This trip was taken with my Mom and my dog <3 

We left Malibu around 7 to get to Solvang for breakfast by 9. After we ordered and sat down at Brekkies by Chomp, my Mom stated enthusiastaclly, "This is the definition of worth the wait." We also visited Mortensen's Bakery, The Solvang Bakery & Good Seed Coffee Boutique. Highly recommend visiting Solvang, whether for a short road trip pit-stop or a weekend getaway!

Our next stop was Pismo Beach. We drove through "downtown" to Grover Beach so we could explore sand dunes and the dog-friendly, car-friendly beach. Such a fun vibe being able to drive up on the sand & camp at this beautiful beach! Unfortunately butterfly season at Monarch Butterfly Grove is late October - February so we only drove by this time.

We stopped in Capitola for lunch at Margaritaville. I wish we stayed to explore the shops more, I love this seaside town!

Shark Fin Cove was our next planned stop. Hidden enough we almost missed the dirt cut-out parking off PCH! Make sure you hide your belongings as I have heard there are break-ins often here. Shark Fin Cove offers stunning trails above the beach and a short steep trail down to Shark Tooth Beach. We decided to explore the trails above and this ended up being one of our favorite stops of the entire trip!

Half Moon Bay Coastal Trail was our final stop before heading to our hotel for the night. An absolutely gorgeous walk for golden hour!!

Tiburon is one of my favorite places to stay and feel safe in San Fransisco. The only downside is we got there too late for dinner as all the restaurants were already closing for the night. Salt & Pepper welcomed us to any of their salads or soups as they cleaned up for the night and we are so grateful and can't wait to eat a proper meal there next time! Keep in mind, Tiburon goes to sleep very early so if you're getting there late, arrange for dinner beforehand. 

Overnight: Waters Edge Hotel Tiburon 

We started our morning with coffees & breakfast at Acri in Tiburon.

We stopped at Grandfather Tree Gift Shop as an introduction to Redwood Country and Amillia's in Garberville for lunch before heading to Avenue of the Giants. Amillia's had some of the best sandwiches I've ever tasted!

As we drove Avenue of the Giants I kept lookout for any paths toward the South Fork Eel River. Stumbling upon Hidden Springs Beach Trail was like finding gold. Not technically dog-friendly, but quiet & secluded, we brought my dog down for a swim where he even met another friendly swimming dog! The hike to the river ended up being a perfect place to explore some redwoods without crowds and the river was the best place for a dip!

We continued along Avenue of the Giants until we reached Moonstone Beach in Trinidad.

Our next stop was Elkhead Loop Trail overlooking Trinidad State Beach. This stop was particularly special for us as we ventured down an unmarked path and stumbled upon a very obvious sign from my late brother. A spiritual medium told me just a week before this trip that Jeffrey would send my mom heart-shaped objects and benches...he just so happen to guide us directly to a heart-shaped bench with a "wind phone" to "call lost loved ones". This was one of my favorite stops of the entire trip for personal reasons but also because the views were some of the most breathtaking in my opinion! Don't forget to explore off the beaten path!

Leaving such a meaningful place and heading to a place that I had been waiting years to get back to was definitely a high for me! Bandon, OR was an unexpected blessing I found on a road trip years ago and I couldn't wait to get back and finally share my favorite beach town with my mom. 

Bandon Coffee Cafe and a walk on Bandon beach is probably my favorite road trip morning of all time.

Our next stop was unplanned and ended up being our favorite stop of all! Heceta Head Lighthouse. We stopped at the lookout on the 101 to take pictures from afar and then decided to drive down to the beach and thank goodness we did!! Tide pools, beach caves, rivers, bridges, boulders, everything you could want from a beach and more.

We made another spontaneous stop at Cape Cove Trail right off the 101 in Yachats, OR.

Our next stop was planned but had an unexpected plot twist! Clearwater Restaurant in Newport, OR had amazing food but INSANE lunch dates!

Neahkahnie Viewpoint from the 101.

Hug Point State Recreation Site was a last minute addition to the itinerary and an epic discovery...especially once we found the waterfall! They call it "Hug Point" because you have to hug the rock at low-tide to be able to get around to the side of the beach with the waterfall.

Our final stop for the night and where our hotel was located was Cannon Beach, OR. We stayed at Surfsand Resort, a beautiful dog-friendly hotel with amazing amenities. We enjoyed s'mores at their fire pit with some other hotel guests as well as the indoor pool/hot tub. We walked over to Pelican Brewing for dinner where we had a fantastic meal! A lovely city to stop for the night with plenty of activities and restaurants to choose from.

We started our day at Ecola State Park then sat outside for breakfast at Osprey Cafe in Seaside, OR.

The Astoria-Megler Bridge was a thrill to say the least! Crossing the border to Washington at extreme heights was fun but not as fun as Brass Hub Coffeebar in Cosmopolis, WA!

We headed to Lake Quinault Lodge to check out the lake but skipped the loop trail to leave time for other activities. 

Next stop was Kalaloch Beach and the Tree of Life.

Ruby Beach was one of the more stunning beaches I've ever explored in my lifetime.

A highlight for my mom was visiting Forks, WA, the location of the Twilight book series.

Hoh Rain Forest is NOT dog-friendly but luckily my dog was pooped and we were able to do the Hall of Mosses trail quickly while he slept in the car! Hoh is about an hour out of the way from everything else and if I'm being honest, we didn't find it as spectacular as we expected. If you're crunched for time and wondering if it's worth the drive, I would say it's skippable. If you do decide to go, grab snacks for the car and hit this spot on your way to Forks.

We squeezed in a quick visit to La Push - First Beach on our way to the hotel and so glad we did!

We had an incredibly beautiful drive at golden hour past Lake Crescent on our way to the hotel in Port Angeles.

We started our morning with a beautiful and easy hike at Spruce Railroad Trailhead. Follow the trail to the left of the tunnel to get to Devil's Punchbowl.

On our way to Cape Flattery - the furthest northwest tip of the contiguous United States - we stopped in Sekiu for lunch. A tiny coastal town with Bald Eagles soaring overhead and the kindest, most fascinating locals! We had delicious sandwiches at By The Bay Cafe.

Cape Flattery was 2 hours out of the way and worth every second!! Highly recommend this stop if you're in the Olympic area. The reservation does have a $20 fee per car to enter.

We spent our final night enjoying Downtown Port Angeles, shopping and having an amazing Chinese dinner at Fresh Wok.

Rainbow through our hotel windows for our final night!

After driving to the Seattle-Tacoma Airport to drop my mom off for her flight home, I drove back to LA the fastest route. Making stops at Rooster Rock State Park near Portland and the Sundial Bridge in Redding to sleep. About 10 hrs a day back to back.