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Montaña de Oro State Park, California

"Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your teacher." ~ John Muir I don’t know if John Muir ever visited what is now Montaña de Oro State Park, but the bard of ...

Surf Trip to Jalama Beach, CA

We left at 12:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 25, 2011, en route to Jalama Beach County Park from San Diego for a surf trip. Research told us that campers have to arrive at the park's flag ...

Kayaking Elkhorn Slough, California

Elkhorn Slough is one of the last coastal wetlands in California and one of 27 estuaries in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, set up to study and protect estuaries and coastal watersheds across the ...

Camping in Big Sur, California

Last New Year’s Eve we patiently waited online at www.parks.ca.gov, ready to book a campsite for the summer of 2011. We didn’t want to miss our opportunity to reserve a spot in one of Big ...

Badwater Salt Flats in Death Valley, California

Death Valley is just that – a low-lying valley cradled between three monstrous mountain ranges. And frankly, there isn’t another way to describe it other than to assure you that it is bloody majestic! The ...

Ojai, California: Searching for the Pink Moment in Shangri-La

In 1937 Frank Capra used a long shot of Ojai Valley to represent the mythical paradise of Shangri-La in the classic film Lost Horizon. Ojai (pronounced O-hi) is a small, artsy community nestled serenely near ...

Danish Days in Solvang, California

The rolling green hills in Santa Barbara County wine country provide little clue as to what awaits the visitor approaching the little town of Solvang. Also known as the "Copenhagen of the Pacific," Solvang is ...

The Land Where Giants Dwell: Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living thing on the planet. The tree, General Sherman, is tucked away along Generals Highway, about five hour’s drive from San Diego. Although not the tallest tree ...

Morro Bay, California

“The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might... ‘O, Oysters, come and walk with us!’ The Walrus did beseech. ‘A Pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, Along the briny beach...’” – from ...

Winter Wine Tasting in Santa Ynez Valley, California

It’s no wonder the movie Sideways chose Santa Ynez Valley as the setting for its whirlwind wine-tasting tour. In the middle of winter, this area greets the road warrior with a promise of spring and ...

Santa Barbara: The American Riviera

Santa Barbara has always been one of my favorite day trips in Southern California. The Spanish architecture and beautiful setting between the mountains and ocean creates an atmosphere that never fails to regenerate my spirit. ...

Avila Beach, California

We recently returned to a Central California beach town that’s changed significantly since our first visit about 20 years ago. Avila Beach is located in San Luis Obispo County between the county seat and Pismo ...

The Bay Area's Best Kept Secret: Capitola-by-the-Sea

What? Never heard of Capitola? If you haven’t yet ventured that far north, you’re missing one of the Bay Area’s well-kept secrets. A quaint, colorful village, Capitola-by-the-Sea, ten minutes south of Santa Cruz, is slightly ...

Phil's Fish Market, Moss Landing, California

Catch this! If you’re on a constant search like I am for tasty cioppino, head to Phil’s Fish Market in Moss Landing, Monterey County, for delicious seafood using old-world family recipes. Phil’s Fish Market, in ...

Highway 1: San Simeon through Big Sur to Carmel

Fill up the car with gas and travel up the coast through Big Sur on Highway 1 to Carmel, one of the most scenic drives in the country. Starting at San Simeon, site of the ...

Bloodless Bullfights in Gustine, California

Gustine, in California’s San Joaquin Valley, can transport you to Old World Portugal. Matadors, cavaleiros and forcados donned in colorful old-fashioned garb along with the fiesta atmosphere preserve the culture of this distant land. Keeping ...