I lived most of my life near the central coast of California and have been on nearly every part of US-101 and CA-1 over the years. Lots of wonderful sights to see along the west coast. But in my opinion it's almost a crime to try to cram in the whole route in a few days. Best to either give yourself a LOT more time or if that is not possible just focus on one section. Maybe something like Santa Cruz to Morro Bay to take in a spectacular part of CA-1. Things like the Montery Bay Aquarium, a wildlife cruise on Elkhorn Slough at Moss Landing, Big Sur State Park, some time in Cambria and Morro Bay.
I agree with the weather in Sept. and that things are not likely to really be open for travelers until at least the fall.
Art
