Stinson Beach business area - View from highway Access to Mt. Tamalpais State Park, east of highway. Just north of San Francisco's Golden Gate is Mount Tamalpais, 6,300 acres of redwood groves and oak woodlands with a spectacular view from the 2,571-foot peak. California Pacific Coast Highway This coastal highway winds along some of the most spectacular ocean views in the U.S. The highway contains countless examples of the many intrinsic qualities that make a highway a National Scenic Byway--qualities like perfect views of ocean waves breaking on rocky shorelines and cliffs, dozens of historical landmarks like Spanish Missions and Spanish settlements.