Page 52 - 2024-2025 Travel Guide to California

California was part of the United States. The
Monterey History & Art Association show-
cases 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 com-
munity. Made famous by John Steinbeck’s
eponymous novel, Cannery Row has mor-
phed from a fishing center to a bustling
street with shops and ocean-view restau-
rants. 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.
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
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
50 2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM delights
children of all ages, left; A pod of long-beaked
common dolphins leaps out of the water in
Monterey Bay, California, below; The Gilroy
Garlic Festival is a popular summer food fair held
annually in Gilroy—nearly 100,000 visitors enjoy
the array of activities and delicacies, opposite.
Drive in Pebble Beach winds through forest
and along the Pacific coastline as it skirts
exclusive 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 wild-
flowers 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 red-
wood forests, both places where waterfalls
spring to life.
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
in the state, it’s possible to see surface frac-
tures of the San Andreas Fault, which puts
man/nature cohabitation in perspective.
MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM; ERIN UNDERWOOD/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: MARIUSZ S. JURGIELEWICZ/SHUTTERSTOCK