Highway 1

Wandering the California Coast

Cabrilla Highway

Exploring the Pacific Coast

Explore the sea cliffs, redwoods, and stunning sunsets of the West Coast along California’s Highway 1.  While the highway traverses much of the pacific coast line, we want to highlight a particularly isolated, narrow, and winding route between San Francisco and Los Angeles often referred to by the name of a small town in the heart of the route, Big Sur.  See sea otters, whales, and even the endangered California Condor.

Top Stops on Highway 1

The California coast is packed with scenic and exciting stops. Almost every year, we explore new stops along Highway 1. While we haven’t hit all of them, we have a pretty good read on what you can and cannot miss. Here are a few of our favorite stops, broken down by region.

California’s Northern Coast

North of San Francisco

Escape the hustle and bustle of metropolitan San Francisco by traveling north on Highway 1 to find quiet seaside towns, sea-glass beaches, and redwood forests.

MacKerricher State Park
Fort Bragg, California
Glass Beach
Fort Bragg, California

Bay Area

San Francisco and the surrounding Bay

Highway 1 arguably reaches its most challenging point as the route enters San Francisco via the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.  If you haven’t walked the bridge, it is definitely worthwhile.  But our favorite spots in the Bay Area are outside of the intense traffic of the Golden Gate City.

Sutro is a name that can be found across San Francisco but it is most notable in the sunset district where Ozymandias-like ruins of the mining tycoon are now overwhelmed by the natural beauty of the Pacific Coast.
Sutro Heights & Baths
Beautiful Ruin
I've lived in and around San Francisco long enough to hit the obvious spots. But, done with cable cars, fisherman's wharves, and golden gates, we decided it was time to visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Bay Model.
Bay Model
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

California’s Central Coast

Monterey & Carmel By The Sea

The most visited stretch of California’s Central Coast is made up of a series of coastal towns along Highway 1 from Santa Cruz to Carmel-by-the-sea.  These delightful coastal haunts are host to clear white beaches, abundant wildlife, and a colorful culinary scene. Must hits include Canary Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Point Lobos. It is worth noting that camping options and oversized parking is very limited.  We tend to spend a day in the area and either have a hotel or be out by nightfall.

See whales, sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, pelicans, herons, egrets, and all Point Lobos State Natural Reserve offers in an ultimate 5-mile hike.
Point Lobos
Hiking
Halls of sea otters, jellies, tropical fish, seahorses, octopus, and other aquatic wonders on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey, California

Big Sur

Cliffs of Coastal Central California

The sea cliffs and coastal mountains of Big Sur serve to isolate this stretch of Highway 1.  Gas, supermarkets, and cell service are all tough to come by.  But what the region lacks in common conveniences, it makes up in breathtaking vistas.  Whales, sea otters, and the endangered California Condor are regularly spotted wildlife.  Just plan ahead if you hope to snag one of the fantastic campsites along this stretch.

1970 Avion C11 truck camper driving down a redwood lined road. Finding a site in the Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground
Pfeiffer Big Sur
Campground
Buzzard's Roost hiking trail is a 3-mile loop trail following the Big Sur River, up shady redwood slopes, for brilliant sunset views of the Pacific Ocean.
Buzzards Roost
Hiking Trail
Kirk Creek Campground may lack hookups and running water and only offer pit toilets, yet the cliffside campsites with unobstructed ocean views are unique.
Kirk Creek
Campground

Below Big Sur

Morro Bay, San Simeon, & other southern beach towns

The California Coast line is already subdivided by north, central, and southern.  Yet, the central coast encompasses a wide range of geographies itself.  While the Big Sur Area is remote, with limited access the rest of the state, by the time one reaches San Simeon and the southern portion of the central coast, highways with access east and proximity to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles supports much larger beach communities.

Of these seaside towns, our favorite is Morro Bay. The shallow waterway supports a safe habitat for sea otters and other aquatic life.  Rent a kayak and explore the thriving waterway and beautiful sandy beaches.

Morro Bay Sea Otter
Morro Bay
Coastal Community
Picnic on the beach in Montaña de Oro State Park
Montaña de Oro
State Park
Feed ostriches & emus or buy an egg that can feed a family at the roadside attraction, OstrichLand USA in Solvang, California.
OstrichLand USA
Solvang, California

Wine Country

Santa Barbara & Paso Robles

Central California’s coastal region is host to some truly remarkable wine appellations.  While the area is probably best known for the film Sideways, there’s a lot more to the wine destination than just picking up waitresses at The Hitching Post.  Try amazing pinot noir in Santa Barbara, gobble pancakes in Solvang, and sample heavier varietals such as zinfandel in Paso Robles.

While the Melville Winery boasts award winning Chardonnay, like most vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills outside of Santa Barbara, it specializes in Pinot Noir.
Melville Winery
Santa Barbara Pinot
It's 10AM but I am waiting to eat because we are half an hour outside of Solvang, California and I'm craving Danish pancakes from Paula's Pancake House.
Paula’s Pancake House
Solvang, California