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The Draw
• One of the world's most splendid coastal drives
• Sideways come to life in country cafes and wineries
• The landscapes and lifestyles that inspired John Steinbeck, George Weston, Henry Miller and many other great American artists
The Scene
You could not find a more incredible setting -- a hundred miles of windswept, sun-splashed, take-your-breath-away shoreline about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. California Highway One meanders along the entire coast, connecting San Simeon and Hearst Castle in the south with the chromatic communities around Monterey Bay in the north. Big Sur lies between, a stretch of coast celebrated for its wacky counterculture, secluded beaches and vertigo-inducing palisades. Rarely do you find such an enticing combination of culture and nature. Redwoods and rare art. Sea otters and cabernet sauvignon. Seaside golf courses and secluded sea-cliff camping spots. Although it was the first Spanish capital of California, Monterey wasn't elevated to world attention until the late 1940s, when a local scribe by the name of John Steinbeck published Cannery Row. Neighboring Carmel is caramel-cute, 70 art galleries and an equal number of eateries tucked beneath the famous cypress trees. Nearby farm towns also lure visitors; Watsonville is the self-proclaimed Artichoke Capital of the World, while Gilroy throws an annual Garlic Festival.
To Be Seen
• Hearst Castle. Outlandish, over-the-top, and thoroughly out of place amid the coastal foothills -- but that's what makes the San Simeon estate of William Randolph Hearst such a guilty pleasure. Everyone has a favorite room -- the bacchanalian indoor pool, the hulking medieval dining hall -- take your pick. Proof that today's tycoons (Gates, Buffett, Trump -- well, maybe not Trump) are rather humdrum when compared with their flamboyant predecessors. What do people do with their billions nowadays?
• Monterey Bay Aquarium. Generally hailed as the world's first postmodern aquarium, this Cannery Row landmark showcases California sea creatures in spectacular fashion, including a massive indoor Kelp Forest and an Outer Bay tank that contains the world's only captive great white shark.
• Pfeiffer State Parks. There are actually two. Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP protects an area of rugged coast where waterfalls plunge into the sea and gray whales frolic offshore. Pfeiffer Big Sur embraces redwoods and wildlife habitats along the banks of the Big Sur River -- but this being tech-crazed California, there is Wi-Fi access in the wilderness.
• National Steinbeck Center. Located in the author's hometown of Salinas, the center offers a fascinating glimpse into Steinbeck's life along with art exhibits, concerts, films, readings and workshops open to the general public.
For The VIP
• Do the annual Monterey Jazz Festival in high style by scoring superexclusive Arena Package tickets, attending the $1,000-a-plate Jazz with Steinbeck Dinner and booking a slot at the limited-entry Golf ‘n' Jazz Tournament at Pasadera Country Club.
• Enter your own vintage wheels in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance classic car rally (each August), or join the Club d'Elegance, which includes VIP parking, gourmet breakfast and lunch and vintage wine sampling during the entire event.
• Get your concierge to swing an invite to the exclusive Tehama Golf Club in Carmel Valley, owned by avid duffer Clint Eastwood.
Overrated
17-Mile Drive. It does seem rather gauche -- paying money for the "privilege" of driving through the exclusive Pebble Beach community. Especially when you can do it for free in neighboring Pacific Grove, a meandering route along Sunset Drive and Ocean View Boulevard that offers similar coastal vistas and marine wildlife.
Underrated
The Coast Range. With so much emphasis on the coast, it's easy to forget that the Coast Range mountains behind the shore have their own allure. Pinnacles National Monument has become a mecca for world-class rock climbers. Carmel Valley is Napa without the crowds -- excellent wine, gourmet cuisine, small luxury hotels. Lake San Antonio offers year-round boating, fishing and swimming. With nearly 200 miles of hiking trails, Ventana Wilderness harbors virgin redwoods and North America's largest mountain lion population.
Don't Miss
Henry Miller Memorial Library. The author of Tropic of Cancer and other modern classics lived in Big Sur between 1944 and 1962. His former home has been transformed into a library (where visitors can browse many rare books) and lively cultural center.
When To Go
Mark Twain's quip about San Francisco ("coldest summer I ever spent . . .") could just as well apply to the Central Coast. Foghorns get a workout between May and August. Spring can be a little wet, winters a little chilly. Which brings us to the best time of year: the fall, when Indian summer ushers in blue skies and warmer temperatures.
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