Big Sur to Big Basin: California's Dramatic Central Coast

Combining breathtaking landscape photographs with glowing, tour-guide-like descriptions, this coffee-table book is an excellent peek into one of the most gorgeous locations in the country. Cain takes readers on a leisurely journey through the central coast of California, describing the each community, from the quaint, picturesque Caramel (where Clint Eastwood resides) to the now tourist-infested Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinbeck. Weaving together historical information, must-see sites and anecdotes about local residents and activities, Cain succeeds at capturing each location's unique personality. Although this commentary is indispensable for those planning to travel to these areas, the beautiful, full-page photographs are what make this volume truly inspiring. Whether capturing an orange sun setting behind the Pacific Grove's Ocean View Boulevard or the lush green forests of Santa Cruz's Redwoods State Park, landscape photographer Ulrich reveals the astonishing diversity and beauty of the area. Readers will be awe-struck by the rugged mountains and the sky-blue oceans, and will find it hard to resist planning their next vacation to California in order to view these sites first-hand. 120 color photos.