This is hard. I mean if you've driven through California on I-5, you know it doesn't smell pretty, but it's fast and you can see California's farmlands. If you take US-101, it is longer but you get to ride along the coastline and possibly detour to Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country and seaside towns like Santa Barbara, Monterey, and Santa Cruz. I say take your time and let the ocean breeze smack you a little bit.