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Big Sur, Revisited – Part Two

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Continued from
Big Sur, Revisited – Part One

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img 4738 300x225 Big Sur, Revisited Part TwoBig Sur, California in the daytime is — fires or no — always epic.

Close to land, the water is like mottled turquoise, islands of olive sea kelp floating on milky puffs of light blue soaking sand. Stretching out towards Asia, teal blends to azure.

Here, Highway 1 often snakes hundreds of feet above the ocean and yet sometimes only inches from the shore. It winds past rolling hills of pasture and through deep dark woods, an impossible engineering experiment that actually worked. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Big Sur, California, Central California, Northern California, Southwest, The Americas, USA

Big Sur, Revisited – Part One

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img 4813 225x300 Big Sur, Revisited Part OneWe were going to Big Sur this past Fourth of July weekend…but along with much of California, it was on fire.

So, we went this past weekend, instead. And while some hilltops are disquieting charcoal briquettes, you’ll be happy to know that (in general) the clifftop, river-ribboned, fern-canyoned, Pacific Ocean glory of Big Sur is still drop-dead gorgeous.

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Filed Under: Big Sur, California, Central California, Northern California, Southwest, The Americas, USA

Central California: Big Sur

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2883968846 a8789d231c 225x300 Central California: Big Sur

Just another overlook in Big Sur

Big Sur, 300 miles/5 hours from LA and the northernmost point of Central California, is flat out gorgeous. Scattered along a precarious cliff’s edge overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean, the battle here is to keep your eyes on Highway 1 and away from the incredible views.

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The Best of Central California

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img 2946 300x225 The Best of Central California

The ubiquitous California Valley Oak

We get away to Central California as often as we can — it’s a couples’ paradise, with driving routes that hug both the Pacific Ocean and gently sloping hills dotted with gnarled trees.

Within this region of the state you’ll find pristine beaches, historic towns and buildings, excellent wineries, a great meal here and there, sweeping views, little inns, posh resorts, and the new millenium phenomenon known as “upscale camping.”

With all of its attractions between 2 and 5 hours north of Los Angeles, it’s easy to take regular two- or three-day weekends and always feel like you had a true vacation.

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Filed Under: A Few Favorites, Big Sur, California, Cambria, Central California, Malibu, Morro Bay, Ojai, Paso Robles, Pismo & Avila Beaches, San Luis Obispo, San Simeon, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Wine Valley, Santa Ynez Wine Valley, Southern California, Southwest, The Americas, The Channel Islands, USA Tagged With: , , , , , , ,