro Bay. The fog, when it comes in at all, usually lifts by noon, says Mary Robinson the owner of Paddlesports Morro Bay.
Continue reading "Wildfires hit tourism industry still reeling from pandemic"
Sep 19, 2020
Take up surfing during the pandemic? California Surfing Day is a good chance for a cultural intro
One of the unexpected outcomes of the coronavirus pandemic: the surge in surfing.
Since the pandemic hit earlier this year, people have sought refuge outdoors to escape the confines of their homes. The vast ocean, where you could find space in the salt water, became a place people felt safe.
Sep 18, 2020
Seal Beach salons reopen again after COVID-19 shutdowns
Shut down. Reopen. Shut down. Reopen.
That’s the roller coaster hair and nail salon owners in Seal Beach have experienced the past six months during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We finally get to reopen which is something we’re excited about,” Nick Pham, owner of Solara Nail Bar on Pacific Coast Highway, said in an interview this week.
Continue reading "Seal Beach salons reopen again after COVID-19 shutdowns"
Sep 16, 2020
Pacific Coast Highway in California
The Pacific Coast Highway in California book shows in historic photos the building of the Pacific Coast Highway from its earliest beginnings in 1911.
Sep 16, 2020
One of the city’s largest parklets gets the Long Beach mural treatment
A striking new mural by two local artists was recently completed on one of the city’s largest parklets—the temporary structures that have become widespread as a way to give restaurants the ability to serve patrons outside—by adding some fall colors and a vibrant look to the cluster of shops and restaurants just off Pacific Coast Highway and Anaheim Street.
Continue reading "One of the city’s largest parklets gets the Long Beach mural treatment"
Sep 11, 2020
Alcatraz Has Re-Opened
It used to be that no one wanted to go to Alcatraz. The infamous prison was home to only the most notorious criminals. Now, it's San Francisco's most popular attraction and part of one of the most visited national parks in the country. And after closures due to COVID-19, Alcatraz is ready to welcome visitors again—with some changes to keep you safe while visiting the prison.
Sep 06, 2020
Getty Center, Villa Won’t Reopen Before January
The Getty Center and the Getty Villa will not reopen until at least January 2021 due to ongoing COVID-19 public health restrictions.
The Getty Center, which is perched in the hills of the Pacific Palisades above the 405 Freeway, and the Getty Villa, located off Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, have both been closed since March.
Continue reading "Getty Center, Villa Won’t Reopen Before January"
Sep 01, 2020
Cardiff-bound TUI Flight from Zakynthos Advised to Quarantine
Passengers on board a TUI flight from the Greek island of Zakynthos to Cardiff in Wales, were advised to self-isolate after at least seven people tested positive for Covid-19.
The new coronavirus incidents at 16 on Monday come after at least 11 out of 30 teenagers from the UK who vacationed on the same island contracted coronavirus last week.
Continue reading "Cardiff-bound TUI Flight from Zakynthos Advised to Quarantine"
Recent Articles
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Dana Wharf Whale Watch 8-hour Ultimate Whale Watch
Dec 04, 20 07:42 PM
We saw 3 humpback whales, a fin whale, plus several thousand common dolphin. The humpback whales included Twitch and Flicka who are often seen together with a yet to be identified third humpback. Thes…
-
9 hikes to be grateful for this Thanksgiving
Nov 25, 20 09:48 AM
From easy family walks to local bucket-list treks, here’s where to go to walk off those candied yams and feel grateful to be here. Use a hiking app such as AllTrails (alltrails.com) or Gaia (gaiagps.c…
-
Cruising Down The PCH To Santa Monica’s Stunning Classic Beach Retreat: Shutters On The Beach
Nov 05, 20 03:41 AM
Road trips are back. Thanks to the pandemic, Americans are discovering the vast array of landscapes, small towns, and beautiful scenery across the US like never before, all from the private bubbles ca…
FTC Disclosure: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, we may receive a small commission on the transaction - at no added cost to you. Thank you!
The Best PCH Guide
We've read lots of guides to the Pacific Coast, and easily the best one is the Moon Handbook. You can read our review here, or buy it through the Amazon link below.
Our PCH Hotels Guide
To help you in choosing your Pacific Coast Highway hotel, guesthouse, inn, bed-and-breakfast, resort, motel or other accommodations, we've prepared our Pacific Coast Highway Hotels Guide. In it we do mini-reviews of accommodations along the Highway, from Seattle to San Diego, through Washington, Oregon, and California.
In all there are over 200 hotels listed, complete with 8 pages of color maps showing the towns where our recommended hotels can be found. There are both alphabetical and geographical indexes, helping you plan your journey.
We also include color photos of all the hotels that are our Personal Favorites. Here's the link to read more about our ebook guide to Pacific Coast Highway hotels.
KINDLE EDITION
The 2018 edition of our Hotels Guide is available for the Kindle, with maps and photos in color, if you have a color reader. You can buy it in the US Kindle Store and in the UK Kindle Store and around the world.
PAPERBACK EDITION
If
you want a paperback edition of the 2016 guide with only black and white photos and black-and-white maps, it costs $6.99 at the US Amazon Book Store and £4.99 in the UK Amazon Store.
Recent Articles
-
Dana Wharf Whale Watch 8-hour Ultimate Whale Watch
Dec 04, 20 07:42 PM
We saw 3 humpback whales, a fin whale, plus several thousand common dolphin. The humpback whales included Twitch and Flicka who are often seen together with a yet to be identified third humpback. Thes…
-
9 hikes to be grateful for this Thanksgiving
Nov 25, 20 09:48 AM
From easy family walks to local bucket-list treks, here’s where to go to walk off those candied yams and feel grateful to be here. Use a hiking app such as AllTrails (alltrails.com) or Gaia (gaiagps.c…
-
Cruising Down The PCH To Santa Monica’s Stunning Classic Beach Retreat: Shutters On The Beach
Nov 05, 20 03:41 AM
Road trips are back. Thanks to the pandemic, Americans are discovering the vast array of landscapes, small towns, and beautiful scenery across the US like never before, all from the private bubbles ca…
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