White-capped waves crashing against steep ocean cliffs. Spanish settlements. Laid-back beach towns and cosmopolitan cities. These are just a few of the sights spread along the stretch of highway known as California’s Route 1.

It begins near the historic town of San Juan Capistrano just south of Los Angeles and runs north all the way to where Route 1 merges with Highway 101 south of Eureka. Perhaps the most scenic drive in country, this byway winds along rugged shorelines framing the untamed beauty and wilderness of the Pacific Ocean .

Along the way it passes historical landmarks and curves through the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco. It runs through the heart of the oceanside cities of Big Sur, where the mountains plunge right into the ocean, and Carmel, home to Pebble Beach golf course. Finish in the heart of towering redwood forests, where the California coast gives way to Oregon fishing villages and harbors.

For more information go to: www.byways.org or www.us-101.com.