El Camino Real

El Camino Real, meaning "The Royal Road" in Spanish, is a historic route connecting a series of former mission sites and settlements along California’s coast. Originally established by Spanish explorers and mission founders in the 18th and 19th centuries, it served as a vital corridor for travel, trade, and communication. Today, El Camino Real is a designated roadway that traces this historic pathway, marked by distinctive bell-shaped signs. It highlights California’s colonial history, linking missions, towns, and landmarks, and remains an important cultural and scenic route through the state's Central Coast and wider regions.