While we did briefly adventure in eleven cities, we are only going to focus on four of them for this blog: Santa Cruz, MONTEREY, Marina, CARMEL, Morro Bay, San Simeon, Cambria, Buellton, San Luis Obispo, MOSS LANDING and BIG SUR.
~BIG SUR~
For those of you that are unfamiliar with this area – Big Sur is a rugged stretch of California’s central coast that lies between Carmel and San Simeon. This area is considered the “longest and most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States.” This area consists of the most breathtaking geographical combination, mountains, and coastline. It is here that the Santa Lucia Mountains rise up out of the Pacific Ocean creating spectacular waves, rock formations, and photo opportunities unlike any other. For us, this spot was the perfect blend of Redwood trees and ocean mist. It’s where fresh water meets salt water, woods meet coast, and pinecones meet seashells. We loved it here. Big Sur is considered one of the top tourist destinations in the United States so plan ahead when coming here. Some of the spots that we most enjoyed are:
~ Big Sur Lodge – Located in the heart of Pfeiffer State Park, this is the cutest place to stay! It is surrounded by trees and streams, and just minutes away from the ocean. Fully equipped with a gift shop, store, restaurant, bar, pool, and parking, this is an awesome little getaway spot. If you book a room here, you get complimentary state park access to Pfeiffer Big Sur, Andrew Molera, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns which is a huge perk! We didn’t get the chance to stay here this trip, but we did get to eat here. The Homestead Restaurant has adorable outdoor seating and delicious food. Listen to the stream, watch Blue Jays fly around, and relax on their patio!
~ The Phoenix at Nepenthe – Also known as the store with the best views. This unique spot has a wide variety of merchandise from around the world as well as local artisans. If you’re feeling hungry, you can eat at Nepenthe or Café Kevah while you are here. If you don’t want to shop or eat, we still recommend making this stop to check in the insane views.
~ Pfeiffer Beach – This is hands down one of the coolest spots in all of Big Sur! It has purple sand due to cliff erosion that contains Manganese garnet rocks and is home to the stunningly gorgeous Keyhole Rock. It can be quite windy here, but it is well worth it. Bring a towel, get lost in the waves, and watch the sun poke through the rock formations!
~Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park – This state park is about 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and does not disappoint. The park includes 300 plus foot Redwood trees that are estimated to be over 2,500 years old, and features McWay Falls. These freshwater falls drop 80 feet onto the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Not only is it wild to see this, but you will also be in store for aqua blue waters and if you’re lucky little critters that are indicative of the area, Blue Tailed Skinks. These non-poisonous lizards are beautiful, and their tails are neon blue!
~ Bixby Creek Bridge – You could say this bridge is Big Sur’s version of the Golden Gate Bridge, but in our opinion, it is better! Completed in 1932, this bridge soars 260 feet above the sea level and Bixby Creek. It provides for 360 degree views and lies along Highway 1.
~ Rocky Creek Bridge – Also built in 1932, this bridge spans across Rocky Creek. It is a smaller version of the Bixby Creek Bridge and about a mile north. Although similar, it is definitely still worth a stop!
~ Garrapata State Park – This is Big Sur’s northernmost park. You can access parts of this park by pulling off on the side of Highway 1. With roughly 3,000 acres to cover, you will encounter bridges, cliffs, and variety of plant life. Look carefully – since this area has turbulent waters, you may see some sea otters!
~CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA~
This small beach city has upscale stores, beaches, the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Course, and more. Although the city portion of this town wasn’t our cup of tea, we did enjoy all the nature spots that this town has to offer.
~ Carmel Beach – If you are lucky enough to find parking, this pet-friendly beach has white sand, cypress trees, and lovely sunsets. We took a stroll on this beach and encountered lots of washed-up jellyfish! Cool and sad at the same time – don’t touch them!
~ 17 Mile Drive – This picturesque drive costs $11.25 and takes you all around the coastal cliffs, beaches, and famous golf course known as Pebble Beach. You will see iconic spots such as the Lone Cypress, Bird Rock, Point Joe, the Restless Sea, and more. This drive is an easy activity if you come on a clear day, or plan to spend the day leisurely pulling off at the various points of interest. We were a bit underwhelmed given the insane hype around this activity, but we did think some of the viewpoints were neat. Our favorite was the Lone Cypress.
~ Point Lobos State Natural Reserve – Now this spot was killer!!! Much like the 17 Mile Drive, this area has a map with several viewpoints, coves, pebbly beaches, and more. We found that this area had much more to see – more turbulent waters, more wildlife, and more history. This area was originally inhabited by Rumsien Indians over 2500 years ago. They used this area for whaling, abalone harvesting, granite mining, and more. We encourage you to carve out some time and stop here while in the area.
~Monterey~
This coastal city lies on California’s central coast as well. It is known for immense amounts of marine wildlife and seafood! It once belonged to both Spain and Mexico until Mexico relinquished California to the United States in 1849. Fun Fact – This region is considered one of the best places to live in California. We really enjoyed this area and look forward to experiencing more of Monterey in future visits.
~ Cannery Row – Made famous by author, John Steinbeck, this area is lively and rich with stories of sardine canneries of the past. This street formerly known as Ocean Avenue, has a plethora of dining and shopping options plus a huge aquarium. We also had some good luck with finding sea glass here. Our favorite store hands down was the Cannery Row Antique Mall – it is two stories and loaded with all types of vintage and antique treasures. We snatched up some real gems while visiting!
~ Dust Bowl Brewing Company – Located on Figueroa Street steps away from the famous Fisherman’s Wharf, this spot used to be a railroad station. Serving craft beers, and offering local food truck bites, this brewery has a good vibe!
~Old Fisherman’s Wharf – Take a walk on the wharf, eat some seafood, and pick up touristy souvenirs. It’s colorful, photo worthy, and even has a restaurant that serves king crab from the Deadliest Catch boat, The Time Bandit. If that doesn’t entice you to make a stop here, then maybe the seals will. These vocal creatures are laying out all along the beach and you can get up close and personal with them.
~Moss Landing~
Located about 15 miles north of Monterey, this little fishing village, is named after Charles Moss who moved from Texas to California in 1866. Home to Elkhorn Slough Reserve, Moss Landing has tons of sea otters! Moss Landing is also home to a large natural gas power plant owned by the Houston based company, Dynegy. Formerly the largest power plant in California until 2016, this plant has two smokestacks that have become the landmark of the area. While visiting, we stopped in The Power Plant coffee shop – Their slogan is “Coffee. Plants. Pies. Good Vibes,” and they did not let us down. This charming shop sells coffee, food, plants, home goods, alcoholic spirits, and more. The Power Plant is must when passing through Moss Landing!
This getaway was definitely one for the books. We saw so much beauty and found quite the stress release in nature. We look forward to another coastal escape in the future.
Sur-tainly we will be coming back,
TnT
Bonus Pics…
