The Beautiful California Coast

One of the most well known and beautiful areas of the California coast is an area called Big Sur. Famous for its historic Byway as well as its parks, marine sanctuary, whale watching, campgrounds, bike rides and stunning views, it is easy to see what make this area in Monterey one of the most traveled in the state of California. Come with us as we get to know a little more about this beautiful area and all it has to offer you as a top destination for travel in the U.S.

Where the mountain emerges from the sea, Big Sur is where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise from the mighty Pacific creating some of the most stunning views of the region and indeed, the nation. Including nearly 90 miles of coastline, the Big Sur area begins and ends at the Carmel River to the San Carpoforo Creek and reaches inland about 20 miles to the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Including historic California State Route 1 between the two areas, this scenic byway is considered one of the most beautiful in the nation.

The history of the area is filled with peoples from around the world beginning with the original settlers, the native American Tribes including the Esselen, Salinan and the Ohlone. These tribes lived in and around the area, according to archaeological evidence, for thousands of years. By the 1500's, early Spanish exploration had arrived in the area and by the 1700's, had decimated the local Native populations.

During the mid to late 1800's, ranchers and homesteaders were offered deals to move to the area beginning the ranching era in the area and leading up to the gold rush. Development of the area never truly took off however, and even today, only small towns exist as it is a relatively inaccessible area for creating a livelihood in addition to the many who fought to preserve the pristine beauty of the area from development today.

Popular for artists and adventurers, the area is also very well known to the road tripper. Since the construction of Highway 1, this coast has continued to draw visitors of all ages to its shores in order to see the true wild beauty of this part of California. Despite not having many modern conveniences and less than 300 hotel rooms, people continue to flock to Big Sur to enjoy the nine state parks, waterfalls, historical lighthouses, natural areas and reserves and beautiful beaches, perfect for hiking, biking, paddling, trekking, or just gazing at the area beauty.