Backroads of the California Coast: Your Guide to Scenic Getaways & Adventures
Backroads of the California Coasttakes you past the Golden State’s crowded theme parks and popular beach destinations to quiet, historic, and scenic getaways, the kind of places that first drew visitors to this land of sprawling sunny beaches and dramatic mist-filled rocky cliffs and coves. In twenty-four driving tours off the well-trodden Highway 1 and Highway 101, the grandeur of the place where the Pacific Ocean begins is celebrated—showcasing everything from the 1940s glamour of Catalina Island on the south coast to the central coast’s picturesque winelands and the north coast’s romantic fishermen’s villages. The pinnacle for those heading west since the 1600s, the California coastline also is still home to historic Spanish ranchos and missions, relics of the state’s mining past, as well as cool, magnificent redwood forests, lush mountain valleys, hidden coves where sea lions play, and well-preserved estuaries perfect for bird-watching. All are highlighted within these pages with glorious photography and an informative text, luring you to explore some of the most stunning landscapes in the country.