Includes bibliographical references (page 157) and index.

A treasured keepsake for residents and a perfect souvenir for visitors, this book captures the look and local color of this world-famous 1,200-mile strip of the Pacific Rim: its sounds and smells, its natural and human history, the world-famous cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles, the historic Spanish towns of Santa Barbara and Monterey, the wild Big Sur, and the quaint fishing villages of Mendocino and Eureka. The soul of the coast is revealed in the stories of unique Californians who embody the character of coastal towns and regions.