Sunset ocean views at Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay.

I grew up in the small coastal town of Half Moon Bay, located 30 miles south of San Francisco. Driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway (also known as Highway 1) was a regular occurrence in my childhood. I didn't realize until later on in my adulthood how lucky I was to experience such scenic ocean views everyday. As a local I love to share the love and tell where to find my hidden gems spots.

Beginning from North to South, I've built the ultimate guide with the top spots along Highway 1 worth pulling over for!

Map Your Route Along the Pacific Coast Highway

Sausalito

Sausalito is a small coastal town just north of San Francisco located right across the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s a nice place to spend a day sightseeing and eating fresh seafood. We found the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge while sailing in Sausalito.

Golden Gate Bridge

Probably the single most iconic landmark in San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge. I have an entire guide to the best photo spots with the Golden Gate Bridge prominently in the background. My suggested locations will make for some epic travel photos!

Colorful autumn Indian corn from the Half Moon Bay pumpkin patches.

Lands End & Sutro Baths

Lands End Park is located on the northwest tip of San Francisco where the urban city ends and the vast Pacific Ocean begins. Lands End Park and Sutro Baths has some incredible panoramic ocean views and interesting historical ruins.

Devil’s Slide Trail

When I was growing up Devil’s Slide used to be an active road in Half Moon Bay. But it has since been turned into a scenic walking trail with stunning ocean views. On some days the thick fog rolls in over the mountains giving you all those mysterious and spooky vibes. Trail head starts off Highway 1, between Pacifica & Montara. It’s dog friendly too! See my Devil’s Slide Walking Trail Guide on the blog.

Vintage barn and ocean views on the trail inside Año Nuevo State Park in Pescadeo.

Coastal lookout spot at the Año Nuevo State Park in Pescadeo.

Montara Mountain Trail

The Montana Mountain Trail is not terribly long, just slightly over 2 miles. But the altitude quickly starts to ramp up and you’ll ultimately climb 1174 feet in elevation once you reach the top. If you hike high enough on a foggy day, you'll actually walk through the clouds until you're standing above them. Heaven on earth.

Barn Burger

Barn Burger in Half Moon Bay is a quaint little barn turned burger joint which opened fairly recently and has quickly become very popular with both locals and tourists alike. The outdoor patio's decor is just too cute and the weather is perfect on a sunny day. Dogs are welcome on the patio so feel free to bring Fido along. With locally sourced ingredients the food is gourmet quality and oh so delicious.

The vintage "I Love Pescadero Barn" down the road from the Pescadero Country Store.

Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail

The Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail runs over 11 miles along the coast line and provides spectacular cliff views. You can find a great spot on the sand to set up a picnic and relax. We took our dog Holly for a walk along the trail in this dog-friendly guide to Half Moon Bay.

Kayaking in Pillar Point Harbor

For our afternoon of kayaking in Pillar Point Harbor we rented our equipment from the Half Moon Bay Kayak Company and set off into the harbor. Under a cloud of fog we cruised along through the bay in our kayaks and enjoyed the views. The heavy fog brought an aura of calm but we still managed to squeeze in a little adventure.

Sunflower Fields at Andreotti Farm

Beginning in September the sunflower fields begin to bloom in Half Moon Bay and you can walk among these 15 feet tall giants.

The Andreotti Farm is “u-pick” meaning you can cut your own flowers. We paid a dollar for each flower and came home with a giant bouquet. These are not your typical supermarket sunflowers, some of the ones we cut were huge! Scroll down to see the photos from our visit! The Andreotti’s have multiple farm locations but the sunflower fields are located at 800 Cabrillo Hwy N, Half Moon Bay.

Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve

Just about an hour south of San Francisco you can step into another world and walk among redwood giants. If FernGully was real, this would be the exact place to find woodland fairies! One of our all-time favorite hikes is the Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve. This park has over 24 miles of trails, some with steep inclines so you will really be getting your cardio! If you are visiting the coastal Half Moon Bay area this is a great half-day hike.

San Benito House

The San Benito House Deli has the best sandwiches in Half Moon Bay with fresh baked bread (see image below). The San Benito House Hotel used to be a saloon and brothel back in the wild wild west days. If you stay at the hotel many of the rooms have the original furnishings and giant clawfoot bathtubs.

Pumpkin Patches in Half Moon Bay

Autumn is especially magical in Half Moon Bay because along Highway 92 and Highway 1 you'll find many adorable pumpkin patches, sunflower fields and flower nurseries. Every October there's a huge Pumpkin Festival with all kinds of foods made from pumpkins. Pumpkin ice cream is my favorite!

Arcangeli Grocery Company Store

At the Pescadero Arcangeli Grocery Company Store you can pick up a custom made sandwich with their popular fresh baked artichoke and pesto ciabatta bread. Ask for the God Father sandwich, it's locally famous. This country store has all that old world rustic charm travelers love to experience. This shop is located not far from the beach so it makes for a great spot to grab picnic supplies.

Bean Hollow State Beach

Bean Hollow is a secluded and untouched beach located right near Pescadero. Found right off Highway 1, it’s very easy to quickly set up camp on the sand. We shot all the photos in this Pacific Coast Highway hidden gems blog post at Bean Hollow Beach.

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

The Pigeon Point Lighthouse is actually a hostel and you can book a night's stay in this historical spot. The photo opportunities here are so Insta-worthy, keep scrolling below to see the pics from our visit.

Ano Nuevo Beach

Ano Nuevo is a very private beach is known for beautiful bluff views and a large population of elephant seals. While we didn't find any seals during our visit (breeding season is in the winter), we enjoyed the very quiet and peaceful scene away from all the typical beach crowds.

Pool deck with colorful patio chairs at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.

Strawberry & Olallieberries Berry Picking

Last year we headed out to Swanton Berry Farm in Davenport, Ca. During the summer months you can pick fresh strawberries and olallieberries straight from the farm and pay by the pound. It is so much fun to be out in the country and the strawberries are so sweet (way better than store bought). Now that's what you call farm to table!

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is the Northern California hub for surfing and a very popular weekend destination for folks all around California. The weather tends to perfect - not too hot in the summer but warmer and sunnier than the San Francisco Bay Area. There’s a lot of colorful areas, a vibrant downtown scene and of course beautiful beaches.

Rocky ocean shores at the Point Lobos State Marine Reserve in Carmel.

Beach Town Capitola

Capitola is a colorful little beach town located at the north end of Monterey Bay, almost a 2 hour drive south of San Francisco. The sandy beach is a perfect place to lay out a blanket and enjoy a summer picnic. Feeling adventurous? Take a walk under the pier or grab your surf board and catch some waves. The local Esplanade is full of great eats and shops to explore, you can watch the sunset on the dock while enjoying fresh caught seafood. Yum!

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Just south of Monterey is the small village known as Carmel-by-the-Sea. We took a family road trip to Carmel when my daughter was a baby and enjoyed a relaxing long weekend on the beach. For those who love to hike and watch wildlife, there’s a variety of trails at the Point Lobos State Marine Reserve.

San Luis Obispo

I was particularly impressed with the food scene during our visit to San Luis Obispo. Local restaurants are featuring a variety of fresh and inventive gourmet eats along with great atmosphere with contemporary style. During our 3-day stay we ate handcrafted artesian food, we shopped adorable boutiques and we slept in vintage luxury at the Granada Hotel.

Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo

Located in the heart of San Luis Obispo, the Madonna Inn has become a California landmark and a favorite road trip destination. As one of the most photographed hotels in all California, the Madonna Inn has so many unusual sights that you could spend hours exploring the grounds. One of the first things you might notice when looking at all these photos is "My gosh, the decor is just so tacky!". And you would be spot on to think so, the fabulously tacky style of the Madonna Inn is it's claim to fame. Each of the 110 rooms has a unique theme with an over-the-top interior design scheme, making each stay at the inn a new experience.

Carlsbad Flower Fields

The famous flower fields are located in Carlsbad in Southern California, about 40 miles north of San Diego. The blossoms are known as the "Persian Buttercup" and the fields of these beauties stretch for 50 rainbow acres. The flower season begins in March and the fields remain open until mid-May.

San Diego

I lived in San Diego for a year and my favorite part was exploring all the different neighborhoods. I have published over 18 San Diego guides on the blog, there’s so many areas to explore in this beach-side metropolis. From the beaches, where to eat, colorful murals and more - you’ll find everything you need to plan your visit on this website.

La Jolla in San Diego

The San Diego city of La Jolla is the perfect spot for a quick weekend getaway. It's got all the vacation essentials you need including colorful murals, artesian food and endless beach sunsets. I've built a quick and easy guide to popular spots in La Jolla. Looking for amazing Instagram photo spots? Want to eat a delicious meal on a rooftop while gazing into a sunset sky? It's all here!

Coronado Beach & Hotel

When I first moved to San Diego so many people told me: "You have to go visit Coronado Beach!". There was so much buzz about this spot and when I checked it out in person I understood why. In 2012 this beach was named number one of all the beaches in the United States! The beach is maintained by the prestigious Hotel del Coronado and has an old world charm. When my friend visited she said it felt very much like the Hamptons, which is a great way to describe it. The best part is that the beach is open to the public, so you don't have to be a hotel guest to enjoy it. You can even order cocktails at the bar and sip a margarita on the beach!

Mission Beach

The Mission Beach area of San Diego is that quintessential California cool spot with surfers and chill vibes. During our weekend visit to Mission Beach, we walked down the Oceansfront Boardwalk from Mission Beach to Pacific Beach, stopping to enjoy some sherbet and snow cones. We strolled down Crystal Pier and admired the adorable little white beach cottages that sit above the water.

RV Road Trippin’

Pinterest has predicted that the fastest growing trend in traveling is “Van Life”, meaning skipping the hotels and taking your RV on the road. The perks to RV traveling include waking up right next to the beach, especially when you’re parking it for the night in one of these San Diego RV parks.

Prep Your Car for Long Distance Driving

Before embarking on your Highway 1 adventure, it’s essential to ensure your car is ready for the journey. Simple checks like maintaining tire pressure, topping off fluids, and upgrading to sleek windshield wipers for Audi or similar high-performance options will ensure a safer and smoother drive along the scenic coastline.