Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Speed limits
Unless otherwise posted, 65mph on freeways, 55mph on highways, 35mph on sec-
ondary roads.
For more essential driving information, including road rules and hazards, car rental
and insurance, driver's licenses and border crossings, see (
Click here
)
.
Pacific Coast Highways
Make your escape from tangled, traffic-jammed freeways and cruise life in the slow lane.
Snaking over 1000 miles along dizzying sea cliffs and over landmark bridges, passing an-
cient redwoods, historic lighthouses and quirky beach towns, California's two-lane coastal
highways trace the edge of the continent. Only the stretch of Hwy 1 through Orange and
Los Angeles Counties can legally call itself the Pacific Coast Hwy (PCH) (
Click here
)
, but
never mind those technicalities because equally bewitching ribbons of Hwy 1 and 101
await all along this shoreline route.
Why Go?
In between the big cities of San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, you'll uncover
hidden beaches and surf breaks, rustic seafood shacks dishing up the day's freshest catch,
and wooden seaside piers for catching sunsets over boundless Pacific horizons. Lean into
the endless curves and pull over for spectacular ocean views, whether brilliantly sunny or
partly obscured by dramatic, moody fog. Once you get north of San Francisco, fishing vil-
lages are the gateways to wilder beaches and old-growth redwood forests.
When to Go
You can drive this route year-round, but July through September and sometimes into Octo-
ber brings the sunniest skies. Beware of 'May grey' and 'June gloom,' when clouds can
blanket the coast almost everywhere south of San Francisco. Winter brings rain and chilly
temperatures, especially on the North Coast.
