If you are driving from Palo Alto to Vancouver do you pass through/near Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz is further south than Palo Alto. They could head straight down 101 to 85 to 17 and hit the Boardwalk, or go down highway 1, and drive down the coast, which is longer, but just beautiful.

Further south you say, oh ok, down the coast sounds good, how much longer is the route, approximately?

The first route is about an hour. the second, another 40 minutes.

It’s about 45 minutes from Palo Alto over the hill to Santa Cruz. They can then drive up the coast to Half Moon Bay, go back over the hills via Highway 92, then take I 280 north to San Francisco.

Are they planning to take their time to Vancouver, or drive as quickly as they can? The slow scenic route is Hwy 101. The fast way is to take I-80 to Vacaville, and then catch 505 to I-5.

Many thanks for the information about driving to Santa Cruz… I think they want to take about 4 or 5 days to drive to Vancouver… what would they see on the scenic route, Highway 101?

101 goes through the Wine country and up through the Redwoods. Avenue of the Giants is way north of San Francisco towards Eureka. It runs by the coast in Oregon, including going by the Sea Lion caves. All in all, it is much more relaxing than I-5.

Much harder drive, though. I-5 is a straight shot.

Google knows all

Answer: No.

I would try and have them see Sequoiadendron giganteum or the coastal redwoods, which ever is conducive.
Some day, it will be my turn.