By car, bike or boat, the West Coast of America is a site to behold. The Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 10 or 101) offers spectacular views of the temperate coasts of Oregon, Washington and California. The highway runs 20,000 miles from Alaska to the southernmost tip of Argentina. The bike enthusiast can ride and camp their way along the American coast, stopping to partake in the desert vistas of southern California or the rocky beaches farther north. Boat cruises give the tourist a view of the West Coast from the Pacific Ocean.
Research tour options. Boat tours are the most expensive of the bunch and also the most regulated. A traveler must plan land excursions based on scheduled dockings. Bike tours are inexpensive and the rider has the option of stopping wherever they like along the way. Bike tours along the coast take a long time and require a level of fitness. Touring the West Coast by car is a good choice as long distances can be covered in a short period of time. Traveling by car also gives tourists the freedom to stop and linger at sites.
Make a list of sites. Your list will include sites that you do not want to miss along the way. This list will help you decide the route of your trip. The website TrekAmercia recommends a southern California tour that travels inland to Las Vegas and then back to the coast. A trip that includes cities such as Los Angeles and Las Vegas is a good option for travelers looking for late nights and urban excitement. Tourists who prefer to explore natural areas will do better hugging the coastline and taking advantage of campsites and hiking opportunities.
Make a schedule. Your schedule should reflect a realistic timetable. For example, if you have only two weeks of vacation time, choose a portion of the coast to tour. This way you will not spend most your trip inside a car.
Locate accommodations on your route before you leave. Print a map of the area you are touring from online or purchase one at a local gas station. Highlight your route and mark all the places to stay in a different color along the route. Use the marks as a guide to plan travel times for each day. It is not necessary to stop at every mark, but it will help relieve the stress of looking for a place to sleep at the end of a long day.
Look up schedules for all tourist sites. Some sites close at a certain hour or shut their doors to the public on holidays. Avoid a disappointing vacation day by looking up the hours of national parks, monuments and museums. Schedule your driving or biking time during the light hours of the day, especially through the cliff regions of Washington, Oregon and northern California. The highway sometimes pushes against cliffs giving travelers amazing views, and it is safer to drive the two-lane road during daylight hours.
Check the weather. Climates along the western coast change as you travel north to south. The northern states of Oregon and Washington are likely to have rain and fog during the summer months. This trend continues down the coast into northern California. The temperatures stay cool until the you hit the drier climates of the south, past the Sierra Nevada mountains. Being familiar with these shifts in weather will assist you in planning your tours. Save indoor exploring for rough weather days and outdoor touring for milder days.
Be flexible. The best vacation moments are unexpected. A chance encounter with a West Coast local or a surprise sighting of a group of seals can make the vacation. You may find something extraordinary lies in your path.
