Known for its annual celebration of car culture, this stretch of California coastline is as desirable as it is drivable, writes Adam Hay-Nicholls
Pebble Beach, California | Sotheby’s International Realty – Carmel Brokerage
The Monterey Peninsula is among the most pleasure-seeking slices of the Californian coastline. Located 120 miles south of San Francisco and some 220 miles north of Santa Barbara, it offers crashing waves, iconic vistas, acclaimed golf courses, picture-postcard towns and cultural hat tips from the likes of John Steinbeck and HBO series “Big Little Lies.”
Not to mention classic cars. That these end up in California is no coincidence. Not only is the climate friendly towards polished chrome, the west coast has always had a thriving car culture. And while the Louvre in Paris and the Uffizi in Florence will never be parted from their Leonardo da Vincis, many of Europe’s finest four-wheeled marques—Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, Porsche—can be found right here at Monterey Car Week.
The 10-day-long automotive festival celebrates its 75th anniversary from August 8-17. What started out as a road race has developed into more than 50 individual events culminating in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Pebble Beach Golf Links, looking out across the azure Carmel Bay. The golf club has hosted the U.S. Open six times and is surrounded by some of the most spectacular homes in North America.
Pebble Beach, California | Sotheby’s International Realty – Carmel Brokerage
Among the palatial residences just off 17-Mile Drive, where cars will embark for the Tour d’Elegance, is 1238 Padre Lane. Perched above the Pacific, it enjoys commanding views from Point Sur to Cypress Point. Meanwhile, built in a centuries-old Franco-German style between Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course is 3975 Ronda Road, which has views out to the ocean and Point Lobos.
From 17-Mile Drive, the Tour d’Elegance wends its way to Big Sur and back again. Big Sur needs no introduction for those who have driven the full length of the epic Pacific Coast Highway or read the novels of Henry Miller, whose cabin here was later sold to Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. It is the longest, most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline on the U.S. mainland, and its Bixby Bridge among the most totemic of road-trip visuals.
Big Sur, California | Sotheby’s International Realty – Carmel Brokerage
Prime Big Sur properties rarely come to market but Bien Sur, which spans 43 acres—19 of them waterfront—is a crown jewel. Alongside the main house are multiple guesthouses and the region’s only funicular, which descends to the property, located at the lowest elevation in Big Sur, cliffside at the water’s edge.
“The Monterey Peninsula has served as the epicenter of automotive culture for more than 70 years,” says Gordon McCall, director of motorsports for The Peninsula Signature Events, which organizes The Quail, another stand-out gathering, held in the picturesque Carmel Valley. “Prestigious auctions and various concours showcase the rarest and most extraordinary vehicles ever to be produced, drawing automotive enthusiasts, along with the industry’s leading manufacturers and designers, from every corner of the globe,” he says.
Carmel Valley, California | Sotheby’s International Realty – Carmel Valley Brokerage
Carmel Valley is a verdant paradise with some notable architectural gems, such as 50 La Racheria, built in 1971 and designed by Marcel Sedletzky, with a three-car garage and two-car carport that meet the requirements of The Quail’s clientele. A nearby hacienda-style home at 3 Rancho San Carlos Road boasts captivating views of the hillsides and valleys, as well as wide oak floors and tall beamed ceilings that exude the spirit of California living.
Party central during Car Week, the town of Carmel-by-the-Sea is choc-a-bloc with elegant old Mercedes-Benz, Hispano-Suizas and Bentleys. Here you’ll find quaint shops, Michelin-starred restaurants Chez Noir and Aubergine, and an abundance of art galleries. Back in the 1980s, Clint Eastwood was mayor of Carmel and Brad Pitt more recently bought a cliffside home here. Given he stars in this summer’s blockbuster, “F1:The Movie,” he should feel right at home.
Carmel, California | Sotheby’s International Realty – Carmel Brokerage
The Monterey Peninsula has long appealed to artists, writers, filmmakers, golfers, sailors, tech founders and, of course, petrolheads. It’s not hard to see why. As McCall says: “This area and the patrons that travel in each year stand as an unparalleled celebration of automotive history that cannot be recreated anywhere else.” It’s idyllic, both inland and on the coast, and whether you drive a hot rod or a drop top.
Read more about the shared experience that fuels classic car collectors worldwide
