Drive down the stunning Californian coast on Highway 1

WHEN taking a road trip along the Californian coastline, unplanned pit stops along the way are what makes the extra time worth it, writes Matt Oberhardt.

The ?painted ladies? of San Francisco. Picture: Supplied

"IT'S just a beach covered with rocks, Dad. I'm not getting out of the car," my daughter stated adamantly.

After driving for two days along the spectacularly rugged Californian coastline south of San Francisco, I would normally have understood my youngest daughter's stubbornness about yet more scenery. But this was something different. As we pulled off Highway 1 into a beachside viewing area, I knew we weren't looking at more rocks on the beach. These "rocks" were moving. Thousands of elephant seals have made their home in several small coves along a stretch of beach adjacent to the highway at Piedras Blancas, about 70km north of regional centre San Luis Obispo. The massive mammals lay on the sand in the sun less than 20m from the viewing spot and we were close enough to hear them calling to each other and, unfortunately, smell them. The colony of 17,000 animals is the largest on US west coast and the sight was enough to becalm my previously doubting daughter. The unplanned nature stop in our Highway 1 odyssey was just one of reason to recommend taking the extra time and driving the winding California coastal road. We had begun our journey several days earlier in San Francisco. Having already discovered Americans like to do things big (meals, freeways etc) we found our hired black Dodge Suburban was no exception. One of San Francisco's cable cars. Picture: Supplied The three-hour drive south to Monterey was uneventful (except for an emergency toilet stop in Castroville - the self-proclaimed artichoke capital of the world) and we arrived with plenty of daylight left to explore. Originally settled by the Spanish in the 18th century, the city is on the southern edge of Monterey Bay and is famed for its teeming marine life. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the biggest in North America and the local fishing industry was the setting for John Steinbeck's famous novel Cannery Row. The section of the city where the novel is set is now a tourist haunt. One of the highlights of a stay in the Monterey region though has to be exploring the small communities just around the headland. Carmel-by-the-Sea is perhaps most famous to Australians for its former mayor Clint Eastwood, but the quaint town, with pretty streets and stunning beach houses, is definitely worth a look. A quick walk around the main street, Ocean Ave, gives you an impression of massive wealth in the area, but it was heartening to see groups of people carrying eskies and firewood down to the beautiful white sandy beach to watch the sun set. The area is also home to the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course. Journeying further south along Highway 1 from the Monterey area brings you to one of the truly spectacular sections of road in the world. For about 160km the highway clings to the edge of the Santa Lucia Mountains as they rise hundreds of metres out of the Pacific Ocean. More than three million people drive through the Big Sur region on Highway 1 each year lured by the breathtaking views, many wilderness walking trails and the wildlife including an extremely rare sea otter colony. The otters, which were almost hunted to extinction in the 1930s, survived and can now be seen swimming in the massive kelp forests off along the cliffs. A stunning place to stop near the start of the Big Sur (and perhaps glimpse an otter) is the much-photographed Bixby Creek Bridge, which rises nearly 100m above the ocean. After several hours we got to the southern end of the range and made our aforementioned elephant seal "discovery''. But that wasn't our last run-in with nature. We had hardly settle back into our seats when the unlikely cry of zebras came from the back of the car. It was my turn to be incredulous but off to the left a herd of zebras was running through a field. It turns out the animals are the last remnants of a private zoo once owned by newspaper tycoon William Randolf Hearst, who was the inspiration for famous Hollywood film Citizen Kane. Hearst's palatial residence (known as Hearst Castle) dominates the hills above San Simeon and attracts flocks of tourists every year. Once past San Simeon the terrain flattens out and the highway moves inland through wine country around Sovang. With four tired children on board though we unfortunately had to pass by the cellar door temptations and press on to our destination Santa Barbara. Influenced by its Spanish history, Santa Barbara is often described as the Californian Riviera and is a playground for the rich and famous. The next day we hit the road again destined for Los Angeles. As we rejoined Highway 1 our final glimpse of nature was an unexpectedly familiar one. Branching out towards the road was a gigantic Moreton Bay fig. The tree, the largest fig in the US, is registered as a historic site and gave us a quick taste of home before we drove straight into the urban sprawl of LA. The 'painted ladies' of San Francisco. Picture: Supplied GO2 - HIGHWAY 1, CALIFORNIA GETTING THERE The writer flew Virgin Australia direct to San Francisco. STAYING THERE Marriott Monterey, 350 Calle Principal, Monterey. Brisas Del Mar Inn at the Beach, 223 Castillo St, Santa Barbara. SEEING THERE Carmel-by-the-Sea Just getting to this beautiful seaside town is half the fun. The famous 17-Mile Drive winds around the peninsula from neighbouring Monterey offering spectacular ocean views. Once there, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a great place to window shop among expensive boutiques. If you are there late in the day, head down to the beach to watch the sun set over the pristine white-sand beach. Big Sur Any drive along the Californian coastline has to include this spectacular stretch of highway (about 150km) between Monterey and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia mountains reach down to the Pacific Ocean. Elephant seals Located just off Highway 1, the elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas is the largest on the US west coast. Thousands of the mammals can be seen from the viewing platform. Watch out for the huge males fight over the best sections of beach. Hearst Castle Built as a residence by newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, the massive Hearst Castle can be clearly seen in the hills overlooking Highway 1 near San Simeon. The remnants of a zebra herd housed at Hearst's former zoo can still be seen running through fields near the road. Santa Barbara Home to the rich and famous, Santa Barbara is a classic Californian town with Spanish-inspired architecture and gorgeous beaches. There is plenty of amazing shopping and dining spots and, if you feel like a drive, the nearby wine growing region is definitely worth a look.