Having just returned from New Year’s in Las Vegas, Peter and I spent a relaxing week in San Francisco and made time to celebrate a friend’s birthday with a day of hiking and dinner in La Jolla. I was scheduled to go back to Ohio, but Peter suggested I extend my stay to include the weekend so that we could plan a road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway. We would start with a drive through the scenic towns of Santa Cruz, pass the scenic sanctuary of Big Sur and relax on our final night in Morro Bay before driving back up to San Francisco.
The charming town of Santa Cruz, translated as Holy Cross, is only 75 miles south of San Francisco and was the first stop on our PCH tour. Attracting surfers and artists, this laid-back beach community is known for its liberal activism and is home to the Resource Center for Nonviolence. We strolled along the boardwalk taking in the picturesque lagoon with its small sailboats stopping by for an afternoon lunch. Nearby attractions include the redwood forests and Monterey Bay, which is a protected marine sanctuary.
Visiting the casual coastal town of Monterey, we parked close to the pier where we enjoyed exploring the harbor, Cannery Row, San Carlos Beach Park and the world renowned aquarium. This seaside community has hosted a notable list of artists and writers who have made Monterey their muse. One of the most famous of these writers was John Steinbeck who celebrated the area of Monterey with his novels Cannery Row, East of Eden and Tortilla Flat.
Deciding at the last minute, we booked a room at the Monterey Bay Lodge realizing we needed more time to take in the fascinating attractions of this seaside village. Cannery Row is full of shops and restaurants and of course, I can’t miss a stop at Carmel Ridge Winery. The world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium, was also a must see on our list before traveling south.
Awaking early, we found the entrance to Monterey’s 17-mile drive on this overcast day. We paid the $10 entrance fee to enter the gated community of Pebble Beach with its glorious mansions and well-manicured golf courses. Driving through the scenic loop that passes through some of the most beautiful vistas, we made a few stops to photograph the gorgeous seascapes along the California coast. Originally known as the 18-mile drive, this section of roadway was opened in 1892 to horse and carriage traffic for scenic tours and remains a major attraction for visitors to Monterey.
The relaxing trek winds through rocky outcrops with a list of interesting sites that were identified on our map. Among the several notable overlooks are the Inn at Spanish Bay, Point Joe, Bird Rock, Seal Rock and Fanshell Beach, the Lone Cypress and Pescadaro Point. We traveled the full loop route which brought us back to the Pacific Grove Gate at Sunset Drive. From there we caught the PCH, passing through Carmel-by-the-Sea.
About twenty minutes outside of Carmel, we arrived at the Bixby Bridge, a familiar landmark along the scenic highway providing entrance into Big Sur. The steel structure seemed to sprout out from the craggy rocks overlooking the Pacific Ocean standing 280 feet high. Recognized as one of the tallest single-span bridges in the world, we carefully crossed the impending concrete structure continuing south on State Route 1.
Stepping out of the car at one of the many overlooks along the route, we took a moment to enjoy the silence of our surroundings. I felt a sense of solace watching the waves crest over the scattered boulders along the coast. The air had a smell of salt and earth.
Before us was a stretch of protected seashore boasting some of the most scenic landscapes of the western coast, making it one of the most popular vacation destinations in California.
Big Sur is credited for the emergence of the “New Age” era and is the location of the first Zen monastery built outside of Asia, the Tassajara. The inspirational scenery of this location was so beautiful that it attracted movie stars and millionaires. John Kerouac immortalized Big Sur in his writings and a variety of movies were filmed here to include the 1965 film “The Sandpiper” starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, “Zandy’s Bride” and “The Stranger in Big Sur”.
In 1944, Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth purchased a cabin here, which is now the Nepenthe, a popular restaurant clinging to the coast about 800 feet above the coastline.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that within Big Sur are nine state parks. Detouring off of the main byway, we entered Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We noticed a short hike that led to a secluded waterfall that claimed to offer another unforgettable scenic overlook. The well-marked waterfall trail wove back under the roadway and opened up to an endless view of the Pacific. Soon thereafter, the waterfall eked out between two monoliths resulting in a steady stream deposited onto the light sandy beach below.
The sun was beginning to set as we passed Hearst Castle. We agreed that we would continue our drive to Morro Bay where we would be staying the last night of our weekend and would come back to the castle the next day. This would allow us a full day to explore the residence instead of a couple of hours.
Upon arriving in the immaculate seaside location of Cambria, I felt as though we were entering a quaint little town in Germany. A charming stop along the Pacific coast, we took the opportunity to walk along Moonstone Beach were we spent about an hour before departing for our final stop of the evening.
We watched the sun as it sank beneath the western sky, leaving its beautiful trademark of kaleidoscope color behind. By the time we had reached Morro, it was nightfall, so we found our hotel and turned in for the night.
Looking over the map, I noticed a couple of places we could fit in before visiting Hearst Castle and making our final departure back to San Francisco. We packed up the SUV and soon learned it was not difficult to find Morro Bay with its large rock-like formation dominating the harbor.
A sandy roadway reached the base of the monolith so we decided to check it out. Morro is the Spanish word for rock, so the naming of this “rock” would seem appropriate until we learned that this megalith is actually a volcanic plug and is one of a series known as the Nine Sisters.
One of my work colleagues overheard that I would be exploring the Pacific Coast Highway and suggested that I book a night at The Madonna Inn in the college town of San Luis Obispo. He had attended Cal Poly College of Engineering and fell in love with the town. So when we read the description of rooms at the Madonna Inn, we were intimidated by the customized themes of Love Nest, Caveman Room, Safari Room and Jungle Rock and decided that if we had time to visit, we would at least stop for a look.
Pismo Beach’s uncanny quietness seemed more like a ghost town than a vibrant beachside tourist attraction, but it may have been because we had arrived so early in the morning. Known as one of the Five Cities it had once laid claim as the “Clam Capitol of the World” because the clams were so abundant it drew thousands of clammers to the area. To commemorate this designation, Pismo hosts their yearly Clam Festival in October.
It would have been a couple of hours until the shops opened, so we agreed to make our way towards San Simeon, with our last stop at Hearst Castle. Experiencing the Pacific Coast Highway removed us from the hustle and bustle of our city lives and brought us to a place where we could once again enjoy the pure nature of coastal crags and prickly pines. I can’t wait to do it all over again.
Do you have any comments or suggestions regarding the Pacific Coast Highway and the small towns mentioned here? What was your experience taking this amazing scenic drive? I would love to hear about your favorite stops, restaurants, hotels, etc. if you would kindly leave your message in the comments section! Many Thanks and Happy Travels!
What to See and What to Do:
Cannery Row
Monterey, CA
Carmel Ridge Winery Tasting Room
700 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
Telephone 831 324 0035
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
Telephone: 831 648 4800
- Admission Fee: Tickets for Adults are $49.95, Children (3 – 12, under the age of three are free): $29.95; Student (ages 13 – 17 or college ID): $39.95, and Seniors (ages 65+): $39.95
- Hours: Open daily from 10AM to 5PM
- Amenities: Animals & exhibits; café & restaurant, gift shops; interactive programs, daily shows and feedings, live cams and animal guides.
- Scenic View: The large glass tanks provide amazing views of the fish and additional sea life.
- Length of Visit: More than three hours
- Tips for Your Visit: Allow yourself plenty of time to visit the aquarium. During the first month of December, the facility provides a reduced admission rate for locals, so the aquarium can be crowded at this time. Should you decide to go outside of the aquarium to explore Monterey, they will stamp your hand for re-entry. Knowledgeable docents provide additional information about the aquarium. You may want to check with AAA if you have a membership for discounted tickets.
17-Mile Drive
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
47555 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
Telephone: 831 667 0148
- Admission Fee: $10 per day per car; camping fee is $30 per night
- Hours: Open ½ hour before sunrise and ½ hour after sunset.
- Amenities: Hiking trails, picnic areas, exhibits and programs, interpretive exhibits, nature & wildlife viewing.
- Scenic View: An 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean from the Overlook Trail. A panoramic view of the ocean and miles of rugged coastline is available from the higher elevations along the trails east of Highway 1.
- Length of Visit: 1 – 2 hours
- Tips for Your Visit: Contact the park ahead of time to see which trails are open as recently there have been several closings. Cell phone service is extremely limited in the park. Motorized aircraft are prohibited from flying below 1000 feet on the coast of Big Sur. Campfires are only permitted in the provided metal fire rings within the State Parks’ campgrounds. Firewood is available for purchase at the Pfeiffer Big Sur entrance kiosk and camp host sites for $12 per bundle and includes a firestarter.
Hearst Castle
750 Hearst Castle Road
San Simeon, CA 83452
Telephone: 800 444 4445
- Admission Fee: $25 per adult and $12 per child ages 5 – 12; children under 5 are free
- Hours: Open daily from 9AM to 4PM
- Amenities: Several tour options available, movie theater, gardens and restaurant
- Scenic View: Spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean from Hearst Castle.
- Length of Visit: 2 – 3 hours or more if you have booked multiple tours.
- Tips for Your Visit: Booking a tour is one of the best ways to explore Hearst Castle. The location is magical during the Christmas season as the castle is decorated for the holidays.
Where to Stay:
The Madonna Inn
100 Madonna Road
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
Telephone: 805 543 3000
Where to Eat:
Nepenthe Restaurant
48510 Highway One
Big Sur, CA
Telephone: 831 667 2345
I ordered the Rueben sandwich with thin-sliced pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on marbled rye.
What to Eat:
- Calamari
- Ceviche
- Fish and Chips
- Local Oysters
- Oyster Shooters
- Steamed Clams and Mussels
What to Read:
- Big Sur, by Jack Kerouac
- South on Pacific Coast Highway, by Gary Paul Corcoran
- California, by Kevin Starr
- L.A. Noir, by John Buntin
Photo Guide to the Pacific Coast Highway in California
- Bixby Bridge
- Carmel-by-the-Sea beach
- Garrapata State Beach for its wild calla lily valley
- Hearst Castle
- McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
- Pfeiffer Beach shoreline
- Point Sur Lighthouse
Entering the tunnel towards the overlook
More PCH scenery
Big Sur at Sunset
