Off Highway 1 – Mid Pacific Coast
On California’s mid-Pacific coast, Big Sur, with its rugged cliffs, and Carmel-by-the-Sea are arguably the most well-known Central Coast settlements off Highway Number One. Artists opened up this paradise on the Californian coast early on. Today, therefore, there are a particularly large number of artist galleries to be discovered in this coastal region.
Central Coast near Big Sur – Bixby Bridge on the right
According to liuxers, the Californian village of Carmel-by-the-Sea alone boasts 90 galleries. Carmel-by-the-Sea is one of California’s premier arts and culture centers.
Big Sur and Carmel Valley
The nearby Carmel Valley is well developed for tourism. Golf courses and tennis courts can be found there. Horseback riding and hiking in the Carmel Valley is very popular. The coastal scenery near Big Sur is particularly dramatic. Big Sur is one of the absolute visual highlights along Highway 1 (California State Route 1) in the Central Coast region of California.
Central Coast – wine country in California
The “Central Coast Wine Country” is on the best way to catch up with the wines of the Napa Valley in northern California in terms of quality. A visit to the Central Coast Wine Country is recommended, as these wineries are not yet as crowded as Northern California’s wineries. Organic farming plays a major role. Along the Californian coast there are numerous very good restaurants to discover.
Expensive pavement on the “Central Coast” on the Pacific
For “mere mortals” visitors, a stay in Santa Barbara is associated with high costs. Hotel stays in Santa Barbara are particularly expensive. The city owes the mostly dry and sunny weather in Santa Barbara to the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains and the offshore Channel Islands.
Pacific Coast Highway in California
Bad weather is kept away from Santa Barbara by the hills. East of Santa Barbara is the affluent residential area of Montecito. Solvang, on the other hand, is a Danish-influenced town in California.
Monterey – Gem with Spanish roots
The Monterey Peninsula is known as the jewel of California’s Central Coast. The Spanish conquerors and missionaries landed there about 300 years ago. Famous residents of Monterey were John Steinbeck, Henry Miller and other famous American writers. The life and nature of the Monterey region has been the inspiration for numerous books. In addition to Spanish-Mexican influences, Italian, Indian and Asian influences can still be felt in culture and everyday life.
Santa Barbara – the rich and famous
Santa Barbara, located on the southern Central Coast of California, is probably the most beautiful city in the region with around 90,000 inhabitants. In addition to the interesting beach life of Santa Barbara, the maritime city itself also has a lot to offer. Santa Barbara was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1925. It was decided to pay attention to a uniformly Spanish-influenced architectural style when rebuilding the city.
Camper Motorhome on Central Coast Highway 1
Some of the highlights
Santa Barbara Beach draws visitors from nearby Hollywood. Santa Barbara is also very popular with wealthy Californians from Los Angeles. The rich and famous relax on Santa Barbara’s beaches primarily to be seen. Shapely bodies and sporting activities are very important there. Windsurfing and diving are very popular water sports there. In addition to the area directly on the Pacific coast along Highway No.1, the nearby hinterland of the coastal region also has a lot to offer. In addition to attractive places to live, there are larger wine-growing areas.
Particularly valuable areas are protected from destruction as state parks or wildlife sanctuaries. Hiking is very popular there. The climate of the Californian coastal region can be described as sunny and extremely mild throughout the year. Worth a visit is Hearst Castle, an architectural work of art built by William Randolph Hearst. In addition to Hearst Castle, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is well worth seeing.
Leisure and recreational opportunities
Riders will feel at home along Pismo Beach. Find some tranquility in the Pacific Grove Recreation Area. During a walk along the coast you can recharge your batteries and relax. The rock formations of Pinnacles National Monument are popular with rock climbers.
Remains of redwood forests (giant sequoia), the former coastal rain forest, can still be found near the Californian city of Monterey. Numerous lakes exist in the offshore region of California. Boating is very popular there.
Lakes of the Central Coast region
- Lake Casita
- Lake Cachuma
- Lake Nacimiento
- San Justo Reservoir
