My lady was born in California, show she loves any excuse to visit.
Not being the 'biggest' fan of California myself, I AM a big fan of sight-seeing and figured we could both be satisfied with a trip along the CA coast, on famous Highway 1, Pacific Coast Highway.
We flew in to San Francisco and rented the car for our journey along the coast, south. We stopped first at the Golden Gate Park for an obligatory photo op, wherein we made friends with a coyote that waltzed around like someone's pet. Apparently they've become accustomed to the presence of humans; pigeons of the west, if you will.
Upon leaving San Francisco, our next stop was Carmel By The Sea. Probably my favorite city in California, the quaint town featured MASSIVE homes aligned on the Pacific where things seemed a bit simpler. When I think of California it's usually smog or unrelenting-traffic. This town featured neither. Although I doubt I could ever afford to reside in Carmel, it was such a great area to relax and spend an evening with a loved one.
Before fully departing Carmel, we stopped at the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo. Originally built in 1797, the Mission is one of the most-restored in all of CA. It served as the headquarters of all Alta CA Missions until 1833, and is the only one that has its original bell and tower.
We carried on south to the Pebble Beach / Monterey vicinity. (We tried cruising through the interior Pebble Beach Golf Course roads, but by the time we found our way, the sun had already set...next time) Like several other tourists, we did stop at the Bixby Creek Bridge to take some pictures. Slightly reluctant to be 'one of those toursity' couples, I was awestruck when we got out of the car. Not only was the bridge architecturally-mesmerizing, it was a behemoth! The arched bridge stands at nearly 280 feet tall. Built into the the steep canyon, crews used 4,700 cubic yards of Earth and rock, 600,000 pounds of reinforcing steel, and 6,600 cubic yards of cement to complete the bridge in 1932. Even if you think it's too-cheesy to visit, don't be embarrassed and go see this incredible structure.
Moving right along, we stopped over at Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur to admire some of those famous Redwoods. Getting up close and personal with the trees makes it easier to comprehend that they can live for thousands of years.
We opted not to camp at Big Sur, and worked our way close towards the end of our excursion, my Aunts house in Laguna Niguel. Before reaching her though, we decided to do a little hike first. Or at least I thought it was going to be a little hike; Mugu Peak. Mugu beautifully looks over the Pacific Ocean, but you have to get to the top first. An elevation of 1,266 and a 6.5 mile round trip, wasn't a walk in the park, but the scenery in the end will be well-worth the taxing climb.
When we finally were able to catch our breathe back at the bottom, we climbed in our car and headed for Laguna Niguel, where my Aunt was waiting for us with hugs and wine. A celebratory conclusion to our wonderful trip. Until next time, California...I'm comin' home, baby.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
RECOMMENDATIONS
Never leave home without the proper music to accompany. -like pairing wine w/ dinner- The playlist below was built specifically for this itinerary.
California Soul - Marlena Shaw
River Song - Dennis Wilson
Me & Liza - Rufus Wainwright
On The Square - Mac DeMarco
Coming Back To Life - Pink Floyd
Salt And The Sea - The Lumineers
The Ocean - Richard Hawley
Popstars - Rooney
Passion Play - Loudon Wainwright
Over The Ocean - Here We Go Magic
Be Thankful For What You've Got - William DeVaughn
Lost At Sea - Dawg Yawp
Waking Light - Beck
This Is Sally Hatchet - Father John Misty
Sandalwood II - Jonny Greenwood
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