Sonoma-Mendocino Coast Scenic Drive: Marin City to US 101 - Gualala CA Scenic Drive

Preview: This 209-mile-long drive borders the Pacific coast north of San Francisco. The highway passes historic sites, redwood forests, abrupt headlands, sandy beaches, windswept coves, and numerous recreation areas. This scenic drive follows Highway 1 up California’s spectacular Pacific coast from the Marin Peninsula north of the Golden Gate Bridge to south of Eureka. The highway traverses steep, wave-carved headlands, quiet sandy coves, grassy terraces punctuated by grazing cattle, towering redwood trees in moist canyons, long sweeping beaches, and dense woodlands of oak and pine. The shoreline, called the Sonoma-Mendocino Coast for its two counties, is a wildly beautiful meeting of sea and land. Much of the area is protected by numerous state beaches and parks, Muir Woods National Monument, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Point Reyes National Seashore. Special attractions: Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Andreas Rift Zone, Sonoma Coast State beach, Goat Rock, Fort Ross State Historic Park, Salt Point State Park, Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve, Point Arena Lighthouse, Manchester State Beach, Van Damme State Park, Mendocino Headlands State Park, Mendocino, Fort Bragg, Westport Union Landing State Beach, camping, hiking, redwoods, beaches, rock climbing, and scenic views. This chapter is a complete description of a scenic drive with a route map and information on the best travel seasons, interesting sites, recreation opportunities, camping locations, and much more.
© Copyright Stewart M. Green published by Falcon Publishing all rights reserved.


Best Time to Go: Year-round
This travel guide comes from:
Scenic Driving California Guide Book