Central Coast of Northern California
Drive south from Stockton, and in 90 minutes you are at the northern end of Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz.
Relaxed and full of creativity, the beach town offers shops, sidewalk music, the Boardwalk amusement park, sandy beaches, and excellent food from burgers to elegant gourmet.
All of Monterey Bay, south to Carmel, follows a slower, relaxed way of life.
If you like to camp, check out several state parks right on the beach, or in the redwoods north of Santa Cruz.
Or head down Highway 1 to Big Sur for some of the most spectacular ocean views and challenging driving in all of the United States.
Don't miss Hearst Castle in San Simeon, the completely outrageous hideaway of the late publishing magnate, William Randolph Hearst, and now a state monument.
Continue south through quaint Cayucos and Morro Bay, then stop in Pismo Beach, south of San Luis Obispo.
It is a wonderfully long and wide beach and state park, perfect for clamming, running or beach combing.
