Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

Take a road trip along California's Pacific Coast Highway for a look at some of America's most dramatic coastal vistas.

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The Pacific Coast Highway winds along the dramatic Northern California coastline.

The craggy cliffs of Big Sur provide breathtaking photo opportunities.

Plan a rest stop in the laid-back town of Pismo Beach.

It's hard not to succumb to a fairytale fantasy driving through this misty valley near San Luis Obispo.

The Santa Barbara Mission is a must-see for road-trippers driving the PCH.

Pay a visit to the town of Solvang, a perfect representation of a Danish village.

You'll find breathtaking views along the Pacific Coast Highway, such as Pigeon Point Lighthouse at dusk, with Pacific ocean waves crashing the rocky shore.

Bixby Bridge on the Big Sur coast of California has become one of the most photographed bridges in California.

Waves crash around the rocky shoreline all along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Spend time wandering the scenic beachfront in Carmel by the Sea.

Once the home of William Randolph Hearst, the Hearst Castle is one of the largest historic house museums in the US. It offers several tours which cover the estate's grand rooms, upstairs suites, cottages and kitchens.

Stretching south from Florence, OR, to Coos Bay, 40 miles of Oregon's coast is home to the Oregon Dunes Recreation Area. Sand dunes, hundreds of feet high, provide a habitat for wildlife. Visitors can hike, take pictures and drive off-road vehicles.

Cape Blanco Lighthouse was built on 47.7 acres of land in 1870. It holds four unique records: It's the oldest continuously operating light, it's the most westerly, it has the highest focal plane above the sea (256 feet) and it had Oregon's first woman keeper, Mabel E. Bretherton. Today the lighthouse is all automated with a motor to rotate it, plus a special light that flashes every 18.2 seconds.

Stearns Wharf was built in 1872 to serve ships. It eventually became a naval installation. Today the wharf is one of the largest attractions in Santa Barbara, with shops and restaurants that bring more than 5 million annual visitors.

Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, on the coast of California. The area is home to many marine animals, including sea otters, harbor seals and bottlenose dolphins. It is also the breeding site for elephant seals.

Morro Bay State Park features a lagoon and natural bay habitat. It includes a museum, marina and golf course. The park has opportunities for sailing, fishing, hiking and bird watching, especially in the marsh area.

Cape Perpetua is located in Oregon on US Route 101. At its highest point, the bluff rises more than 800 feet above sea level. Camping, picnicking, hiking and whale watching are all big activities within the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area.

Olympic National Park has more than a million acres to explore, and includes three different ecosystems. You'll find Pacific Ocean beaches, rainforest valleys and glacier-capped peaks. The park is home to a variety of plants and animals.

This ocean-bluff park includes a gazebo, a grassy recreation area and a large tide pool where you can snorkel. The park overlooks the ocean, and you can see lots of birds and marine life.

Redwood National Park is home to the world's tallest trees, as well as wildlife such as bears and eagles. The park also includes 40 miles of wild coastline where animals such as sea lions, osprey and pelicans live.

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Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

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