Getting Oriented

It's all but impossible to explore the northern California coast without a car. Indeed, you wouldn't want to—driving here is half the fun. The main road is Highway 1, two lanes that twist and turn (sometimes 180 degrees) up cliffs and down through valleys. Towns appear every so often, but this is mostly a land of green pasture, dense forest, and natural, undeveloped coastline. Pace yourself: Most drivers stop frequently to appreciate the views (and you can't drive faster than 20-40 mph on many portions of the highway), so don't plan to drive too far in one day.