There are currently a number of delays and closures on the PCH due to all the rain we have had this winter. I would expect most of that will be cleared up in a few weeks, but best to check a few days before your ride.

 

Spend one night at Ragged Point Inn. Few miles north of San Simeon. Thank me later.

 

I live in San Diego and have made the trip to SF many times, as recently as 3 weeks ago. My opinion is
(a) leaving SD on 4/4 and being in SF 4/5 afternoon for an appointment is very ambitious. You will barely have time taking the fastest route possible. It means taking Hwy 5 through LA and up through Central Valley. LA is gridlock to be avoided any time of day or night. Central Valley is unscenic and very boring.
(b) As much as it pains me to say this, 1-2 nights in San Diego is not nearly enough. SD takes you out of you way and makes it necessary to go through LA. I would save SD for a later trip when you can really appreciate all that it has to offer (3-5 days)
(c) PCH Hwy 1 from Morro Bay to Big Sur will still be closed in early April. Take it out of your plan.

My recommendation is:
Saturday 4/1. Leave Lost Wages, NV and head to Santa Barbara. Take Hwy 395 to Victorville, Hwy 18 & 14 to Hwy 5 to Santa Clarita. Then Hwy 126 from Santa Clarita to Hwy 101 Ventura. Hwy 101 to Santa
Sunday 4/2. Hwy 101 Santa Barbara to Monterey/Carmel. Make a short side trip into to Solvang. Its a small town resembling a Scandinavia village. Then up 101 through Salinas Valley to Monterey Peninsula.
Monday 4/3. Spend day and night in Monterey Peninsula. Fisherman Wharf, Cannery Row, Pacific Grove along ocean, Carmel, then down to Big Sur across Bixby Bridge. Be sure and have lunch at Nepenthe. Check to see if Hwy 1 from Carmel to Big Sur is open by then.
Tuesday 4/4. Monterey to Hwy 1 Santa Cruz. Hwy 1 PCH through Half Moon Bay to SF. Be sure and eat French fried artichokes at Castroville.
Wednesday 4/5. Appointment in SF. Spend night in SF. Many great Irish Pubs and restaurants.
Thursday 4/6. SF Fisherman Wharf, Lombard Street, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and back, and get on 101 south. Take 101 to Gilroy then Hwy 152 over Pacheco Pass to Hwy 5. Spend night in Los Banos.
Friday 4/7. Los Banos to Death Valley taking Hwy 5 to Bakersfield then Hwy 58, 14, etc. to DV. Hwy 58 over Tehachapi Pass is a great ride. This will be a long trip 450 miles.
Saturday 4/8. Spend time in Death Valley then a short trip to LV.
Sunday 4/9. Wife flies out of LV

 

Yup...the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is gone. This is just south of Big Sur!Won't be completed until October. So, ya can't go all the way north. And there is no way to cross over from the coast highway north of Cambria. There are other closures now due to landslides, so you can't get very far north either,

Definitely do not take 5 North through Orange County & La. I've been taking 15North to 210west, to 5 North. It's longer...but will save time & nerves. Do not be tempted to cut the corner and take the 91! It's always terribly congested, and I think still Under construction.

Since you have a schedule, I'd go north the most direct route via 5 through the Central Valley. If you want to stop half way, there isn't much other than Motel 6 type places. But, the Harris Ranch in Coalinga is nicer.

Then take your time coming south. If you want to tid the coast highway, you can go south to Big Sur, then back track to Carmel, and cross over to the 101 or the 5. I'll be doing that in August.

Safe travels,

 

I love the PCH-1 route, and would highly recommend it if you weren't in a hurry and wanted some great scenery. Be aware however that a bridge is out on the Big Sur coast currently... the victim of recent storm damage. PCH-1 is closed from Ragged Point (just north of Hearst Castle), to the city of Big Sur.

 

Thanks again so much for all of the responses. There looked like so much opportunity that I was able to jerk around my San Francisco appointment into a conference call. As it stands at this moment we will get into San Diego on Monday night and will have to be back in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Wifey booked 2 nights in SD to check out that area then we work north. I'm trying to figure out what we can do give the bridge/road problems. I'm also using today and tomorrow to perfect the HD ride planner site and bike nav. I think I have that part dialed, but still get issues with waypoints trying to take me back to point of origin.

So with 2-3 days open to go north of SD then make our way back across Death Valley on Saturday, I'm open to any suggestions. I am trying to kinda chart out all the stuff mentioned above and see if I can make it connect no knowing all the locations of the road/bridge closures. I know it is probably spring break here too, with that in mind is it risky to just ride and hope for a room mid-week or should I book ahead?

Again, thanks for all the help. 71, if you have any favorite SD stops I'd love to hear them. Wifey has mentioned a maritime museum and a submarine tour so far. Sounds like lots of great dinner and nightlife in the Gas lamp district?

First ride today in over 5 months and it felt great. Still 2' of snow on the ground at my place back home. I'm lovin it. EW

 

Some suggestions while in San Diego:
a. Ride along PCH from Torrey Pines to Carlsbad. Park on PCH, walk on the beach and take pictures. Have lunch or dinner at Cardiff restaurants on beach. Watch sunset.
b. Ride over Coronado Bridge and around Coronado Island. Take pictures of Hotel Del Coronado.
c. Ride through Balboa Park. Many great museums and zoo. International Houses are fun to see.. Take Park Ave through park crossing Cabrillo Bridge.
d. Ride out to end of Point Loma to Cabrillo Lighthouse. Take pictures of San Diego panorama. Come back via Sunset Cliffs into Ocean Beach. Walk to end of OB Pier.
e. Ride up to Julian for apple pie. Go through Cuyamaca to get there. Eat lunch at Miners Diner. It's an old 1950' soda fountain with great sandwiches
f. Dinner and drinks at Gaslamp District or Seaport Village. Walkway from Marina to Broadway Pier.
g. Broadway Pier Harbor Cruise. Maritime Museum. USS Midway Aircraft Carrier.
h. Breakfast or lunch at Old Time Mexican Cafe. Walk around Old Town.
I. Little Italy for dinner. Any Italian restaurant. Pastries, cappuccino and gelato at Zuccheros. A beer at Princess Pub.
j. Stay the hell away from Tijuana

 

If you follow my suggestions you'll need 2 full day and 3 nights in San Diego arriving Monday night. Departing Thursday morning.
From San Diego I recommend going to San Simeon coast PCH on Thursday taking Hwy 15 to Hwy 210 to Hwy 5 Santa Clarita. Santa Clarita over to Ventura and take Hwy 101 up to San Luis Obispo, Then Hwy 1 to Cambria, San Simeon, or as far as Ragged Point like Sierra suggested.
Friday take your time and a tour of Hearst Castle. Leave late afternoon and ride like a bank robber to Bakersfield. There's nothing to see or do in Bakersfield so no need to get there early.
Saturday Bakersfield to Las Vegas going through Death Valley.

 

That's the ticket man. I will start trying to put all that together. Being from North of Spokane, WA we gotta try to be at hotel in SD by 5:30pm tomorrow to watch Gonzaga play for all the marbles.

Thank you so much for your time and local advice. If I could ever return the favor anywhere in the Pacific Northwest I would be glad to show you our little slice of heaven. I ride all over British Columbia and some Alberta too. Got good connections and spots all over the place.

Thanks again man, we really appreciate it. EW

 

OP if you don't take this I will.

Looks like a great ride