Roughly 90 miles of Highway 1 between Carmel and San Simeon cling to cliffs above the Pacific, with almost no towns, limited cell service and some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in the world.
Fill the tank before you go, check Caltrans for road closures (landslides close sections from time to time), and give yourself a full day. The pullouts are the point.
From foggy Mendocino headlands to surf-town Encinitas, these are the California coastal towns worth planning a trip around, with what to do, when to go and practical tips for each.
18 min read
From granite valleys to cliff-top highways and alpine lakes, these are the California places that belong on every bucket list.
3 min read
It's not just the weather. Here's what makes California feel like nowhere else, and why so many people never want to leave.
2 min read
The California Letter · Free every week
Discover beautiful places, interesting stories, and California inspiration every week.