This guest post is by Brenda Richman, a small business consultant in Kansas City.
The northern part of California’s Central Coast extends from Monterey Bay on the north to Paso Robles on the south. This region is beautiful and diverse with something for everyone to enjoy in a great climate much of the year. Although tourism thrives here, I love that the area is not densely populated and is spread out so you can experience all it has to offer without feeling crowded or rushed.
These are six of my favorite experiences in California’s Central Coast:
Monterey Bay, California Photo by seano1
1. Monterey Bay – the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a fascinating place, delightful for young and old alike. Afterwards, I love a marvelous fresh seafood meal outdoors at one of the Fisherman’s Wharf restaurants. Browsing the galleries and absorbing the charming atmosphere in Carmel finishes a delightful day.
2. World class golf -The Monterey Peninsula is a world renowned golf destination, offering the most dramatic, natural settings for golf anywhere in the world. Playing one of these marvelous courses, especially one with ocean views, is an experience of a lifetime.
Big Sur Coast Photo By Joseph Plotz.
3. Incredible coastal drive down the roughed, gorgeous Big Sur. Take the slower Hwy 1 route that winds along the coast, stopping frequently to drink in the beautiful scenery and wildlife sightings!
4. Wine tasting– For wine lovers, the Central Coast has a wonderful diversity of tasting experiences that offer first class award winning wines. From small family-owned wineries to large there’s a wine tour for every taste. In the warmer climate of Paso Robles, you find Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Tempranillo and many Rhone varietals. There are over 140 wineries in this area that open their doors to visitors
Carmel Mission Photo by Stephen Lea.
5. Missions are such a fascinating and important part of CA’s early history. This series of 21 “communities” stretching from the San Diego area up to San Francisco provides an up-close look at one part of western life which was far removed from life in the eastern US between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. I find their architecture and peacefulness moving. Of the 8 missions throughout the entire Central Coast region, the gorgeous San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo at Carmel is not to be missed.
The Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle Photo by Stan Shebs
6. The Hearst Castle – Built by the famous William Randolph Hearst between 1919 and 1947, the “Enchanted Hill” estate became one of the world’s greatest showplaces and one of America’s only “palaces”. The magnificent Mediterranean Revival architecture Main House and 3 guest houses, together comprise over 80,000 square feet of living space. Hearst filled it with a museum-quality collection of the world’s finest European and Mediterranean art. It was situated on his vast 250,000 acres overlooking the coastline. There are a number of tour options available of the Hearst Castle.
For more information on visiting California’s Central coast visit Central Coast Tourism or Mission Trail Today.
Or, check out these resources:
What are your favorite California discoveries outside of the big cities? Please share below in comments.
Brenda Richman has a passion for experiencing the world through travel adventures.
Learn more about Brenda’s travel experiences here, and her consulting work helping businesses increase market penetration and enhance the quality of their client experiences here.
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