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Stretching from sunny "So Cal" to the shady forests of the north, this coastal highway winds along one of the prettiest stretches of shore to be found anywhere in the U.S. Though the road is more than 600 miles long and in summer, sometimes congested, it doesn't take a world traveler to see why this route garners acclaim as an unofficial scenic byway. Expect to find in transit postcard worthy seascapes (think ocean waves crashing with a shower of foam against rocky cliffs as the sun sinks to the west in a show of sherbet hues), dozens of historic landmarks and a truly varied range of outdoor activities to choose from along the way. Though there are some very long rural stretches - the Big Sur Coast, for example - this highway also comes within striking distance of extremely urban areas, from San Diego and L.A. at its southern end to the busy Bay Area more than halfway to the top.
A traveler could deposit their car just north of the Mexican border and drive on maintained highway, much of it right on the coast, north to the Canadian Border, the actual California Pacific Coast Highway is generally said to begin as Route 1 at San Juan Capistrano South of Los Angeles and end where Route 1 merges with Highway 101 at Leggett South of Eureka. To confuse matters, some stretches are part of the Cabrillo Highway and the Shoreline Highway but really in this case, the name doesn't matter so much, so long as you stick to HWY1 or HWY101 once you've passed Leggett. The highway is not yet an official California Dedicated Scenic Highway, but is eligible.
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