My girlfriend and I are gearing up for a road trip travelling up the California coast from San Diego to San Francisco.  The trip is partly just to see what California is like, and partly a surf trip.  

The plan right now is as follows:

3 days in the San Diego area - Maybe split up between La Jolla, Encinitas/Cardiff, and perhaps a night in San Clemente.  Might just stay in one place but don't know where.

Skipping LA - not much we care to see there

2 days in the Santa Barbara area

3 days along the Central coast (Cambria, then 2 nights in Pacific Grove)

3 days in San Francisco

If you have done a similar trip, or have any experience surfing out there I'd love to get any tips/advice.  For our surfing levels: My gf is still a bit of a beginner, but not a true newby.  I can be considered "advanced".  She rides a longboard, I am on a short.  

The only spot I am dead set on surfing is Rincon, and I fully expect to battle the crowd there.  However, we would rather avoid the big crowds for the rest of the time if possible, so without any local knowledge I don't really know what to look for or what to expect.  I would love to surf as many right pointbreaks as possible, but given my GF is a goofy foot I will have to compromise.    

Any advice on spots to check out in the San Diego and Santa Barbara areas (and maybe in between) that would make sense for us? I don't plan on doing much surfing north of Santa Barbara unless the conditions are great and I can't say no to it.    

Also, any adivce on particular areas to stay in along the coast in the towns I've listed?  We would like to stay in places with restaurants and whatnot in walking distance, but that isn't required as we will have a rental car.  Proximity to waves is more important.  

Thanks! 

 

Don't have any advice for surfing out there but the pch from cambria thru Pacific Grove is stunning! Make sure to check out point lobos state Park for sure 

...been a while, but did the trip from San Diego to San Francisco in a rented RV
but took my time, spending about 4-5 weeks in the RV .... back in 2007.

Link

Take the coast road going north.
I wouldn't have wanted to drive south on that road with an RV...
... much less a car. Great views but narrow and no railings and a hell of a drop-off.


I wouldn't mind doing it again...




Edit: another link with info and where I posted picture links




















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Puerto Rico 11 - 24 - 2013

Edited: 12/05/2014 at 09:42 AM by SunriseSurfer

I did almost this exact trip in March.  In SD we stayed in Del Mar, very nice, close to everything.  La Jolla is also a great spot with lots going on.  Cardiff was fun, lots of beginner level surfers on all manner of craft out there.  If it gets small, Blacks was fun and bigger than everywhere else.  Trestles, of course, is a must, just stay away from Lowers if you want to avoid crowds.  If you have time, I definitely recommend hitting Santa Cruz, the town is awesome and Steamer Lane alone is worth the trip.  Just bring or rent a thick suit.

California is cold. The water is cold, the air is cold, but I'm sure you already know that. I did that trip 3 yrs ago. It was awesome, but cold. I flew into San Diego and stayed at the Westin (or maybe the Sheraton, it was a star rewards hotel) downtown for the first night because it was reasonably priced and close to the airport. I surfed Blacks my first day. It wasn't too far of a drive. Then I released my inhibitions and went to Laguna Beach. Lots of stuff within walking distance. I got a vacation rental so it wasn't too expensive but I tell ya what- its a bunch of hipsters and millionaires. When there I surfed Salt creek and hurt my foot pretty badly. Couldn't surf for the rest of the trip. Santa Barbara was nice. Just drove through though. We stopped for a night in Morro Bay. The town is kind of ugly, but we got to see sea otters-ohh they are sooo cute! After that went to Carmel what a beautiful place. Again stayed at a vacation rental not a hotel. The little downtown area has nice restaurants, shopping, wine tastings, and art galleries. Then on to San Fran, but we stayed in Mill Valley- less expensive and not dumpy like most of San Fran, but we had to battle a little traffic to go see the sights in the City. Definitely go to Muir Woods when in San Fran. If you have never seen redwoods you really can't fathom how big they are until you see them in person. Definitely do PCH all the way up. Access to spots in Central California is limited- at least to the uniformed like myself. The only spots I saw from the road were windy, cold beach breaks with no one out. And be sure to bring long pants and jackets because it's cold.

I have traveled up and down the California coast multiple times and the one thing I will always do is travel from San Fran DOWN the coast to San Diego. The view from that side of the road when you go through Big Sur is amazing. A great place to camp and surf is Jalama beach park, just south of Vandenburg AFB. Beautiful drive to the beach and the crowd is usually very managable since you have to make some effort to get there. In front of the little store is a beach break but if you walk south about 1 mile there is a point break called trantulas. Both breaks catch all swell directions. Yes, all the breaks will have cold water. A 3/2 wetsuit will keep you warm for about 1-2 hours any longer and you will find a 4/3 is much more comfortable.

If you can get a reservation, Asilomar Conference Grounds (Asilomar State Park) is unique and surfable.  

In SD, the Zoo is impressive.  LA is a vast urban mess, so the inclination would be to hug the coast.  If doing anything urban, the Getty Museum's old Roman villa is on the coast north of Santa Monica.  Their huge new museum is farther inland (I think I'd rather do museums in NYC).  The Disney Concert Hall toward downtown has the hot Los Angeles Philharmonic (young Venezuelan music director) and is possibly LA's best architectural marvel.  But there's a more modest but equally clever concert hall by the same architect in Miami Beach.  

In Santa Cruz, you can get slug stuff (I'm still using a 1990s slug cap) and Big Basin State Park's redwoods are a short distance inland.  Also some odd "barrens" but I don't think you're a vegetation enthusiast.  

In SF, the little Ocean Park Motel at Great Highway and Sloat (at the end of a streetcar line to downtown) looks like it's still there.  Thanks to Ocean Beach and places to the north, I moved to Portland, Ore. convinced that I'd never go to the beach.  

University of California Press has assorted guides to the coast and beaches.  I think the beach access guidebook was updated recently.  Worth checking.

Edited: 12/05/2014 at 11:55 AM by ww

Thank a ton for the info so far!  I'll be looking into all of these suggestions

Lived BoulderCreek/BenLomond mid 70's. go everywhere-watchoutforteeth~

Ben Lomond.

I've been the last two springs to SD. OceanBeach has a really mellow vibe (it wasn't really firing though) point break along the jetty @ the dog beach to the north, beach break in between the pier and the jetty, lots of fun, huge dolphins out there. Surfed Torrey Pines/Blacks last spring, super fun, consistent shape, anything over 4' maybe not the best for your lady on a longboard (kind of pitchy)

I spent about six months working in the bay area, and spending my weekends in Santa Cruz two years ago. I'm not an advanced surfer and I don't like battling crowds. Some of the places I enjoyed were:

Manresa/La Selva Beach in SantaCruz - not very crowded and multiple breaks along the beach. super fun and laid back.

Ocean Beach in San Francisco - It was overhead big when I was there. The paddle out was grueling on account of the freezing cold, the strong north current, and relentless sets.

The outer sunset neighborhood where ocean beach is has an interesting NorCal beach/hipster vibe to it. One of the best meals I've ever had was at a place called Outerlands. There's a cool dive bar with a Tiki theme called Trad'r Sams in the neighborhood, and the best burger I've ever had was at another place not too far away called Buckshot bar and grill. They've got old school arcade games, skee ball, and old eighties skateboard decks on the wall. But it was seriously the best burger I've ever had. I had it with a side order of country fried bacon. They should have served it with a side of diabetic test strips. It was that good.

There's a cool little beach/hippie town called Bolinas that is tucked away outside of the city. You won't find directions to it from the road because the locals have somehow managed to remove all the signage from the main roads and keep it that way.

If you want to see some cool wildlife it's elephant seal mating time at Ano Nuevo beach near Santa Cruz. You can go on a walk with a park ranger through their mating habitats along the beach. These seal's are huge, like the size of a vw bus, and there are hundreds of them, and they will come romping along a stones throw from you.

Hope you have fun.

^kook

Good plan stick with it. smart choice passing north OC and heading straight to SB

 

 

And trust me that's a wise decision...  but drive through it just to say you've seen it:  take the 405 not the 5  to the 110 north go right through south central & downtown then take a left on the 101 through hollywood then left again on 101 to head out to ricon. BUT DON"T DRIVE THROUHG BETWEEN SAY 7am and 7pm   ( OK maybe 10-11am ish) unless you like traffic

 

BTW I would strongly suggest taking a side trip to see the beautiful sierrea nevada... maybe after ricon take the 126 back to the 5 north ( crazy ass moutain pass will make you appreciate the good FLa roads) then head up the 99 into the central valley ( maybe stop here and eat some mexican). Get some holiday express or something and take a day drive to go see either yosemite national park (glacier point & valley / waterfalls) and/or sequioa kings canyon national park (roads end)... 

 

For the surf there are tons of spots and a lot of info readily avilbale and of course it depends on time year, but 2 must dos to me are Trestles & outer sunset... and on that last note San Fran is a really cool city, if you spend extra time anywhere that's where I would suggest 

 

 

 

Dude best of luck and enjoy your time with the GF out there... I took my GF once there for her first time, propsoed to her 10,000' up in Sequioa now all happily married so yeah bro stoked for ya~ Calli is an amazing place, you will be going back over and over and over!!! 

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get up early and go surf - it'll make that hangover go away and/or make the workday more tolerable :)

BTW I usually stay at holiday inn express, they can be a little more expensive but good breakfast and always very clean and many come with kitchenetts and the loyalty points thing ain't bad. This one is in a nice location San Fran area, ocean views and free parking ( you can drive into the city just pay the $15 to park in chinatown ).

http://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/pacifica/sfopf/hoteldetail?qRef=sr&qDest=San+Francisco%2C+CA%2C+United+States&qRpn=1&qChld=0&qSrt=sDD&qSHp=1&qSmP=3&qGRM=0&qLng=-122.4183&qRdU=1&qRms=1&srb_u=1&qAdlt=1&qPSt=0&qRtP=6CBARC&qCiMy=002015&qHtlC=SFOPF&qCoD=07&qLat=37.775&qCiD=06&qCoMy=002015&qRmP=3&qRRSrt=rt&qRad=30&qRpp=12&qBrs=ic.cp.in.vn.hi.ex.rs.cv.sb.cw.ul.6c&qWch=0&icdv=99613032

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get up early and go surf - it'll make that hangover go away and/or make the workday more tolerable :)

Thanks again for all of the recommendations!

If we were to stay in the San Diego area for 2-3 nights, would you stay in one place and where would it be?  Or should we bounce around the area like La Jolla -> Encinitas/Ocean Beach/wherever -> San Clemente 

Also any ideas for where abouts in Santa Barbara to stay?  Not sure if we should stay in the town or if there is a particular beach that we should look for lodging in.  As I mentioned, definitely want to surf Rincon, but will probably want another session in the area somewhere else especially if the crowd limits my fun at Rincon.  So any suggestions for breaks would be appreciated.  

 

Great advice on Point Lobos! The barking lion seals were incredible on my visit and I always advise people do not miss this spot.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=571

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More images at www.islandsunrises.com or send a note tim@islandsunrises.com  Thanks, Tim 

In San Diego I'd stay in Pacific Beach and then work my way up the coast. Surf out front and blacks right around the corner and so on......

Sharing my best kept secret about La Jolla, stay at the Holiday Inn towards the southern end of town, I would stay all three days there as home base, walk to Wind-N-sea great reef break, and big rock from the Hotel, many other breaks wALking distance depending on swell size, what is real cool is the massive kelp bed in that area cleans up the waves so sweet and make an on-shore or slightly choppy windswell really fun, Big Rock...Well my favorite wave in the Republik of Kalifornia even more so if you surf Goofyfoot.

 

When you walk down the side street, you look local, no car no hassels just walk down the short street and nod to a the locs in the hut and haninging on the rocks and paddle out.  Then drive to all the other breaks in the area. 

 

I like LA, but I am a wierdo and do not mind two hours in traffic to go 15 miles.  Rent a boat for the night or two in Marina Del Ray, check craigslist, cheap w/ amazing views, walk down to Venice and rent a bike a ride around checking out the scene.  Mailbu , you never know could be on, Topanga Point, ehhh average point.  If you can get Rincon when it is on it will be utltra croweded but fun, go to the backside of Rincon (different parking lot thean the normal one) and paddle out.  it is tricky , gotta time it right or get crushed...the the main lot holds just a few few cars, also from the backide you just paddle over and you are at the top of the point.  Warning, they say Backside Rincon is where the alternative lifestyle people hang out and wierd things happen, who cares, just leave me alone I leave you alone.  Rncon seems so small when you actually get there than what you would expect from all the Mag coverage and storiues, it is just a small cove on the boarder of two counties.

My secrete spot that everyone knows about but its not tooo crowded and really challenging fun is PitasPoint (Farias).  Had to jump a wall into a closed campground to get to it but what a rocky, slabby, fun left point, just do the rotation thoig with the locals and they will be cool.....that is my unknown but fun spot most people drive right by.

Jamala camping is a must but now your are getting fridgid.. Boot, Hood, gloves, 4/3 etc. the cafe there has the best hamburgers if yuo are not Vegetarian.  again getting real cold.

Further North was just too cold for my equipmemnt, I called stop at Tarantulas could not go futher North to surf.  sight-seeing Morro Bay etc. Yes , But Surfing, did not have the right wetsuits and hood, gloves.  Jamala is first come first reserve I believe so get there early to get a site.

 

So many places in between, San Diego and Central California..only one that I really liked was Trestles , Lowers fun but ultra criwded, uppers fun but crowded, Barb Wires fun, not so crowed, and cottons fun not too croweded. Ventura C-Street was very good as well and liad back, , Sliverstrand ehhh more beachbreaky but you could park right at the beach.  Never got vibed therre I guess the 80's stoireies of the locals Cholos with blades went away once the sue happy 90's came to be...

Skipped San O cause of the wait to get in and I do not longboard, they let one car in when one car leaves, crazy stupid wait if you are not there at 5:15 AM.

 

Go find the slabs, reefs and points.

 

EDIT---JUST RE-READ YOUR LADY LONGBOARDS, forget all the advice above

Edited: 12/08/2014 at 08:40 AM by SurferMic