Big Sur's Nepenthe restaurant is my favorite place in California for a relaxing lunch, and it's a great place to pull off if you travel on California's Highway One. Situated on a cliff overlooking the Big Sur coast and the Pacific Ocean, in a building designed by one of Frank Lloyd Wright's students, Nepenthe invokes relaxation and conviviality.

Nepenthe doesn't take reservations, and sometimes you'll have to wait for a prized table on the patio, but after a few minutes of enjoying your surroundings, you won't mind a bit.

Did you like telling ghost stories as a kid? Enjoy a good scary movie? California and the west are full of ghosts and haunted houses, and our ghost tour guide highlights a few of the favorites from my travel around the state.

More Spooky California Travel: Haunted Places - Haunted Hotels