A journey along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is one of America’s and the world’s most iconic road trips. Though much has been extolled about the rugged, natural beauty of the Big Sur’s cascading cliffs and towering redwood forests, the central coast’s fairytale towns and pastel shutterboard beach houses hold even more attraction.

Cliff top restaurants, vast wineries and trendy coastal towns lie just a few hours from the Hollywood hills. So whether it’s a weekend away from Disney, or a week’s road trip adventure, the PCH holds the key.

The secrets of Santa Barbara
Backed by the majestic Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara (www.santabarbaraca.com) is a stylish oceanfront enclave filled with Spanish-style architecture, sweeping sandy beaches, fabulous shopping and exceptional restaurants. Just over an hour north of Malibu, it is the antithesis of frenetic city life and the ride in – cruising past sweeping golden beaches and capacious oceanfront pads – puts visitors right in the holiday mood.

Iconic landmarks dot this well-heeled town and when not relaxing on the beach, it’s worth mooching around Stearns Wharf, the oldest operating wharf in California and the Mission – an ornate friary set in 12 acres of landscaped gardens.

For many visitors, Santa Barbara’s artisan and art scene is a real draw. The 12-square block east of State Street is known as the Funk Zone and is peppered with sculpture studios, art galleries craft breweries and wine tasting rooms. With over 50 varieties of grapes, Santa Barbara County is one of the most diverse in California. There are six official appellations: Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Ynez Valley, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and the Sta. Rita Hills – and this American Viticulture Area recreates conditions very similar to French growing regions such as Bordeaux, the Rhône and Burgundy, so it’s a great spot to test the tastebuds. Some favourite wine rooms include Municipal Winemakers (municipalwinemakers.com), Kunin Winery and AVA Santa Barbara (avasantabarbara.com).

Where to stay
Santa Barbara attracts a cool crowd, many of whom head for Bacara (meritagecollection.com/bacararesort), five minutes north of Santa Barbara in Goleta. From the hushed reception adorned with a bounty of white flowers to the 42,000 sq. ft. spa (the largest on the west coast) and the fairylit terraces, this five star hotel oozes coastal class. Low lying buildings sit in harmony with the coastal surrounds and the private slither of beach is picture-perfect. Many come to enjoy the spa – the Gaviota Herbal Therapy treatment is heavenly and uses a warm compress of regional herbs to soothe jet-lagged muscles – or to dine at the exceptional Oak Grill restaurant. Sip a pinot noir by firepits on the terrace before devouring the aged steaks and fresh seafood on offer.

Gaviota coast
While the views out across Bacara’s idyllic beach may whet the whistle, there is nothing better than getting out and enjoying the Pacific coast. Refugio beach is one of the few undeveloped coastlines to explore and lies 20 minutes north of the hotel. Learn about the beaches, wildlife, flowers and fauna on kayak tours, paddle boarding and surf lessons with the super friendly Santa Barbara Adventure Company (www.sbadventureco.com).

Perfect Pismo
Past Santa Barbara, it’s a pick ‘n’ mix of picture-perfect towns, including sleepy Solvang, artisan shops and – of course – incredible scenery. Head north (www.visitsanluisobispocounty.com) to laid-back Pismo where visitors can fish, kayak, surf or simply soak up the views. Sunsets don’t get better than at Pismo’s Dolphin Bay Resort (www.thedolphinbay.com), which sits pretty on an ocean bluff. With capacious suites and family rooms, a large pool and enough to do for kids big and little, it’s a great place to relax for a few days.

Forget Sonoma!
Just over an hour inland from Pismo, Paso Robles (www.travelpaso.com) is a veritable nirvana for wine connoisseurs. Less crowded than Napa and Sonoma, the town (and its surrounding 200 wineries) is not to be missed. It’s easy to see why this is a weekend hotspot for Californians – days can be spent at the wineries, evenings sauntering around the pretty tree-lined avenues in town, dining at the farm-to-table restaurants, pretty shops and drinking cocktails alfresco overlooking the park.

Niner Wine Estates (www.ninerwine.com) boasts a spectacular setting – overlooking its heart shaped valley – and a fantastic vineyard restaurant where the wonderfully engaging executive chef Maegen Loring delivers an exciting, seasonal and widely celebrated menu inspired by Niner’s kitchen garden. Wine tasting flights start from $15, and the vineyard now runs gourmet evenings and cookery nights.

The eclectic La Bellasera (www.labellasera.com) is a great overnight spot – ideally located between town and vineyards and with a pool for the oh-so-warm days and a revered in-house restaurant.

The big one
The stretch of coast winding around to Big Sur and the iconic Bixby Bridge is undoubtedly one of the highlights of any PCH road trip, and those in the know will tell you to time the weather and take it slow. The coastal road winds like a snake along the coast, past rugged cliffs, golden stretches of beach and redwood forests laced in mist. On a clear day, there isn’t much to beat the ocean-view patio at Nepenthe, sitting pretty on land once owned by Hollywood legends Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth.

Charming Carmel
Fortunately, the views don’t stop there. Cruising down towards the seaside, chocolate-box town of Carmel (www.carmelcalifornia.com) is another roof down, wind-in-the-hair, grins as far as the eye can see, moment. The beautiful ‘17 Mile Drive’ twists and turns around one of the most picturesque (and expensive) headlands in California, and the town is a chic hub of boutiques, independent restaurants (chains have been banned) and wine rooms.

We stayed at Quail Lodge (www.quaillodge.com), a slice of heaven in the valley just inland from Carmel’s golden sands. Our suite overlooked the hotel’s Mallard Lake and as with all ‘lodges’ it boasts an exterior deck for quiet contemplation. For golf enthusiasts, Quail Lodge has one of the many excellent ranges along the PCH and for those who aren’t partial to a round, the views and open fires (it gets cool here out of peak season) and cosy snugs are perfect for some R&R.

And so to San Francisco, under three hours north of Carmel, with its cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, cool cafés and fabulous shopping.

This road trip may be bookended with two of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world, but the real pleasure and heart of this holiday lies in the captivating vistas, beautiful towns and cliff top drives in between.

Put the roof down (a convertible is a must if you can: www.hertz.co.uk), hit this magical road and don’t look back.

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Hertz
Website: www.hertz.co.uk
One week’s car hire in LA with Hertz starts from £301.