It’s been a good year for wildflowers in California. This spring I saw an abundance of yellow wildflowers in the northern part so San Joaquin Valley. Later in the season, we went down to Antelope Valley to marvel at California’s State Flower — also a wildflower — growing in plenty in the area. And a couple of weeks back, I experienced Big Sur in Summer. We just did a part of the Big Sur drive and I’d like to report that the wild coast is prettier now with a whole lot of wildflowers adorning Highway 1.
Big Sur in Summer
Spring is far behind but the flowers are going strong. Here are some sights of the season.
Big Sur has been featured in this blog earlier, after a trip that side a few years ago. This summer, it was the same route and the same length of the ‘Big South Country’ that we traversed, albeit at a faster pace. This time we were driving with friends who were visiting from out of state and there had to be a Big Sur trip for the quintessential ‘Summer in California’ experience.
Doing a Highway 1 drive never gets old. Views of the Pacific and the unforgiving drops into the ocean are always a treat. This summer trip, the wild blossoms were the cherries-on-the-cake.
Monastery Beach
From another stop along the way
Garrapatta State Beach
Rocky Creek Bridge
Bixby Bridge
McWay Falls
Big Sur
If you are not familiar with Big Sur, let me tell you that it is a roughly-90-mile-stretch of coastal California on the state’s Central Coast. This part of the cost is rough and rugged. The beaches are few and the treacherous drops and steep slopes into the ocean are common features around here. So dense and craggy was this area that it was uninhabited and road-less long after the rest of the state was connected with asphalt.
Today the world-famous Highway 1 or Pacific Coast Highway cuts through the coastal mountains of Santa Lucia to offer a scenic drive-of-a-lifetime.
Linking to Our World Tuesday
See more: Flowers & Floral Destinations on Tipsy from the TRIP
Other: Trips to California’s Central Coast
Great vistas!
There’s no getting tired of these sights. 🙂
Welcome here, Cath. 🙂
Indeed a very photogenic location… each of the hillock, the beachfront the flowers and the magnificent single arch bridge everything is spectacular….
Oh yes. Very.
Who gets tired of coastal drives. 🙂 Perhaps it was because it was not my first time on the highway, the flowers stood out.
Thank you for coming this way, Prasad. 🙂
Hello, it is a beautiful view and area. Great photos! Wishing you a happy day!
A GRRReat area, indeed.
Thank you, Eileen.
You too. 🙂
These are some fantastic views! I love the water shots a lot and the flowers are bright bits of color along the way! The last shot is wonderful with the gorgeous rocks and ocean waves. Wow!!
They sure are. I love my Highway1 drives. <3
Thank you so much, Betty. I hope you are having a good week. 🙂
Such lovely scenes.
So true. The flowers added more beauty to the seaside drive. 🙂
Thank you for your visit, and for hosting the meme, Lady Fi. 🙂
The views are equally beautiful! Nice shots, Divya.
Oh yeah — the views were great as well.
I’d written about the views the last time I did this trip, so I thought I’d focus on the summer sights — the wildflowers along the way — this time. 🙂
Thank you so much, Nomad. 🙂
Big Sur! I’ve been dying to go there. I’ve passed by it many times over the years, but to stop and enjoy it, not yet. I was reading up on it and the more I see photos like this, the more I want to go. I hope I can go one of these days.
Now is a good time, M.
I look forward to your pictures. 🙂
Stunning views.
Loved the post.
Absolutely stunning area.
Thank you, Rupam. 🙂
I really did not know about this place,its so beautiful
Captures are stunning.
Hey Jyotirmoy,
It is a very popular scenic drive here in California. It’s a coastal drive, one cannot tire of.
Thank a ton, Jyotirmoy. 🙂
Lovely landscapes all yellow:)
Thanks to the wildflowers. 🙂
It’s gorgeous. We missed the Big Sur as it wa seeing repaired when we were visiting California. You should try the Kaas Plateau for wildflowers. When you are in India next. Right after monsoons, it’s a miracle,
You must have visited just after the landslide, no? A part of it was closed off for quite some time.
I’ll keep Kaas Plateau in mind. Thanks, guys. 🙂
Nice captures… Loved it
Thank you, Rajat. 🙂
looks like a wonderful coastal drive. And of course, I always love seeing wildflowers. Happy travels and thank you for stopping by my blog this week.
It is. This drive is a must-do on a trip to California. 🙂
Thank you so much, Jill. I enjoyed reading about and seeing pictures of your trip to Northwestern Australia.
Oh, and welcome here. 🙂
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