El Granada, on the east side of Highway 1, offers restaurants and shops. Originally planned by the Ocean Shore Railroad as the “Jewel of the Coast,” a grandiose resort to rival Atlantic City, the town was laid out by architect Daniel Burnham in a Beaux-Arts design of radial semicircular streets embellished with elaborate flower and tree plantings. The failure of the railroad cut short its planned development. The second half of the century has seen construction of some stunning and palatial hillside gems as well as admirable restoration of authentic, late 19th century weekend cottages.
