The boundaries of California’s central coast may vary depending upon who is drawing the lines on a map, but essentially it over 225 miles long, encompassing Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties. With the exception of three moderately sized cities, each taking its name from its respective county, the communities along this portion of the California coast are relatively small or, as in the case of Big Sur, they consist of not much more than a number of isolated homes, a few small tourist-related businesses, and a post office. It’s difficult to identify any one section of California’s 1,100 mile coast as being more spectacular than another, but the central coast would certainly be high on anyone’s list. From towering redwoods to surfing beaches, from spectacular ocean-bluff cliffs to migrating whales, it attracts millions of visitors each year, each searching for his or her own paradise—and generally finding it.