Is there a more iconic road trip than taking Highway 1 south from San Francisco along California’s coast? (And you should definitely drive, as the views of the ocean are much better in that direction.) En route, you’ll pitstop on the Monterey Peninsula before snaking along through the wilderness of Big Sur. It needs our tourism more than ever, after suffering near economic catastrophe when it was cut off from the outside world during the winter storm season 2017; bridges were destroyed and roads blocked at both its northern and southern reaches. Thankfully, for locals and visitors alike, the northern section has already reopened, across Pfeiffer Canyon, but the southern connection, at Ragged Point, is still under construction (scheduled to open late 2018 but check with CalTrans for fresh updates here). Until it does, relish the forced detour inland, as inland Central California is well worth visiting—especially if you’re a wine lover. Here how to make the most out of a three-day road trip.
Day 1: Monterey
It's about a two-hour drive out of San Francisco—traffic gods be with us—to the fishing port of Monterey, the largest settlement on its namesake peninsula. Don’t let that now-tacky Fisherman's Wharf deter you, though, as this is a charming old California town. Make your first stop the Monterey Bay Aquarium , one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the world (just be sure to reserve a ticket online in advance); the charmingly cartoonish feeding sessions for its sea otters are a highlight. Otherwise, to explore life in the nearby water, the three-hour Whale Watch cruise is one of the few with marine biologists on board to answers questions. Humpback, blue whale, and orca season is from April 1–December 14, so you have entire seasons to see the world's biggest mammals in their element.
Monterey’s population skews much younger than the tony towns nearby, so it’s livelier in the evenings. The best hangout is Cannery Row Brewing Company, for craft beers and top-notch sliders, while the cannelés at Parker Lusseau Pastries are Paris-worthy—no wonder, given that chef Yann Lusseau is a bona fide French expat. Once you've had your fill, head 12 minutes down the road to Carmel-by-the-Sea, where you'll check into L'Auberge Carmel , a Relais & Châteaux spot (read: swanky) in the center of the postcard-pretty town, and a great jumping off point for day two. (Prefer to focus your evening on an amazing meal? Skip the burgers and beers and make a reservation at Aubergine within L'Auberge. Chef Justin Cogley doles up multi-course tasting menus that focus on local fish, and there's a 2,500-bottle wine cellar full of California and French wines that you should absolutely sample in a pairing.)
Day 2: Carmel and Big Sur
Throw off the aftermath of the wine pairing or crafts beers with a coffee and almond croissant at Lafayette Bakery and Cafe and a morning stroll along Ocean Avenue. There's a glut of quaint stores—browse, don't buy—that will lead you down to Carmel’s unacknowledged asset: its glorious, tranquil beach where the water is bright blue and the sand soft and white (save the water for stronger swimmers, as the riptides can be ferocious).
Time to get back in the car and head toward Big Sur. Named by the Spanish El Pais Grande del Sur (Big Country to the South), this windswept and rugged coastline is a startling contrast to manicured Monterey. On the northern reaches of Big Sur, just 15 miles south of Carmel, stop to take a shameless picture of the Bixby Bridge, a WPA-era engineering marvel made of concrete. Pfeiffer Beach nearby is the loveliest sandspot on the drive, though the turnoff isn’t clearly marked—it can get windy, too, so wear layers when you venture out.
Nepenthe is a cluster of developments where you can grab lunch—try the burger at Nepenthe restaurant, slathered in its signature Ambrosia sauce (ketchup, mayo, and a dollop of green salsa). Then roll on to the anchor of Central Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, which features many superb hikes. Indeed, almost anyone can tackle the easy stroll to an overlook for McWay Falls, an 80-foot waterfall that runs year round into the ocean.
If you’d rather look inward, though, book into Esalen Institute, one of the pioneering centers for New Age therapy in America (Jane Fonda lived here for a while during one of her hippier phases). It’s based around natural hot springs, which were popular with the local Native American tribe after whom the operation’s named. Come for workshops, classes, or just to linger in the warm, bubbling waters—be warned that even if you choose to wear a bathing suit, most of your fellow dippers won’t.
When it comes time to check in for the night, there's Post Ranch Inn, the splashiest place to stay in the area thanks to its swoon-y clifftop location, or Glen Oaks Big Sur, where you can have a mid-century modern room for night two of your road trip. The old school motor lodge has undergone a funky makeover—think walk-in showers paved with river-rock tiles and an abundance of succulents on almost every surface—but the best rooms are the standalone cabins and cottages. Breakfast across the road at the motel’s Roadhouse is worth waking up early for. Plan to hike off the extra homemade doughnuts you end up eating later on.
Day 3: Wine Country – Paso Robles
You could definitely linger in Big Sur on your last day, sleeping in and taking a dip in the infinity pool at Post Ranch Inn (which drops 1,200 feet to the sea below) before heading back to San Francisco. Don't mind a longer drive and getting home late? Then extend your trip with a wine country detour: Until the final stretch of Highway 1 is repaired (scheduled for late 2018), you’ll need to pivot away from the coast south of Big Sur—turn into Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, a scenic but twisty two-hour drive through the hills to Paso Robles.
It’s the best base to explore Central California’s booming wine country—20 years ago, there were just 50 wineries here, but now that number’s reached 250 (and growing). Even better, more than 150 of them host tasting rooms, where you can try some of the red wines that have helped earn accolades—look for pinot noirs and zinfandels, which are most characteristic, though since this is an emerging region, many wines are wonderfully rule-free and experimental. You can self-guide via the Paso Wine Country Alliance map: AmByth is notable for its organic and biodynamic experimental wines, while Stephan Asseo’s quirky reds at L’Aventure are a legacy of his stint working in Bordeaux. It’s much more fun to hire a guide and driver for the day—the best is Coy Barnes, known as the Wine Wrangler—so you can really indulge. Book lunch at the small restaurant onsite at Justin Winery where chef Paul Arangorin’s cooking showcases the caliber of the local produce; supplies for the bistro Thomas Hill Organics come almost entirely from its own, 10-acre farm nearby. We wouldn't fault you for lingering before that three-hour drive back to reality.