We flew over Yosemite into Oakland and started our trip with a couple of nights in San Francisco. We stayed at the gorgeous Westin St. Francis, right in Union Square. Great location surrounded by shops and some of the best restaurants in the City.
Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 were a total blast! We couldn't get enough of the street food, live music, and views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz! And of course, you can't go to San Francisco and miss a ride on their famous cable cars!
When you have a chance to ride the wind over the Pacific Coast, you do it! Thanks to our amazing guides at Paragliding San Francisco!
We dragged the girls away from San Francisco and headed out to Yosemite, where we spent the next couple of days disconnected. We biked the valley and rafted the Merced River. We were lucky to have been able to book their last available cabin. Be sure to take the bear warnings seriously. We had one in our site one night, and listened to the ranger chase it out of the area.
After Yosemite we drove back towards the Pacific coast and enjoyed lunch in Morro Bay, then headed into Cambria where we spent the night. Before we turned in, we checked out the amazing views across the street from our hotel at Moonstone Landing where the sun was just starting to set over the Pacific Ocean. There was a bit of a crowd out there, so we headed to the more secluded area of Fiscalini Ranch Preserve for an evening stroll. With the sun just about to dip beneath the horizon, lighting the sky in a soft golden hue, Tony felt it was the perfect time and place to get down on one knee and ask me to marry him again. We had the whole place to ourselves, with just our girls there to help capture the moment.
The next morning we headed up Highway One towards Big Sur. The wildlife along the way was incredible! We ended our day exploring Carmel and Pacific Grove. Be careful with the drinks at A.W. Shucks, they like to pour heavy there (speaking from experience, LOL)!
We started the next day checking out the homes of the über-rich along the Pacific Coast in Pebble Beach. After a drive up Big Sur, you may not appreciate the views here as much, but it was fun to see all of the amazing homes. We arrived at Salinas River State Beach just in time to join a horse back riding group. After the ride was lunch in Cannery Row and exploring Monterey, before heading into Santa Cruz where we checked out the boardwalk before turning in for our last night in California.
We couldn't leave California without walking among a grove of redwoods. Henry Cowell State Park was right along the way from Santa Cruz to our flight out in San Jose. With a couple hours to spare afterwards, we found the gorgeous Municipal Rose Garden in San Jose where we spent some time relaxing among hundreds of varieties of roses. It was a great way to end our California trip!
There were so many truly magical moments from this trip. Live street music at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, feeling so vulnerable standing among the granite monoliths in Yosemite, the sunset "proposal" with the waves crashing against the rocks in Cambria, the beautiful elephant seals sunbathing on the beach, the turquoise blue hue of the ocean through our drive up Big Sur, horseback riding on the beach, and the redwoods. This section of California offers a plethora of adventures for all ages!
~ Stephanie
