McWay Falls beach cove, Big Sur, California
© Jamie Friedland/Getty Images
Roadside attraction
Whether wrapped in winter fog or bathed in summer sun, this stream's subtle spill into the sea is a favourite sight for people cruising the Big Sur stretch of California State Route 1. You can see McWay Falls all-year-round, as long as this famous highway holds up. Here, where the mountains meet the eroding ocean, landslides sometimes force extended closures. Before one such landslide in 1983, McWay Falls plummeted directly into the Pacific, but now it lands on the beach before trickling into the waves. Visitors may be tempted to scramble down for a closer look, but authorities warn against this due to the still-unstable cliffs.
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