by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 5:00 PM ET, Mon February 25, 2019
California's Highway 1 is a legendary roadway that winds along the Golden State's coast providing stunning ocean views and traveling through a long list of charming coastal communities.
Just in case you need another excuse to take a road trip along Highway 1, here it is: the new Discovery Route on the state's central coast and its newly unveiled History & Heritage Trail.
A collection of landmarks and historical points along the iconic road, all of the locations selected to be part of the new History & Heritage trail were chosen to bring visitors closer to the roots of California's coastal San Luis Obispo County. Each site is approximately 100 years or older.
An interactive map has been created to help travelers find the locations, all of which are places "where it's easy to imagine yourself back in time," states the new trail's website.
Highlights include exploring the life of a brave and dedicated lighthouse keeper who lived on a rocky point; and learning about the life of a native Californian fisherman and his generations of inherited knowledge.
"Imagine waiting for the train in a rustic depot, or catching the stagecoach to your castle on an "enchanted hill" overlooking thousands of acres," says the trail's website. "Walk through a timeless cemetery surrounded by the largest Monterey Pine stand in California."
While most of the sites on the History & Heritage trail are open for visitors during specific hours, many destinations are "hidden in plain sight" and can be viewed and visited day or night including historic piers, and cemeteries.
The Highway 1 Discovery Route is located midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco and connects 10 artisan communities. The route is also known for its beautiful beaches, wide open spaces, abundance of outdoor adventure, and variety of wildlife viewing, as well as award-winning wineries and authentic farm-to-table cuisine.
Communities included along the route include Ragged Point, San Simeon, Cambria, Cayucos, Los Osos/Baywood Park, Avila Beach, Oceano, Nipomo, Arroyo Grande Valley, and Edna Valley.
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