Pacific Coast Highway: Traveler's Guide [Paperback]

Tom Snyder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 21, 2000

Pacific Coast Highway

Before gridlocked freeways and jumbo jets, the West Coast was a region of friendly towns and secluded coves, with 1,800 miles of winding and scenic roadway. It still is!

Join Tom Snyder for another two-lane adventure--from California's strands and the tumbled shoreline of Oregon, through Washington's lush rain forests. Detailed directions make traveling either up or down the coast easy.

Explore more than 390 special plaes, like Port Townsend, where Snow Falling on Cedars and An Officer and a Gentleman were filmed.

Discover over 100 restaurants and romantic hideaways, from pizza parlors to a cozy inn with a wine list of 2,000 vintages.

Find near-secret beaches, where you can still park free right along the old highway and wade straight into the ocean.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (July 21, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312263708
• ISBN-13: 978-0312263706
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 4.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,899 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As an architect of the retro-touring movement, Tom's labor of love with fabled Route 66 has led nearly a half-million travelers to rediscover the old highway. He has appeared on the evening news of the three major US television networks, CBS News This Morning, the Sunday Morning show and segments for The Discovery Channel and PBS. Tom has also been a frequent radio guest around the US, in Europe, Japan, and the BBC.

Tom's best-selling "Route 66 Traveler's Guide & Roadside Companion" is now in its fourth edition, and his wine-and-food touring book, "The Two-Lane Gourmet," won the Gourmand prize as Best in the U.S. Most recently, Tom has published "Tramp," an eBook novel of love, adventure, terror, and faith aboard a hundred-year-old steamer seeking its own resurrection, plus a second eBook, "China Point. This mystery / thriller is based in L.A. and on Catalina Island and follows the the assault on truth when an insurance company turns on its own top investigator. Both books are available in 32 markets worldwide.

In media, Tom was Contributing Producer for the 21st Century Classics DVD production of John Steinbeck's masterpiece, "The Grapes of Wrath," later published by Penguin. While on staff at the University of Southern California, he produced a number of short films and multi-media works on communication and interpersonal development.

He has also served as a probation and parole officer and as project director of a nationwide program for interactive evaluation of programs serving those with special needs. Acting from personal concern, Tom also works pro bono with adult survivors of childhood tragedy and abuse.

Tom holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Michigan State University, plus a doctorate from USC. In the Pacific Northwest he taught writing and editing for the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, a pioneer organization offering a nationally accredited standalone MFA program.

In addition, Tom is a well-published photographer, with work appearing in a number of books, national magazines, and even as a giant backdrop for a cruise-ship bar . . .

Along the way, Tom worked as an oil-field swamper, fry cook, and sailing coach. He is a lapsed pilot and semi-prudent motorcyclist who acknowledges a genetic weakness for open spaces and quick machines.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for those who who love to drive, June 26, 2000

By 

Peder Norby - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pacific Coast Highway: Traveler's Guide (Paperback)

Tom Snyder's Pacific Coast Highway Traveler's Guide is a must read for any one who loves the Historic Hwy 101.

Charles Kuralt said "Thanks to the new Interstate Transportation system it is now possible to drive from one end of the country to the other without seeing a thing"

Snyder's book takes you on a journey from the Mexican border to the Canadian border on the road that opened the west, before driving became the endless endouring of multiple ribbons of concrete. Snyder's trip and his insights on US 101 is a must have for anyone traveling US 101. His book touches on 100's of small quaint cities and sights along the 101 with recommendations for lodging and restaurants. Many of the places he called out are not necessarily the most prominent or "tourist trap" type places but rather unique places that capture the essence of the road.

There is a great little section in the beginning of the book which talks about how Hwy 101 came into being as well as the confusion and differences in the multiple names the road has. It sure cleared up things for me! Snyder also details and recommends many little trips from 2 to 3 days as well as the whole route. There are great tips on the weather and where to begin your trip depending on the weather and your interest.

Also present in the book is a little testament to the surf and woddie culture as well as an acknowledgment of their lifestyle and stewardrdship of our oceans.

Over all, this book is a tremendous asset for those who love to really drive. Well done and highly recommended

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Road Magic!, June 10, 2003

By 

Waverley Paitson (Santa Barbara, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pacific Coast Highway: Traveler's Guide (Paperback)

Once again, Master Storyteller Tom Snyder, author of Route 66 Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion, has written a book that reads like a family history, yet contains enough specifics on California Coastal lodging, food, people and landscapes to get you there and back with terrific memories and coins to spare! In his usual folksy style, Snyder takes us up Pacific Coast Highway, where the golden coast of California is kissed by the sea. This book reads like a warm cup of chocolate yet features insightful vignettes about where to go, what to see, and how to see it all in style. PCH Traveler's Guide is much more than just a travel book. Snyder, who is sensitive to California's natural beauty and fragile ecology, tells readers where to shoot the best photographs, find the best tasting food, meet the most interesting people, and bed down in the sweetest places. Having lived in California for over 30 years, I was astonished to read of places I'd never seen, and the stories behind them. Inspired by PCH Traveler's Guide, my family is planning a road trip this summer to re-experience the coast's beauty and history . READ THIS BOOK if you are coming to California, or simply want to re-discover magic in your own backyard.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coast Starlight dream trip down the West Coast, March 8, 2006

By 

A modern day explorer (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pacific Coast Highway: Traveler's Guide (Paperback)

Wow. I've read the reviews below and wondered if we were talking about the same book. Contrary to other opinions, this book does have an index, does make recommendations for unique and interesting lodging options, and is just packed with little bits of history about each area along the way. And the title of the book does say "Travelers Guide (Photographic Tour)" so do expect some stunning photographs along with the suggestions for enjoying the trip. If you're looking for phone numbers, prices and hours of operation, I would suggest a local phone book or a AAA road atlas rather than this engagingly written little guidebook. I would recommend it to anyone, actually everyone, who is interested in exploring the coast at their leisure and in their own style. Being a single woman and not having a huge amount of money to spend on vacations, I found that taking the Amtrak train, as suggested in this book, from rainy Seattle to sunny California was simply enchanting. For one thing, the Amtrak method of travel is relatively inexpensive, very safe and leaves a lot of time for thoughts and musings along the way (much preferable to being focused on traffic and searching out gas stations when driving). And the scenery can't be beat! It brings to mind bygone times when the trip was the destination - the little historical notes and anecdotes peppered throughout the book are a wonderful backdrop for experiencing the full flavor and character of each area. If you go exploring the beautiful and ever changing west coast with only one guide book, this should be it!