Tucked away down a narrow, unmarked road through Big Sur's Los Padres National Forest, Pfeiffer Beach is one of California's most gloriously hidden secrets. The sand here streaks with shades of purple and violet, thanks to manganese garnet deposits washing down from the hillside, and a dramatic sea arch frames the crashing Pacific waves behind it. At golden hour the whole scene turns absolutely incandescent — like the beach is lit from within.