Not Ranked
Dan...Topanga Canyon is just that, a canyon. It has no overnight accommodations. I would forgo that as the drive up PCH is much more scenic. To get to the canyon you would take I-10 to 210 to Glendale 134 to 101 and south on 27 to about Santa Monica. The reverse route would miss Malibu and a lot of PCH ocean view, that is, Santa Monica up the canyon to 101 and on to Santa Barbara. North of Santa Barbara is a famous Inn on PCH called The Madonna Inn. Google and plan to stop there for a break or a meal. You can't linger going between Santa Monica and Santa Barbara unless you plan an over night. It's 6 hours to Santa Monica and another 2-2 1/2 to SB. Make sure you plan the route to avoid any LA rush hours. It will be unbearable anywhere before 11am and after 3pm on any highway. If you depart PHX at 4am that puts you in Santa Monica at 10am without stopping. I's say departure at 4am with gas stops put you in SM a 11-12am. Get out of SM as fast as you can north on PCH. Not much to see but ocean on PCH between SM and SB. I would target Santa Barbara for overnight. Bkfst the next day at the last surviving Sambo's in the U.S. After SB there is little pressure on PCH until you get to the ocean drive and motor homes.
Solvang is boring to me and instead of Buelton I would head on up to Pismo Beach. Pick up PCH again at Moro Bay. Easy drive to Monterey but I would think of taking a tour of Hearsrt Castle in San Simeon. Tickets and reservations are a must. Not many facilities of any kind along Big sur (between San Simeon and Monterey).
Take the 17 mile drive while in Monterey and drinks at Pebble Beach. From Monterey up to Castroville, Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Davenport, Pescadro, Half-moon Bay. There plan on lunch at Barbara's Fish trap at Princeton by the sea, just north of Half Moon Bay. On to Daly City and a drive along San Francisco's Ocean Beach on your left shoulder and Golden Gate Park on your left. Past by my mother-in-laws house and then cross the Golden Gate Bridge.
Next is a drive tourist don't know. Once you cross the GGB exit and go under the highway and drive west up the steep hill for photo ops at several locations. Go to the top keeping left at an intersection. Stop at the top of the hill to take a short walk through a tunnel that leads to an WWII artillery location. East side tunnel view of Bay, west side view of west and the Marin Headlands. There you will see the Pt. Bonita lighthouse. Do not go back down the way you came but head west down the narrow road that goes down the hill. Follow to the Light House and take a walk. Continue towards Sausalito as the road is one way. Catch the road leading to Sausalito and head dow there for what ever.
Sausalito is very close to Muir woods (nice redwood grove). Take Shoreline and which is on the same road to get to Muir Beach, Stinson Beach and pickup PCH again. Since you saw, if you stopped at Pt. Bonita, a lighthouse you can skip Pt. Reys. Route would be Stinson, Pt. Reyes Station, Tomales, Petaluma, Temecula, Sonoma, Napa.
There is nothing, I repeat nothing you want to see Benica. You could overnight around Vacaville instead. That area is s jumping off spot for Lake Tahoe, Reno, Carson City, NV and south multiple routes back to PHX.
|