Along the California coast is an adventure that I never tire of - driving the Pacific Coast Highway (aka California State Route 1) from Los Angeles to San Francisco. It is one of the most scenic drives that I have been on, riding on the edge of towering cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I love the drive so much, I have made the trip well over ten times (not bad for an Easterner). Some of the stops along the way include Santa Barbara, Big Sur, Morro Bay, and, of course, The Hearst Castle.
The castle lies equidistant between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the town of San Simeon. The drive from either city is probably about four hours, but for photographers driving the full length, take at least two days as you will want to stop almost every half mile to take some shots.
The Hearst Castle was built by William Randolph Hearst and it sits about 1,600 feet above the ocean. The castle materials and most of the interiors were built / furnished with materials, artifacts, and art from Europe. The indoor pool in this image was made to look like a Roman bath, and it's walls and ceilings are made of 1" square mosaic tiles. There are eight marble statues that are positioned around the pool. It is a pretty amazing pool to view and photograph.