the restaurant in sausalito overlooking the bay bridge and sf is called the spinnaker. the golden gate bridge cannot be fully seen from sausalito as it is behind the ridge.
muir woods is off highway 1, and you have to approach it via the panoramic highway which is off highway 1 and then take muir woods road. it's a national monument, and thus it is run by the national park service.
between sf and santa cruz, there is a small coastal town by the name of half moon bay. every early spring, maverick waves may hit the shore, and the best surfers in the world would congregate in this town to compete in the "maverick", an annual tournament pitching the top 100 surfers against each other for the top surfing trophy. surfing the web and trolling in cyberspace do not count. my favorite restaurant there is barbara's fishtrap. they serve some of the best fish, calamari and chips on the west coast. almost all her seafood are caught locally, as there is a fisherman's pier nearby at pillar point.
further down highway 1, there's the town of pescadero. best with artichoke bakery, sundried tomatoes and organic foodfare.
san luis obispo, we called it slo as life is slower than in the bay area, will be a marvelous stop over, either for gas or for lunch. spanish style architecture, but retains the charm of a laid back cal state university town. a favorite among young white chicks for studies and fun in the sun.
further south and not too far away is the ocean town of morro. may need a night there if you're going slow motion with the driving. better to get to these places via 101 than highway 1. highway 1 between carmel, big sur and san simeon is lonely 2 way windy driving for endless miles. of course, san simeon is a must if you're thinking of hearst castle. and the vineyards of paso robles are not far away.
if you're driving from l.a. to sf, suggest that you stop over in santa monica, santa barbara and solvang. cannot cut thru' vandenberg air force base, thus you need to skirt around on 101 going north.
and don't forget sonoma and napa. if you're a foodie or gourmet fanatic, drive up to yountville from napa on 29 and savor the best french cooking at the french laundry, bistro bouchon and bistro jeanty. top 3 french restaurants on the west coast. all on the same street, couple of blocks from each other. in oakville near napa, if you are a wine junkie, you need to pay homage to the spirit of robert mondavi at the winery by the same name.
have fun!
