Don't miss these places if you have a Rental Car

SFWanderlust Team November 18, 2019

Hello and welcome back

In our last post we talked about different places, from which to view San Francisco. This has been our most engaged post so far – we’ve had many back and forth emails from viewers saying they’re putting Grizzly Peak or Panoramic Way on their bucket list. We’re super happy you guys have found the guide useful.

We thought we’d extend the coverage of places outside of San Francisco realizing that many travelers have a broader travel agenda that also involves lots of driving. This post is all about places outside of San Francisco that you can drive to and they’re all within the 30 minute to 4 hours of driving range. We’ll cover what each place is known for and to what folks one might be a better fit than another and tell you how much time you could be spending to get a satisfying trip.

Hidden gems of SF

First, and the closest on the list is Muir Woods National Monument. This monument is only about 30 minutes north of San Francisco and it’s known for its old-growth redwood trees. Trees here are super tall, as tall as 250 ft. and taller. The air is among the freshest in the Bay Area and Muir Woods offers amazing hiking trails. We’d say this place is best suited for folks that are coming with someone or with their family and are interested in nature and hiking. The drive here is fun as well, lots of zig-zag and amazing valley views full of redwood and sequoia trees.

What to do ?

If you’re by yourself and/or with a group of people that enjoy city vibes, architecture, and attending events and festivals, you will be disappointed here. We’re nature folks enjoying the sound of water, birds singing, and clean air, and typically spend at least an entire morning or afternoon here and then head back to San Francisco. That’s the minimum I’d say. Try to arrive as early as you can, a bit after sunrise is perfect. The parking lots are always crowded even during weekdays. Weekends are the worst so arriving early is key.

One of the hiking trails. Notice those amazingly tall sequoia trees

Big Sur

Next up is my favorite, Big Sur. Big Sur is a region located 3 hours south of San Francisco accessed via the famous Highway 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. This place is beautiful thanks to its rugged-stretch and ocean-bordering nature. You can come down here any time of the day and it’d be beautiful, but when sun is about to hit the horizon and the light becomes yellow and soft and all the grass and trees shine. That’s the best. I will post a few photos to illustrate.

A few places worth seeing include the Bixby Creek Bridge, which is an arch bridge with large pillars. On one side, you have the beautiful Pacific Ocean view and on the other is land, expensive land. This bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in the west and I subscribe to this truth from my own experience. There were times that I drove twice down to Big Sur only to snap sunset shots of the bridge.

The Bixby Bridge seen from the south side before sunset

Wait, there’s more

Another phenomenal landmark is McWay Falls, which is about half an hour drive south of the Bixby Creek Bridge. It’s a small waterfall that flows all year around. How often do you see a waterfall on the ocean edge? Unfortunately there’s no direct access to the waterfall, just like with most other waterfalls. Good news is that there’s an bridge overlook that gives you a full view of the waterfall and the ocean. Highly recommended as well.

McWay Falls mid day

Lastly, Big Sur is an excellent area for hiking. Fortunately I am not biased towards any trails here. As you’re driving, you’ll notice “coastal access” signs on the road. If you stop and start hiking, the trails will lead you to the ocean and they are usually short 30 minute to an hour trails.

What’s most beautiful here are the combination of rock formation, ocean water, and plants. Honestly, I am jealous of folks living down here. The closest cities are Carmel by-the-sea and Monterey, both of which are about half an hour north. Speaking of Carmel, this is the only place before Big Sur that offers full service from shopping to food, gas, and cell reception. So make sure you get what you need before heading down to the above mentioned places.

Is that all ?

Hmm we still have many other places outside of San Francisco that you’d want to share with you. If you’d like to see a version 2 of this, leave us a comment. Looking forward to seeing you in our next post. In the meantime, stay tuned and for other destinations, have a look here. Thank you.

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