Get ready for one of the coolest road trips in Northern California, where giant redwood forests, winding coastal highways, dramatic ocean scenery, and tiny seaside towns all come together in one unforgettable drive.
This route takes you from the busy streets of San Francisco to some of the tallest trees on Earth, with plenty of epic stops and jaw-dropping views along the way.
You’ll cruise beside the Pacific, drive through tunnels of ancient redwoods, spot wildlife along the coast, and find viewpoints that will make you want to pull over every few minutes.
Some stops are perfect for a quick break, while others are worth slowing down for a hike surrounded by trees that have been standing for more than 1,000 years.
This road trip packs in an incredible mix of coastal views, outdoor adventures, and unforgettable places that make every mile feel exciting.
1. Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco)
The Golden Gate Bridge stretches 1.7 miles across the Golden Gate Strait, connecting San Francisco to Marin County with its massive International Orange towers that rise 746 feet above the water.
Opened in 1937, this world-famous suspension bridge was once the longest suspension bridge on the planet, and today more than 100,000 vehicles cross it every single day.
You can walk across the bridge on the 1.7-mile pedestrian walkway and catch incredible views of Alcatraz Island, the San Francisco skyline, Angel Island, and the Pacific Ocean crashing into the bay.
Fog often rolls through the bridge’s two giant towers during the summer months, creating those classic San Francisco photos.
Plus, if you stop at Battery Spencer or the Golden Gate Overlook, you’ll get some of the best postcard-worthy views in all of California.
2. Point Reyes National Seashore
Keep heading north for about 50-minutes and you’ll reach Point Reyes National Seashore, a 71,000-acre coastal park packed with wild beaches, crashing waves, tule elk, and some of the prettiest ocean scenery in Northern California.
The park sits right along the San Andreas Fault, and at the Earthquake Trail near Bear Valley Visitor Center, you can actually see a fence split apart by the massive 1906 earthquake that shifted the ground nearly 20 feet.
One of the biggest highlights is the Point Reyes Lighthouse, a lonely cliffside lighthouse built in 1870 that sits 313 steps below the parking area and overlooks rough Pacific waters where gray whales migrate every winter and spring.
If you’re up for a hike, the 13-mile round-trip Alamere Falls Trail leads to one of California’s rare tidefalls, where a 40-foot waterfall spills straight onto the beach.
3. Mendocino Headlands State Park
Keep cruising up Highway 1 and you’ll roll straight into Mendocino Headlands State Park, where grassy coastal cliffs wrap around the tiny town of Mendocino and dramatic ocean views pop up around almost every corner.
The park covers more than 347 acres along the Pacific and features easy walking trails that pass sea arches, hidden coves, and rocky bluffs where waves slam against the shoreline.
One of the best spots is the Mendocino Headlands Trail, a mostly flat path that circles the village and gives you front-row views of the rugged Mendocino coastline, crashing surf, and seasonal wildflowers that bloom across the cliffs in spring.
From November through April, you can often spot migrating gray whales from the bluffs, and if the fog rolls in, the whole coastline starts looking like a scene straight out of an old Northern California fishing movie.
4. Avenue of the Giants (Humboldt Redwoods State Park)
Next up, the Avenue of the Giants delivers 32 miles of towering coast redwoods that rise more than 350 feet tall and create one of the most jaw-dropping drives in California.
This scenic road winds through Humboldt Redwoods State Park, home to the largest remaining old-growth redwood forest on Earth, with some trees dating back over 2,000 years.
You’ll find plenty of spots to stop and explore, including the Founders Grove Nature Trail, an easy 0.6-mile loop where massive fallen trees and trunks wider than cars make you feel absolutely tiny.
Check out the famous Shrine Drive-Thru Tree near Myers Flat, where you can slowly drive your car through a hollowed-out redwood tree.
5. Tall Trees Grove (Redwood National Park)
By the time you reach Tall Trees Grove in Redwood National Park, the trees start getting so massive that the whole forest feels almost unreal, with the trees stretching higher than 30-story buildings all around you.
This quiet grove became world-famous in 1963 when researchers discovered the original “Tall Tree,” a redwood that measured 367.8 feet tall and helped spark national support for protecting the park just a few years later.
Getting here takes a little effort since you’ll need a free permit and a 4.5-mile round-trip hike, but the trail rewards you with peaceful paths lined by enormous redwoods, thick ferns, and the sound of Redwood Creek flowing nearby.
Tall Trees Grove feels hidden away, and standing beside trees that have been growing for more than 1,500 years will make you stop talking and just stare upward.
6. Big Tree & Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway
Hop back onto Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, a 10-mile stretch of old Highway 101 that cuts straight through some of the tallest and oldest redwoods in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
The drive feels completely different from the busy main highway since giant redwood trunks crowd both sides of the road and Roosevelt elk often graze in the open meadows nearby.
One of the biggest highlights here is Big Tree, an enormous coast redwood standing 286 feet tall with a massive trunk and an estimated age of around 1,500 years.
You can reach Big Tree on an easy short walk, and between the massive roots, quiet forest paths, and trees that seem to disappear into the sky, this stop easily becomes one of the most memorable parts of the entire road trip.
7. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park throws you straight into some of the thickest and most jaw-dropping redwood forests in California, with towering trees lining the emerald-green Smith River near the Oregon border.
The park protects 10,000 acres of old-growth redwoods and its famous Howland Hill Road delivers a narrow 10-mile dirt drive where giant trunks squeeze so close to the road that it feels like driving through another world.
One of the best stops is Stout Grove, an easy 0.5-mile loop trail filled with enormous redwoods, twisted roots, and shafts of sunlight cutting through the canopy about 300 feet overhead.
If you’ve made it this far from San Francisco, this is the perfect grand finale since the combination of massive ancient trees and crystal-clear river views makes Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park feel unforgettable from the second you arrive.
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