Morro Bay, CA

Take a ride up the Pacific Coast Highway and visit one of the nicest beach towns in central California. The seaside village of Morro Bay is a getaway for travelers seeking a gorgeous natural setting. Located along scenic Highway 1 midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Morro Bay is a beautiful ride and not far off the beaten

path. Once you experience the beauty and charm , not to mention the fun you’ll have just plain relaxing, you will have a hard time going home. Visit the beautiful Morro Bay Rock on the beach to take in the real splendor of this town.

Before you move on, be sure to stop into Fish Bonez, a new seafood restaurant in the middle of downtown Morro Bay. Fish Bonez specializes in fusion cuisine that pairs Italian, Asian and Mexican influences and merges them together with California's freshest seafood, steak, lamb, chicken as well as some of California’s best wines.

But if you are really looking for a good wine, check out the hottest new wine bar on the Central Coast, STAX Wine Bar and Bistro. Choose from over 100 local and international wines. Enjoy daily tastings, and wine by the glass, as well as panini sandwiches, gourmet meats and cheese plates. Be sure to stop in for the live entertainment that they have weekly.

For more information about Morro Bay, Fish Bonez or STAXWine Bar and Bistro, visit their websites.Picture courtesy of The City of Morro Bay.

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Highway One, CA: Eureka to San Diego

Experience an interactive journey of Highway One together with a couple of travelers. Seated in a '59 classic Cadillac Eldorado, you'll drive from the Redwood Highway in Northern California through Fort Bragg, San Francisco, Morro Bay and into Los Angeles and San Diego, stopping in a few places along the way.

Also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, this sea-hugging road winds its way down the USA’s western coastline. It’s a way to see the best of California and everything this state has to offer: not just golden beaches, but towering redwood forests, national parks, and glittering cities.

You can take your own virtual Highway One, which will start here.

1. Eureka
To get outdoors here, explore the rugged Lost Coast Trail for an easy, enjoyable hike which leads to some picturesque look-outs. Architecture buffs will love the 1880s Carson Mansion, and the Blur Ox Millworks offer an insight into the Victorian era of Eureka. Self-guided tours take you past tradespeople demonstrating the old-fashioned techniques of milling and carpentry.

2. Humboldt Redwoods State Park
One of the most amazing attractions in the whole of the USA, you won’t easily forget a drive along the Avenue of the Giants. The park is famed for its coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), many of which grow to over 90m in height. Over 100 of the 137 known trees 110m tall live in Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

3. San Francisco
Try and spend a few days here to take a break from your drive to really get a feel for this unique city. Wander around Union Square – the heart of the city – before exploring the alleys of Chinatown and stopping for lunch on North Beach. Don’t miss noisy Fisherman’s Wharf or pretty Telegraph Hill.

4. Malibu
For many, Malibu is quintessential California, bursting with surfer dudes and beach babes to rival the stars of Baywatch. Muscle Beach is the spot to see the locals pumping iron and Zuma Beach is typically Malibu. In Zuma, the hills meet the ocean and there are some great spots to eat freshly caught seafood. The Malibu Family Wines vineyard is open for tastings, yours and food for something a little different.

5. Morro Bay
The landmark Morro Rock sits astride the pretty bay here - a turban-shaped, extinct volcanic cone about 23 million years old and inhabited by rare peregrine falcons. The Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History is a top spot to visit for a few hours. Or wander around the bay, keeping your eyes peeled for great blue herons and monarch butterflies from October to March.

6. Point Lobos State Reserve
This 550-acre seaside park boasts an assortment of coves, headlands, meadows, tide pools, and the nation's first undersea ecological reserve. Well-marked trails lead past Monterey cypresses, hundreds of species of birds and mammals include black-tailed deer, gray foxes, sea otters, and sea lions. Migrating gray whales are often spotted from land from December through April as they migrate.

7. Big Sur
Big Sur extends 90 miles south to San Simeon. Redwoods soar up to the sky and mountains plunge into the sea. There are lots of great inns and restaurants to stop at with great character.

8. La Jolla
Meaning ‘the jewel’ in Spanish, this little town is one of California’s prettiest seaside retreats. There are lots of beaches to relax upon - La Jolla Shores is often said to be California's most beautiful - and there are lots of brilliant restaurants to cater for all the visitors.

9. Torrey Pines State Park
Lying between La Jolla and Del Mar, Torrey Pines makes for a scenic stop, with hills and cliffs overlooking the coast and trails leading down to the beach. Continuing north along the coast will take you through the lovely towns of Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Oceanside, you'll drive right next to the coast and over a few lagoons connected to the ocean.

10. San Diego
San Diego offers many interesting attractions to the visitor in the neighborhoods away from the beach, such as Balboa Park, Downtown and Old Town. Check out Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of Point Loma for some panoramic views of the coastline, encompassing San Diego, the Bay, and the ocean, and learn about some of the history of the area.

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Point Reyes, CA: Northern California's Summer Getaway

The long, lazy days of summer are finally here, and Point Reyes is kicking off a season of outdoor fun and events. Less than an hour from San Francisco, Point Reyes is an ideal destination for nature lovers, families and anyone looking to get out and about this summer.

Summer starts on Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28, with the Point Reyes Open Studios semi-annual event. With over 20 artists planning to display and demonstrate their works, art lovers are invited to explore local studios and workshops and meet some of the finest painters, photographers, sculptors and other artists in the area. The free, self-guided tour allows visitors to explore the natural beauty of the area while enjoying unique and wonderful art.

Next, on June 4-5, Western Weekend celebrates the ranching roots of West Marin with 4-H exhibits and homecoming queens. Western Weekend is a great way to get to know Point Reyes, highlighting the quirky and eclectic mix of the area. It combines the area’s cowboy history with great local food and artists. Those planning to come for just the day shouldn’t miss the parade at noon on Sunday at Point Reyes Station. It’s real local fun.

Another local summer staple, the Point Reyes Farmers Market, will be out in full force again this year. Beginning on Saturday, June 23rd, the market will be open from 9 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays. This is the only all local, all certified organic produce market in the wider Bay Area and features the best of what the region has to offer. In addition to fresh, delicious local produce, the market also features guest musicians, book signings and cooking demonstrations from local chefs.

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And as always, don’t forget about the wide range of outdoor activities available. 150 miles of trails greet hikers, bikers and horseback riders alike. Head over to the historic lighthouse or participate in one of the Ranger led programs. And with about 80 miles of shoreline, there's no shortage of beaches to explore or coastline to kayak.

For more information on Point Reyes attractions, activities and events, please visit http://pointreyesweekend.com.

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Coronado, CA: The Best Beach in California

Coronado Beach is the number one beach in the 22th annual Top 10 Beach List, produced by coastal expert Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University.

Coronado Beach in San Diego is a 1.5 mile long, wide sandy beach set against the backdrop of the iconic Hotel del Coronado with its peaked red roof and classic Victorian architecture. The beach is popular for swimmers, surfers, sunbathers and beachcombers. The beach is very flat, making it great for skim boarding and walking, and the sand has a silvery sheen because of the presence of mica. Families arrive in the morning, toting umbrellas, beach towels and picnic coolers for an all-day stay. A great team of lifeguards stands watch.

Coronado is a quaint small town combined with sophisticated luxury and the wonderful Mediterranean climate. The best way to get around town is by bicycling on the relatively flat, milelong city of Coronado. A scenic way to reach Coronado is by pedestrian ferry or water taxi from downtown San Diego.

Hotel del Coronado, with its iconic red roof and white construction, is a popular beachfront luxury hotel, and one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort. It is one of the oldest and largest all-wooden buildings in California and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, and is a designated California Historical Landmark. The "Del" received a Four Diamond rating from the American Automobile Association, and was once listed by USA Today as one of the "Top 10 Resorts In The World".

The most popular annual event in Coronado is the July 4 parade. Coronado Independence Day activities kick off with a 15k Run/Walk at dawn. The day includes a rough-water swim at North Beach, the famous two-hour parade along Orange Avenue, Art-in-the-Park, a concert in Spreckels Park, and culminates with spectacular fireworks over Glorietta Bay.

One of the most popular annual events in this city is the Coronado Flower Show, held usually on the third weekend in April. Since 1925, thousands of visitors have flocked here to see the largest flower show held under tents in the West. Exhibits are placed inside tents surrounding a central gazebo, which becomes the stage for continuous entertainment, announcements and trophy presentations.

Every July, the Coronado Island Sports Fiesta features a combination of competitive races, dives, rough-water swim and other events.

Also, the Superfrog Triathlon event is held each year in September.

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As “Dr. Beach” (www.DrBeach.org), Leatherman has selected the annual Top 10 Beaches since 1991. Fifty criteria are used to evaluate beaches, which include water and sand quality as well as safety and environmental management. Dr. Leatherman is an internationally known coastal scientist who has published 16 books with the recent release of Field Guide to the Water’s Edge (National Geographic, Washington, DC, 288 pages; www.nationalgeographic.com/books) and hundreds of scientific articles about storm impacts, coastal erosion and ways to improve beach health and safety. A new website (www.Beachfinder.org) has been developed to help you find other great American beaches.

Contact Elevation Travel for discounted hotel rates: http://www.goelevationtravel.com

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Fort Bragg, California Boasts Some Of The World's Best Beaches

Are Fort Bragg beaches the best in the world? We think they could be!

Over a 12-mile stretch of Northern California's Mendocino Coast, the beaches near Fort Bragg offer more things to do, more rugged coastline, more hidden coves and sea caves, more interesting rocks, more birds, more clear water and more solitude than anyplace else we know of.

You can picnic, run, beach comb, explore tide pools, watch whales, go birding, ride horses, or photograph big waves … and even bigger sunsets. Three of our beaches are world renown for colorful frosted sea glass, tumbled into myriad fanciful shapes by majestic waves.

Jug Handle Beach, two miles south of Fort Bragg, CA

Although these beaches are enjoyed by surfers, abalone divers, sea kayakers, families, couples, adventure seekers, equestrians and pet lovers, you'll rarely see a crowd.

Fort Bragg also is proud to be the official "Gateway" to the California Coastal National Monument along the Mendocino Coast. Located off the 1,100 miles of California coastline, the California Coastal National Monument comprises more than 20,000 small islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and pinnacles between Mexico and Oregon. All those beautiful rocks are home to sea lions, harbor seals, pelicans, gulls and abundant marine life.

In addition to the Coastal National Monument, here are seven great Fort Bragg beaches to explore:

Ten Mile Beach
Virgin Creek Beach
Glass Beach
Pudding Creek Beach
Hare Creek Beach
Jug Handle Beach
Caspar Beach

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Safety Reminder:

As with beaches everywhere, beware of possible hazards, including slippery rocks, crumbling cliffs, and sneaker waves (large waves that seemingly surge out of nowhere). Our clean clear waters are cold (52-54 degrees Fahrenheit) so wetsuits are essential for swimming, surfing, or diving. Keeping children (and dogs) out of the water during big surf days is just good commonsense.

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