Page 125 - 2014 Travel Guide to California

The Great Outdoors
While well-known urban areas dot this
region, there’s more than enough wide-open
space for fans of the outdoors. Take a whale-
watching boat tour in Monterey Bay, where
you can spot migrating gray, humpback and
blue whales. Seventeen-Mile Drive in Pebble
Beach winds through forest and along the
Pacific coastline as it skirts exclusive golf
courses and resorts.
The eerie-looking spires and monoliths of
Pinnacles National Park lure climbers as
well as hikers interested in the explosion
of colorful spring wildflowers and soaring
California condors.
In Big Sur, where rocky cliffs drop into the
Pacific Ocean and cypress trees twist in the
wind, nature lovers can walk along the beach
or hike deep into redwood forests, where
waterfalls spring to life.
Heritage & Culture
The inland region is dominated by agricul-
ture—from the Salinas salad bowl to Carmel
Valley wines—while the coast is home to fish-
ermen, artists, surfers and a booming
tourism industry. Don’t think the model of
the easy-going Californian only exists on
Orange County beaches. Whether it’s a chef
from Carmel, an artist from Santa Cruz or a
farmer from Soledad—all take time to enjoy
Monterey Bay and Big Sur.
Family Fun
No matter your age, you can’t go wrong at the
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, with rides and
entertainment for everyone. The Monterey
Peninsula is a wonderland for families, with
historic sites, accessible beaches, Dennis the
Menace Park, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and
a wealth of outdoor activities. South through
Big Sur, camping options abound along the
wild coast, and the variety of hiking paths can
lead you to a pink-sand beach or a seaside
waterfall. Inland, get a look at California’s pre-
statehood past and follow the California
Missions Trail along Highway 101.
PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE, Big Sur coast, above.
DRIVE
»
TOUR
Trace a beautiful path along the
California coast by starting on
HIGHWAY 1 and drive south, from
Santa Cruz through the
MONTEREY PENINSULA. Once you
pass CARMEL, you enter the 90-
mile stretch of California coastline
between Carmel and SAN SIMEON
called BIG SUR, shoehorned
between the ocean and the Santa
Lucia Mountains. The road twists
and turns along the wild coast, so
take your time and be sure to stop
and enjoy the view along the way.
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