Big Sur
Over 4 miles south of Point Lobos on Hwy 1, pull over to hike coastal headlands, where you might spot whales cruising by offshore during winter, or into…
Must-see attractions in Central Coast
Central Coast
At this rural farm stand and pick-your-own berry farm, you can park alongside the sheep and goat pens, lick an ice-cream cone, then grab a basket and walk…
Big Sur
Take a short hike to splash around in the pools at the base of this double-drop waterfall, tucked uphill in a forested canyon. The falls usually run from…
Big Sur
Henry Miller lived in Big Sur for 17 years, some 5 miles south of this now nonprofit alternative art space and community center in the home of his late…
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
Central Coast
Rent a kayak from outfitters on Hwy 1 and paddle past harbor seals into Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, or take a guided weekend hike…
Central Coast
With exhibits, posters and more than 200 skateboards from the 1930s to the 21st century, this excellent privately operated museum is essential for anyone…
Santa Cruz
Operated by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, this educational museum near the beach boardwalk is an interactive multimedia experience that…
Central Coast
Founded in 1797, Mission San Miguel Arcángel suffered heart-breaking damage during a 2003 earthquake. Although repairs are still underway, the church,…
Santa Cruz
Seacliff State Beach harbors a ‘cement boat,’ a quixotic freighter built of concrete that floated OK, but ended up here as a coastal fishing pier. During…
Central Coast
The West Coast’s oldest continuously operating lighthouse has been warning ships off the hazardous tip of the Monterey Peninsula since 1855. Inside are…
Santa Cruz
A mile southwest of the wharf along the coast, this tiny museum inside an old lighthouse is packed with memorabilia, including vintage redwood surfboards…
Santa Cruz
The scene in Santa Cruz, with a huge sandy stretch, volleyball courts and swarms of people. Park on E Cliff Dr and walk across the Lost Boys trestle to…
Santa Cruz
In Santa Cruz's downtown, rotating displays by contemporary California artists and exhibits that dive into local history are worth a quick look. Recent…
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Not always sunny, Carmel Beach is a gorgeous blanket of white sand, where pampered pups excitedly run off-leash. South of 10th Ave, bonfires crackle after…
Santa Cruz
The only official off-leash beach for dogs (before 10am and after 4pm) in Santa Cruz is just west of the lighthouse. The field across the street is…
Central Coast
Negotiate a 1-mile trail boardwalk through rugged sand dunes. Note this beach is known for riptides and unpredictable surf, and care must be taken when…
Carmel-by-the-Sea
This modern tasting room is a good place to try Californian-, French- and Spanish-style wines. A vinyl turntable and retro board games give it a hip…
Santa Cruz
Seafood restaurants, gift shops and barking sea lions all compete for attention along Santa Cruz's wharf, the longest wooden wharf in the US.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Central Coast
The Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park has miles of hiking trails through old-growth redwood groves along the San Lorenzo River and campsites.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Central California's most famous and photographed tree has been perched precariously on a seaward rock for possibly more than 250 years.
Central Coast
Just south of Harmony, a 4.5-mile round-trip hiking trail winds out to coastal bluffs with inspiring sea views.
Central Coast
Fascinating and compact museum detailing the story of Bigfoot in the surrounding Californian wilderness.
Santa Cruz
Near Watsonville, the La Selva Beach exit off Hwy 1 leads here to this sparsely populated beach.
Carmel-by-the-Sea
A modern and stylish room showcasing the winery's well-regarded Pinot Noir and rosé.
Monterey
John Steinbeck’s novel Cannery Row immortalized the sardine-canning business that was Monterey’s lifeblood for the first half of the 20th century. A…
Big Sur
Novelist Henry Miller was a Big Sur denizen from 1944 to 1962. More of a beatnik memorial, alt-cultural venue and bookshop, this community gathering spot…
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park
Central Coast
Buildings around the old Spanish plaza opposite the mission anchor this small historical park. Cavernous stables hint at San Juan Bautista in its 1860s…
Monterey
In 1822, a newly independent Mexico ended the Spanish trade monopoly and stipulated that any traders bringing goods to Alta (Upper) California must first…
Central Coast
Craggy Morro Rock holds court over this woodsy waterfront park laced with hillside hiking trails. A small natural history museum has interactive exhibits…
Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove
Central Coast
Numbers have been dwindling but, for now, thousands of black-and-orange monarch butterflies still make their winter home in this eucalyptus grove just…
Central Coast
Unusual Gilroy Gardens is a nonprofit family-oriented theme park focused on food and plants rather than Disney-esque cartoon characters. You’ve got to…
Monterey
This stately early-19th-century adobe home was built by John Rogers Cooper, a New England sea captain, and three generations of his family resided here…
Fremont Peak Astronomical Observatory
Central Coast
Equipped with a 30in telescope, Fremont Peak's astronomical observatory is usually open to the public on many Saturday nights between April and October,…
Central Coast
Steinbeck was born and spent much of his boyhood in this house, four blocks west of the museum. It’s now a twee lunch cafe, which we’re not sure he’d…
Monterey Museum of Art – La Mirada
Monterey
Southeast of downtown Monterey, MMA La Mirada is a silent-film star’s villa, a building whose humble adobe origins are exquisitely concealed. It is now…
Monterey
The trio of tiny original one-room cabins where cannery workers shacked up provides a sobering reminder of the hard lives led by Filipino, Japanese,…
Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Central Coast
Just north the Santa Cruz seaside suburb of Aptos, this State park offers ipcnic spots and the opportunity to hike, jog, or bike on 30 miles of trails in…
Monterey
Peek inside brick Colton Hall, where California’s first constitutional convention took place in 1849. Once the capitol of Alta (Upper) California, today…
Central Coast
Between November and February, over 25,000 migratory monarch butterflies cluster in this thicket of tall eucalyptus trees, secreted inland. During peak…
Central Coast
Containing the Fremont Peak Astronomical Observatory, this park offers excellent views of Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean from its four-mile network of…
