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Highway 1 Road Trip: Six itineraries along California’s iconic coast

Comprehensive guide explores six regions along the route with more than 150 stops to create an unrivaled experience.

By Greg Thomas, Alissa Greenberg, Leilani Marie Labong, Jill K. Robinson, Robert Earle Howells, David Ferry

Outdoors
Most of Big Sur’s parks and trails are closed until further notice
Most of Highway 1 remains open, and local businesses in Big Sur are hungry for visitors. But mudslides, flooding, road damage, downed trees, washed out trails are hurting a long stretch of coast. By Gregory Thomas
San Francisco
Is this the most underrated park in S.F.? It survived a century of stupidity to get here
Bayview Park survived many near-death experiences, including Giants fans’ efforts to wipe it from existence. Now it’s San Francisco’s most underrated park. Here’s a tour. By Peter Hartlaub
Bay Area
Bob Wise, San Francisco surfing pioneer, dies at 74
Throughout his long career in San Francisco, the surfboards Wise built always reflected the independence and uniqueness of their maker. By Sam Whiting
Tahoe
Driving to Tahoe for holiday weekend skiing? Read this first
One of Lake Tahoe’s most popular skiing weekends is due to bring such heavy snow that traveling to and from the mountains is expected to be difficult if not impossible. By Gregory Thomas
Bay Area
Burning Man organizers file suit to stop Nevada geothermal test approved by U.S.
Burning Man sponsors accuse the U.S. government of wrongly advancing plans for a future geothermal power plant that could disrupt the Nevada desert surroundings. By Bob Egelko
Tahoe
Tahoe to see several more feet of snow leading up to holiday weekend
Some Tahoe ski resorts are reporting snow levels at of 150 to 200% of their seasonal average. But the storms have made mountain travel difficult. By Gregory Thomas
Bay Area
Monarch butterflies elusive during new year count in S.F. Presidio
Volunteer census takers turned out with high hopes of spotting monarch butterflies during the last day of the annual new year count at the Presidio. By Sam Whiting
Outdoors
Is anyone in California enjoying these storms? Yes. Kayakers
Some of the world’s best whitewater kayaking runs tumble down the Sierra Nevada’s western flank, and weeks’ worth of storm cycles has brought them to the cusp of flood-stage conditions not seen in 25 years. Kayakers are loving it. By Gregory Thomas
Bay Area
Northern California waterfalls are roaring. Here’s where you can see them
Winter rains have revived Northern California waterfalls. But be aware that trails and roads in parkland may be dangerous, and potentially closed, due to falling trees and mudslides. By Julie Johnson
Hiking
10 best Bay Area hikes, according to 600,000 AllTrails reviews
Using AllTrails ratings data, we generated a list of the best hikes in the Bay Area and near San Francisco By Nami Sumida, Gregory Thomas, Sarah Feldberg, Dan Kopf
Bay Area
The Bay Area just saw some of its largest waves ever recorded. This map shows the details
The swell on Thursday, driven by the bomb cyclone, kicked up some of the biggest waves on record in the Bay Area. By Gregory Thomas
Climate
Where to see native salmon splash, jump during their peak season in Bay Area creeks
This is the peak time of year when coho salmon swim up Lagunitas Creek in Marin to spawn during their annual migration, the last of its kind in the region. Here’s where to find them. By Tara Duggan
Bay Area
Which wild animal gets spotted more in your city than others? Here’s the list
We dove into iNaturalist data to find out which mammals and birds are found especially often in Bay Area cities. By Susie Neilson
San Francisco
San Francisco’s park revival is here. Here are 7 of the best newcomers
San Francisco's parks have never been more varied or vibrant. As these seven COVID-era newcomers demonstrate, the best way to appreciate the city’s evolving public landscape is simple — go see for yourself. By John King
Bay Area
How a modest Berkeley shop called the Ski Hut became the center of California’s mountaineering boom
Long before REI expanded outside Seattle, a shop called the Ski Hut, staffed by climbers and other enthusiasts, dominated the outdoor gear industry. By Kate Galbraith
San Francisco
Presidio Tunnel Tops: 15 ways to explore San Francisco’s huge new park
It's not often that a 14-acre park opens atop a highway tunnel, with the Golden Gate Bridge on one side and the downtown skyline on another. Here's why the hype for Tunnel Tops Park, San Francisco's $118 million park is well deserved. By John King
Bay Area
Winter storm will disrupt start of Dungeness crab season — here’s what to expect
The heavy rain and wind expected this weekend is adding new uncertainty to the launch of the commercial Dungeness crab season, which is due to open early Saturday morning after multiple delays. By Tara Duggan
Tahoe
Tahoe could soon get more than 8 feet of new snow. Here are the best times to ski this week
Lake Tahoe is getting nuked with precipitation this week — but that’s not necessarily a promise of great skiing during what is typically the region’s busiest ski week of the year. By Gregory Thomas
Outdoors
Four national parks in California and Oregon are unifying under one park pass
Starting Jan. 1, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lava Beds National Monument, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and Crater Lake National Park will honor one another’s annual passes. By Gregory Thomas
From the Archive: Our S.F.
Golden Gate Park’s bison used to be chaotic escape artists — until one major change was made
The Golden Gate Park’s bison herd were escape artists, breaking free, invading the Richmond District and causing damage. Then park officials made a big change. By Peter Hartlaub
Bay Area
Winter Solstice: These photos show the Bay Area during the darkest days of the year
The winter solstice on Dec. 21 — when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun at its maximum point — sees just nine hours and 33 minutes of daylight in San Francisco. But the city still glows, if you know how to look. By Sarah Feldberg
Tahoe
Prime hiking area near Donner Pass bought and added to Tahoe National Forest
A 760-acre chunk of land near Donner Pass will soon be added to Tahoe National Forest as part of a sale brokered by conservationists. By Gregory Thomas
San Francisco
A surfer nearly died at Ocean Beach. How three people pulled together to save him
The Chronicle helped connect the man and his rescuers via the Fire Department, which responded to the scene and had been in touch with the Good Samaritans, after his sister-in-law read about the rescue and reached out to a reporter. By Mallory Moench
Tahoe
A Tahoe skier went missing in the backcountry. It was one of the most challenging searches...
Night rescues are extremely challenging, and an approaching storm raised the stakes. But on this night at Alpine Meadows, almost everything went amazingly right. By Gregory Thomas
Outdoors
Could Yosemite and Kings Canyon parks be linked? Bill calls for creation of new national monument
The proposed 1.4 million-acre Range of Light National Monument would replace the Sierra National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management-run San Joaquin Gorge. By Kurtis Alexander
Bay Area
California bird lovers alarmed by deadliest outbreak of avian flu in memory
For the first time, the avian flu is impacting wild bird populations in California. And the new strain is deadlier than previous ones. By Tara Duggan
Tahoe
Tahoe resort opens ‘transformative’ new ski gondola
The $65 million project by Palisades Tahoe to connect ski areas at Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley opened this month, thereby creating the third-largest ski area in the United States. By Gregory Thomas
Tahoe
Tahoe snow makes for ‘best Christmas holiday conditions’ in years
The weekend storms delivered between 3 and 4 feet of snow across the Lake Tahoe-Truckee landscape, putting Sierra snowpack far above normal. By Gregory Thomas
Bay Area
One of Bay Area’s largest private coastal properties to become a park
Cloverdale Ranch near Pescadero is being purchased by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, capping a 25-year effort to protect the oceanside property. By Kurtis Alexander
Tahoe
Need to cancel your Tahoe ski trip this weekend? Read the fine print first
A new variable is making it more confusing to cancel your Tahoe ski trip. That is, ski resorts urging — and in some cases requiring — day visitors to book their passes in advance of their trips. By Gregory Thomas

The Salesforce Tower and the San Francisco skyline behind the Golden Gate Bridge at dusk on Sunday, July 14, 2019.

Why S.F. was named one of 'World's Greatest Places'

A guide to some of the reasons San Francisco was recently named a premier travel destination.

An illustrated map showing all five California road trips in a 2022 print package.

California Road Trip: 5 scenic routes for an unforgettable summer

Road tripping has exploded in California since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Luckily, California is top-to-bottom lousy with natural beauty, historic towns, scenic back roads and first-rate national parks.

By Gregory Thomas, Deb Wandell