My Summer Adventures: The Pacific Coast

All summer long I am featuring reading recommendations with my Sweet Summertime Reads from other bloggers and readers.  Today, I thought I'd feature my most recent summer adventure to the Pacific Coast.  This trip has been on my travel bucket list for quite some time and I can hardly believe I actually did it!

My trip began in the city of San Francisco, where I discovered the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge, the legendary Haight and Ashbury neighborhood, the quaint City Lights Bookstore, and the adorable seaside town of Sausalito (just to name a few of the sights I visited).

After a few days in the city, we began our road trip south along the Pacific Coast Highway towards Big Sur.  Now THIS is where I had always longed to be.  I've seen tons of pictures of the coastline through Big Sur, but actually witnessing it with my own eyes can't even compare.  The beauty of this coastline is immeasurable.  I have never seen something so gorgeous.  Mother Nature, you sure know how to make a girl's heart flutter.  Along the road trip we stopped at places like Santa Cruz and enjoyed the fun beach boardwalk.  We also stayed the night in Monterey, where we visited the most adorable town Carmel-By-The-Sea, a must see if you ever find yourself on this highway.  Eventually we made our way through Big Sur and down to Cambria, another adorable seaside village.

While we were in Cambria, we visited near by Hearst Castle.  Ever heard of a guy by the name of William Randolph Hearst?!  Well, this was his home that he created atop a hill that overlooked the Pacific Ocean.  The history behind this beautiful place was so interesting and the grounds were breathtaking!  Another must see I recommend on this trip.  After a few days, we were back on the road and headed to our most southern point on the trip, Morro Bay.  I really fell in love with the Pacific Coast's seaside towns.  Each one was unique and full of so much character.  We then cut across the mountains, moving inland, and made our way back north toward San Francisco.  Our last stop ended in Napa Valley, where I saw vineyard after vineyard, and got to taste some of their sweet grapes.

This trip was amazing & I am so thankful I got to finally experience the Pacific Coast.  It's hard to identify which spot was my favorite, or where I had the best time.  Seeing Big Sur was definitely a highlight for me, and discovering a beach there that had purple sand was so awesome.  But I think the night we stayed in Cambria, where I found a secluded peaceful beach to spread my mother's ashes, was definitely a moment on this trip I'll always hold close to my heart.

There's a beauty to this part of the world that I hope everyone is able to experience at least once in their lifetime.  I now understand why so many creative artists, both through visual and literature, escape to this part of the country because its beauty is so inspiring.  I found myself wandering a time or two about a story that I could write set here.