First time trip-Pacific Coast Highway

On July 29th My Girlfriend and I are flying into San Diego to take the speedster for a little shakedown up the coast. Seemed only right I shake the hand of the man that has built my dream car as he hands over the keys. Problem is, I have only been to California one other time and that was Last November to test drive the Thunder Ranch Speedster. San Diego and El Cajon is the extent of my knowledge. I am looking for some help/advice/opinion to help plan the trip.
Megan will be my right seater from San Diego to Oakland for 5 days before she hops on a plane there to head back to Pittsburgh. I then have three days to myself in the car before I get it back to Thunder Ranch and load it on a trailer to be shipped to Baltimore.
What are some of the "have to see' places I should make sure to get to. Are there any hotels or campgrounds we should make sure to stay at (someone has mentioned the Madonna Inn?)
Places I should eat?
I have a good Idea of what to keep under the hood after reading the Carlisle threads.
I dont even know what kind of weather to expect, clothes to pack.
As you can probably gather... i am clueless. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Paul

Before you start the trip, how is Tom going to manage a temporary registration for your vehicle? Don't forget to have an insurance card ready in case you get stopped. Also, as of July 1, it's against the law to talk on a cell phone while driving unless you have a hands free device (obviouly your passenger can talk as much as she wants)

Ok,, On your way up the coast, do stop in the Madonna Inn and by all means, make a trip to the men's restroom down stairs by the wine room.

Visit Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, Hearst Castle, and if you're so inclined, drive north to Monterey. While in Monterey, visit Carmel and take the 17 mile drive.

While in Paso Robles and Marina, (just north of Monterey) eat at AJ Spurs. In Monterey, eat on the old fisherman's wharf

Thank you Larry. In regards to the registration, I still have some sorting out to do. I was hoping Tom could get 30 day Temp Tags on the car as a dealer. Hoping is not going to get me on the road. I will be making a call tomorrow.
Thank you for the guidance on where to go, and how to get there. I am wondering what in the hell is going on in a bathroom to make it worth a special stop while in California. Guess I will just have to wait and see.
paul

OK Paul here is the route.....Hiway 1 thru Malibu heading north, pick up the 101 off Las Posas road and take the 101 to Pismo Beach, take hiway 1 again thru Morro Bay and then on to Cambria, you must spend the night on moonstone beach in Cambria (many motels) next morning head north and stop to see the elephant seals along the way, not far north fron Cambria. Hearst Castle is also in that area if you are so inclined..see the internet for details...you will take hiway 1 into Carmel (My wife's favorite town) thru Monterey 9stop at the aquarium)...my my my so much to see and so little time.....

By the way, the Madonna inn used to be a good stop, but now it is old and no longer what it used to be....you will pass it on the way to Pismo along the 101 in SLO (San Luis Obispo)

What these west coasters are forgetting to tell you about is the biggest danger you'll encounter - the view! I've twice driven from LA to Carmel on the PCH and I am amazed more cars don't just drive off the side of a cliff into the ocean from drivers being distracted by the view. On one side you have the mountains and on the other the ocean. It is one of the most beautiful parts of the country, just stunning, and a phenominal drive too. Being that you'll be driving your new speedster isn't going to help, you'll be so in the "Oh my God! I'm the coolest person on the planet" state of mind it'll be difficult to breath.
Be careful.

no one mentioned weather
it will be very hot in late july
lots of shorts and no long pants
ya have to hit up Malibu

Paul, I am in Carlsbad, right by Thunder Ranch. Give me a call 561 301 7885. I can give you a little map briefing at my house when you get to San Diego. Vince gives a good route, I can fill in details. The weather will be warm, but along Ca 1 it can get chilly. Given the lack of room for a wardrobe in a Speedster, I recommend 1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs shorts, a jacket or sweat shirt, and 2 shirts. A good long brim cap to keep the sun off is a must. I would love to meet you and see your new ride. You will have a great trip!

Paul - All good advice. The hardest (most traffic) will be getting through the LA area. Once you're on the coast of Malibu (Hwy 1), you'll be fine. That is where the awesome view of the ocean will start. When in Santa Barbara a must stop is Brophy Brothers for clam chowder. It beats east coast chowder all to hell. It is located at the old wharf. After leaving Santa Barbara, stay on 101, another beautiful ocean view. Pismo is a good place to stop to eat or stay. Lots of motels on the beach. It is of course a beach town with all the beach stuff. Do you like steak. Jocko's in Nipomo is the steak house of choice around here. If you want to check out the Madonna Inn, it is 20 minutes north of Pismo. Maybe stop in for a drink and a look around, but I am with Vince, I would prefer to stay at Moonstone Beach just north of Cambria or Pismo. Be sure to get gas in Cambria. There is very little in the way of that kind of thing north of there. Don't forget, you're on the coast, be sure to have a sweatshirt or something. There is a fire right now in the Big Sur area. Hopefully it will be out when you get here. Good luck and happy motoring. Give me a call when you get to Pismo. I like to see your car.

Oh and bring a fire extinguisher and oxygen mask. The whole place is on fire! After you leave give them to a local.

Press 2 for Espanol.

Paul -

Do yourself a favor and call Will Pierson in Carlsbad. He can give you the low-down details to optimize your trip.

We do a Speedster trip up the coast to Monterey/Carmel about twice a year. I wish we could join you on the trip north. Here's a couple of pics from some of those trips.

Pic on the beach is Pismo (just south of San Luis Obispo cut-off for Hwy 1) and pic on the rocky shoreline is Moonstone Beach (Cambria just South of Hearst Castle).

Peace - Out!

OR.......................if you belong to AAA, they have the greatest strip maps and books and stop recommendations. They also have a book on the "back road" trips that is super. If you have insurance with them, I take the premier membership which gives me 100 mile towing on my less than dependable or predicable cars.

Fred Adler
San Diego

With 5 days, it might be worth heading a bit further north to Sonoma.

I did a trip San Francisco > Sonoma > San Diego for my honeymoon, taking in many of the spots mentioned earlier in the thread. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip.

I couldn't resist attaching a couple of photos of moonstone beach

Cambria in 1977 was heaven on earth. What is it like now? My wife and I moved to Visalia in 1977 and were a newly minted couple. Driving to the coast was an every other weekend thing for us.

Tomm

Thank you all for the advice. Vince, are you feeling alright?? I figured you would have some sort of picture of some sort of hot girl as a graphic for every beach you mentioned. I hope everything is OK.
I was in Pittsburgh all weekend trying to "plan" the vacation. It can be a little overwhelming. My plan: Pack up the appropriate clothes, Pick up that sweet sweet silver speedster and point her north. Follow the route y'all have mentioned stopping at the highlights along the way. Definately going to spend some time at that steak house! The hardest thing to plan is the hotels. Where, when and for how long. Still have some figurin' to do. I am much further along thanks to everyone. The help is very much appreciated!
Jim, are there beaches in those pictures?
Fred, I know someone that would be very interested in that 914
Will, Thank you... I'll be in touch
paul

Paul, I haven't been myself lately....but I will try and make up for it....
Last time I went North this is what I saw, but I'll be damned if I can remember which beaches they were on.....

Paul and Meg....maybe you two would like to meet for some dinner while you are passing thru in Carlsbad at Vigilucci's Seafood and Steakhouse, right across the street from the beach....nice sunsets....maybe Will and wife will like to join in...if you end up meeting up with Will, we could do that, we belong to AAA so if you need maps or ? we can get for you, some ideas where to stop up the Coast too.

Vince, you dirty old man!!!!

~Esther

Esther - So, there is something wrong with being a dirty old man?

HEY VINCE ISNT A DIRTY OLD MAN
JUST OLD :)

Gerd, that does look like Vince.....Vince the impostor....LOL
~Esther