Not sure if this is the right forum, but since I'll be driving a TT on the PCH, I figured I'd ask here.

Thinking about taking a scenic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) from San Fran to LA. Other than driving along Big Sur, any recommended routes and stops? Taking the PCH all the way may take too long and I may have to break it down to 2-3 days.

 

I'd stop at Monterey, Big Tourist area and take in the Aquarium: then have a dinner in Santa Cruz and take in the Board Walk, Next is Half Moon Bay (Nice to drive through), next stop would be San Francisco; from there keep heading north to the wine country. The problem is that all these are three to four hours apart (and once you hit the wine country, you may not want/be able to drive after)

Oooopps! I have you going in the wrong direction

 

Agree that Half Moon bay Ritz Carlton is worth stopping for and then driving down the coast all the way on the 1 to Carmel and stopping for dinner at Hyatt Highlands for another beautiful view (key is to hit the famous 17 mile road)

Once in Carmel, I would take the major interstate 5 which does not have a view all the way but take it to Santa Barbara and spend the night (hyatt place is reasonable and hit a sushi spot on the main roads) and then take major interstate all the way to Malibu and cut back over to the Highway 1 thru Calabasis near pepperdine University as the ocean drive from Malibu to Santa Monica is delightful. Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach are the highlights in LA and the rest of LA is a traffic nightmare (I lived there for 8 years and visited today)

Terranea resort in Rancho Palos Verdes is worth staying the night 15 miles down from Manhattan Beach and then drive to Ritz-Carlton Laguna-Niguel in Orange County and you have hit all the most beautiful views