The United States border in the west stretching from Canada to Mexico is a fun 30-hour road trip filled with great sceneries, beautiful beaches and awe-inspiring coastal towns that will make you want to take your time and turn the 30 hours into a week of fun. The drive is nothing short of a wild adventure where you could go with your best friends in a car with a 6 pack of beers (or maybe 12) and a world of entertainment and discovery ahead of you. There are plenty of places to visit in West Coast USA contrasting in vibe and geography where you can make a bunch of everlasting memories. The West Coast or Pacific Coast is the coastline along which the mainland Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean.
The Best Places to Visit in USA along the West Coast
1. Seattle Harbor
The logical starting point of any west coast road trip, Seattle is where big companies like Microsoft and Starbucks started off. Seattle is famous for local breweries that serve delicious craft beers, live indie music clubs and their local NFL team Seattle Seahawks. Good places to hang out in Seattle would include Pike Place market where you could enjoy world-class coffee at the first ever Starbucks branch opposite of the market. Another fun thing to do is to climb the space needle for splendid views over Mount Rainer that dominates the skyline. Now that you are on the road up and going, let’s take a look at some other places to visit in West Coast USA.
- Known For: The Fantastic historical tour of the city
- Opening Hours: Mon- Fri 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Sat & Sun 10:00 am to 5:30 pm
- Duration to spend: 2-3 hours
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5
2. La Push Beach
Famous for being the filming location of the Twilight movies, La Push has the most isolated string of three beautiful beaches in Washington. The shores of La Push are populated with Sitka, spruce and other evergreens trees ‘The Goonies’ was filmed in cannon beach which just one of many beautiful beaches that make up the coastline of Oregon. Cannon Beach is a small coastal city in northwest Oregon along the USA west coast cities known for its long, sandy shore. This beach is situated along the USA west coast cities and is among the best places to visit in USA.
The third beach is a must visit, which is a short hike from the road. La Push is just one of the many in an array of beautiful beaches showcased in the natural splendour of the state of Washington. Regardless of being the filming location to a famous film, the celebrity status is kept to a minimum because of it being located in the Quileute Indian Reservations, which means it is still one of the best places to visit in West Coast USA whilst keeping its solitude intact.
- Known For: Peaceful environs and beach walk
- How much Time to Spend: 2 hours
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5
3. Cannon Beach
On your journey south, you’ll encounter yet another splendid beach, now in Oregon where a famous movie was filmed. Cult classic ‘The Goonies’ was filmed in cannon beach which just one of many beautiful beaches that make up the coastline of Oregon. The town is filled with many art galleries and is a good pit stop to refuel your engine and recharge your bodies for the road up ahead. There is also a variety of sea creatures found on the rocky shores of cannon beach. You can also see orange starfish clinging to outcrops on your walk to haystack rock.
- Known For: Beautiful shore and sea creatures like starfish washed aboard
- Duration to spend: 2 hours
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
4. Portland
Further ahead in the state of Oregon comes another cool city in our list of places to visit in West Coast USA. Portland is a famous hipster arena where you can find independent coffee shops, craft breweries and vegan restaurants. The place is a hub for eco-activists and USA is one of the greatest street food destinations. Enjoy a slow paced life at the heart of Oregon with second-hand bookshops and rooftop bars. If you want to get to speed on the culture of Portland, you could watch a few episodes of the TV show ‘Portlandia’. Let’s move ahead.
- Known For: The Hipster vibe
5. Redwood National Park
Redwood trees are really significant in the culture of California and are dominant throughout the coastal line. Redwood national park is a string of protected forests and grasslands in California. Throughout this stunning coastal park, you’ll find colossal trunks of chandelier tree that are so wide that you can literally drive around them. The gigantic Redwood trees are really a sight to behold. Some of them are as big as 100 meters in height and some of the trees that are still on the ground in the process of decay might be as old as the Roman Empire. The trees spread across the west coast of USA.
- Known For: Towering redwood trees and camping area
- Cost per Person: Approx. Rs. 2,200 for an overnight parked vehicle, Rs. 500 for day use, Rs. 300 per hiker or biker
- Opening Hours: Spring, Summer & Fall- 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Winter- 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Duration to spend: A few hours to a couple of days if camping
- TripAdvisor Rating: 5.0
6. San Francisco
Out of all the places to visit in the USA, San Francisco might be one of the most important. San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and one of the best places to visit in USA. The California Gold Rush brought immense growth, making it the largest city on the West Coast way back in 1849. It’s a buzzing city where you’ll find so much to do, that you’d find yourself having doubts about moving ahead on your journey south and staying there. Home to the 80’s Thrash Metal wave, San Francisco Bay area is a lively town which is not be missed while you drive through California. The town is known for its year-round fog, the golden gate bridge, colourful Victorian houses and cable cars.
- Known For: Golden Gate Bridge and other top USA Attractions attractions
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
7. Big Sur
Big Sur is a rugged section along the Central Coast of California and a popular name among the west coast cities of USA. There is something magical about this rugged stretch of beaches on California’s central coast that artists and writers have tried to define for several years, and have failed. It’s only when you’re actually there that you can feel it. It’s a wild coastline south of Carmel, which is mostly covered in fog throughout summers. It’s a lightly populated region but has many state parks for travellers to beach comb, hike and camp. Beautiful views of the misty coastline and sea-side cliffs will cast their magic on you and make you want to come back there again.
- Known For: Utopian beaches and hiking trails
- Opening Hours: From sunrise until sunset
- Duration to spend: 2-3 hours
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
8. Monterey
The next destination in our list of places to visit in West Coast USA is the rugged coast city of Monterey. Monterey is a prominent name among the USA west coast cities. Just off the shore you can go and enjoy whale watching tours. And while we’re talking about aquatic creatures, be sure to check out the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, home to thousands of marine animals and plants, up for display and interactive exhibits. This place on west coast now has a popular strip of gift shops, delicious seafood restaurants and bars in converted factories.
- Known For: Whale watching
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
9. Carmel-by-the-Sea
This small beach city is known for its expensive art galleries and small boutiques along with museums and library of the historic Carmel Mission. Known to be a top USA attraction, there is a charming simplicity to this little village-like place where you can find a piece of history in the face of the legendary Carmel mission and the museum built around it. It’s a definite spot for your check-list of places to visit in the West Coast USA list and one of the best places to visit in USA.
While you’re there, you have to check out the two beaches in the area, the surfer’s paradise Carmel beach and the bird-rich Carmel River State beach where there’s a scuba entry point.
- Known For: Quaint beaches and art galleries
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.7/5
10. Santa Monica
If you think you’ve seen all the best USA Tourism beaches on the road till now, wait till you hit Santa Monica. It’s unlike any other destination in our list of places to visit in West Coast USA. It’s not called the beach haven of Los Angeles for no reason. This west coast city in USA is a hub for street performers, surfers and budding actors trying to grab the attention of the various Hollywood executives that are known to chill here. It’s a sight to behold. After visiting the isolated beaches like La Push and Big Sur, this highly contrasting beach city is a sight to behold. There’s a gigantic Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica pier, where you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of the coastline. All these sights make it one of the most recommended and best places to visit in USA.
It’s a place where you can seamlessly spend days, just playing along with the Hipster vibe and chilling on any of the numbers of famous populated beaches of Santa Monica.
- Known For: Luxurious beaches and buskers
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5/5
11. San Diego
This is the final destination in our list of places to visit in West Coast of USA and as we get closer to the Mexican border, the Spanish influence becomes more and more apparent. San Diego is a popular place to visit on west coast and is known for its beaches, parks and warm climate. The city is famous for craft breweries, beaches and all things surfing! You can sail, dive, watch whales and drink all the locally brewed beer. Best way to enjoy the view of the beautiful coastline is by hang gliding over the beautiful coastal city. At this popular USA west coast city you can also go and see the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier turned into a museum which is open to the public.
- Known For: Beach activities and craft breweries
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4/5
The Wild West of the United States of America is a fun place to take a road trip to. You’ll find refreshing new experiences, especially if you like the sea and chilling on beaches. There are plenty of places to visit in the USA you could partake in, like surfing and gliding around the coasts of various beaches you come across. There also many interesting towns you’ll run into with a variety of different people with different sets of beliefs and ideals. All in all, it’s a fun little adventure to go on with your closest friends. And if you are already making plans, do not forget to check out our USA Tour Packages for the best deals and offers
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