What To See Along California's Highway 1
One of the most iconic stretches of road in the United States is California's Highway 1. It isn't just the coastline and the breathtaking views of the Pacific; the road is full of natural beauty and charming towns.
With the 12 unique cities along the route, each with their own themed architecture (i.e. the Danish-style Solvang, Carmel-By-The-Sea's artistic buildings), the purple sand beaches, Bixby Creek Bridge, and Big Sur (considered one of the most beautiful drives in the world), it is often said that this highway is a necklace of precious gems.
The Route
Distance: around 740 km
Towns: Monterey, Carmel, San Simeon, Cambria, Morro Bay, Solvang, and Santa Barbara
Driving time: 4-6 days
Traveling time: April-October
Detailed Stops Ahead
Half Moon Bay State Beach (Half Moon Bay)
📍About 40 minutes’ drive from San Francisco | 53 km
⌚Suggested visit: 2 hours
Just outside of San Francisco, this charming, low-key town is a great first stop. Here, you can play a round of golf on the cliffs, watch surfers at the famous Mavericks break, or take a long break at one of the many nearby breweries. This is a place to ease into the journey rather than rush through it.
Half Moon Bay
Pigeon Point Lighthouse (Pigeon Point)
📍About 30 minutes’ drive from Half Moon Bay State Beach | 37 km
⌚Suggested visit: 1 hour
Built in 1871, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is frequently counted among the world’s most photogenic lighthouses. Every November, a special lighting event is held here, attracting photographers who want to capture the landmark when the sun goes down.
Monterey
📍About 1 hour 30 minutes’ drive from Pigeon Point Lighthouse | 112 km
⌚Recommended visit duration is 1-2 Days. Overnight stay is recommended.
Monterey exhibits a unique mixture of Californian, Spanish, and Mexican influences. It features one of the biggest aquariums in North America, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Cannery Row.
Old Fisherman’s Wharf
At Old Fisherman’s Wharf, you can enjoy dining, and some unique souvenir shopping, and there is whale watching. From here, you can also take bay cruises. Fishing and marine tourism are still part of the daily activities along the waterfront.
Where to stay: It is reasonable to make Monterey the first stop of the trip because it has a good range of motels and other visitor facilities.
17-Mile Drive
📍About 15 minutes’ drive from Monterey | 13 km
⌚Recommended visit duration is 30 minutes
Just South of Monterey, 17-Mile Drive offers one of the best coastal drives on the West Coast. Along the way, you will see many grand homes with diverse architecture.
17-Mile Drive is a world-famous attraction located in Monterey County and encircles the Pebble Beach resort area. The Pacific Ocean borders the area's western and southern sides, and the eastern side is bordered by Del Monte Forest. The drive offers a combination of turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, winding roads, interesting pine trees, and beautiful rocky areas. Carmel-by-the-Sea has many striking residences, art shops, whimsical buildings, and four golf courses, including the Pebble Beach Golf Links, which is one of the top rated golf courses in the world. Carmel-by-the-Sea is the perfect place to take in the beautiful, relaxed mood. The route has many stops but this is one of the best places to spend time. The numerous art shops in the unique buildings create a warm and artistic character of this town. This town is perfect for a long stop on the trip and has many shops, art galleries, and even toy stores. This town was a center for artistic expression more than a century ago and has many antique shops and toy stores to explore. Carmel's scenic town was started in 1969 when the famous Chinese painter Zhang Daqian named his house "A Place One Can Live". This town is one of the prettiest and has a nice cafe culture. The town has a beautiful town and the scenery is free of advertising signage, fast food restaurants, and neon lights like modern cities. There are also restrictions on modern generic development. To get to Carmel Beach, a wide beach that borders the 17-Mile Drive region, head west on Ocean Avenue. Where to stay: The inns and guest houses in Carmel are designed with travelers seeking unique stays in mind. Suggested Hotel — Dolphin Inn This guesthouse offers design-centric accommodations on the outskirts of Carmel. It has parking and easy access to 17-Mile Drive and Monterey. The property has a bohemian touch throughout with warm wood and leather finishes. There's an outdoor heated pool that is great for relaxing. Carmel Hotel This hotel is located centrally in Carmel and is a 15-minute walk to both Carmel Beach and Carmel Plaza. It is 3.9 miles (6.3 km) from Fisherman’s Wharf and 4.5 miles (7.2 km) from Cannery Row. Amenities include a garden and hot tub, and a bar/lounge. Daily continental breakfast is provided free of charge from 08:00 to 10:30. There is free self-parking. The hotel has a 24-hour front desk, offers dry cleaning and laundry services, and has complimentary newspapers in the lobby. The hotel rooms have refrigerators, minibars, and pillow-top beds. Each room has a private balcony, flat-screen TV, and an en suite bathroom with a bathtub or shower, complimentary toiletries, and a hairdryer. Bixby Creek Bridge 📍 About 20 minutes from Carmel-by-the-Sea | 24 km ⌚ Recommended stay: 1 hour Bixby Creek Bridge is one of the most photographed bridges in the United States. It crosses a steep coastal gorge above the Pacific Ocean. The distinctive landscape that captures Highway 1 includes weathered arches, steep cliffs, and crashing waves. \ Bixby Creek Bridge is an example of an open-spandrel single-arch bridge, located in Big Sur, California on Highway 1, that has roughly 100 meters of span. The bridge opened in 1932 and was the highest single-arch concrete bridge at that time. Now, it is still one of the most notable landmarks on the route.BIG SUR 📍Approximate driving time from Bixby Creek Bridge: 15 minutes | Distance: 10 km ⌚Recommended stay: 1 hour\nBig Sur is renowned for its breathtaking land and sea convergence. The road winds for hundreds of kilometers through steep inclines and coastal curves;
National Geographic has featured it in the “50 Places of a Lifetime”.\nBIG SUR\nThe highways in California appear as though they were designed to blend in with a landscape painting. Heading south from San Francisco along Highway 1, the road weaves for hundreds of kilometers through visually captivating scenery, People are driving on the road for more than 100 km.\nOne side has rock walls that stretch high into the sky. California pines are located on the ridge tops, providing a distinctive silhouette.\nThe other side is dominated by the vast and open Pacific Ocean.\n The ocean waves crash against different colored water, creating a splash. Sandy beaches twist and turn, and jagged rock cliffs reach out to the tide and disrupt the waves.
Big Sur is untamed, powerful and beautifully genuine.
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery
📍1 hour and 30 mins to get to Big Sur | 124 km
⌚Suggested visit: 30 minutes
While driving along Highway 1 you'll have the chance to see a unique aspect of wildlife. From the viewing area above the cliffs, visitors can observe groups of elephant seals lying on the beach below.
Hearst Castle
📍10 mins from the elephant seal rookery | 8.1 km
⌚Suggested visit: 3 hours
Hearst Castle used to be referred to as the most costly private residence in the US, today it is a historic landmark of California. It has extensive artistic collections and receives visitors from all over the world.
Solvang
📍2 hours from Hearst Castle | 174 km
⌚Suggested visit: 1 day; overnight stop is recommended
Solvang is a unique stop on the Highway 1 trip. Experience the charm of Solvang, with its windmills, Danish architecture, and a fairy-tale atmosphere. Explore the town to see the Danish-inspired buildings, windmills, and the Little Mermaid statue.
Danish Village
Solvang, meaning “sunny field” in Danish, was established in the early 1900s by Danish immigrants. They brought the architectural style and community planning from their homeland to California. It is said that, of the original accounts, two-thirds of the permanent residents were of Danish descent.
For North American travelers, this is the closest thing to an authentic Danish experience without having to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and the best part is that English is spoken everywhere.
Where to stay
A hotel that is located within walking distance to the entrance of Solvang features a unique blend of both classic Danish-style designs, as well as American country-inspired interiors that beautifully reflect the town's personality and charm.
Hotel recommendation — Wine Valley Inn
Wine Valley Inn is a charming lodging option in Solvang. With beautiful storybook cottage style, cozy fireplaces, and warm colored décor, it is a perfect stop for long-distance travelers. Road trippers can also take advantage of the convenient on-site parking.
Wine Valley Inn
