The only long drive part of the trip is the initial drive to the Napa Valley which is ~ six hours. We did it in this way since we are familiar with that drive already and we really wanted to get to Napa quickly. It just feels you are on a vacation once you are in Napa for some reason :). After that things are smooth and the ride is enjoyable to Lake Tahoe and Big Sur. So lets breakdown the stops.

LA to Napa Valley, CA ~6-hour drive

As I mentioned already this is the longest drive. It is also not the most interesting one. The main reason for us to want to get through it as quick as possible and start the next day fresh in Napa Valley. You can of course stay at a hotel somewhere in the middle and make it easier from the driving perspective. Once in Napa life is good and with a good meal and a glass of wine, your vacation has officially begun. At least it always feels that way for us when in that place. You can read more about our Napa Valley experience here as well as recommended places to stay.

Day 3 – Nappa Valley to Lake Tahoe, CA ~3-hour drive

Now that drive is a whole different story. Not very long and filled with great landscapes and vista points. It might take you more than three hours if you stop frequently (like we do) so have that in mind. Lake Tahoe was the main goal of our trip so we spend about five days there. You can read more about our Lake Tahoe experience here.

Day 7 – Lake Tahoe to Monterey, CA ~5-hour drive

You have tons of options here. Monterey, Carmel By The Sea, or even Napa Valley (again) are all great stops for the night. We were already familiar with Carmel so we decided to explore Monterey for a day. Also, we chose to drive more that day so we could have extra time the next one when driving through the Big Sur. You almost never have enough time to truly enjoy the Pacific Coast Highway. So many awesome vista points, trails, and beaches to visit. Anyway, before we get there here are a few of the shots we took from Monterey.

Day 8 – Monterey, Big Sur & San Luis Obispo, CA ~3-hour drive

After having a great breakfast in Monterey at the amazing Crapes of Brittany we drove through the one and only Big Sur. Although the Pacific Highway is one road, how you go about driving through it and where you stop is all up to you. We practically stop and almost every vista point and trail looking for another breathtaking view. One thing we found out is that the vista points at the beginning have more accessible coastal views than those closer to LA. They also have more interesting rock formations and less beach area. Just something to have in mind.

We stopped at the Rugged Point for lunch and then ended up spending the night and the most unusual hotel we have visited in CA. The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. The hotel is quite difficult to be described in one word.

So many colors and different styles. Each room has a different story and decor. Overall good place for one night and for the experience. The service was good overall. Food-wise we were not impressed at all. Few options close by that we could also recommend are Morro Bay and Pismo Beach. Both we have visited before and we liked as destinations and for things to see and explore.

Day 9 – San Luis Obispo to LA ~3-hour drive

Driving back depending on where you stayed you can either take your time or just get home and get ready for whatever is next on your schedule. We were not impressed that much by the Madonna Inn and since we have already been to Pismo Beach and Morro Bay decided to just get home and get ready for the next week.

Overall this was one of the better road trips we have done and by far the best in 2020 (so far). Great landscapes, awesome food, wine, and relaxation. Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe are hard to beat as a vacation destinations. Big Sur never disappoints with its beautiful coastal views. We absolutely had a blast. Hope you would too if you decide to use the same itinerary.

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We “designed” the trip to have no more than three and a half hours drive each day. Since we are traveling with a small child more time than that spent in the car gets really tricky for us. Feel free to change and experiment with the locations. We decided to have our overnight stops in Moro Bay, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Pismo Beach. We left after 7 PM on Friday and came back on Monday. You could also leave on Saturday but we wanted to start fresh at Moro Bay and not drive that same day to Moro and then from it to Big Sur.

LA to Moro Bay, CA ~3 ½ hour drive

As we mentioned before we left on Friday around 7 PM so technically the first three and a half-hour drive was done then. We got to the hotel in Moro Bay around 11 PM. We spent more than half of the day there. You can read more about our Moro Bay experience here. In the afternoon we drove through the Big Sur and reached Carmel-by-the-Sea around 9 PM.

Day 1 – Moro Bay to Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA ~3 hour drive

The most beautiful and breathtaking views were as expected while driving through the Big Sur. The coastal views are something else. We were extremely lucky to actually drive through the entire Big Sur. As we found out less than a month before our trip a huge piece of it was entirely shut down for a very long time. Even google navigation still though it was closed and rerouted us most of the time to go through US 101 instead of US 1.

We stopped at Rugged Point to have lunch, rest, and explore the famous portal to Big Sur. The food was quite good and the views worth stopping for. As a matter of fact, we also stopped there on our way back.

We spent the night near Carmel-by-the-Sea and we were ready for more adventures the next day.

Day 2 – Carmel-by-the-Sea to Pismo Beach, CA ~3 hour drive

By design, we wanted to drive through Big Sur twice in two consecutive days. We just heard so much about it that we did not want to miss an opportunity to take photos, fly our drone as well as fully enjoy the views. This is why both days we basically spent driving on the same Highway 1 just in different directions.

Now we also drove through the famous 17-mile drive near the Carmel-by-the-Sea. Overall we were not impressed. We felt that the views were sub-par and the feeling that you are bothering people with double-digit million-dollar houses was always there. Plenty of high fences and walls on the way and you just feel like you are in someone else’s backyard. Not what we expected overall. It also was very crowded to a point where you had to wait to take a decent picture or even enjoy the view without people getting on your way. Here are some pictures from the 17-mile drive:

Now you can of course change the drive back to Pismo Beach as shown on the road trip map. Instead of Highway 1, you can go through US 101. It would be faster but far less picturesque. So after our second stop in two days at the Rugged Point for lunch, we continued to Pismo Beach. You can read more about our stay in Pismo Beach here.

Day 3 – Pismo Beach to LA ~ 3 hour drive

Note that when coming back from Big Sur if you are still on Highway 1 you will pass through San Simeon and the famous Elephant Seal viewpoint. If you have half an hour consider stopping there and seeing the extraordinary amount of seals that rest and chill on the beach. The best time to visit would be the end of and the beginning of the year. You can of course do this on your way to Big Sur instead of on your way back. We were there the second week of February and there was an insane number of seals resting there.

Overall this trip was an absolute blast. Plenty of driving but man it was worth it. The coastal views and the beautiful nature everywhere makes this one of the road trips everyone should experience when in California. If you are planning a trip do not hesitate to put Big Sur on your map. It is as good as advertised and more!

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