America has wonderful coastlines, but none of them combine mountains, cliffs, forests and ocean quite like California. These are the drives our editors would plan a whole trip around.
Big Sur: Carmel to San Simeon
Distance: about 90 miles · Allow: a full day
The undisputed champion. Highway 1 hugs cliffs hundreds of feet above the Pacific, crossing graceful concrete arches like Bixby Creek Bridge. Essential stops: Point Lobos, Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and McWay Falls. On the southern end, look for elephant seals at the Piedras Blancas rookery.
Before you go: Landslides periodically close sections of Highway 1. Always check Caltrans road conditions, and fill your tank in Carmel or Cambria.
17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach
Distance: 17 miles · Allow: 2–3 hours
A private toll road loops through the Del Monte Forest past famous golf links, mansions and windswept cypress trees. The Lone Cypress, clinging to a granite outcrop since long before the road existed, is one of the most photographed trees in America.
San Francisco to Point Reyes via the Marin Headlands
Distance: about 50 miles · Allow: a full day
Cross the Golden Gate, climb to the Marin Headlands for the classic bridge view, then follow Highway 1 through Stinson Beach and along Tomales Bay to Point Reyes National Seashore. Stop for oysters on the way back.
Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz
Distance: about 50 miles · Allow: half a day
A quieter stretch of Highway 1 with farm stands, empty beaches, Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Año Nuevo State Park, home to one of the largest mainland elephant seal breeding colonies in the world.
The Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu
Distance: about 27 miles · Allow: 2 hours, plus beach time
Southern California's version: surf breaks, seafood shacks and secluded coves like El Matador State Beach. Drive it northbound in the late afternoon for the best light, and keep going to Point Mugu. Starting from the South Bay? Spend the morning in Hermosa Beach first.
Tips for a perfect coastal road trip
- Drive north to south for the ocean-side lane and easier access to pullouts.
- Start early. Morning fog often burns off by late morning, and the roads are quieter.
- Download offline maps. Cell service disappears in Big Sur and on the North Coast.
- Use pullouts to let faster traffic pass. Locals will thank you.
