Paula’s Pancake House
It's 10AM but I am waiting to eat because we are half an hour outside of Solvang, California and I'm craving Danish pancakes from Paula's Pancake House.
Lexi Goforth
Lexi lives in a truck camper down by the river.
Kirk Creek Campground
Kirk Creek is one of the most desirable campgrounds we have every visited. Amenities are limited: there are no hookups or running water and only pit toilets, a picnic table, and fire circle. Yet, the cliffside campsites with unobstructed ocean views mean that spots can book up six months in advance.
Buzzard’s Roost Hiking Trail
The Buzzard's Roost Hiking Trail is a 3 miles roundtrip that follows Big Sur River and climbs up a shady redwood covered slope with views of Sycamore Canyon and the Santa Lucia Mountains. The trail crests the coastal ridge, taking in westerly views of the Pacific Ocean with a small valley spread out below.
Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground
Nestled among the Red Wood Trees and bordering the Big Sur River is the Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground. This highly desirable campground can book up six months in advance though flexible travelers looking for one night have reasonable odds of coming up lucky. Each campsite includes the standard fire ring and picnic table. Shared bathrooms include running water and showers. A mix of redwood and other trees provide visual privacy for each site.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium is a delight of frolicking sea otters, delicate jellies, colorful choral fish, and awkward coastal birds. The Aquarium first opened its doors to the public on October 20, 1984 in the former 1916 Hovden Cannery. It currently boasts 34 major galleries with close to 200 exhibits featuring 550 different species totaling 35,000 creatures in residence. It is a joy for all ages but the child in me was particularly a thrill.
The Best Point Lobos Hike
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is one of the most remarkable natural destinations along the California shore line. It is host to one of only two naturally occurring stands of Monterey cypress trees. Sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, great blue herons, snowy egrets, pelicans, and other remarkable wildlife regularly visit the point. Best of all, almost every foot of the shoreline is covered in hiking trails.
San Francisco Ghost Hunt Walking Tour
We are not inclined towards ghost tours. Being a history buff, I get a little salty when tour guides start playing fast and loose with well documented points of local history to fix someone's odd experience into the larger tapestry of local events. Yet, when we saw that a magician and mentalist whose work we have followed would be in town doing a ghost tour, we decided to give it a go.
Vineyard 29
An upside of travel is the many beautiful places we can visit. Few compare to the cultivated grandeur of Napa Valley. Of course, the reason we were there was no so much to look at the sprawling vineyards and grand tasting rooms but to actually taste the valley's celebrated export: wine. We came with one exceptional winery in mind: Vineyard 29. The consistently 90+ rated wines from this winery are the product not only of prime location but highly advanced technology used in sorting grapes and every other step in the fermentation and bottling process.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Mark Twain described Mono Lake as "lifeless, treeless, hideous desert... the loneliest place on earth" in his work Roughing It. And while adjectives like "desolate," "harsh," or "bleak" may be appropriate, "hideous" would not. Lake Mono is an expanse of lacy limestone sculpture flanked by majestic mountain ranges. This shallow saline soda lake is a thing of beauty.
Grand Canyon National Park – South Rim
Seventy-miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona is one of the most iconic National Parks in the United States: the Grand Canyon. A drive along Highway 64 will travel between many iconic stops along the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Even as a day trip from Flagstaff, it is absolutely worth the trip.