Pacific Coast Highway — The 7-Day RV Trip From Seattle to San Francisco

The best lane on the Pacific Coast Highway is the right one — so drive it north to south. In the US you drive on the right, and along this coast the right-hand lane hugs the water. Point the rig south from Seattle and you sit ocean-side the whole way: every turnout, every overlook, every photo stop is a simple right turn off the road instead of a left across oncoming traffic. Do that in a wide motorhome and the difference is night and day. Seven days, roughly 800 miles, Oregon Coast beaches to the redwoods to the Golden Gate.

What does the route look like at a glance?

Seven days, ~800 miles one-way from Seattle to San Francisco, best June through September when the rain risk is lowest and the days are longest.

• Launch: Seattle, WA — End: San Francisco, CA (one-way drop required)
• Distance: ~800 miles, mostly US-101 and CA-1 (Highway 1)
• Recommended class: Class B under 22 ft, or a compact Class C under 25 ft
• All-in budget: $3,400–$4,350 for two people
• Best months: June–September (lowest rain, longest daylight)

Day-by-day route

Day 1: Seattle pickup → Oregon Coast

• Morning: Pick up the van in Seattle (see the Seattle city guide and Washington state guide)
• Drive: Seattle → Astoria, OR — 175 mi, 3h 30min via I-5 S and US-26 W
• Afternoon: Astoria Column; Goonies film locations
• Camp: Fort Stevens State Park ($30–45/night)

Day 2: Cannon Beach → Newport

• Morning: Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach (best at low tide)
• Drive: Cannon Beach → Newport — 130 mi, 3h via US-101
• Stops: Tillamook Cheese Factory; Cape Kiwanda at Pacific City
• Camp: South Beach State Park, Newport ($30–45/night)

Day 3: Newport → Bandon

• Morning: Yaquina Head Lighthouse; Oregon Coast Aquarium
• Drive: Newport → Bandon — 175 mi, 3h 30min via US-101
• Stops: Sea Lion Caves, Oregon Dunes, Coos Bay
• Evening: Face Rock viewpoint · Camp: Bullards Beach State Park ($30–45/night)

Day 4: Bandon → the redwoods (Crescent City, CA)

• Morning: Coquille Point sea stacks
• Drive: Bandon → Crescent City via Brookings — 130 mi, 3h via US-101
• Stops: Boardman State Scenic Corridor (Natural Bridges), Pistol River
• Camp: Mill Creek Campground, Redwood National and State Parks ($35/night)

Day 5: Redwoods full day

• Morning: Stout Memorial Grove and Howland Hill Road (Jedediah Smith)
• Afternoon: Lady Bird Johnson Grove
• Evening: Trees of Mystery; Klamath River · Camp: same as Day 4

Day 6: Redwoods → Mendocino Coast

• Drive: Crescent City → Mendocino — 250 mi, 5h via US-101 and CA-1
• Note: Longest driving day; split at Eureka or Fort Bragg if you want to slow down
• Camp: MacKerricher State Park, Fort Bragg ($35–50/night)

Day 7: Mendocino → San Francisco

• Morning: Mendocino Village; Point Cabrillo Lighthouse
• Drive: Mendocino → San Francisco — 180 mi, 4h via CA-1 (mostly two-lane coastal)
• Stops: Point Arena Lighthouse, Bodega Bay, Stinson Beach
• Late afternoon: Cross the Golden Gate into the city, then return the rig at an SF-area partner (confirm one-way pricing before you book)

What does it cost all-in?

About $3,400–$4,350 for two people, and the one-way drop fee is the single biggest variable.

Line item	Amount
Class B rental: $245/night × 7	$1,715
One-way drop-off, Seattle → SF	$400–$800
Booking fees + insurance + cleaning	$400–$550
Fuel (800 mi @ 17 mpg @ $4.25/gal, diesel Sprinter)	$200
Campground fees (state parks, 6 nights)	$200–$280
Food, propane, activities (2 people)	$500–$800
All-in 7-day one-way	$3,415–$4,345

That $245 Class B night is the national median from our July 2026 pull of live listings — where the national median across all 3,398 rigs is $150/night, and by class it runs travel trailer $125, Class C $229, Class B $245, and Class A $300. One caution: the California markets on this route — Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego — run above the national median as of that same July 2026 pull, so if you pick up or drop inside California rather than Seattle, price it higher. Our RV rental cost guide walks through the whole calculation. And never trust a single quoted nightly rate as your budget — fees, insurance, and the one-way drop routinely double it.

When do you need to book the campgrounds?

Six months ahead — coastal state-park sites open on a rolling six-month window and summer weekends go within days. Fort Stevens, South Beach, and Bullards Beach release through Oregon State Parks; Mill Creek in the redwoods releases through Recreation.gov; MacKerricher releases through ReserveCalifornia. Book your arrival date minus six months and you’ll have your pick.

Which RV class fits Highway 1?

A Class B, or a Class C under 25 feet — length and width are what get you in trouble on this road. Highway 1 through Marin and Mendocino is narrow and full of tight curves, and most turnouts were built for cars. A shorter, narrower rig parks in coastal towns, takes the switchbacks cleanly, and burns less fuel.

Class	Highway 1 fit
Class B under 22 ft	Sweet spot — fits everywhere, easy parking, best economy
Class C under 25 ft	Workable — accept tighter parking in coastal towns
Class C 30+ ft	Difficult on CA-1’s narrow curves; awkward to park
Class A	Skip — coastal sections are miserable in a wide coach
Travel trailer	Only as delivery-and-setup at one campground, not for transit

What are the good variations?

Fly into Portland for a tighter 5-day run, or push south past San Francisco for the full coast. The short version skips the Seattle leg and starts at Cannon Beach. The long version keeps going south from the Golden Gate to Monterey, Bixby Bridge, and Big Sur — add about three days for Pfeiffer Big Sur — then on down the California coast to Los Angeles and San Diego for a two-week trip. From Los Angeles, many renters roll straight into the Los Angeles-to-Las Vegas RV trip. One warning on the Big Sur extension: Highway 1 there closes for landslides more than any other stretch of the coast, so check California road status before you commit. Off-season (April–May or September–October) trades crowds for lower rates and more fog.

Bottom line

Drive it north to south to keep the ocean on your right, run a Class B or a sub-25-foot Class C, budget $3,400–$4,350 for two including the one-way drop, and book every state-park campground six months out. See also the Washington state guide, Oregon state guide, California state guide, Seattle city guide, and our RV rental cost guide.