West Coast Road Trip Advice

General conversations about BMW E28s and the people who own them.
irl-mn
Posts: 133
Joined: Mar 05, 2012 8:08 AM
Location: Twin Cities, MN

West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by irl-mn »

I'm in the early stages of planning a summer road trip in my M535i. My high level plan is to take backroads from MN to the Seattle area, then head south to the Bay Area to visit a family member who recently moved there. Looking for some advice from E28 enthusiasts on taking Hwy 101 from the Seattle area down to SF. It certainly looks interesting on the maps, but is it worth the time commitment? Having done the stretch from LA up to SF a few years ago, I am concerned that large volumes of tourist traffic would take the fun out of it. Interested to hear thoughts from those who have some experience. Thanks!
vinceg101
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by vinceg101 »

It will all depend on when in the summer you want to travel (amongst other social and economic constraints).
Read my return route from 5erWest 2017 (and again in 2019) through northeastern California and the Sierras. Here is my post from 2017:
https://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?f=2 ... t#p1422636

That whole area though may be in pretty rough condition from the devastating wildfire season in 2021 not to mention the whole drought situation we've been under.

Otherwise the northern CA coast from the Oregon border on down to SF may be worth considering.
Last edited by vinceg101 on Mar 30, 2022 1:56 PM, edited 1 time in total.
gwb72tii
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by gwb72tii »

Personally I'd plan enough time to travel as close to the coast as you can, either 101 or Hwy 1. In northern CA that will take you through the Sequoia's and some of the most scenic country in the US.

Yes it can be crowded with gawking tourists. But there is a reason why they are gawking at the scenery. Go slow and take your time.
Mike W.
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by Mike W. »

I haven't done the Washington part, but most of the Oregon and all of the Calif part. Partly it depends on what you like. To me after a while, the commonly gray, overcast shoreline gets old and monotonous. But there hasn't been a ton of traffic. On the other hand, 5 thru Oregon is a PITA, lots of traffic and very work like to drive. Having made that basic trip a few times in the last few years (far northern boundary of the SF Bay area to Tacoma) my current preference is to take 26 and 97 thru Oregon for the most part, it definitely has it's scenic parts and really isn't much slower than 5, but a lot less work and therefore a more pleasant drive.

You can either cut back to 5 at Weed in Calif and continue on it, or skirt or even do Crater Lake National Park, hit Grants Pass, continue down 199 to Crescent City and do the Redwoods.

You can continue to Hwy 1 down to the Bay Area, but to my eyes, it's more of the gray north, not at all like the Big Sur region, or take 101 down which is nice thru Mendocino County, but becomes more urban like the further south you get.

A lot to digest there, I can post some maps if you want.
wholepailofwater
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Location: Humboldt CA

Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by wholepailofwater »

Do 101/1 all the way. If your going to do it once, go for it. Not convenient, But worth a drive in your BMW along a stunning coast.
524tdAviator
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Location: San Diego, CA

Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by 524tdAviator »

Absolutely do highway 101 all the way to the Bay Area. Visit the Goonies house in Astoria along the way. Do not miss the Redwoods. It's a stunning sight.
sbeaud
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by sbeaud »

Plus one on the Hwy1/101 recommendation. I picked up my M6 in Eureka and drove down to Pismo Beach before having the car shipped to Michigan. Great trip except for the stop in San Francisco. Recommend you skip or just drive through for photo ops.

Scott
524tdAviator
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by 524tdAviator »

Also, I would highly recommend driving all the way down to Santa Barbara along highway 101. The sights while driving through Big Sur are absolutely breathtaking. Go through Carmel and it's famous 17 mile drive.

You'll start at Pacifica, through Half Moon Bay, then Santa Cruz, Monterey and Carmel. You could stop at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Then head south through Big Sur. This section of the highway is stunning. You'll see sheer cliff drops into the ocean. Continue down to Cayucos (a neat little beach town), then Morro Bay, and Pismo Beach. You could also hike at Montana De Oro State Park and capture amazing views of the ocean. Then visit the back roads of the Central Coast wine region from Santa Maria to Los Olivos. Stop at the town of Solvang for a true Dutch town experience. Last stop of this journey should be Santa Barbara. You could continue down to San Diego and end there if you're more ambitious. I've done this road trip so many times with my family and it gives your body and mind a complete reset.
vinceg101
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by vinceg101 »

524tdAviator wrote: Apr 01, 2022 3:37 AM Also, I would highly recommend driving all the way down to Santa Barbara along highway 101. The sights while driving through Big Sur are absolutely breathtaking. Go through Carmel and it's famous 17 mile drive...
While I agree that the Central Coast is some of the best California has to offer (and I would love to retire there some day), the OP is only coming as far south as San Francisco.
The coast route from Coos Bay , OR south to the Bay Area is equally sublime especially if you transition from the 101 over to the 1 at Leggett. Finishing in Inverness and Point Reyes National Seashore is the perfect ending to an epic Northern California road trip.

This is a more direct route than my earlier suggestion through the Sierras and likely will be better due to the fire losses last year.
Karl Grau
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by Karl Grau »

524tdAviator wrote: Apr 01, 2022 3:37 AMStop at the town of Solvang for a true Dutch town experience.
Dutch? :?
topher800
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Location: Marshall, CO

Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by topher800 »

I recommend route 20 across the Northern Cascades.
524tdAviator
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Location: San Diego, CA

Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by 524tdAviator »

Karl Grau wrote: Apr 01, 2022 3:18 PM
524tdAviator wrote: Apr 01, 2022 3:37 AMStop at the town of Solvang for a true Dutch town experience.
Dutch? :?
Oops, I meant Danish.
Etip
Posts: 155
Joined: Sep 05, 2021 2:06 AM
Location: Seattle

Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by Etip »

I've done Seattle to San Francisco a couple times (both i5 and 101). Driving the Pacific coast highway is amazing. Drive all the way around the Olympic peninsula.
Someone also mentioned driving the North Cascade highway- I agree it's an amazing drive to Winthrop. The drive up i5 to get there kinda sucks, but it's worth it.
Kenny Blankenship
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by Kenny Blankenship »

If you decide to go on Highway 1/101, expect to take at least 50% more driving time compared driving Highway 5.

I once tried to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco and took Highway 1/101. Normally a 7+ hour drive, it took me 9 1/2 hours and I only made it to Monterey. Abandoned Highway 1 because it took too long and got to SF 2 hours later... :shock: That will give you an idea of how much time to plan.

Try to plan around rush hour (I'd say 2-8pm on weekdays) though. The traffic through Seattle at that time is the worst along with San Francisco.
rusted2
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by rusted2 »

If you have enough time, the 101/1 coastal experience in Northern California is well worth it. Consult the guidebooks to get more granular on which stretches may be better to take inland. Start your day early to beat some part of the RV crowd. Sonoma/Napa worth it too.
garageboy
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by garageboy »

My next planned road trip from New York City (after I tackle the Atlantic Provinces of Canada) is going to be entire Pacific Coast Highway. I'd start in Tijuana, I guess (Cabo?) and drive all the way up to Vancouver BC. I was talking about this trip with a Californian friend, and she urged, "why would you want to go from warm to cold?", so I may decide to reverse course... the Oregon and Washington coast is nice but you'd be saving the best parts for the end, which is fine. But you SHOULD plan to make a lot of stops along the way. This isn't just a nice drive. There's much to see on foot. It's a relaxed drive, that's for sure.

I've done pieces of this journey up/down the west coast, but not the entire thing. If I had limited time, Carmel and Pebble Beach is the most magnificent part of the PCH, as far as I have seen. I would not miss that for anything. Trust what the Californians tell you. And enjoy!
Mike W.
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by Mike W. »

garageboy wrote: Apr 04, 2022 1:17 AM My next planned road trip from New York City (after I tackle the Atlantic Provinces of Canada) is going to be entire Pacific Coast Highway. I'd start in Tijuana, I guess (Cabo?) and drive all the way up to Vancouver BC. I was talking about this trip with a Californian friend, and she urged, "why would you want to go from warm to cold?", so I may decide to reverse course... the Oregon and Washington coast is nice but you'd be saving the best parts for the end, which is fine. But you SHOULD plan to make a lot of stops along the way. This isn't just a nice drive. There's much to see on foot. It's a relaxed drive, that's for sure.

I've done pieces of this journey up/down the west coast, but not the entire thing. If I had limited time, Carmel and Pebble Beach is the most magnificent part of the PCH, as far as I have seen. I would not miss that for anything. Trust what the Californians tell you. And enjoy!
Unless you run into the rare sunny days, you're going to get real tired of gray foggy coast a couple of hundred miles north of SF. That will be a long thousand miles. There will be some good spots to be sure, not to mention the Redwoods on 101 after Calif 1 ends, but it's emphatically not all like Big Sur.
irl-mn
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by irl-mn »

Appreciate all of the advice so far! Timing will be late June/early July. I will flesh out the details over the next month or so and come back to this thread when I have a plan.
vinceg101
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by vinceg101 »

garageboy wrote: Apr 04, 2022 1:17 AM My next planned road trip from New York City (after I tackle the Atlantic Provinces of Canada) is going to be entire Pacific Coast Highway. I'd start in Tijuana, I guess (Cabo?) and drive all the way up to Vancouver BC. I was talking about this trip with a Californian friend, and she urged, "why would you want to go from warm to cold?", so I may decide to reverse course... the Oregon and Washington coast is nice but you'd be saving the best parts for the end, which is fine. But you SHOULD plan to make a lot of stops along the way. This isn't just a nice drive. There's much to see on foot. It's a relaxed drive, that's for sure.

I've done pieces of this journey up/down the west coast, but not the entire thing. If I had limited time, Carmel and Pebble Beach is the most magnificent part of the PCH, as far as I have seen. I would not miss that for anything. Trust what the Californians tell you. And enjoy!
That trip, done properly with stops and layovers, will take most of a summer especially if you stick to the coast route (Route 1 specifically). It winds through a lot of small beach towns that will all start to look the same once you get below Pismo Beach; this is going to eat time (traffic).
You will be on and off Interstate 5 once you hit San Clemente at the top end of Camp Pendleton USMC since the Route 1 disappears frequently.
Baja is a mixed bag and Cabo San Lucas (I assume that is what you meant?) is ALL the way at the bottom so I would target Rosarito or Ensenada as ending/starting point (TJ is a sh*thole that you would likely want to drive through as quickly as possible).
Heck, save yourself the hassle and hours of sitting at the border crossing and just start/end your trip in Imperial Beach, CA instead.
Mike W.
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by Mike W. »

vinceg101 wrote: Apr 07, 2022 6:51 PM
garageboy wrote: Apr 04, 2022 1:17 AM My next planned road trip from New York City (after I tackle the Atlantic Provinces of Canada) is going to be entire Pacific Coast Highway. I'd start in Tijuana, I guess (Cabo?) and drive all the way up to Vancouver BC. I was talking about this trip with a Californian friend, and she urged, "why would you want to go from warm to cold?", so I may decide to reverse course... the Oregon and Washington coast is nice but you'd be saving the best parts for the end, which is fine. But you SHOULD plan to make a lot of stops along the way. This isn't just a nice drive. There's much to see on foot. It's a relaxed drive, that's for sure.

I've done pieces of this journey up/down the west coast, but not the entire thing. If I had limited time, Carmel and Pebble Beach is the most magnificent part of the PCH, as far as I have seen. I would not miss that for anything. Trust what the Californians tell you. And enjoy!
That trip, done properly with stops and layovers, will take most of a summer especially if you stick to the coast route (Route 1 specifically). It winds through a lot of small beach towns that will all start to look the same once you get below Pismo Beach; this is going to eat time (traffic).
You will be on and off Interstate 5 once you hit San Clemente at the top end of Camp Pendleton USMC since the Route 1 disappears frequently.
Baja is a mixed bag and Cabo San Lucas (I assume that is what you meant?) is ALL the way at the bottom so I would target Rosarito or Ensenada as ending/starting point (TJ is a sh*thole that you would likely want to drive through as quickly as possible).
Heck, save yourself the hassle and hours of sitting at the border crossing and just start/end your trip in Imperial Beach, CA instead.
Maybe I'm paranoid in my old age, but even when Mexico was generally ok to drive, tour, etc, Baja was shaky. Many fine people I'm sure, but more than enough very bad actors I wouldn't even think about it. I think Vince nailed it with starting in Sandy Eggo or thereabouts.
vinceg101
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by vinceg101 »

Mike W. wrote: Apr 07, 2022 8:40 PM Maybe I'm paranoid in my old age, but even when Mexico was generally ok to drive, tour, etc, Baja was shaky. Many fine people I'm sure, but more than enough very bad actors I wouldn't even think about it. I think Vince nailed it with starting in Sandy Eggo or thereabouts.
No, I think you are spot-on regarding Baja. The socio-economic-political environment in northern B.C. is not good of late and I don't really see it getting better any time soon. Rosarita and Ensenada may have been fun (or at least a rite of passage) back in the '70-80's as a college kid or sailor on leave, but it's pretty dicey now. There is a huge ex-pat community down at the bottom in Cabo, but it's getting really developed and has lost its' charm of the past; I see it as an "island" in the middle of a long, desolate and dangerous wasteland.
topher800
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by topher800 »

Re: the baja comments.

I am a bit surprised. We moto'd from Tecate to Loreto in spring of 2018. The only bad actor was a cow that walked out in front of me and totaled my beemer...though I was able to ride it all the way back out. I am aware there has been some cartel presence down in the Cabo area, but seemed staying on the usual tourist tracks was safe. Loreto's expat community seemed nice.
gwb72tii
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by gwb72tii »

Back to the op
I grew up in CA

Unless you have to be somewhere at a specific time/date
Why would you not maximize the scenic beauty of the Pacific coast?
Meaning going slower than normal (maybe depending on traffic)
And travel the coast all the way as far as your routes’ dictate?

Hwy 1 is awesome, it’s unique, if you have time why wouldn’t you?
Hwy 101 in northern CA is awesome. You naturally slow down because it is stunning.
The Oregon coast is incredibly scenic. If you golf, plan on a day in Bandon.
Hwy 101 thru the Napa area is forgetful but there really is no alternative.
Going across the Golden Gate Bridge is a must.

Hug the coast. SF is a pain to get thru, but is unique also.
Monterey, Carmel, the 17 mile drive are all must see routes
Big Sur and south Are incredibly scenic
Take your date/wife and surprise her with a stay at Treebones ( google it)

Are you coming back to take this same route again?
Mike W.
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by Mike W. »

gwb72tii wrote: Apr 07, 2022 11:41 PM
Hwy 101 thru the Napa area is forgetful but there really is no alternative.
Gotta cry foul as 101 does go thru the wine country, but not Napa. Rather Sonoma County where I live which while not quite as highly regarded, is still mid to high end wine country. On the other hand, if anything you're being generous on your description as being forgetful. Suburban traffic on 101 rivals many places with much larger populations than the half a mil here and is miserable much of the time. On the other hand, if you decide to drive down Hwy 29 thru the Napa Valley it's even worse and rivals many big cities.
gwb72tii
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Re: West Coast Road Trip Advice

Post by gwb72tii »

Mike, I would much rather spend time in Sonoma than Napa. You live in one of the best areas of CA. I’ve spent a lot of time in your neck of the woods. It’s just having to navigate 101 with all the cars.
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