Page 80 - 2018 Travel Guide to California

California was part of the United States. The
new Dalí17 museum showcases the second-
largest collection of works by Salvador Dalí
in the United States. Once a resident of
Monterey, Dalí contributed greatly to the
region’s talented artist community. 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. Stein-
beck’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.
South of Big Sur, the coastline is dotted
with a necklace of small beach towns. Cam-
bria’s galleries and antique shops perch on
pine-forested hills above the ocean. Laid-
back Cayucos is an old-school beach retreat
with a surf break and fishing pier near the
main drag. Morro Bay’s landmark, an
ancient volcanic peak emerging from the
ocean floor, stands at the entrance to a
beautiful estuary. Between the ocean and
the Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara is
often called the “American Riviera” because
of its Mediterranean climate and red-roofed
buildings. Head inland to artist enclave Ojai
to unwind and take in the “pink moment”
sunsets—the color of cotton candy.
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, hump-
back and blue whales. Seventeen-Mile Drive
INSIDER’S
»
TIP
The best views of some spectacular surf moves
are from the cliffs overlooking Steamer Lane,
near THE SANTA CRUZ SURFING MUSEUM. Grab a
spot by the railing to watch top-notch surfers get
some sweet rides, and then head on in to the
museum to see the best in Santa Cruz surfing
history. santacruzsurfingmuseum.org
78 2018 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
CAPITOLA, in Santa Cruz County, is a
popular beach town on Monterey Bay, left;
California State University Channel Islands,
bottom.
in Pebble Beach winds through forest and
along the Pacific coastline as it skirts exclu-
sive golf courses and resorts. South of
Carmel, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
has long been considered the “crown jewel”
of the California State Park system. The
eerie-looking monoliths of Pinnacles
National Park beckon to rock climbers and
hikers interested in the added benefits of
the explosion of colorful spring wildflowers
and soaring California condors in the park.
In Big Sur, where rocky cliffs drop into the
Pacific Ocean and cypress trees twist in the
coastal wind, nature lovers can walk along
the beach or hike deep into redwood
forests, both places where waterfalls spring
to life. The Mud Creek Slide has temporarily
blocked road travel between Big Sur and San
Simeon, but the highway is projected to be
open by late summer, 2018.
Hike to the top of Bishop Peak, the tallest
of the Nine Sisters, a chain of volcanic
peaks. Take advantage of some sweet surf
spots and catch the perfect wave. Head out
from Santa Barbara on a whale watching
tour to see some of the largest mammals in
the Pacific Ocean. On the Carrizo Plain, con-
sidered the largest single native grassland
AMYANDHERCAMERA; VENTURA COUNTY COAST