Stewart M. Green, a Colorado native, is a photographer and writer based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He travels the US and the world working on projects for Globe Pequot Press, FalconGuides, Every Adventure Publishing, and other publications. Stewart has written and photographed many books for FalconGuides and Globe Pequot Press, including Rock Climbing Colorado, Rock Climbing Utah, Rock Climbing New England, Scenic Driving California, Scenic Driving Arizona, Rock Climbing Europe, Best Climbs Moab, Hiking Waterfalls Colorado, Rock Art: The Meanings and Myths Behind Ancient Ruins in the Southwest and Beyond, Climbing Pikes Peak: A Hikers Guide to the Peak, and Scenic Driving New England. He has over 40 years of experience as a photographer and is a leading climbing photographer. His work appears in many catalogs, advertisements, and national publications.
Scenic Driving Californias Pacific Coast details one of lifes greatest adventuresdriving the restless boundary between ocean and land on the western rim of North America. This book is partly based on my book California Scenic Drives, which Falcon Publishing originally published in 1993. The book was republished as Scenic Driving California in 1996. This new volume, packed with lots of information and stunning color photographs, explores the wild and scenic California coast from Santa Barbara north to the Oregon border.
Thanks to Globe Pequot Press for the opportunity to write about California, one of my favorite places to discover, especially its gorgeous coast. Also, thanks to my editors on the previous editionsRandall Green, Liz Taylor, Cary Hull, and Staci Zacharskifor helpful comments and suggestions. Many thanks to Amy Lyons, Globe Pequots Editorial Director for travel books, for suggesting I write this book and project editor Greta Schmitz who shepherded the new edition through the editorial process. Editors make us writers better; I always appreciate their efforts and direction to improve my manuscripts.
Im grateful to many federal and state employees and rangers in California who generously dispensed information, answered questions, and reviewed portions of the manuscript for accuracy.
Lastly, thanks to my children, Ian and Aubrey Green, for driving up and down the California coast with me back in the early 1990s. We had lots of great adventuresclimbing sea cliffs, swimming clear rivers, walking on wave-swept sand beaches, and watching a summer of sunsets. Now go and find your own great escape on the California coast.
The 115-foot-high Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest in the United States, is a hostel north of Santa Cruz.
General Information
California Department of Parks & Recreation
1416 9th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 653-6995
parks.ca.gov
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
Visitor Information Centers
Hollywood & Highland Center
6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 467-6412
Downtown:
685 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
discoverlosangeles.com
National Park Service
Pacific West Region
333 Bush St., Ste. 500
San Francisco, CA 94104-2828
(415) 623-2100
nps.gov/state/ca
San Francisco Travel
Visitor Information Center
749 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 391-2000
sanfrancisco.travel
Visit California
555 Capitol Mall Suite 1100
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-4429
visitcalifornia.com
Northern Central Coast
Ao Nuevo State Park
1 New Years Creek Rd.
Pescadero, CA 94060
(650) 879-2025
parks.ca.gov
Bean Hollow State Beach
(650) 726-8819
parks.ca.gov
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
21600 Big Basin Way
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(831) 338-8860
parks.ca.gov
Butano State Park
1500 Cloverdale Rd.
Pescadero, CA 94060
(650) 879-2040
parks.ca.gov
Carmel Visitor Center
Ocean Ave. between Junipero and Mission
Carmel, CA 93921
(831) 624-2522, (800) 550-4333
carmelcalifornia.com
Carmel Mission
3080 Rio Rd.
Carmel, CA 93923
(831) 624-1271
carmelmission.org
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
200 Nevada Ave.
Moss Beach, CA 94038
(650) 728-3584
parks.smcgov.org/fitzgerald-marine-reserve
Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Aptos Creek Road/Soquel Drive
Aptos, CA 95003
(831) 763-7063
parks.ca.gov
Fort Ord Dunes State Park
Beach Range Road
Marina, CA 93933
(831) 649-2836
parks.ca.gov
Half Moon Bay State Beach
95 Kelly Ave.
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 726-8819
parks.ca.gov
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
101 N. Big Trees Park Rd.
Felton, CA 95018
(831) 335-4598
parks.ca.gov
Manresa State Beach
1445 San Andreas Rd.
Watsonville, CA 95076
(831) 724-3750
parks.ca.gov
Marina State Beach
200 Reservation Rd.
Marina, CA 93933
(831) 649-2836
parks.ca.gov
Mission Santa Cruz State Historic Park
144 School St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 425-5849
parks.ca.gov
Montara State Beach
2nd Street and Cabrillo Highway
Montara, CA 94037
(650) 726-8819
parks.ca.gov
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 648-4800
montereybayaquarium.org
See Monterey
Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau
419 Webster St., Suite 100
Monterey, CA 93940
(888) 221-1010
seemonterey.com
Monterey State Historic Park
20 Custom House Plaza
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 649-2907
parks.ca.gov
Moss Landing State Beach
Cabrillo Highway and Jetty Road
Moss Landing, CA 95039
(831) 649-2836
parks.ca.gov
Mystery Spot
465 Mystery Spot Rd.
Santa Cruz, CA 95065
(831) 423-8897
mysteryspot.com
Natural Bridges State Park
Swanton Boulevard & W Cliff Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95067
(831) 423-4609
parks.ca.gov
New Brighton State Beach
1500 Park Ave.
Capitola, CA 95010
(831) 464-6329
parks.ca.gov
Pacifica State Beach
5192 Pacific Coast Hwy.
Pacifica, CA 94044
(650) 738-7381
parks.ca.gov
Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce
584 Central Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 373-3304
pacificgrove.org
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
165 Forest Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 648-5716
pgmuseum.org
Pescadero State Beach
Half Moon Bay Road
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 726-8819
parks.ca.gov
Point Montara Hostel & Light Station
8800 Cabrillo Hwy.
Montara, CA 94037
(650) 728-7177
hiusa.org
Pomponio State Beach
CA 1 South/Cabrillo Highway
San Gregorio, CA 94074
(650) 879-2170
parks.ca.gov
Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge
1 Marshlands Rd.