So, you're probably sick and tired of “incredible US road trips” by now. It’s not as if America is some secret waiting to be found. We all know there's pretty fantastic scenery and a life-changing trip to be had once you gather up some friends and get going on a road trip within the US. Seriously, there are some breathtaking views in this country I call home.

We probably all have something on our bucket list like "visit all 50 states." So, while many people are trying to trek from the east coast to the west coast, sometimes people don't think to explore an entire coastline, like the full west coast - Washington to Cali. I've never been on the West Coast, though I have visited a couple of the western desserts (Vegas and Phoenix). A West Coast road trip is something I crave, and maybe it is for you, too.

So, go get your Wild on (in a less primitive way) with this guide to the Pacific Coast Highway.




Seattle Start

There are so many good reasons to start in Seattle, which is high on my list of places to visit. (Can you say Grey's Anatomy?) There are some amazing cityscapes in Seattle. Downtown, you can find the world-famous The Edgewater is a spectacular hotel adorning the bay. You can check out the Sky Needle and Columbia Tower, if you're not afraid of heights like I am. Seattle's also home to the original Starbucks and the Pike Place Fish Market. Further out of Seattle, Port Angeles has Olympic Hot Springs and Aberdeen is home to Nirvana. Oh, and as home to breathtaking national parks such as Mount Rainier and Union Bay, the parks never stop.



Onto Oregon

Oregon is another state high up on my bucket list. Portland is said to be one of the most beautiful and liberal places in the country with some of the most incredible coffee. Plus, hotel rooms in Eugene, Oregon are accessible and cheap. Plus, super cool things happen on the coast where there are an array of stunning beaches. Because of this, Newport and Seaside & Cannon Beach are well worth a stop off especially in the summer for surf aficionados. Fans of The Goonies will want to hit up Astoria which has tons of movie hot spots and memorabilia.



San-Fab-Cisco 
(Do people call it that or no? Because no one calls Atlanta Hotlanta.)

A visit to the West Coast isn't complete without a trip to San Francisco. As well as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, there’s a plethora of history. Chinatown is full of diversity and Coit Tower is a war-time building offering panoramic views of the city. Once Union Square and the city are done, you could hop on a bike and cross Golden Gate and into Muir Woods (somewhere I really need to go!). There, you can witness some of the most massive and oldest Californian Redwoods in the world. San Fran has it all, folks.



Big Surprise

Of the countless national parks in Cali, Big Sur isn’t as renowned as Yosemite or Death Valley. Still, it’s an unbelievable region right on the Pacific Coast Highway’s doorstep. 17-mile drive is probably the highlight, but McWay Falls and Pfeiffer Beach aren't too shabby either. The lodge in Pfeiffer is a great place to stop off and rest after a long trip. Or, nature-lovers can camp under the glittering light show in the sky.



Last call?

Well, that’s up to you. The glitz and glamour of Hollywood await wannabe stars, but San Diego has an amazing zoo and coastline - I'd love to see the sea lions just lounging all over the beach. Santa Barbara (*cue the Nick Jonas*) and San Luis Obispo are two stops in between that are unmissable too.



















*This is a collaborative post.