Big Sur Highway travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

Big Sur Coast Highway is actually Route 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles with nature remains untouched. Some 200 miles north of Los Angeles along Route 1, the town of San Luis Obsipo and the small fishing village of Morro Bay are the two starting points of the Big Sur cruise. The 144 miles (230 km) of highway is almost deserted, including just a handful of small villages and towns and some hotels like Post Ranch Inn, where celebrities like to unwind. Photo by: schwaabe

The wildlife protection area swoop high over the precipices while, down below, local residents feature sea otters and sea lions with the occasional migrating whale. Deer and foxes are often sighted, and the shy and elusive cougar is also at home here. Photo by: Taurec

The narrow two-lane road extends its way along the jagged cliff hugging the mountain side. Soak up the scenery as the road weaves along the sheer drops past Point Sur Lighthouse before ending at amazing Carmel, the heart of the West Coast‘s idyllic coastal country, best known for its fine beaches and movie-star resident Clint Eastwood. Photo by: philbeth

Carmel Valley, which has its own official wine appellation, is the perfect place for a California wine country vacation. Many tasting rooms are clustered in Carmel Valley Village, only a short stroll from several inns and lodges. Photo by: erinbrace

Photo by: Lone Cypress