The Lone Cypress on 17-Mile Drive in Carmel, California photos by Martin Smith |
The 17 Mile Drive along the California coast in Monterey is so beautiful it seems straight out of a fairy tale. Pebble Beach Company owns and preserves the area, and charges each car a $9.50 toll just to experience the road. Visitors are strictly prohibited from disturbing, injuring or removing any animal or plant life, and picnicking is only allowed in designated areas. Motorcycles and camping are also verboten. The rules initially give one a feeling of inhospitality, but after touring the area, most would agree the pristine and unspoiled habitat is worth all the effort to protect for future generations to enjoy.
17 Mile Drive at Pebble Beach
Seals and Sea Lions Along the 17-Mile Drive |
Unspoiled Coastline |
Carmel's beauty is a natural attraction for plein air painters, and artists began migrating there during the 1870's. Teachers and students of San Francisco's School of Design could live cheaply in the rural coastland, then spend their days painting landscapes and another favorite subject, scenes from the daily lives of the working class, like Monterey's Portuguese and Chinese fishermen. However, the earthquake of 1906 was the real catalyst for Carmel's status as an art colony, as artists fled from San Francisco to rebuild their lives there, brushes and easels in hand.
The 17-Mile Drive lasts about three hours, but one could easily spend a full day leisurely soaking up all the sights.There is much to see and do in Monterey, but visitors won't be disappointed if they find the time to make the trek from Pacific Grove to Carmel. The route is considered one of the most scenic drives not only in California, but the entire world.
Sources:
www.pebblebeach.com
Nancy Dustin Wall Moure, California Art: 450 Years of painting and Other Media (Los Angeles, California: Dustin Publications, 1998).
Bougainvillea Graces a Carmel Home |
Monterey Flora |
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