Pacific Coast Highway Stops You Should Not Skip

You have seen the photos of the Pacific Coast Highway, the ribbon of road hanging between cliff and ocean, and now you want the drive itself, not just the postcard. The problem is that the full route is longer than a day and the famous stops are spread thin, so most people miss the quiet pullouts where the view actually hits hardest.Start in Monterey and let the coast unfold south. The first unmissable stop is Bixby Creek Bridge, where you should pull over before crossing rather than after, because the classic angle is from the north side. From there, McWay Falls drops straight onto a beach you cannot reach, and the overlook trail takes fifteen minutes of walking for a view that will anchor your whole album.The road then climbs into Big Sur, where the cliffs squeeze the highway and every turn opens onto another sweep of blue.

Stop at