This isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. Big Sur isn’t a town. It’s a stretch of the Pacific coast that has to be seen to be believed. You come here to enjoy the drive. There are some extraordinarily cool towns to visit along the way, like Carmel and Monterey. But driving Big Sur is the kind of thing you do on a lazy Saturday when you need to get away from it all. The point is to get yourself an eyeful of the Pacific Ocean and just be there and take it all in. If you’re really lucky, you’ll get there on a day when it’s just the right amount of mist as the sun comes up to make you feel like you’re one with Nature and part of the landscape.

It’s not walkable in the traditional way. The beaches are rocky. The surf is rough. But don’t let that stop you from getting out of the car and exploring the beauty all around you. Take some time to enjoy McWay Falls, or just walk the beach. When you’re done, hop back in the car and head up to Carmel. If you’ve never been there and you’ve never heard of it, it’s nothing like you might imagine California to be. Completely unexpected. Check it out. It’s one of the coolest, trippiest places you’ll ever see.