Picturesque Views Along Pacific Coast Highway
In the Pacific Coast Highway, California can easily boast one of the most epically gorgeous oceanfront drives in the world. And when you stay with us at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, the shimmering glories of that Historic Highway 101 are right at your fingertips.
Spellbinding vistas are a dime a dozen along San Diego County’s share of the celebrated route, but here are just a sampling—enough to inspire you to strike out on a coastal daytrip from our paradisal resort!
Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial
Mount Soledad is just about unparalleled in coastal San Diego County for its panoramic scope. Crowned by the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial, the hill gives you a sprawling prospect all up and down the Pacific shore, and from inland mountains eastward to the shimmering liquid horizon to the west.
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
This La Jolla institution is worth visiting for its outstanding exhibits—from Tide-Pool Plaza to the Hall of Fishes—but it’s equally renowned for its blufftop vantage: After peering beneath the brine within, step back outside and savor the ocean sweep before you.
Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve encompasses one of the prettiest reaches of seashore in all of California. The namesake pines are only found at this special site and on one of the Channel Islands: They’re one of the rarest conifers on the planet. Gnarled pine groves, scented coastal scrub, gloriously gullied sedimentary bluffs, and long sightlines out to the Pacific skyline—primal beauty abounds here.
Carlsbad Seawall
Fringing Carlsbad Boulevard, the roughly mile-long Carlsbad Seawall includes a paved pathway fronting the Pacific rollers that’s beloved among amblers and joggers alike. Benches and picnic tables provide meditative perches, and it’s easy to drop down to the beach from here. The Seawall’s a promising vantage to scout for dolphins—even, in season, the spout of a gray whale.
Oceanside Pier
Nearly 2,000 feet in length, Oceanside Pier provides a generous wooden walkway out over the big blue of the Pacific. The views stretch from Santa Catalina Island south to the little cape of La Jolla.
Take in Ravishing Ocean Views From the Pacific Coast Highway
At the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, these and other stirring oceanfront vistas beckon within easy reach along the Pacific Coast Highway. There’s nothing like a day spent touring the coastline in classic Southern California fashion, then returning to our luxury resort for dinner and maybe a spa session. It just doesn’t get any better!