Audio Tour
Los Angeles to San Diego
120miles
20stops
1h56m
Listen — all 20 stops free
1
LA City Hall Sand From Every County
Mile 0 — Los Angeles
That distinctive white tower ahead is Los Angeles City Hall, completed in 1928.
0:00
2
America's First Freeway Stack Interchange
Mile 0 — Los Angeles
You're driving through the Judge Harry Pregerson interchange area, but the real historic landmark here is the Four Level Interchange, opened in 1953 where US-101 meets…
0:00
3
Downey's Aerospace and Fast Food Legacy
Mile 13
You're passing through Downey, which played a major role in the Space Shuttle program.
0:00
4
Anaheim Beyond the Theme Parks
Mile 25 — Anaheim
You're entering Anaheim, a city whose name comes from its German colonists combining Ana, for the Santa Ana River, with heim, the German word for home.
0:00
5
Santa Ana: Orange County's Original City
Mile 31
Santa Ana was the county seat before Orange County even existed.
0:00
6
Irvine: A City Built From One Ranch
Mile 36 — Tustin
You're entering Irvine, a city that was literally planned on a drawing board.
0:00
7
The Saddleback Valley Gap Between Cities
Mile 45
You're driving through the Saddleback Valley, named for the distinctive twin-peaked ridge to the east.
0:00
8
San Juan Capistrano and Its Famous Swallows
Mile 55 — San Juan Capistrano
You're passing through San Juan Capistrano, home to one of California's most famous legends.
0:00
9
Nixon's Western White House in San Clemente
Mile 61 — San Clemente
Right about here, less than a mile from the freeway, sits La Casa Pacifica, the estate Richard Nixon used as his Western White House throughout his presidency.
0:00
10
San Onofre Nuclear Plant Along the Freeway
Mile 66 — California
Those twin concrete domes ahead are the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, one of the most controversial decommissioning projects in the country.
0:00
11
North County San Diego Coastal Transition
Mile 74
You've crossed from Orange County into San Diego County, and the landscape shift is significant.
0:00
12
Camp Pendleton Marines Guard Rare Habitat
Mile 81 — Oceanside
You're driving through Camp Pendleton, and here's the paradox.
0:00
13
Batiquitos Lagoon Under the Interstate
Mile 88 — Carlsbad
You are driving directly over Batiquitos Lagoon right now. Look for the open water and marsh on either side of the freeway.
0:00
14
Carlsbad Flower Fields and Ranunculus Legacy
Mile 89 — Carlsbad
The Carlsbad Flower Fields cover fifty acres of hillside that erupts each spring with row after row of giant Tecolote ranunculus, a bulb variety originally bred from…
0:00
15
Encinitas: Surf Culture Meets Sacred Ground
Mile 95
Encinitas has one of the highest concentrations of yoga studios per capita in the United States, a legacy that traces back to 1937 when Paramahansa Yogananda established…
0:00
16
Bing Crosby's Racetrack by the Sea
Mile 100 — Del Mar
The Del Mar Racetrack, just west of the freeway, was co-founded in 1937 by Bing Crosby, who personally greeted visitors at the gate on opening day.
0:00
17
Torrey Pines and Ancient Sandstone Bluffs
Mile 102 — Del Mar
The Torrey Pine is the rarest pine species in the United States, and the sandstone bluffs visible to the west are one of only two places on Earth where it grows…
0:00
18
La Jolla's Scientific Legacy Runs Deep
Mile 110
You're passing through La Jolla, which hosts one of the densest concentrations of research institutions in the country.
0:00
19
Sorrento Valley Biotech Capital of the World
Mile 118 — San Diego
The stretch you're passing through right now contains one of the densest concentrations of biotech companies on the planet.
0:00
20
Santa Fe Depot and Downtown San Diego
Mile 120 — San Diego
The Santa Fe Depot ahead of you was built in 1915, and here's the key detail — it wasn't really built for trains.
0:00
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Listen — all 20 stops free
1
LA City Hall Sand From Every County
Mile 0 — Los Angeles
That distinctive white tower ahead is Los Angeles City Hall, completed in 1928.
0:00
2
America's First Freeway Stack Interchange
Mile 0 — Los Angeles
You're driving through the Judge Harry Pregerson interchange area, but the real historic landmark here is the Four Level Interchange, opened in 1953 where US-101 meets…
0:00
3
Downey's Aerospace and Fast Food Legacy
Mile 13
You're passing through Downey, which played a major role in the Space Shuttle program.
0:00
4
Anaheim Beyond the Theme Parks
Mile 25 — Anaheim
You're entering Anaheim, a city whose name comes from its German colonists combining Ana, for the Santa Ana River, with heim, the German word for home.
0:00
5
Santa Ana: Orange County's Original City
Mile 31
Santa Ana was the county seat before Orange County even existed.
0:00
6
Irvine: A City Built From One Ranch
Mile 36 — Tustin
You're entering Irvine, a city that was literally planned on a drawing board.
0:00
7
The Saddleback Valley Gap Between Cities
Mile 45
You're driving through the Saddleback Valley, named for the distinctive twin-peaked ridge to the east.
0:00
8
San Juan Capistrano and Its Famous Swallows
Mile 55 — San Juan Capistrano
You're passing through San Juan Capistrano, home to one of California's most famous legends.
0:00
9
Nixon's Western White House in San Clemente
Mile 61 — San Clemente
Right about here, less than a mile from the freeway, sits La Casa Pacifica, the estate Richard Nixon used as his Western White House throughout his presidency.
0:00
10
San Onofre Nuclear Plant Along the Freeway
Mile 66 — California
Those twin concrete domes ahead are the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, one of the most controversial decommissioning projects in the country.
0:00
11
North County San Diego Coastal Transition
Mile 74
You've crossed from Orange County into San Diego County, and the landscape shift is significant.
0:00
12
Camp Pendleton Marines Guard Rare Habitat
Mile 81 — Oceanside
You're driving through Camp Pendleton, and here's the paradox.
0:00
13
Batiquitos Lagoon Under the Interstate
Mile 88 — Carlsbad
You are driving directly over Batiquitos Lagoon right now. Look for the open water and marsh on either side of the freeway.
0:00
14
Carlsbad Flower Fields and Ranunculus Legacy
Mile 89 — Carlsbad
The Carlsbad Flower Fields cover fifty acres of hillside that erupts each spring with row after row of giant Tecolote ranunculus, a bulb variety originally bred from…
0:00
15
Encinitas: Surf Culture Meets Sacred Ground
Mile 95
Encinitas has one of the highest concentrations of yoga studios per capita in the United States, a legacy that traces back to 1937 when Paramahansa Yogananda established…
0:00
16
Bing Crosby's Racetrack by the Sea
Mile 100 — Del Mar
The Del Mar Racetrack, just west of the freeway, was co-founded in 1937 by Bing Crosby, who personally greeted visitors at the gate on opening day.
0:00
17
Torrey Pines and Ancient Sandstone Bluffs
Mile 102 — Del Mar
The Torrey Pine is the rarest pine species in the United States, and the sandstone bluffs visible to the west are one of only two places on Earth where it grows…
0:00
18
La Jolla's Scientific Legacy Runs Deep
Mile 110
You're passing through La Jolla, which hosts one of the densest concentrations of research institutions in the country.
0:00
19
Sorrento Valley Biotech Capital of the World
Mile 118 — San Diego
The stretch you're passing through right now contains one of the densest concentrations of biotech companies on the planet.
0:00
20
Santa Fe Depot and Downtown San Diego
Mile 120 — San Diego
The Santa Fe Depot ahead of you was built in 1915, and here's the key detail — it wasn't really built for trains.
0:00