Recommendations required on what should I stop off and see: non-bike related please, I’ll get my riding in near Santa Cruz. This bit of the trip is all about the need to entertain SWMBO.

Ta.

Sea Otters they are very cute and are all over the place. The Aquarium in Monterey is fab. Carmel jut south of Monterey is quirky. Capitola just soth of SC is interesting as well. Steamer lane in Santa Cruz for the surfing.

Worth spending some time in St Loius Obisbo too.

Probably too late but if you can drive from North to South your views are less obscured by cars and it’s easier to get in/out of the viewing areas

Solvang is nice to stop at. Danish town in CA so not your typical shopping town. Pismo beach dunes are entertaining and there are atvs to hire/drive. Cambria is good for antiques and is home to a tiny bike shop (CBO).

My top tip is try to break the journey once you are on the actual cost road with a picnic at the state parks. The coast bit takes ages, is very twisty, and actually hard work for the driver.

Good luck

Hearst Castle’s quite good fun – bit further south
The sea otter / seals also, but some of the “major” viewing areas can get quite crowded so a bit like Longleat rather than a wildlife experience

The road’s great and I reckon stopping off at some of the remoteish parts at a campsite might be good, assuming you’re talking about more than 1 day

(start with plenty of petrol – not much in the way of garages on some stretches of the highway)

More than a day? really? crumbs. How long does it take?

All good ideas, but I have to fly into LA & head North :/
Sea Otters: will deffo do that
Solvang sounds interesting
How old is an american antique? 50yrs? 😀

drofluf: what is at St Loius Obisbo?

More than a day? really? crumbs. How long does it take?

You could easily drive it in a day, but you don’t have to. I imagine it’s a great place to spend a few days off the road

oh, be sure to rent a convertible mustang so you stand out from the crowd 😉

SLO is a uni town which has some nice places in it.