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There's Fall Foliage To Be Found On The West Coast Too

September 17, 2009 at 5:03 PM | by | Comment (1)

Think that all the east coasters and Parisiennes get to have all the leaf-peeping fun? Think again, because even the leaves in California have to change, and there's no better excuse for a daytrip than catching the color along the dramatic Big Sur Highway, also known as Highway 1.

As California's answer to Italy's Amalfi Coast, Big Sur is like a true scenic road trip, complete with steep rocky cliffs, impressive span bridges, blue water, and lots of greenery. Drives like this warrant the extra daily amount you'd spend on renting a convertible versus another Ford Focus.

On it's own, at any time of the year, Big Sur Highway is one of the US' most scenic drives, but throw in a little splash of fall color and it's like wandering into a postcard. And don't forget your picnic basket! There are plenty of little side-of-the-road stops to sit for a bit, snap some pics, and pretend that it's the old glamorous days of coastline driving, when you'd be wearing big sunglasses and a headscarf instead of Ray-Bans and an old Oakland A's ball cap.

Luckily for tourists, GPS is making road trips like this a whole lot easier, but we recommend also checking out the National Scenic Byway Program's perfect daytrip itinerary for a route from San Simeon up to Monterey.

To be extra sure that you'll drive through the reds and oranges of leaves instead of weak yellow-green, bookmark The Weather Channel's constantly updated CA Fall Foliage radar map.

Related Stories:
· California Fall Foliage [Weather Channel]
· A Day Along Big Sur Coast [NSBP]
· Fall Foliage Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

[Big Sur Bridge Photo: Torsten Dangerous]

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Thanks for the post!

Thanks for the post on driving through Big Sur. The CA Fall Foliage map is a great link! We also have an itinerary for people road-tripping through Big Sur, especially for people driving from San Francisco to LA. It's truly one of the best drives in the world! Also, for anyone going through Big Sur, Point Sur Historic Lightstation is holding ghost tours on the evenings of October 24 and 25. Tours of Point Sur are always great, but these are probably the best of the year.
NicoleG on September 18, 2009 at 2:02 PM #Permalink

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