Monterey County is rich with spectacular scenery, and a few stand out scenic drives will have you asking "What took me so long to do this?"
You'll want to stop and snap a shot at every turn along this historic two-lane road that hugs the coast of California. It isn't a road to speed along, and southbound is the better direction to travel as it puts the scenic overlooks and parking areas on your right--much easier for quick stops. There are numerous viewpoints along the way, such as Big Sur's Garrapata or Andrew Molera State Parks. Among photographers' favorites is the pull out at Bixby Creek Bridge--it climbs Serra Grade for breathtaking views. Driving north brings views of the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary at its best, and charming beach-side towns like Moss Landing. Have a little time and an adventurous spirit? Take Nacimiento-Ferguson Road off Highway One, and wind through the Ventana Wilderness. On the other side, reward your trip with wine tasting in the Salinas Valley.
Seventeen miles of sea and sky, immaculate golf courses, and dream homes set graciously behind elegant gates... This is the essence of Pebble Beach's 17 Mile Drive. Shepherd's Knoll looks out over Monterey Bay and the Gabilan Mountains. Huckleberry Hill, at a high elevation, is known for its native huckleberry bushes. Spanish Bay is a great place to take a walk along the links. Other golf courses include Poppy Hills, Spyglass and Pebble Beach, home of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
The bleached branches of the Ghost Tree rise eerily above the sea. Point Joe and The Restless Sea, where all too many early sailors were wrecked, remind visitors that the sea is a force to be reckoned with. The Cypress Point Lookout (closed April 1-June 1) offers magnificent views of the Big Sur coastline. The Lone Cypress is a 200 year-old tree whose tenacious hold on the rocks has inspired artists. The Pebble Beach Equestrian Center holds annual equestrian events and is the starting point for guided trail rides. There are opportunities to picnic at several locations. Five gates give entry to 17-Mile Drive; the price is $9 per car.
For another must-see vantage point overlooking the Monterey Bay, head up the quiet, twisting Jack's Peak Park Road. 525 acres criss-crossed with trails that provide surprising photo opportunities.
Explore Carmel Valley Road east from Carmel Valley Village to Highway 101; it follows the Carmel River through a narrow canyon, passing the turn-off to Tassajara Hot Springs before rising to broad open valleys. Connect with 101 near Greenfield to experience the Salinas Valley. Or, take the Laureles Grade from Highway 68 for an absolutely other-worldly view of Carmel Valley.
A 17-mile, two lane road that connects Salinas and Monterey, and breezes by Mazda Laguna Seca Raceway, Highway 68 is a bucolic drive along wildflower fields and oak tree-lined golf courses.
From Highway 68, embark on your crawl along River Road. Stop for wine tasting at a dozen tasting rooms along the way, or take a unique tour at Wild Things Animal Ranch.
Monterey County has several roads, both major and minor, that offer a motorist or sturdy cyclist rewarding vistas and photogenic scenery. Among them, you might explore Carmel Valley Road east from Carmel Valley Village to Highway 101; it follows the Carmel River through a narrow canyon, passing the turn-off to Tassajara Hot Springs before rising to broad open valleys and eventually winding through vineyards to connect with 101 near Greenfield. For a road that gives you glimpses of the sea and a panorama of the Salinas Valley, ascend Laureles Grade between Highway 68 and Carmel Valley Road.
Vehicles equipped with four-wheel-drive are the best bet for exploring the Old Coast Road, a dirt-track offshoot of Highway One that gives the modern motorist a good idea of what it took to get a horse and cart south to Big Sur a hundred years ago. Another one for the adventurous motorist is the Naciemiento-Ferguson Road, which winds through the Ventana Wilderness from Highway One, coming eventually to Fort Hunter Liggett and Mission San Antonio. Nearby, the Naciemiento Lake Drive Bridge, built in 1921, enjoys a "historically significant" designation because of its unusual construction methods. It's 292 feet long and crosses the San Antonio River. The bridge joins the Bradley-Jolon Road and the town of Bradley to the Lake San Antonio area.
Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 1770, Monterey, CA 93942 1-877-MONTEREY info@mccvb.org
In partnership with Monterey County and the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas,
Sand City, Seaside, Soledad, Pebble Beach, Moss Landing, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, and Salinas Valley.
© Copyright 2009 Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau
