California Road Trip August 2015

 California Road Trip August 2015

 As our move East was pending we decided it was time for a trip to California so that we could see family and friends, as well as some cool sights.  Hope you enjoy the photos from Central and Northern California.  Most of our travel took us along the Pacific Coast Highway.

 California Central Coast

http://www.centralcoast-tourism.com

Pacific Coast Highway

“An exhilarating driving experience, this twisting, cliff-hugging, 123-mile (198-kilometer) route along the central California coast takes about five hours to complete at a leisurely pace. Designated an All-American Road—among the nation's most scenic—the drive encompasses both the Big Sur Coast Highway and the San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway.”

Peilicans

Travel National Geographic

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/road-trips/california-pacific-coast-road-trip/#/motorcycle-pacific-coast-highway_89956_600x450.jpg 

 Visit California

http://www.visitcalifornia.com/region/road-trips

 Northern Elephant Seal

“The Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris, is an extraordinary marine mammal. It spends eight to ten months a year in the open ocean, diving 1000 to 5800 feet deep for periods of fifteen minutes to two hours, and migrating thousands of miles, twice a year, to its land based rookery for birthing, breeding, molting and rest. The Piedras Blancas rookery, on Highway 1 seven miles north of San Simeon on the California Central Coast, is home to about 17,000 animals. The area is open for viewing every day of the year and there is no admission fee or reservation required. It is located 14 miles north of Cambria and 89 miles south of Monterey at 35° 39' 48" N and 121° 15' 28" W. The viewing areas are accessable to wheel chairs.”  Well worth the stop!

http://www.elephantseal.org

http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/elephant-seals.html 

California State Parks

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1115 

 Monterey Bay Aquarium

This place is incredible!  I hope the images do it justice.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/visit

 Santa Cruz

http://www.santacruz.org

 California Lighthouses

We were able to stop and see the lighthouses of Walton, Santa Cruz, Pigeon Point and Point Montara. We were not able to make it to Point Bonita as the trail is only open certain days.  We still enjoyed the views and our time exploring the Marin Headlands area.

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/ca.html

Walton

Santa Cruz

Pigeon Point

Point Montara

 http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/calighthouse/a/calighthouse.htm

 Bay Area California

http://www.visitcalifornia.com/region/discover-san-francisco-bay-area

 San Francisco

http://www.sanfrancisco.travel

http://www.nps.gov/goga/pobo.htm 

Hakone Estate and Gardens

http://www.hakone.com/main.html 

 Japanese Friendship Garden Regional Park

http://www.sanjoseca.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Japanese-Friendship-Garden-Regional-Park-10

Thanks for following faithfully to the end.  Please feel free to comment and share.  Views, and weather, subject to change as we have made the move to the Eastern United States.