Holiday Inspiration: A Rejuvenating Jaunt Down California’s Costal Highway 1

Originally Published on Spunky Girl Monologues

Holiday Inspiration: A Rejuvenating Jaunt Down California’s Costal Highway 1

Christine Fisher is a contributing editor at World Reviewer, an online source for travel inspiration and holiday guides. Normally based in Philadelphia, PA, Christine is journalist currently living in London and trying her hand at European city travel in Edinburgh, Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, Paris and Istanbul.

According to family folklore, a great-great-uncle of mine, upon being diagnosed with cancer and given just a few months to live, decided to walk the length of California’s coast. Not only did he complete this journey, but he went on to live in good health for many years. I can’t promise driving the length of California will provide any miracle cures you may be looking for, but I can promise a road trip along California’s Big Sur coastal highway will provide a stirring, rejuvenating and inspiring holiday.

The Big Sur region spans California’s central Pacific Coast and is home to some of the state’s (not to mention the country’s) most outstanding natural beauty. Countless artists have been inspired by the unique vistas and made their homes in the charming California towns that dot the region. California Highway 1 traverses much of Big Sur and passes between rolling mountains, rocky coastal precipices and majestic forests. Residents and visitors alike agree, though, the only way to truly understand the area’s charm and natural beauty, is to see it for yourself.

A. The ideal road trip along the Big Sur region starts in Monterey. Both historically and environmentally significant, Monterey is an ideal vacation spot. The city, situated in a protected bay approximately 120 miles south of San Francisco, has been home to Native Americans, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese and Italian settlers and now benefits from this rich cultural history. Monterey’s coastal locale helped it become the center of the pre-World War fishing boom, and today that same local provides the city with vast, rare natural beauty.

Start your California coastal adventure in Monterey and be sure to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium (the nation’s premier aquarium), sample fresh seafood or take a whale watching cruise from Fisherman’s Wharf, stroll down Cannery Row (the street John Steinbeck captured so magnificently in his novel Cannery Row), and walk, bike or kayak along the rocky Pacific Coast.

B. From Monterey, cruise 17-Mile Drive – one of the nation’s most prized scenic routes. The path connects Monterey’s neighbor Pacific Grove with Carmel-by-the-Sea and winds along the beautiful, rocky coast, through majestic Pacific forests and past famed locals like Pebble Beach – home to one of the nation’s most premier golf courses. Spend your afternoon in Carmel, the ritzy town known for its unique combination of Hollywood glamour, San Francisco sophistication and European charm. Choose between spending time on the beach, visiting the second oldest mission in California, touring former Carmel Mayor Clint Eastwood’s Mission or simply shopping and dining in Carmel’s four-star shops and fine dining.

C. While the coastal towns you will have passed through by now are certainly worth seeing, the true coastal tour begins when you start driving south from Carmel along California Highway 1. The region has inspired the likes of Henry Miller, Jack Kerouac, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Robinson Jeffers and the Beach Boys. As you twist along the winding highway you will pass between rolling hills, forests and rocky ocean ridges. Feel free to stop along the highway at whatever catches your eye as you will find coastal outlooks and attractions like Bixby Bridge – one of the largest single-arch concrete bridges in the world at its completion in 1932.

D. At the end of your Big Sur road trip, you will find yourself in San Simeon, California – another local of natural beauty and California glamour. Take some time to explore Hearst Castle, the lavish 90,000 square foot estate of William Randolph Hearst and former weekend getaway of early Hollywood elite. After some time on the road, you may want to stretch your legs. San Simeon offers several recreation options and outdoor attractions including Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, W.R. Memorial State Beach and San Simeon State Park.

E. If you have more time on either end of your relaxed, rejuvenating journey, you may want to visit San Francisco (120 miles north of Monterey) or Los Angeles (approximately 240 miles south of San Simeon).

Happy Travels!