Pacific Coast Highway (California)

Six hundred and fifty-five miles of California coastline, from Dana Point to Leggett, hugging cliffs that drop straight into the Pacific. The stretch through Big Sur is the headliner — Bixby Creek Bridge alone has launched a million Instagram careers. But drive north past San Simeon and the tourist density drops while the scenery stays absurd. Pull over at McWay Falls, watch elephant seals at Piedras Blancas, and accept that no photo will capture what your eyes are seeing.