Pacific Coast Highway Map

The Pacific Coast Highway: Riding the Edge of the Continent

The Pacific Coast Highway, also known as California State Route 1, traces California’s outer edge—where mountains fall into the sea and the road becomes a narrow ribbon between land and water. Built in pieces over decades, Highway 1 was never meant to be fast. It was built to connect coastal communities and to follow the shape of the land, wherever that led.

This Experience Series map is designed for travelers who want to experience the Pacific Coast Highway, not just drive it. It highlights the most meaningful stretches of the route, from Southern California’s sunlit bluffs to the cliffs of Big Sur and the redwood forests of the north. Curated inset ride boxes call out scenic segments, short walks, historic lodges, coastal towns, and quiet pull-offs that invite you to slow down.

Conditions along Highway 1 are always changing. Fog rolls in without warning. Wind reshapes the ride. Landslides occasionally force detours inland. These elements are part of the road’s character, not interruptions to it. This map encourages a flexible, unhurried approach, letting the road—not the schedule—set the pace.

While the Pacific Coast Highway can be traveled in either direction, this map is designed around a south-to-north journey, which allows coastal landmarks to unfold gradually, favors natural sightlines toward the ocean, and creates a progression from developed shoreline to remote coastal wilderness.

Designed for motorcyclists, touring drivers, RV travelers, and families, this map focuses on immersion, movement, and place—because along the Pacific Coast Highway, the journey is the destination.