Highway 1 is the winter break drive every UWT road-trip fan should try

A San Francisco to San Diego road trip before winter break showed how calming, affordable and energizing Highway 1 can be and why it belongs on UWT student’s winter travel list. 

By Syed Huzaifa Bin Afzal

Earlier this quarter, before winter break even started, there was already a need to step away from the usual Tacoma routine of Canvas deadlines and gray skies. Instead of waiting, a decision was made to test something many drivers daydream about, a full California coastal road trip. 

The route ran for seven days from San Francisco to San Diego, mostly along Highway 1 and 101. Along the way were 17-Mile Drive and its oceanfront restaurant stop, San Luis Obispo, Big Sur, Santa Barbara, Venice Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Ocean Beach and La Jolla. 

The trip happened before winter break, but it felt exactly like what winter break should be for students who actually enjoy long hours behind the wheel. 

Starting the road trip in San Francisco set the tone. The city energy faded quickly once the car headed toward 17-Mile Drive, where winding roads, rocky shorelines and Pacific views took over. Eating at a restaurant with waves crashing outside instead of notifications popping up on a laptop felt like a reset. Even in the shoulder season, the air was cool, the crowds were manageable and it was easy to imagine how peaceful the same route would be in December. 

From there, the drive south through San Luis Obispo into Big Sur turned into pure road-trip happiness. Highway 1 clings to cliffs with the ocean stretching out on one side and mountains on the other. Every turn reveals a new viewpoint that could easily be a desktop wallpaper. For drivers who genuinely like being on the road, this stretch feels made for them. The cooler months bring softer light, crisp air and fewer tourists, which makes the drive calmer and more enjoyable, not harsher. 

San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara made ideal mid-trip stops. San Luis Obispo has a familiar college-town feel coffee shops, small businesses and students just with more sun. Santa Barbara feels like a reward with palm trees, Spanish style buildings and a waterfront that looks especially good in cooler weather when the sun drops behind the hills. Walking along the water in a hoodie in late fall feels like cheating Tacoma’s winter without actually leaving the West Coast. 

The southern half of the route turned the drive into a full tour of California’s beach personalities. Venice Beach brought murals, skaters and constant activity along the boardwalk. 

Huntington and Newport Beach delivered classic surf vibes with long piers and steady waves. Laguna Beach mixed art galleries, cliffs and hidden coves that made every stop feel like a postcard. Ocean Beach added a retro, neighborhood feel with its long pier and small shops. La Jolla wrapped up the trip with sea caves, seals and a shoreline that looks unreal in person. 

Seeing these places back-to-back before winter break made one thing very clear; this route fits UWT student’s lives surprisingly well. Many students already spend serious time driving from Lakewood, Federal Way, Puyallup, Kent or beyond. Turning that everyday skill into a planned coastal adventure is not a huge leap, especially for those who feel more relaxed on the highway than on a crowded plane. 

Winter is an especially good season for this kind of trip. Outside of summer, parking near popular beaches is easier, lines at restaurants are shorter and scenic overlooks are less crowded. 

Lodging from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara and Orange County can be more affordable, especially when split with friends. Cooler temperatures make long walks around town or along the beach more comfortable than in peak heat, and a hoodie and jeans are usually enough. 

None of this removes the need for basic planning. Checking the car before leaving Tacoma, watching the forecast and deciding where to stay each night still matters. A reliable, fuel-efficient car with good brakes and tires makes the drive smoother, whether that is an older commuter that has been well maintained or a rented hybrid or compact SUV shared among friends. 

For drivers already used to long commutes, these steps feel normal. Once the basics are handled, the payoff is huge: hours of ocean views, new cities almost every day and a sense of freedom that is hard to get from staying home all break. 

For UWT students who love the open road and do not get tired on long drives, this is the recommendation: make a seven-day San Francisco-to-San Diego coastal drive part of winter break plans. 

Start in the Bay Area, cruise 17-Mile Drive, pass through San Luis Obispo and Big Sur, recharge in Santa Barbara, then beach-hop through Venice, Huntington, Newport, Laguna, Ocean Beach and La Jolla before heading back north. 

Winter break is one of the few times in the academic year when a full week away is truly possible. Highway 1 and 101 turn that time into more than just rest, they turn it into a story worth telling when the new quarter begins.