California's Highway 1 hugging the cliffs from San Francisco down through Big Sur to Los Angeles — the drive most people picture when they think "road trip."
Start across the Golden Gate Bridge and work your way down the coast.
Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls — the stretch that's on every postcard.
Spanish-colonial architecture and a walkable waterfront to break up the drive.
Santa Monica Pier makes a natural finish line for the coast route.