Ian Anderson - Moon Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip: California, Oregon & Washington

IAN ANDERSON

Youll find the most colorful swath of open road in America along its western coast. The Pacific Coast Highway is 1,700 miles framed by golden sands and turquoise waters, bordered by emerald rainforests and basalt rock formations, and capped off with kaleidoscopic sunsets and indigo night skies.

This road trip stokes the imagination like few other journeys. The west was the last stop of the American frontierits untamed wild roused fortune hunters and lured romance seekers to its shores. Today, the West Coast continues to ignite a creative spark that enthralls the entire world, be it through art, culture, or technology.

In the Northwest, cosmopolitan Seattle still holds on to the heart of a small town, while the industrious citizenry of Portland has carved out its own adaptation of modern Americana. In Southern California, the glamour and glitter of Los Angeles exudes sex appeal, while the laid-back beach culture of San Diego simply basks in the perfection of its weather. Iconic San Francisco sits in the middle, the cultured pearl of the West Coast and a beacon to visitors from every nation.

But for most of this drive, the untamed wild still beckons. From the preserved rainforests of Washingtons mountainous Olympic Peninsula to the unspoiled cliffs of Californias northern coast, the Pacific Coast Highway winds through a diversity of natural treasures. There are towering, ancient trees in the Redwood National Forest; massive sand dunes in Southern Oregon; and sea lions, whales, and dolphins breaching off the shores of Southern California.

Travel the entire coast and encounter the rest of the trove. Discover moonstone beaches, enigmatic basalt sea stacks, and remote lighthouses standing sentry over volatile seas. Visit resort towns, fishing villages, native reservations, and all but forgotten Victorian seaports. Dine on local-catch seafood, world-class fare, and ethnic culinary feasts. Sip on fine wine, fresh-roast coffee, and award-winning craft beer. Youll still end each day hungry for more.

The Pacific Coast Highway is an unlimited and unforgettable adventure. Are you ready to hit the road?

Steeped in natural beauty, the Olympic Peninsula contains sparkling lakes, snowy mountain ridges, emerald rainforests, and driftwood-strewn shores. Its endless supply of fresh air and meandering hiking trails could fill an entire getaway. But a visit to the Northwest is not the same without a stopover in Seattle, a cosmopolitan city where fresh seafood reigns supreme and music fills every night.

With picturesque arches and sea stacks, and seemingly endless sand dunes, Oregons coast often gives the sense of a prehistoric landscape, especially when the fog rolls in. Charming little seaside towns are often all that stand between the blue Pacific and endless green forest, each competing to serve the best bowls of warming clam chowder. For a taste of urban living, Oregon-style, head to Portland to soak up its independent spirit with some farm-to-table dining and craft beverages.

Much of Californias north coast still feels like a frontier. You may drive through giant redwoodsin some cases literallyand lose yourself marveling at craggy, undeveloped coastlines. But then youll cross the iconic Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco, the frontier city that once stood as a beacon to adventurers and fortune seekers going west; now it offers the most famous sights, storied culture, and finest dining of the entire West Coast.

Artists, writers, and poets have long found inspiration along Californias central coast, where breathtaking pockets of unrefined natural beauty buffer a string of distinctive beach towns, each profiling its own unique sense of character. Funky Santa Cruz looks across a bay teeming with sea life at historic fishing center Monterey, which shares a peninsula with the elegant, upscale Carmel-by-the-Sea. To the south, Mediterranean-styled Santa Barbara soaks in sunshine, culture, and wine. And in between, the stunning and untouchable Big Sur provides a gorgeous setting only nature could dream up.

As it continues south, Californias coastline adopts the care-free, sun-drenched beach culture best known to the world, mostly thanks to 100 years of films produced in Hollywood. Greater Los Angeles yields many thrills, including people-watching at the Venice Beach Boardwalk and celebrity-spotting in Beverly Hills. Further south, enjoy snorkeling in La Jolla followed by fish tacos and craft beer in San Diego. With an unparalleled sprawl of beaches stretching from Malibu to Coronado, SoCal offers unlimited recreation throughout an almost endless summer.

The best time for this road trip is late spring to early fall, when the weather is best.

The window for good weather is shorter in Washington and Oregon; its best June through September when its warm and dry with average temperatures of 80F.

Part of Californias allure is in its relatively mild weather year-round. While the northern coast rarely hits 70F in the summertime and can be rainy and foggy, the farther south you go, the warmer and sunnier it gets. In the San Francisco Bay Area, temperatures reach into the 70s and even 80s in summer and fall. Be prepared for the chill of fog in the evenings; even the warmest summer days often end with fog spilling over the Golden Gate into the city. From Santa Barbara south to San Diego, temperatures in the 80s are not unheard of even in January; summer temperatures can often hit the triple digits in inland Los Angeles.