Stopping between LA and San Francisco

[Eastwickian]

I've been reading and searching through the threads here for a little while and there's loads of great advice on this journey, but unless I'm going blind, nothing quite answers my question:

A friend and I are driving up from LA to San Francisco and, on the advice of people here, we're spreading it over two days. We're planning to stick as close to coast as posisble all the way up and would like to know where people think the best place to rest would be. Half way? Or continue on a little further to Big Sur? Is it worth checking out the famous Deetjens?

Any help (or links to previous threads if I've been stupid) much appreciated!
Peter

[Mark Sedenquist]

I've been reading and searching through the threads here for a little while and there's loads of great advice on this journey, but unless I'm going blind,

It is probably not a question of blindness as much as a problem with us providing good navigation tips to find those gems here. Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum. There are a few dozen posts (actually that link has a list incorporates posts about a variety of trips on the west coast) about our favorite places to stop along the coast -- but every answer can be unique --

We're planning to stick as close to coast as posisble all the way up and would like to know where people think the best place to rest would be. Half way? Or continue on a little further to Big Sur? Is it worth checking out the famous Deetjens?

Yes to all. Will you be camping or staying in a motel? I really like the little town of Cayucos with a side trip to Harmony. Staying on the coast along Big Sur can be very pricey unless you are camping. What are your plans?

Mark

[Eastwickian]

Yes to all. Will you be camping or staying in a motel? I really like the little town of Cayucos with a side trip to Harmony. Staying on the coast along Big Sur can be very pricey unless you are camping. What are your plans?

Mark

Thanks for the links, I'll have a browse through and see what people think (it seems to be a very popular route!). We had heard that Big Sur was pricey which is why we'll probably look for somewhere to stop before that. We're staying in motels and hotels elsewhere (it's actually part of a larger trip, but this is the only 'road' section of it), and having done the Vegas/Grand Canyon thing before, the plan is to stick as close to the coast as possible, so really just after advice on where would be a nice place to rest for the night. Cayucos sounds promising, so I'll do some digging on that as well...

Many thanks!
Peter

[W. Larrison]

The usual spot I stay heading between LA and SF is in the San Simeon/ Cambria/ San Luis Obispo area. Admitedly, I'm usually going North to South.

The reason I pick this area is that it puts me right in the Hearst Castle/ Morro Bay/ Pedros Blancas area where I can spend at least several hours looking around at things. It's also very close to the Paso Robles wine country. Secondly, there are a fair numbers of hotels and motels including SLO (about 20-30 minutes inland from the coast at Cambria), which usually means I can find a room, and there's enough competition to keep the prices reasonable. I also like to stay at San Simeon State beach, which is very close to the water, has a reasonable camping area, is reasonably priced, and is very close to Hearst Castle. You can also get reservations here.