10 Fun Stops on a Portland to Los Angeles Road Trip

I’ve driven different sections of this Portland to Los Angeles road trip more times than I can count, sometimes just the Oregon coast, sometimes pushing all the way into California, and a few times doing the full stretch. It never gets old.

The Oregon coast feels like home to me. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest and spending years exploring it for my travel writing, I know these towns well and still find new things every time I drive through. But there’s something that happens when you cross into California and watch the coastline change. The sea stacks give way to wider beaches, the air gets warmer, and by the time you’re in Santa Cruz or Pismo Beach, it feels like a completely different trip than where you started.

You can do Portland to Los Angeles on I-5 in about 15 hours straight through. Most people do. But taking the coastal route along Highway 101 adds time and adds everything worth seeing. The towns you’d miss on the freeway are the whole point of this drive.

Here’s everything I’d tell a friend planning it.

Tips for a Portland to Los Angeles Drive

Here are some tips to help you plan your trip.

How Do You Get to Los Angeles From Portland?

There are two options. You can take I-5 straight south, which is faster but mostly inland and not particularly interesting. Or you can head west to the coast and drive south on Highway 101 through Oregon and California. I always recommend the coastal route. It takes longer, but the Oregon coast alone makes it worth it, and once you’re in California, the scenery only gets better.

From Portland, head west on Highway 20 to hit the coast, then south on Highway 101 all the way down. The Pacific Coast Highway picks up once you’re in California and takes you through Big Sur country on the way to Los Angeles.

How Far Is Los Angeles From Portland, and How Long Does the Drive Take?

The coastal route along Highway 101 covers about 1,134 miles and takes roughly 21 hours of driving time without stops. Nobody should do that in one go. I’d spread it over at least four or five days to actually enjoy what you’re driving through. The stops on this route are the whole point.

One thing worth knowing is that parts of Highway 101 are winding and narrow, especially along the Oregon coast. Factor in extra time and don’t try to rush it.

When Is the Best Time to Drive From Portland to Los Angeles?

Summer is the most popular and for good reason. The weather along the Oregon coast is as reliable as it gets in the Pacific Northwest, which admittedly means you might still get rain, but the long days and warm temperatures make it ideal for beach stops and hiking. California in summer is almost guaranteed sunshine.

Fall is my personal preference for this drive. September and October bring fewer crowds, lower hotel rates, and the light on the California coast in fall is stunning. If you’re visiting between October and February, Pismo Beach’s Monarch Butterfly Grove is also at its best.

Spring works well too, especially if you’re timing your visit to the Oregon coast for wildflowers. Winter is doable but wetter, and some coastal areas can be stormy.

How Many Days Do You Need for a Portland to Los Angeles Road Trip?

Five days is the sweet spot if you’re taking the coastal route. It gives you enough time to explore the Oregon coast properly, spend a night in San Francisco, and not feel rushed through the California stops. If you only have three days, you can do it, but you’ll have to skip a lot. Four days is manageable if you’re an early starter. If you have a week, you can really slow down and add extra time in San Francisco or explore more of the central California coast.

Want to head to the coast first? Go on a Portland to Cannon Beach road trip.

10 Stops on a Portland to Los Angeles Road Trip

This route has it all. The Oregon coast for the first couple of days, then the redwoods, then San Francisco, then the central California coast all the way down to Los Angeles. Here are the 10 stops I’d tell anyone to make on the drive.

1. Portland

Portland is a great place to spend a day or even a full weekend before heading south. I’ve been here more times than I can count, including bachelorette weekends, brewery crawls, a travel conference, and even watching the 2017 solar eclipse from a local park as the sky went dark in the middle of the morning.

If you have time to explore, the Alberta Arts District is my favorite neighborhood for an afternoon with good coffee, local shops, and street art everywhere. The Portland Japanese Garden in Washington Park is one of the most beautifully designed gardens I’ve visited, and it’s worth a couple of hours if you have them. The waterfront along the Willamette River is easy to walk and good for stretching your legs before a long drive south.

Portland has one of the best brewery scenes in the country. Lazy Days Brewing, 10 Barrel, and Backwoods are all worth your time. For food, the city is famous for its food trucks, and I always make sure to stop at one. Stop at The Cart Blocks downtown to find a dozen in one spot.

When you’re ready to leave, head west on Highway 20 to the coast and then south on Highway 101. The Oregon coast starts almost immediately, and it’s stunning from the first mile.

Head north instead and go on a Portland to Seattle road trip to see more of the West Coast.

2. Cannon Beach

Despite being a Seattle local who has been going to the Oregon coast my whole life, I didn’t actually stay in Cannon Beach until 2025. My friends had been raving about it for years, and I had visited a few times, but I finally decided to stay the weekend.

We went in classic PNW fashion, rainy and stormy, and it was perfect. Haystack Rock is the obvious centerpiece and worth walking out to at low tide when the tide pools are full of starfish and anemones. Check the tide tables before you go. We had lunch and a sampler flight at Pelican Brewery and wandered downtown at a slow pace, which is exactly the right speed for this town.

For coffee and pastries, Sea Level Bakery and Coffee is the local favorite with pour-over coffee and everything made from scratch daily. Get there early on weekends as it fills up fast.

Extend your trip by going on a Seattle to Los Angeles road trip.

3. Cape Perpetua

Cape Perpetua is one of the most dramatic stretches of the entire Oregon coast and is worth slowing down for. My favorite is Thor’s Well, a naturally formed hole in the basalt rocks that looks like the ocean is draining into the earth. At high tide, the waves surge in and explode back out in a way that will make you stop for a while to take pictures. I almost skipped it because we were tired from driving, and I’m glad I didn’t.

Right next to it is Devil’s Churn, a narrow inlet where the waves funnel in with serious force. Both are a short walk from the same parking area, so there’s no reason not to see both while you’re there.

Time your visit around high tide for the most dramatic effect and give yourself at least an hour. The rocks are uneven and slippery, so wear good shoes, especially if you’re carrying kids. I had my two kids with me and had to walk much slower than I’d planned. Also, check tide tables before you go.

4. Oregon Dunes

The Oregon Dunes were one of the biggest surprises of my entire Oregon coast trip. I had no idea they existed until I started planning the route, and when I pulled up and saw almost 50 miles of sand dunes right on the Pacific coast, I couldn’t believe it.

I got there early in the morning and had the place almost entirely to myself. There’s a $5 day-use fee to park at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area south of Florence, the main access point. We ran up and down the dunes and just sat there for a while taking it in. It’s one of those stops that feels completely out of place in the best possible way, more like the Sahara than the Oregon coast.

If you want to make more of it, local companies offer sandboarding tours, which I haven’t done yet, but is absolutely on my list for next time.

5. Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park was the stop that made me realize this drive would be something special. I’d seen redwoods before, but this park hits differently. It’s home to 7% of the world’s old-growth redwoods, and the trees are so massive that your brain takes a minute to process the scale.

My favorite thing to do here is the Stout Grove hike, an easy 0.6-mile loop through some of the most impressive old growth in the park. If you’d rather stay in the car, Howland Hill Road is a scenic drive through the forest that’s just as beautiful. A picnic along the Smith River is another good option if you need a break from driving and want somewhere peaceful to eat lunch.

Give yourself more time than you think you need. Everyone says they’ll do a quick walk and ends up staying two hours. That’s not a bad thing on a road trip like this.

6. Eureka

By the time you reach Eureka, you’re roughly halfway through the drive, making it a natural place to stop, stretch, and recharge before the longest stretch of the trip ahead.

Old Town Eureka is the most interesting part of the city, a historic Victorian district right on Humboldt Bay with well-preserved 19th-century architecture. The Carson Mansion on M Street is one of the most photographed Victorian houses in the country and is worth driving past. The waterfront boardwalk along the bay is a good place to walk off the drive before getting back on the road.

If you’re traveling with kids, Sequoia Park and the small free zoo next to it are a good stop for a picnic and some time to run around. For food, Brick and Fire Bistro in Old Town is consistently the most recommended restaurant in the city.

Just be aware that the drive from Eureka to San Francisco is over five hours, so don’t linger too long if you want to arrive before dark.

7. San Francisco

San Francisco is worth at least a full day if you can spare it. I’ve been three times now, and it keeps pulling me back.

Alcatraz is the one I keep telling people about. I was skeptical going in, figured it was a tourist trap, and the island completely won me over. The ferry ride out gives you some of the best views of the city from the water. Then you land on this island in the middle of the bay, genuinely cold and windy even in summer, and you start to understand why it worked as a prison. The audio tour is great, and the history is fascinating. Book tickets well in advance because they sell out fast.

Fisherman’s Wharf is worth a stop for the sea lions at Pier 39, the clam chowder in a bread bowl, and the Ghirardelli store in Ghirardelli Square just up the street. Stock up on chocolate before you leave. From the Wharf, the waterfront walk toward the Ferry Building is one of my favorite stretches in the city.

Before you leave San Francisco, drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. It sounds cliché until you’re actually doing it, and the views looking back at the city are worth every minute of the detour.

8. Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz has this laid-back, slightly eccentric energy that makes it hard to leave. It’s a surf town with good food, a beautiful stretch of coastline, and enough to fill a half day without feeling rushed.

Start with coffee at Verve Coffee Roasters downtown on Pacific Avenue, one of the original third-wave coffee shops in California that now has locations worldwide but started right here. From there, walk down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Main Beach to take in the scene, especially good on a sunny day when the surfers are out at Steamer Lane.

For seafood, Stagnaro Brothers on the Municipal Wharf has been a Santa Cruz institution since 1937, with over 20 kinds of fresh fish, harbor views from every table, and a clam chowder that locals consistently rate as the best in town.

Before you leave, drive or walk along West Cliff Drive for views back over the bay. The Walton Lighthouse at the end is a quick photo stop.

9. Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach is one of my favorite stops in all of California. I got there mid-afternoon, checked into my beachside hotel, and barely left the view for the first hour. The central coast light at that time of day just makes everything look better.

For food, Splash Cafe on Pomeroy Avenue is the Pismo Beach institution for clam chowder, a casual spot that has been serving it in sourdough bread bowls since 1989. The line moves fast, and it’s worth every minute of the wait.

After that, walk along the beach at sunset. I took about a million photos and still didn’t feel like I got enough of it. The Monarch Butterfly Grove is also worth a stop if you’re visiting between October and February, when thousands of butterflies cover the eucalyptus trees.

Pismo Beach is one of those places that doesn’t try too hard, and that’s exactly why it works. It’s an easy overnight before the final push to Los Angeles.

10. Los Angeles

I’ll be upfront about Los Angeles. I’ve flown through LAX more times than I can count and always dreaded it. The traffic is unlike anything else in the country, and just getting across town can take two hours on a bad day. For years, I wrote it off as somewhere I had to pass through rather than somewhere I wanted to be.

Staying overnight changed my perspective. When you’re not rushing to a connection or fighting the freeway at peak hour, the city reveals a different side.

Venice Beach was a revelation. There’s nowhere else quite like the boardwalk, street performers, muralists, bodybuilders at Muscle Beach, and locals rollerblading past like it’s still 1987. It has this chaotic, creative energy that you can’t manufacture and can’t find anywhere else on this drive.

LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, is worth a half day. The Urban Light installation out front, the grid of 202 vintage cast iron street lamps, is one of the most photographed spots in the city and looks completely different depending on the time of day. I loved exploring everything they had here.

For food, Grand Central Market downtown is where I’d send anyone on their first real day in LA. It’s been operating since 1917 and has everything from egg tostadas to Vietnamese banh mi to proper pastrami, all under one roof.

A 5-Day Portland to Los Angeles Road Trip Itinerary

When broken down into smaller segments, a road trip from Portland to Los Angeles will hit all the right spots (you know, those sweet holiday-inspired ones).

Opt for a multi-day journey at a steady pace, with fabulous stops to capture every magical morsel of your road trip excitement. Check out this fun five-day itinerary.

Day 1: Portland to Cannon Beach

Travel distance: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes (80 miles)

Start the morning in Portland with coffee and food trucks at The Cart Blocks before heading west on Highway 20 to the coast. Arrive in Cannon Beach for lunch at Pelican Brewery, walk out to Haystack Rock at low tide, and spend the afternoon wandering downtown before settling in for the night.

Day 2: Cannon Beach to Coos Bay

Travel distance: approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes with stops

Head south on Highway 101 through Cape Perpetua, timing your arrival at Thor’s Well and Devil’s Churn around high tide for the most dramatic effect. Continue south to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for a stop before arriving in Coos Bay for the night.

Day 3: Coos Bay to Eureka

Travel distance: approximately 4 hours with stops

Cross into California and drive through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, giving yourself at least an hour for the Stout Grove trail. Continue south to Eureka for the night with time to walk Old Town and drive past the Carson Mansion before dinner.

Day 4: Eureka to San Francisco

Travel distance: approximately 4 hours 20 minutes (271 miles)

A straightforward drive south with no major stops needed. Arrive in San Francisco with the afternoon free to walk Fisherman’s Wharf, see the sea lions at Pier 39, and stock up on Ghirardelli chocolate. Book Alcatraz tickets in advance for the following morning if you haven’t already.

Day 5: San Francisco to Los Angeles

Travel distance: approximately 6 hours with stops

Start with Alcatraz in the morning, then drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and head south on Highway 1. Stop in Santa Cruz for coffee at Verve and lunch at Stagnaro Brothers on the wharf before the final push to Los Angeles. Budget extra time for LA traffic once you get close. Head straight to Venice Beach to decompress, then LACMA for the Urban Light installation before dinner at Grand Central Market.

Which of these stops are you most looking forward to on your Portland to Los Angeles road trip?