A rugged, mountainous section of the Central Coast in California, Big Sur stretches from Carmel Highlands in the north down to San Simeon in the south. It’s approximately 90 miles from one end to the other, or a two-and-a-half-hour drive… if you don’t stop.

But you will stop: many, many times. Renowned as one of the most dazzling expanses of road in the world, Big Sur repeatedly invites you to retrieve your jaw from the floor, pause and take in the spectacular scenery.

Historically known for being countercultural and quirky, where unconventionality meets an undeniably inspirational setting, writers, artists and musicians follow—and the area has proved a perennially popular draw for creatives.

From Henry Miller to the Red Hot Chili Peppers; Jack Kerouac to Alanis Morrisette; Hunter S. Thompson to Death Cab for Cutie—they’re all fans, and the region has been celebrated in novels, poetry and songs.

As you follow its sinuous curves, astonishment at the achievement of the road's creation—carved into the cliffs and perched on the brink of the Pacific—is rivalled only by the continual wonder of the unfolding vistas it provides.

This extreme prettiness and easygoing vibe come at a price however: the highway has been closed dozens of times by landslides, including a major event in 2017 that shut a section of road for over a year. It’s wise to check for advisories before spontaneously hopping into the convertible.

But the sun is shining, the waves are crashing, the playlist is on and Highway 1 is calling—and this is something you simply need to experience first-hand. Clinging to the edge of a continent, Big Sur is a precarious beauty, all the more precious for its sporadic inaccessibility: a traveller’s ‘must do’ that truly lives up to the hype.

Images: Emily Cathcart