@Stan Galat posted:California 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) is a "bucket list" thing everybody ought to do once. The vistas are spectacular-- but it's not much of a driver's road. If you want to spool out the car, invariably you'll be stuck in the back of a train being pulled by a motorhome that just can't bring themselves to pull over.
California 70, from Oroville to the California 89 junction, then into Truckee, on the other hand, is a driver's paradise. It's an astounding road, and a full day's drive. The vast bulk of the route is deep in the Plumas National Forrest, so there are no driveways, etc. to contend with. I seriously contemplated selling everything I owned, and driving that road until I ran out of money. I'm sure there are countless roads in NoCal that are every bit that good, but MAN-- that one was nice.
East of the big muddy, great roads are harder to find, but can be every bit the equal of California. I've got no idea where we went, but driving on @Carlos G's roads was every bit that good. He prefers "no name" roads, but "the Rattler" (North Carolina 209) up to Hot Springs, NC also runs through a national forest. Blasting through with @LeonChupp hooting it up in the right seat was one of the most enjoyable times I've ever had wheeling a car. That road has a great rhythm.
Cruising is fun. Driving is a blast.
IMO, 1 gets a lot better north of the bridge. Just about every road between 1 and 101 is spectacular, too. In fact, you can go up there and spend all day on little roads heading east from 1 and never make a bad choice. Plus, fresh oysters on Tomalas Bay!
1 North to Tomales-Petaluma Rd. Rt on Chilenas Valley Rd, Rt on Spring Hill Dr, quick rt ontoWindsor Street, another quick rt onto D Street, which turns into Pt Reyes-Petaluma Rd which takes you all the way back to 1 at Pt Reyes.
I spent almost every day off up there on my motorcycle when I worked in SF for a couple of weeks in 2000.