Drive from SF to Cresent City

[SuperLuckyCat]

Hi,

My husband and I are flying into SFO on a Tuesday at 9:45 AM and driving to Crescent City, need to be there by noon on Wednesday. We want to enjoy the drive and need some suggestions for how to break it up. We have heard Point Reyes is a great place for eating and for getting picnic stuff, so maybe we would start there with lunch (saw the PR thread). We want to drive up 1, but need some recs for where you would stop for the night and other not-to-miss places to eat or poke around. We would enjoy any wineries that are near this route since we won't be going to Napa/Sonoma. We do want to see the Avenue of the Giants. Any hotel/motel recommendations would be appreciated. We like camping, farm stands, hiking, and trying new foods. Where would you switch to 101 from 1?

After our stay in Crescent City we're driving back to San Fran for a few days (so we will check out those threads) but we will have another opportunity for 1 night in between the 2 destinations.

Thanks a lot!

[John S.]

Hi,

My husband and I are flying into SFO on a Tuesday at 9:45 AM and driving to Crescent City, need to be there by noon on Wednesday.  We want to enjoy the drive and need some suggestions for how to break it up.  We have heard Point Reyes is a great place for eating and for getting picnic stuff, so maybe we would start there with lunch (saw the PR thread).  We want to drive up 1, but need some recs for where you would stop for the night and other not-to-miss places to eat or poke around.  We would enjoy any wineries that are near this route since we won't be going to Napa/Sonoma.  We do want to see the Avenue of the Giants.  Any hotel/motel recommendations would be appreciated.  We like camping, farm stands, hiking, and trying new foods.  Where would you switch to 101 from 1?

After our stay in Crescent City we're driving back to San Fran for a few days (so we will check out those threads) but we will have another opportunity for 1 night in between the 2 destinations.

Thanks a lot!

←

Wow. Not much time to enjoy the drive but there are ways. From SFO it would take about 6.5 hours straight drive (through San Rafael and staying on 101 which is inland) to Crescent City. Going the coast route to Mendocino is the best option, due to lack of facilities on highway 1 below that, and to avoid slow travel between Fort Bragg and Rockport or Noyo, if you choose to cut over at either place. You can spend the night in scenic Mendocino on the coast. There are wineries there, but they might be closed by the time you get there (the road is windy up to Mendocino). That would take all day Tuesday. Get up early and drive up a bit to Noyo and go east to Willits, which is a slow drive due to the windy road. You could make it up to Crescent City by noon. Of course there are other places to stay, but none as beautiful as Mendocino. The town is a real treat to peruse. You will have to mostly bypass Avenue of the Giantss because of time. There are a number of turnoffs from highway 1 within the Ave. of the Giants area, and you could take some time to check maybe one of those to see the forest. Forget Pt. Reyes because it takes a real long time to get out there from highway 1. Since you only have a total 27 hours to get up there, your options are limited, but good luck and have fun!

John S.

[rjwong]

John S. is correct. That's not much time.

If you want to include Ave. of the Giants, you might have to drive along the 101 from SF all the way to Eureka on Tuesday. The only restaurant in Eureka that I've been to is the Samoa Cookhouse. Very basic food, very affordable, historic restaurant, where the lumberjacks used to eat decades ago, cafeteria-style with long benches. Then on Wed. morning, go through Ave. of the Giants on your way to Crescent City.

Mendocino/Fort Bragg area is a wonderful area. There is a place called the Grey Whale Inn that I stayed at many years ago. I don't know whether they're still around.

I hope this helps.

[Carlsbad]

I would highly recommend the Albion River Inn just south of Mendocino. There are quite a few wineries in the Anderson Valley, which is a short drive away.

[JAZ]

Much as I like Anderson Valley and the Mendocino area, the problem with staying there is that you'll then have a 4- or 5-hour drive to Crescent City. If you need to make it by noon, you'll be getting up at the crack of dawn and you won't have any time to spend in the redwoods.

Depending when you actually get on the road, you could make it to Point Reyes Station for lunch on your first day. You wouldn't have a whole lot of time there, but it's not way out of your way -- it's about an hour and a half from the airport if traffic isn't horrible.

Then what I would suggest is driving from Point Reyes after lunch up to Eureka -- that gets you close to the redwoods and to Crescent City so the drive the next morning can be leisurely.

I've heard great things about Restaurant 301 in Eureka -- I wanted to go there when we drove up the coast last summer but we got a very late start and didn't make it into town in time. It looks as if they do both tasting menus and a la carte. Added bonus: It's conveniently located in a B&B that sounds nice too.

[Kenwood wino]

One don't miss spot is the Eel River Brewery in Fortuna just before you get to Eureka. Good food and awesome beer!!

[StanSherman]

The noon time arrival is a big problem going North if you want any time to work your way up along the coast. How firm is that time?