Just one hour from Los Angeles proper is a scenic highway through the San Gabriel mountains with many outlooks for drivers to stop and admire the mountains. Highway 2 or most commonly known as Angeles Crest Highway is usually filled with car fanatics and you’ll most likely come across many modded cars or super cars going for a (quick) drive down the highway.
If you search social sites such as Instagram, you will find that car meets happen often at these outlooks and cars are properly positioned for creative shots. Steve lived in LA for a year before I made the move myself and had the chance to go up Angeles Crest Highway with his friends. He has not stopped talking about it since then and we have been meaning to go together for the longest time. We finally made the plan to get up early on Sunday morning and make the drive.
From the beach cities where we live, it took about 40 minutes to reach the base of the mountain. Our intentions were to take a Sunday drive thru the highway and ultimately end at Newcomb’s Ranch, a popular food spot at all times of the day for car enthusiast, cyclists or visitors to meet up or take a break. It takes about another 20-30 minutes to go up the mountain depending on the amount of traffic.
The amount of car traffic varies as some cars or motors may slowly take their time going up or down the mountain. It’s important to remember that if you are just leisurely driving/riding, to be courtesy and pull over to the right when possible to let the faster cars behind you pass since this is only a 2 lane highway. When the passing lane does come up, it’s also important to stay right if you are going slower to let the faster traffic pass on your left as the sign notes during that time. If you are prone to car sickness, be aware that it is a windy road and depending on speeds, it can cause car sickness.
Arriving at Newcomb’s Ranch was jaw dropping. I’ve heard about this great place to get food where motorcycles and cars of all styles stop but to see the amount of different vehicles and type of people there surprised me. It was just before 11am on a Sunday when we went and there were just a few tables open throughout the whole restaurant. For a place that doesn’t have a hostess or any type of typical organization seating system you see at other restaurants, this was maybe one of the most organized restaurants I have ever been to. There was never any confusion as to which servers were covering which areas and the customer service was also excellent.
We sat outside and it was quite the sight to see the vast amount of motorcycles and cars nearby. It was also quite the commotion when Jay Leno showed up in his yellow McLaren P1! What a beautiful car with a color so bright, it stood out amongst the sea of cars from afar. The last time Steve was up on this highway, he had seen Jay Leno driving so we knew it was a possibility we would be able to catch a glimpse of the car lover. Jay Leno has parked his car just 3 cars over from Steve’s so we were able to get closer to him and his car. Although we didn’t speak to him and just admired his car, we couldn’t help but notice how kind he was to every person that walked up to him to talk or request a photo.
This beautiful scenic drive on the Angeles Crest Highway is a fun way to spend the morning for those looking to get a different view of LA. Newcomb’s Ranch is a great spot to stop for food along and the way and you never know who you might see while hanging out!