Highway 1 Guide

Highway 1 through Big Sur is a designated American National Scenic Byway and also a California Scenic Highway: honors that are reserved for highways that are so distinctive they are destinations unto themselves.

A drive through here will give you a totally different view of the California coast than what you’ll see around the big cities….this is the way it is meant to be experienced.

Rocky outcrops break into the sometimes wild waters of the Pacific and showcase the forces of nature. As an added benefit, there are stretches of road through the great costal forests as well.

The coastal Highway 1 winds along some of the most spectacular ocean views in the U.S. The highway offers numerous examples that make a highway a National Scenic Byway - qualities like perfect views of ocean waves breaking on rocky shorelines and cliffs and dozens of historical landmarks like Spanish Missions and Spanish settlements.

The best part is actually between San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz. It is better to drive from north to south, because that way when you drive the stretch between Carmel and San Simeon, you are on the ocean-side of the road. Driving from south to north, sometimes your views of the dramatic coastal scenery are obstructed. Some highlights along Route 1 are Santa Barbara, Hearst Castle, Big Sur, the redwood trees, and the Monterey Peninsula.

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