"Vista Point"

Before we left for our excursion up the 101 to Highway 1, I did some online research to try to figure out where we should stop to see some of the best sights the Big Sur area had to offer. One description said there was a great lookout spot labeled with the sign "Vista Point." As we made our way up the coastline, I soon discovered there were about 100 signs marked "Vista Point" and several more "vista points" that weren't labeled by a sign at all...the point is there were a lot of beautiful scenic views along the way. Here are a few of my favorites:

Bixby Bridge
Point Sur Lightstation (there is a road up to it on the left-hand side of the hill). Families used to work and live up there, now it's automated and, I read, haunted.
Point Lobos State Reserve where I got to see a wild sea otter (the reason I wanted to go there).

I consider myself very lucky to have lived along both coasts (east and west). This was the furthest north I've traveled while in California and it was amazing to see how the landscape changed from eroded, desert-like cliff sides (in San Diego) to green rolling hills and jagged rock formations by the time we got to the Big Sur area.

We stayed the night at the Glen Oaks Motel, located in the Big Sur River Valley. It was perfect location-wise and was one of the best deals price-wise I could find (everything is really expensive up there). The room had a pretty gas fireplace and a heated bathroom floor...something I think every house in New England should have.