Road Trip: California Coast

[Gilda]

We just returned from a fabulous 4 day California Coast Roadtrip from Napa to Pismo Beach. We stayed overnight at Pfeiffer State Park in Big Sur, Pismo Beach State Park campground and Rio Seco Winery, thanks to HarvestHosts.com.

Photos:
1. Julia Pfeiffer State Park
2. Julia Pfeiffer State Park
3. Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery near San Simeon. Can you spot our Scamp in parking lot?
4. Gull basking in sun at Pismo Beach "Jubilee by the Sea" Jazz Festival
5. Scarecrow contest in town of Cambria
6. Beach view from Pismo Beach State Park campground
7. Rio Seco Winery in Paso Robles
8. Rio Seco Winery in Paso Robles

[Jon in AZ]

Sounds really fun!

We did a similar trip last year at Thanksgiving from south to north. We only went as far as Big Sur and detoured inland to visit relatives in Salinas. Beautiful country. Forgot the name of it, but we enjoyed an awesome cinnamon roll place in downtown Pismo, walking distance from North Beach campground. We also visited the elephant seals. Only regret was choosing the Pfeiffer campground at Big Sur. Being in a gorge, it only got about 3 hours of sunlight a day, so it was dark, damp, and cold. Andrew Molera campground looked like it might have been a better choice that time of year.

Thanks for sharing, Gilda. Have you camped at Pinnacles NP in Soledad? Our relatives took us on a day hike there. It was very nice, and I was wondering what the campground is like.

[Cathi]

Such stunning coastline photos, Gilda. A wonderful fall trip. You are lucky to be there.

[EllPea in CA]

Lovely photos, wonderful trip!

Best,

[Gilda]

Thanks everyone! Yes, we are grateful to live close to this beautiful drive. We never tire of it and don't do it often enough. We do live very close to Point Reyes National Seashore and visit/hike there often.

Pismo Beach - Answer: "Old West Cinnamon Rolls". "Splash!" is famous for their clam chowder. You can stand your spoon in it. It is that thick! From what I saw Pismo Beach is NOT the epicurian capital of the world but IT IS the best, low key, family beach which is a throwback to the 1950's.

Pfeiffer State Park- We stayed overnight on this trip and went on a short hike right out of the park. We like that everyone has a separate and, fairly private, campsite. On previous trips we stayed two nights and took some fabulous hikes high on the ridge where we could view the coast from north to south. It's also near the most beautiful coastal drive in the country (no bias, there).

It's been a long time since I've been at the Pinnacles. At the time we lived in the Peninsula, south of San Francisco prior to having a trailer. From there it was a day trip. It is a very special place where you can walk through a tunnel through the pinnacles and can see bats roosting there. The hiking is fabulous. There are two entry points to PNP and the Pinnacles Campground is accessed only from the east side of the Park as there are no connecting roads between the two entrances of Pinnacles.

Plan ahead on which entrance you would like to visit.
Highway 146 is the access road to both the Westside and the Eastside of the Pinnacles. However, highway 146 does not connect the two sides of the road together. Please take the time to map out which entrance will be best suited for your plans and ensure an enjoyable experience. (NOTE: Most GPS units will automatically lead you to the West Pinnacles)

Here's an overview of PNP from their website;
"Trails at Pinnacles National Park have a very distinctive look, they are surrounded by Rhyolitic Breccia a very unique rock that combines volcanic and Sedimentary rock. The giant boulders you see at Pinnacles today were formed as a result of volcanic activity that occurred over 23 million years ago, and it makes the perfect habitat for the California Condor. Enjoy your visit at America's newest National Park."

Balconies Trail, Pinnacles NP

I hope you all get to visit the Pinnacles National Park some day.

[Jon in AZ]

Thanks, Gilda! Appreciate the heads up regarding the two entrances at Pinnacles. We came in the west entrance, which is why we didn't see the campground. The east entrance is a bit out of the way for us, so I was really wondering if the campground was worth the detour. Agree the hiking is awesome, and I'd like to do more.

"Old West Cinnamon Rolls" is the one! I've never understood the Bay Area preoccupation with clam chowder, though. I'm partial to New York style myself, and, having grown up on the Chesapeake Bay, I'd rather have Maryland crab soup than either.