Page 133 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

the San Andreas Fault. Both regions are
havens for hikers, bikers, climbers,
campers and birdwatchers.
Wine lovers won’t have much chance
to miss Napa and Sonoma, with a wealth
of quality vineyards in this region. From
Carmel Valley to the Monterey River
Road, there are more than enough award-
winning wines to go around.
With such rich and varied geography,
it’s a blessing that the wonders of Mon-
terey Bay and Big Sur are laid wide open
for residents and visitors to appreciate
them. Whether your preference is a
charming urban escape, camping under
the stars, fresh regional cuisine, world-
famous wines, getting active outdoors or
a leisurely beachcombing stroll—all can
be found here, and nobody’s rushing you.
City & Town
Downtown Santa Cruz is between the
city’s vibrant beach attractions and the
mountains, where redwood groves
embrace the University of California at
Santa Cruz. Monterey’s Fisherman’s
Wharf is just steps from the city’s historic
buildings that date from the 18th and 19th
centuries—before California was part of
the United States. Made famous by John
Steinbeck’s eponymous novel, Cannery
Row has morphed from a fishing center to
a bustling street with shops and ocean-
view restaurants. Steinbeck’s hometown,
Salinas, is a working-class agricultural
city, known as the “Salad Bowl of the
World.” Carmel, a freethinker’s retreat
born as an artist village, is home to stylish
shops, exquisite dining and top-notch art.
»
MUST
SEE,
DO
» Historic Fun Ride two National Historic
Landmarks, the Giant Dipper and the Looff
Carousel, at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
› beachboardwalk.com
» California Condors Get a close-up view of
soaring California condors from the High Peaks
trail of Pinnacles National Park.
› nps.gov/pinn
» Monterey’s Historic District Find Old
Monterey’s adobes and gardens from the Spanish
and Mexican eras, scattered between Fisherman’s
Wharf and modern buildings.
› seemonterey.com/monterey-adobes_list
» Dead Central Get a colorful look at exhibits
from the Grateful Dead Archive, on display at the
University of California Santa Cruz McHenry Library.
› library.ucsc.edu/grateful-dead-archive/about
» Wild Coast Cruise Highway 1 along the majestic
Big Sur coast, where the sky touches the sea.
› bigsurcalifornia.org
INSIDER’S
»
TIP
A WALK ALONG cliffside
suites at the Post Ranch
Inn, Big Sur, above;
exploring Cannery Row,
Monterey, right; Santa
Cruz beach, opposite.
More than half a century ago,
the first wetsuit was created by
Jack O’Neill, and the site of his
SANTA CRUZ SURF SHOP is a
California Point of Historical
Interest, complete with a mural
in his honor. Head inside to the
Dream Inn’s JACK O’NEILL
LOUNGE for O’Neill memorabilia
(including a prototype wetsuit)
and a list of cocktails including
his favorite martini.
jdvhotels.com
2015 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A 131