Musicians aren't the only artists drawn to this particularly striking section of the California coast. A host of writers -- John Steinbeck, Henry Miller, Lawrence Ferlinghetti among them -- have made their homes here. A glimpse of what captivated them is evident with a drive through Big Sur on California's famed Highway 1. Closer to the music, Monterey Bay offers beachcombing, golf, and an array of other popular attractions, along with a history that begins with Spain's early explorers.

Under first the Spanish and then the Mexican flag, Monterey served as California's first capital -- and is still a repository of West Coast history.