I first visited Pacific Grove, California 30 years ago, passing through the town after leaving Monterey on my way to the 17-Mile Drive and Pebble Beach. At the time, when there was no GPS, I assumed that I was still in Monterey. Driving along the coast, the Pacific Ocean on…
Capitola, California is a small seaside town located 40 miles north of Monterey. In the 2024 census its population was 9,456. Capitola’s Venetian Court consists of two rows of 24 multicolored pastel townhouses sitting beachside. Built in 1924 the complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in…
Arriving in Santa Cruz, California in the early evening we found a hotel for he night, asking the gentleman at the front desk for a dinner recommendation. On the way to the restaurant we drove around a little, passing the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with its roller coaster and ferris…
As my husband and I reconnected with the Pacific Coast Highway in California after landing in San Francisco and going to Yosemite where we spent a few days, we began our long, exciting journey south. One of the first sights on the itinerary I had created was Shark Fin Cove,…
Despite having been on the great Mississippi via a cruise ship as well as having viewed the mighty Colorado River from a helicopter high above the Grand Canyon, I have come to realize that I have been a snob when it comes to rivers. Give me an ocean or lake…
One of the best things about travel is experiencing elements of everyday life that are completely foreign to you. As we drove from San Francisco to Yosemite, my husband kept me posted on what he was seeing. There were long stretches of enormous hills and resting atop them were what…
Swanton Berry Farm, located off the Pacific Caost Highway in Davenport, California is said to have out-of-this-world-good pies. Stopping there, I was a little disappointed to find that the pies they had that day all required refrigeration and I would not be near a refrigerator for quite a few hours….
When I think of the song, “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” I immediately picture the Golden Gate Bridge in my head. As I stood looking at the iconic symbol of this city by the bay it struck me that I cannot possibly be the only one. I am…
The Iron Door Saloon in Groveland, California is the longest continuously liquor-serving establishment in the state of California. It began in 1852 as “The Granite Store” built by Peter King, operating as a general mercantile while also serving liquor to thirsty miners. In the 1860s Postmaster Jim Tannahill bought the…
A few years ago, I finally got on the packing cube train, admittedly in the caboose in coming to this travel tool. I have used the cubes on a handful of trips since their purchase, yet I continued to be unsure of their effectiveness. In conjunction with the burrito method,…
