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The long way to LA: The most epic roads in America
I had meetings in LA this week so decided to take the long way down from SF. I read good things about Hwy 25 and Hwy 33 so decided to string them together and go country roads the whole way down. I took 101 to Hollister > 25 to Coalinga > 33 to Ojai > 1 to Santa Monica.
Its really hard to describe how epic these roads are. Jalopnik called Hwy 33 "America's greatest driving road". They were wrong. Its tied for first with 25. Taking the 1 down the coast is gorgeous but this is the route you want to take in a 911.
To fully appreciate these roads just imagine doing 100 miles at Nürburgring (25 to Coalinga), followed by a 100 mile drag strip through the desert (33 to Maricopa), followed by another 70 miles at Nürburgring (33 to Ojai through Los Padres National Forest), and then top it off with 40 miles along the Malibu coastline.
25 and 33 through Los Padres are desolate and you only see another car, or human existence, every 5-10 minutes. Bring some water because if you breakdown it could get sketchy. You go from straights through farmland and desert to fast turns in the foothills to twisties through the mountains. The only time you run into other other cars is a 20 mile stretch on 33 called "the Petroleum Highway". Its an apocalyptic moonscape of oil rigs where you can get stuck behind a tanker until the road clears and you can pass. I took it easy through here because I had been doing 120mph stretches and needed to get my heart rate down.
The roads are excellent. Much of 33 is newly paved blacktop. The only things you want to be careful of are suicidal squirrels and falling rocks when you go between cuts in the mountain. I took it easy through these because you combine blind turns and freshly fallen rocks in the middle of the road. Sadly I tagged two squirrels on the route back and almost had another dropped on my windshield by a vulture. They congregate on the road to mourn their fallen brothers and then get hit by the next passing car.
That is awesome! What an epic road trip and thanks for sharing.
Funny, but your highway 25 photo gave me a deja vu moment! Beautiful straight road with a tree on the left side. It may have been this exact section, but there was a CHP parked in the shade of a tree just like that one. I was about a half mile away and just as I squinted to see if there was a car in the shade of that tree... his lights went off and he clocked me doing 100mph That was a long time ago, but that photo brought back that memory instantly.... Thanks a lot!!
Thanks for sharing, what an awesome drive and so good for the soul and heart rate. I live about 30 minutes from Ojai and the 33 hwy. I blast through there a couple times a year and hit my local canyon roads a couple times a month.
I do 25 annually, and 33 about every 3 years, but never have done them together. I go Hollister to Coalinga and back. Re: 33, Hwy 1 to Carmel Valley Rd to 101 to Carpenteria, then 33 to 58 to 101 and home.
How is 33 from Coalinga south? Relatvely straight compared to going into Ojai?
I just drove that route this last winter, I don't know what the traffic is like in the spring and summer, but it was empty in January. It was epic, hwy 33 was sooo fun. I did not see any CHP the whole way.,..I can't drive 55...
Bruce - would you have taken PCH if it wasn't closed down or is it too played out or too meandering? Coming from Texas we almost always take it either north or south.
IMO, given the choice, his route is by far a better driver's route than Hwy 1. Hwy 1 is a slower, less challenging drive. As far as scenery, Hwy 1 has the ocean, but the inland route has great landscape.
IMO, given the choice, his route is by far a better driver's route than Hwy 1. Hwy 1 is a slower, less challenging drive. As far as scenery, Hwy 1 has the ocean, but the inland route has great landscape.
The nice cool ocean breezes are a big part of our enjoyment - you get inland in the summer and it's hard on you and the car.
05-25-2018, 12:56 PM
The long way to LA: The most epic roads in America
That was a long time ago, but that photo brought back that memory instantly.... Thanks a lot!! 
