Big Sur

A rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of California, between Carmel Highlands and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. It has been called the longest and most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States, and a national treasure that demands extraordinary procedures to protect it from development. The views, the redwood forests, the hiking and the beaches draw between 4.5 and 7 million visitors a year, putting it among the top tourist destinations in the country – comparable to Yosemite National Park, but with considerably fewer services.