You've heard Mark Twain's famous quote about his coldest winter ever being a summer spent in San Francisco? Keep in mind that his quip was uttered before the advent of motorized transport. If only Twain had had an automobile, he could have spurned the tumbleweed-like puffs of dense fog and journeyed to the multitude of sunny coastal places located a short drive from the city. If summertime weather gets you down, don't despair--just hop in a car and head north or south for a weekend reminder that the country's foggiest city lies in the center of its most awe-inspiring coastal wonders.
Redwood-romping, hot-spring dipping, seashore-stomping, boardwalk-skipping--the Northern California coast has a host of activities and attractions to keep you busy all the summer through. Whether you're looking to ride some curls or just ride Highway 1 to see the coast at its most resplendent, the scenic beaches, rugged cliffs, and surrounding wilderness will never disappoint. Just keep in mind that when someone mentions a beach in California, the usual iconic images of surfer bonanzas, bikini-clad bathers, and fun-in-the-sun mayhem are more often than not sun-kissed, So-Cal visions. So if you're pining for some surf, don a wet suit first.
Ready for a spin up the coast?
Big Sur
Jack Kerouac immortalized this gorgeous stretch of West-Coast Eden in his eponymous 1962 novel, and in spite of real-estate development, Big Sur has retained the pristine, earthy aura that the Beat Literati poster-child so cherished. A spin up Highway 1 will bring all of your California coast fantasies to life: It's all here. Lush mountains ripple with a velvety mosaic of green. Wildflowers burst out of every nook and cranny, filling the air with the pungent stuff that fills perfume makers' dreams. Redwoods stand proud as the guardians of all things No-Cal and good. It all cascades down into a crescendo of palisades and craggy outcroppings pounded by the timeless rhythm of ocean waves. When coastal fog fills these rocky spaces, the landscape truly brings the phrase "hauntingly beautiful" to life.
Trekkers, kayakers, scuba divers, bird- and whale-watchers, and nature fanatics of all sorts will find ample opportunities to do what they love best in Big Sur. The area's several parks offer highly desirable campsites, so be sure to book your spot in advance--months in advance. That's how deservedly popular Big Sur is.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park joins lovely campsites with redwood hikes, a sheltered cove, kayaking opportunities, and scuba diving (only the very experienced are permitted, and must register with rangers in advance). Andrew Molera State Park, a veritable hiker's paradise, is mostly undeveloped and offers access to Big Sur's longest beach, where surfers ride gigantic waves. Privately run horseback rides are also available. Perhaps the most popular park in the area, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is chock full o' redwoody goodness. Spend a couple of nights under the stunning old-growth trees while exploring the nearby Ventana Wilderness by day. Ventana's miles of backcountry hiking trails wind up and down mountains and valleys, where you might find a refreshingly cold river to jump into or a bubbling-hot spring in which to soothe your worked muscles. Although you never feel far from the ocean in Big Sur, actually getting close to it is notoriously difficult. However, Pfeiffer Beach offers fairly easy access. Everyone loves this surreal stretch of sand, with its two landmark seaward rocks and large tide pool cutting into the golden stillness. At low tide, climb the rocks for an unsurpassed view of Pacific waves.
The Monterey Peninsula
As Highway 1 weaves northward past Big-Sur redwood country and juts out onto this famed promontory, it becomes the 17-Mile Drive. The iconic communities of Monterey, Carmel, and Pebble Beach adorn this stretch of Pacific Coast Highway and stun locals and visitors alike with their astounding coves and beaches, trademark cypress trees, quaint townships, and legendary golf courses. You might be surprised at the toll charge for entering the 17-Mile Drive, but the coastal vistas are well worth it.
To many people, Pebble Beach is synonymous with one word: Golf. Duffers come from all corners of the earth to putt around here, and it's not hard to see why. Fairways undulate onto the sea, guarded by cliffs, sand, and succulent flora. Golf games could easily be an all-day pursuit, what with all the surrounding scenic distractions. Good thing, too, because greens fees cost a pretty penny. Pebble Beach is also home to Bird Rock, a giant rock jutting out from the sea a couple of miles from land; gulls and sea otters make this boulder their home, and fill the air with their raucous cries.
Continue along the 17-Mile Drive and you'll pass beautiful ocean-view homes and the famous Lone Cypress, which stands as a solitary sentinel on a protruding cliff overlooking the waves. The road takes you to the golden-sand beach and chi-chi town of Carmel, where the rich and famous take up vacation digs. Like any cutesy coastal town, Carmel has its fair share of boutiques and specialty shops, gourmet markets (perfect for assembling your beach picnic fare), and fine restaurants, where you just might spot the likes of Jack Nicholson or John Cusack at the next table. After all, with Clint Eastwood as a former mayor, Carmel has enjoyed a tradition of celebrity drop-ins. For a taste of the grape, head to Carmel Valley, where several vineyards press some of the coast's finest wines.
Downtown Monterey offers a glimpse into California history and marine life. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has an amazing permanent exhibit on indigenous sea life. The Aquarium's commitment to ocean conservation shows in some fabulous educational programs that are fun and enriching for the whole family--for one thing, you'll never look at jellyfish the same way again. Nearby is the legendary Cannery Row, a historic street popularized by John Steinbeck's 1953 novel. Here, hardworking whalers, fisherman, and cannery workers built a thriving industry in the 1940s. Today visitors can stroll past the street's original factories, lively shops, and eateries, down to Monterey's beautiful coastline.
Santa Cruz
Up the crescent-shaped Monterey Bay, past a string of serene beaches, lies the city of Santa Cruz, the capital of Northern California surfing. From there the coast edges into a rugged line of cove beaches and steep cliffs, lined by the redwood-encrusted Santa Cruz Mountains. The greater Santa Cruz area, stretching all the way up to the border between Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, holds endless natural delights.
Santa Cruz is your quintessential beach-town cum small city, complete with quaint shops, an old-school boardwalk and pier, and tons of beaches stretching northward and southward from the city limits. A city with a bohemian slant and a nearby university, Santa Cruz has funky crafts and thrift stores, natural-foods markets and eateries, and a healthy (depending on how you look at it!) smattering of old-fashioned diners, ice-cream parlors, homey breweries, and a variety of live-music venues.
If you're setting out in Santa Cruz with the whole family, check out the centrally located Boardwalk, the West Coast's only major seaside amusement park. A ton of thrilling rides, including the classic Giant Dipper roller coaster (built in 1924), a fully stocked arcade, and lots of popcorn and cotton candy await you. Or set your sights on some Sequoia sempervirens, the coastal variety of California redwoods, in Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. Easy educational walks through this forest of giants teach you and your little ones about the history of old-growth redwoods along the coast. Further up the coast, Año Nuevo State Reserve fascinates guests with its amazing marine life exhibits. Its legendary whale watching and elephant-seal viewing expeditions occupy visitors during winter months, but the reserve is open and chock-full of edu-tainment throughout the year.
If you're backcountry-bound, head over to Big Basin Redwoods State Park (near Boulder Creek). The park has ample car and backcountry campsites under the ancient trees. A variety of hiking trails, including paths to a breathtaking waterfall, will keep you entertained during your time in the woods. If you crave waking up to the scent of crisp, salty, sea air, then make a reservation to pitch a tent at Manresa Uplands State Beach, which contains 14 campsites on a wide bluff overlooking the ocean.
Marin County
Northward, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, you'll enter a world of coastal mountains dripping with oaks, redwoods, Douglas firs, and rolling grasslands. The very first exit after the bridge brings you to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, more colloquially known as the Marin Headlands. Get out of your car and into the stimulating city views and sea smells of Marin's wind-swept, rocky coast, perfect for hiking, biking, or just chilling on a rock and drinking in the scenery.
If you're dying to dive into the redwoods, Muir Woods National Monument offers several trails, ranging from easy paved-trail walks to strenuous long-distance treks, that will warm up your muscles and treat your senses to classic old-growth beauty. If you're feeling ambitious, check out the longer trails--some of these wend through the woods to afford views of nearby Mount Tamalpais State Park. Mount Tam is the Marin outdoors Mecca. Supreme hiking and mountain biking trails grace its slopes, and many paths open up onto dazzling panoramic views of northern Marin, the East Bay, the city, and the ocean.
If you're craving some R & R, head to Muir or Stinson Beaches, both accessible from Highway 1. The drive on Highway 1 from the Golden Gate Bridge to Stinson Beach is one of the most awe-inspiring--and serpentine--routes on the California coast, and it's not difficult to see why many a car commercial has been filmed on this gorgeous road. Muir Beach tends to attract a smaller crowd, while gorgeous Stinson always packs in lots of locals and sun-hungry tourists fleeing city fog. Throw on a wet suit for surfing, boogie boarding, or other water sports in the Pacific.
Further north up the coast, after a string of long sandy beaches ideal for surfers and sunbathers and sheer, rocky ocean cliffs perfect for wave gazing, you'll reach Point Reyes National Seashore. Point Reyes covers 65,000 acres of protected land, 32,000 of it designated wilderness, and contains an overwhelmingly diverse range of animal and plant species--nearly 20 percent of the California's flowering-plant species are represented on the peninsula, and over 45 percent of North American bird species have been sighted here. Point Reyes beaches serve as excellent spots from which to witness the annual gray whale migration during winter months, while bird watching is exceptional during fall and spring migrations. Although summertime is not the prime wildlife season here, wildlife lovers will still find ample opportunities for animal encounters, such as tidepooling along the shore. Excellent hiking, mountain-biking, and horseback-riding trails grace the park, while less strenuous drives throughout the seashore to beaches and wildlife areas are easily accessible. Boating activities, especially kayaking, are popular Point Reyes pastimes, to boot. Point Reyes is, at its simplest, a wondrous place to spend a weekend camping, or to pack up a picnic and enjoy a mellow day on a scenic stretch of coast.•
