Nice drive suggestions for South Bay Peninsula

[Skidmark]

I've had my car now for about 6 months and only recently started taking it out on some nice backroad drives. 84 to Skyline, then down Hwy 9 on Memorial day, then 92 to Skyline and down 9 last weekend. The car corners a lot better than I expected, given its reputation of being a widow maker and such.... Can anyone recommend other nice drives that are suitable for Vipers in this area? I have a '99 GTS BTW and don't think I've seen any other Vipers yet since I picked it up. Have gotten some very strange reactions from other Mopar owners like the middle finger from a Challenger on the freeway, but that's a different matter...

[LegionofDoom]

This is the best summary of surrounding roads I have found for the Bay Area, and it is periodically updated: https://rennlist.com/forums/west-us-rennlist-region/998154-sf-bay-area-best-driving-roads-for-a-sunday-morning-blast.html

I've had my car (2001 GTS) in the peninsula area for about a year, and try to get out for a local drive once a week or so. You've hit some of the well known roads, which unfortunately also tend to be busy with non-enthusiast traffic and cyclists. Many of the fun roads feel a bit narrow, bumpy, dirty and a little too slow for the Viper, but there's definitely some good stuff. Skyline is great, especially when it is quiet. Rt. 9 probably has the best pavement of any fun road that I have found, but a low limit on the east side of Skyline. I recently drove Kings Mtn Road for the first time, and really liked it. A bit further away, Rt 50 and 88 up to Lake Tahoe are scenic and fun. Haven't gotten up there with the Viper yet, just been up for skiing in the winter.

I usually just get lots of waves and thumbs up, especially from the weekend Alice's crowd. See you out there!

[fuzzystig]

I've had my car now for about 6 months and only recently started taking it out on some nice backroad drives. 84 to Skyline, then down Hwy 9 on Memorial day, then 92 to Skyline and down 9 last weekend. The car corners a lot better than I expected, given its reputation of being a widow maker and such.... Can anyone recommend other nice drives that are suitable for Vipers in this area? I have a '99 GTS BTW and don't think I've seen any other Vipers yet since I picked it up. Have gotten some very strange reactions from other Mopar owners like the middle finger from a Challenger on the freeway, but that's a different matter...

Hey! I'm also a new owner up in SF. It's a little out of your way, but some of the roads up near Mt.Tam in Marin have been some of my favorites. I usually do Skyline, grab lunch (eating in the parking lot now since its all shut down), and then head down towards La Honda and do Pescadaro from there. Its an awesome loop. Hit me up if you want another viper to roll with!

[LegionofDoom]

Just discovered Pescadero a couple weeks ago. Awesome road. No plans for the long weekend - let's plan a drive!

[TheMadMachinist]

I'm in the east bay and I am always down for a drive. Pm me with any future plans for a drive and I'm in.

[TheMadMachinist]

I just got home from spending a few hours cruising around up by Alice's restaurant on Skyline Blvd. What a fun area to drive. I plan on going back up there next Saturday the 6th of February if anybodys up for a drive. I will be coming from the east bay and I plan on being there at 11:00. I will be the guy standing next to the Viper across the street from Alice's. I will PM a few on the thread and I hope to see you up there.
Alan

[fuzzystig]

I just got home from spending a few hours cruising around up by Alice's restaurant on Skyline Blvd. What a fun area to drive. I plan on going back up there next Saturday the 6th of February if anybodys up for a drive. I will be coming from the east bay and I plan on being there at 11:00. I will be the guy standing next to the Viper across the street from Alice's. I will PM a few on the thread and I hope to see you up there.
Alan

Couldn’t make it out this weekend unfortunately, but I’m itching to go for a rip with some other vipers. Let me know next time you head out, and I’ll do the same!

[TheMadMachinist]

Check out the Northern Cali VOA web site there is cruse with the Corvette club up to Napa this Saturday the 20th.

[Voros_Siklo]

The most recent trip I did with my friends were on the East Bay as a "Farewell Drive" for me. Cyclists and traffic were very light compared to Skyline on the Peninsula. The route we did (see snippet for general idea) was:
* House of Bagels in Oakland to Skyline Dr
* Skyline Dr to Redwood Rd
* Redwood Rd to Heyer Ave
* Heyer Ave to Cull Canyon Rd to Crow Canyon Rd
* Crow Canyon Rd to E Castro Valley Blvd
* E Castro Valley Blvd to Palomares Rd
* Palomares Rd to Niles Canyon Rd
* Niles Canyon Rd to Paloma Way
* Paloma Way to Calaveras Rd
* Calaveras Rd to Felter Rd
* Felter Rd to Sierra Rd

Very scenic and a great drive! Since my Gen 2 was unavailable at the time, I took my XV Crosstrek with my friends' Focus RS, MX5, MX5 RF, G37, and C7 ZL1.

48126

[AFL in CA]

Kings Mountain Road used to be fun when it was in good condition and not filled with cyclists.

[Martin]

If you wait a bit longer, there's a circle that I constantly frequent in the Santa Cruz mountains that's really fun and has some great stops. Just don't tell anyone... :)

From I-280, take Foothill up into Stevens Canyon. Get into Stevens Canyon, but be careful because it's pretty technical and scary in places.... Go to Redwood Gulch, and up through there. Again, it's scary... Once you get up to Highway 9, go up that and have fun as long as your radar detector is working. Then, when you get to Skyline, let loose. You'll eventually get to Alice's where you can either go down to the coast (most fun) or take a right and go down through Portolla Valley all the way down to I-280. Or, go straight and you'll eventually end up at the graveyard area which forces you to choose either Half Moon Bay or I-280. Once you do that circuit, you'll find a million other side roads that are really fun.

Just be aware that while the roads are super fun, you might be fighting for road space with dumb-asses. You'll run into anyone from the rice-rocket crowd to the tourists.

Any way you slice it, it's super fun. But, don't expect your cell phone to work if you break down... I've been here and driving everything from my '97 through my '17 and when things go wrong, you're really on your own. It's one of the things that keeps this area free of tons of car clubs - one break-down, and everyone's stuck for the day.