The northern route of California State Route 1 - the most beautiful encounter between mountains and sea ?

Day 1 San Francisco Highway 1 is full of beautiful scenery, and many time-pressed friends choose to complete the one-day trip, this long-distance rush will be more tiring, and a rushed sightseeing tour will undoubtedly leave many regrets. If it can be divided into two segments, one day for the challenging north route, and one day for the leisurely south route, fully enjoy the California sunshine, blue sea, and clear sky, it will definitely bring more joy and surprises. In addition to the famous scenic spots on postcards, there are many exquisite small towns and unique beaches along the way, which are worth exploring and savoring.Transportation: Rent a car / drive south from San FranciscoPigeon Point Lighthouse State ParkThe 35-meter-high Pigeon Point Lighthouse was built in 1871 and is the tallest lighthouse on the US West Coast and a local landmark. Now this place is a state historic park, and you cannot enter the lighthouse for visiting, but it is quite a feeling to look from a distance. The most beautiful time is in March and April, the coast is full of flowers, not far away stands the lighthouse, sitting on a bench among the flowers, blowing the sea breeze, facing the sea with the warm spring days. The town of Half Moon Bay is known as the Pumpkin Capital, because the local area is suitable for growing pumpkins, and there is a Pumpkin Festival in mid-October every year. You can see golden pumpkin fields on both sides of Highway 1, which are loved by children. In winter, there are extraordinary big waves to the north of Half Moon Bay, the most famous big wave is called Mavericks Surf, which can reach almost 20 meters in height.Transportation: Rent a car / Drive west from Cliff DrNatural Bridges State BeachNatural Bridges State Beach is a characteristic beach in Santa Cruz where you can stand at a height to overlook the natural rock arch, watch the seagulls soar, the sea lions swim leisurely, and if you are lucky, you may see cute sea otters, you can also explore the tide pools at low tide on the beach. Next to it is the Monarch Butterfly Natural Preserve, in winter, walking along the Monarch Butterfly Trail, you can admire the beautiful monarch butterflies gathering on the trees. Santa Cruz itself is a very lively town, with a grand Santa Cruz Wharf, gift shops, and seafood restaurants abound, and to the west of the wharf is California's oldest large amusement park, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, with a nearly hundred-year history.Transportation: Rent a car / Turn from Highway 1 to Highway 17, and take the Ocean Street exitMystery SpotThe Mystery Spot is one of the weirdest places on earth, located in the mountains near Santa Cruz, under tall trees, where unexplained phenomena happen every day, such as crooked houses, water flowing uphill, people standing slanted but not falling, completely violating the principles of mechanics. What causes such unique phenomena, magnetic field anomalies or visual errors? You can go there in person to discover the mystery behind it. It is recommended to make a reservation in advance online, as visits are conducted in time slots to avoid waiting in lines and wasting time.Transportation: Rent a car / From Highway 17, return to Highway 1, and drive six miles eastCapitolaCapitola is a fairytale-like town, a favorite of photographers. Its signature is a row of colorful houses on the beach, resembling the colorful island of Bruno in Venice, walking in such beautiful streets and alleys, the mood immediately becomes bright. In fact, Capitola is the earliest seaside resort city on the Pacific coast, built for tourists, to enjoy the cool sea breeze in summer and bask in the warm sun in winter. Romantic and exquisite restaurants by the water attract couples to have dinner and watch the sunset. Bay Area residents like to come here for the weekend, and the beach is a paradise for children.Transportation: Rent a car / Drive south from Capitola, and turn right from Jetty RoadMoss LandingMoss Landing is the habitat of sea otters, with many sea otters active near the shore all year round. There are many places along Highway 1 on the coast where you can have the opportunity to see sea otters, but Moss Landing has the highest concentration of sea otters and is the easiest place to observe them up close. We recommend two very convenient viewing points, one is the pier next to the Sea Harvest Fish Market & Restaurant, and the other is to cross to the opposite bank from Jetty Road to view. Sea otters bathe and eat seafood all day, looking extremely cute. Near Moss Landing, there are many places where delicious fruits and vegetables are grown, with fruits that are sweet and cheap. Many local farmers' markets are right next to Highway 1, and it is enjoyable. Particularly worth mentioning is Castroville, the artichoke capital, you must find a restaurant to try this healthy delicacy.Monterey Fisherman's WharfMonterey Bay is the largest and most famous bay on Highway 1, with picturesque scenery and a strong artistic atmosphere. Several novels by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck are set in Monterey Bay. Robert Louis Stevenson also found inspiration here and created the adventure classic novel "Treasure Island." The Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey is older than the one in San Francisco, with beautiful sailboats moored around it, sea lions and sea otters also frequent the area, walking or cycling along the coast is quite pleasant. The aquarium on the west side is one of the most famous in the United States, where you can admire the spectacular kelp forest unique to California, popular with sharks, seahorses, and jellyfish. Cannery Row, which appears in Steinbeck's novel, had more than twenty sardine cannery factories during its heyday in the early 20th century to supply the First World War, but now it has transformed into a coastal fashion district for shopping and dining.Transportation: Rent a car / Drive south from Capitola, and turn right from Jetty Road17-Mile DriveThe world-famous 17-Mile Drive is the most beautiful private residential area in California, and visitors need to pay to enter. There are currently three entrances, the most convenient one is to drive south from Monterey Bay and enter through the Pacific Grove Gate entrance, and then follow the map provided at the toll booth to view the attractions in order. The magnificent mansions and the grandest Pebble Beach Golf Links in the American West are eye-opening, the ancient cypress trees show various bizarre shapes due to the strong winds and waves in this area, there is a cypress that has been standing on a rock for more than 250 years, has become a landmark of the 17-Mile Drive. From the Carmel gate exit, on Ocean Blvd to Carmel-by-the-Sea, a town nestled between mountains and the sea, with beautiful cottages, exquisite galleries everywhere, colorful flowers, and restaurants and inns that look as if they were designed from a fairy tale, which is amazing. Ocean Blvd leads to Carmel Beach, with its fine white sand, is a paradise for children and pets, and it is also a great place to watch the sunset.Transportation: Rent a car / Drive south from Carmel-by-the-SeaBig SurContinuing south from Carmel-by-the-Sea takes you into the magnificent Big Sur, where the mountain roads immediately become winding and extend 90 miles to San Simeon in the south. Sur in Spanish means "south," and Big Sur is the soul of Highway 1, where all the essence, momentum, and charm converge. This is a true change of scenery, with a rugged and steep coastline, the road winding serpentine along the cliff halfway, on one side are steep mountains, on the other side is the vast Pacific Ocean, driving between the sea and the sky, letting go of worries and stress. Be aware that there are few service facilities along the way, so be sure to fill up on gas before hitting the road. There are many attractions along the Big Sur route, such as the majestic Bixby Creek Bridge or the luxurious and atmospheric Hearst Castle, and some unique attractions are easy to miss without signs or proper markings, such as Limekiln, Purple Sands Beach, Little Sur River, it is recommended to prepare the GPS locations of these attractions in advance.