If you live in Fresno, California it will only take you about two and a half hours to drive out to the California coast and begin the Pacific coast highway drive. When driving from the Central Valley out to the beach it probably will make most sense to arrive in the Monterey Bay area. From here you can decide to head north up to Santa Cruz and towards San Francisco, or alternatively you could go south towards San Diego. It really doesn't matter which direction you drive the Pacific Coast Highway, you're going to be impressed with what you see, but the direction you choose will determine what precisely you see.
For example, if you head south on the Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey Bay you will pass through Big Sur and see plenty of beaches along the way. Eventually you will arrive at Los Angeles, but not before you pass through Santa Barbara and Malibu to see all of those beautiful beaches. For those of you who head north on the Pacific Coast Highway from the Monterey Bay Area, you will encounter much different scenery. There are lots of mountains along the way up to San Francisco, along with cooler temperatures than what you will find in Southern California. If you want to take a sneak peek at the scenery of the Pacific Coast Highway you can watch the video TailHappy posted on YouTube. You will also pick up some tips and tricks about what you should do before heading out for your road trip on Highway 1.