I love this bridge. From the classic arch to the concrete columns in perfect symmetry that bridges…read moreHighway 1, which straddles the cliffside where the Pacific meets Central California. Whether shrouded in fog or on a crystal-clear day, the view still captures people's hearts with awe and amazement. It was completed in 1932 and soars 260 feet above the coastline floor. Now in order to view this magnificent engineering marvel with one of nature's most spectacular backdrops, one has to stop, get out of the vehicle, and take the time to absorb what's around you. If just driving across, you can't see the good angles, and you'll be out of view within seconds. Because this is a narrow highway on a cliffside, there simply is not a lot of room to park and gaze for the amount of people this spot attracts. I passed by on my way to check into my campsite on a Sunday afternoon and it was packed to where standstill traffic occured. People were literally waiting for a parking spot to open up, so I had to hop on the opposing side of traffic for a bit to get past the congestion. I came back Monday morning around 8 am and I was the only person there. So timing is of essence here. There are a few viewing spots. 2 from the front (North and South ends) and one from the back. All are different angles with their own unique perspective. The one from the front on the North end is the most popular and have the most spots to park and view. And that viewing spot from that corner actually has a trail created by people that go down the cliffside about a 1/3 of the way down surprisingly. And the views changes pretty dramatically the further you go down. But you have to be very bold and somewhat athletic to go down that far. There are no barricades or safety measures so one slip could be an irreversible accident. I went down so far that on the way back up there were spots where you have to use all your limbs to scale back up, can't just simply walk back. I wouldn't have attempted this if there were dozens of people I had to navigate around. But on a quiet morning without another soul there, it was extremely peaceful filled with veneration and awe. I'll include a part of a poem by Robinson Jeffers who settled in this area in the middle part of the 20th century, and fell in love with the environment here. I totally get it. "I gazing at the boundaries of granite and spray, the established sea-marks felt behind me. Mountain and plain, the immense breadth of the continent before me and the mass and doubled stretch of water."

An architectural marvel and one of the most photographed bridges in California…read more Spans a deep, rugged canyon with breathtaking canyon-to-ocean perspectives. this iconic concrete arch bridge is the definitive landmark of Highway 1. Best Viewpoints: Pull off into the designated parking areas on the north side of the bridge just before crossing to get the classic postcard shot framing the bridge against the coastline.

Nothing can be said that any other reviewer has not already said. It is definitely a destination to…read morebehold. One thing I have to stress though. Midway through the tour, when the guide mentions the water fountain, do take a drink. It is the most refreshing water I have ever tasted. When water is described as being crisp, that is what I think of when drinking the Hearst water.

Parking is easy and free. The staff are helpful, and the tour was interesting with history about…read morethe castle. The indoor and outdoor pools are awesome. However, I'm not sure if it's worth paying $35 for a one-hour tour plus a short visit, especially since you have to leave right after the tour and aren't allowed to walk around the gardens. There are also some animals you can see along the way to Hearst Castle. Overall, I think I enjoyed Getty Villa more.

A few months out of the year you can sign up for a guided tour of the lighthouse and its grounds…read more You meet the ranger at an abandoned motel and then follow them into the lighthouse property. It's two hours of walking so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. You'll see beautiful landscapes, historic buildings on the property and you'll go inside the lighthouse itself. You will not get to climb to the top of the lighthouse though. It's a beautiful way to spend time so I highly recommend you do this tour at least once if it's available during the time you're in the area.

First lit in 1875, the Piedras Blancas lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark as well as a…read moredesignated Outstanding Natural Area! It's surrounded by a marine sanctuary and the beaches and rocks are full of seabirds and elephant seals and more. If you can manage to get tickets for a tour, I highly recommend you jump on it - they're infrequent with limited availability - but so worth it! The tour starts at an old, out-of-use motel nearby - then you all get in your cars and follow the guide into the light station complex. After parking, you meet the tour guide for the grounds and they give a talk. Then you're free to explore for the rest of your allotted time. There are lots of historical buildings on the grounds to explore - with little "museums" in the gift shop, fog signal house, and lighthouse itself. You can even still see the foundation area of the original 1906 keeper's house - but the building was moved to nearby Moonstone Beach. You can't tour it but it's available to rent for overnight stays! Sadly, the top three floors of the lighthouse had to be taken down due to repeated earthquake damage - so the original lens (a first order Fresnel) was moved and is on display in nearby Cambria. But the signal is still functional and flashes every 10 seconds on its temporary replacement lens. They do have plans to fully restore the lighthouse to all its former glory - but are still trying to raise the funds - they have a GoFundMe on their website if you're interested. The grounds have tons of trails all around with amazing views of all the beaches and "piedras blancas" or "white stones" - covered in sea birds and seals! Definitely don't miss out on at least some of them. My only complaint is that they only give one tour a day (starting at 945am) and only allow you a total of two hours to explore - which is definitely not even close to being enough imo. Our tour guide's talk was 40-45 mins long so that left only about an hour to see all the museums and buildings and explore the trails. And they're strict on the time limit too :( But it's still totally worth it - and actually it's probably better for the protected nature environment lol! So see it if you get a chance bc it's a rare luxury!

The Court of Mysteries (which also goes by The Red Brick Castle, among other names) is a beautiful…read moremonument and home in Santa Cruz, which not many people know about. It has a very interesting history to it, and though you cannot go inside the house or on the property itself (because it is a private residence), you can still appreciate the architecture from out front, including a lovely fountain in the courtyard, and learn about the stories and mysteries that have defined this unique landmark. These stories can easily be found online, but some of the most interesting details are that the original builder (Kenneth Kitchen and his brother) built it only during the night, modeled it after a Hindu temple, and incorporated hidden messages throughout, using shapes, astrological symbols, and dashes and dots resembling morse code, with possible connection to the occult. Also, there is no historical record of Kenneth Kitchen after he left Santa Cruz in the 1950's, so yeah a lot of oddities to drive your imagination and make you wonder. One of the most intriguing parts of the Court of Mysteries is the "Gate of Prophesy" which has two magnificent towers and an intricately designed archway with the mysterious triangular structure at its center. Beautiful trees and vegetation surround the brick and abalone "temple" and entire site, creating a picturesque scene overall. Apparently the property was restored a few years ago by the previous owners (I'm pretty sure that rebuild didn't occur "only at night"). They even built a house on the left side to live in while reconstructing the Court of Mysteries. The property was subsequently sold in late 2021. If you're interested in a quick visit, it's easy to just park right on the street, take a few photos of the amazing archway and towers, and peek through the gate to see what the Court of Mysteries looks like today... and then maybe amuse yourself with the legend and history behind this strange phenomenon.

Once abandoned and in ruins, when we first moved to the Bay Area it was a desolate and decayed huge…read morelot with a pet goat and a caretaker in a mobile home to shoo off explorers and vandals. Built in the 1930s by Kenneth Kitchen. It's inspired by romanticized Hindu mysticism as well as the arcane and occult. Because of this the site is covered in symbology and hidden meaning. From the obvious all seeing eye at the front gate to the mini details in the brick there is an esoteric design language that keeps it all unified and cohesive. The legend is also complemented by the fact that the owner and brothers were bricklayers and stone masons and it was only constructed under moon light. It was purchased in 2016 and lovingly restored and developed by the new owners to preserve the local folk-art style architecture. The new main house is next to the "court of mysteries" and a lot of the missing abalone and smashed brick has been painstakingly replaced.

Beautiful drive and amazing view! You gotta see this with your honey or your family! Pack a picnic…read moreand have a wonderful day! Be prepared to be offline...

What the hell is a Rock Shed and why did this cost $40 million? Well after watching a very…read moreinformative video on YouTube I have an answer. As someone that comes up this way several times a year I've experienced the pain of landslides and road closures. This particular section of road is the most dangerous on the Big Sur highway. It was costing the state over a million a year just to maintain this small section of road. So civil engineers got the funding to build a "cover" over the road so that dirt and rocks would simply slide over the moving cars and down into the ocean.. - The cool looking stone finish of this rock shed is just decorative stamped concrete..

I didn't know that I loved lighthouses until I had the tour of the Point Pinos Lighthouse in…read morePacific Grove. Now I am drawn to lighthouses for their beauty, their history, and their unique mystique. The docents at Point Pinos Lighthouse were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. The grounds are impeccable, and the exhibits within the lighthouse are a slice of living history. The setting is stunning, right at Asilomar Beach. You'll want to leave time to walk along the water after you explore the lighthouse. Even if you are not into history or the military or lighthouses, you should definitely drop in to visit this space. You will walk away having digested a bit of unique beauty. Check the hours online -- they are very specific and limited, and it's easy to get shut out. Many people don't know that women often worked the lighthouses back in older times. This is just one fact that stayed with me after my visit. A candle on the water helps lost sailors find their way home.

This is the oldest working lighthouse on the West Coast. It is absolutely beautiful. The volunteers…read moreare amazing and very knowledgeable. The weather was great today and we could not have asked for a more perfect visit. If you are into history or lighthouses or the military this place should be on your radar! This is 100% hands down!!!!

The Soledad Mission is a beautiful place to stop and explore CA history. I especially enjoyed the…read moregardens and old trees. The ruins in the back were fascinating. My only suggestion is that they clean the fountain and add water plants so that the koi fish can survive. The Santa Barbara Mission did that with their koi fountain and it looks beautiful & healthy.

I really enjoyed my visit Mission Soledad. Although this mission is much smaller than many of the…read moreother missions in California, there is still plenty of beauty to see along your visit. I also wanted to mention that the two women that worked the gift shop works extremely welcoming and treated my wife and I and our son like family. The view surrounding the mission was also breathtaking hills and mountains of luscious California farmland. It definitely made me proud of being born and raised right here in the central Valley of California.

I love taking the 17-mile drive in Monterey, California…read more Unfortunately for us, the thick fog started rolling in just as we began our drive, so by the time we reached the Lone Cypress, it was hard to see. Despite the low visibility, many other drivers, including tour buses, stopped to snap pictures and record videos as best they could.

What an amazing sight. A cypress tree growing on a rock in an almost inhospitable environment…read more Can walk down stairs for great photos.