IF YOU DID A LOT OF STATION-WAGONING, with your parents, back when you were just a tot, you probably engaged in Car Bingo and Name the Tree and Sing a Song Backwards and other games that kept you actively gazing out the window. But the grown-ups in the wagon had other matters on their mind, specifically delivering everyone in the car to their destination in a safe and timely manner. Still, other important issues mattered to the adult at the wheel, like places to stretch a leg and let off a little energy. Eyes were kept peeled in the front seat, and if a beautiful beach came along, you can bet that everyone was shooed out of the backseat in a jiffy. Flash forward to our own adulthoods, and modern-day car trips, and the need to burn off some energy and walk around a bit. We don't pull over nearly as often as we should on a road trip, but there are particularly amazing ribbons of asphalt that make the act of pull-over-ing a piece of cake. Think of the...
HIGHWAY 1 DISCOVERY ROUTE, which wends along and keeps mighty close to the Pacific Ocean. Anyone doing Hearst Castle, or Piedras Blancas to admire the elephant seals, knows the value of stopping and soaking in some sun on the sand. But you can stay longer, of course, then a few minutes at a quintet of terrific beachy spots along the route, from Ragged Point to the north, to San Simeon, Cambria, Cayucos, and Los Osos/Baywood Park all filling out the beachy-blissful destinations. Each has their own delightful draw — Ragged Point Beach boasts a "black sandy beach" while recently refurbished Cayuco Pier has that historic vibe — so prepare to love upon each beach's own quirks, pluses, and all-out delights. Do note the Highway 1 construction, due the slide at Mud Creek, a little north of Ragged Point, and check with Caltrans before setting off (always a solid idea). Are you road-tripping along some of Highway 1 Discovery Route this summer? Find your pull-over beach spots, and, yes, your stay-a-good-while spots, too.
