Bay Area Getaways: A Series of Scenic Escapes
- wanderer
- Jun 20, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 14, 2024
Welcome to the breathtaking Bay Area, a land where innovation and nature coexist in perfect harmony. This guide is an effort to unlock some of the wonders of the Bay Area. Let's embark on this adventure together, where every corner reveals a new facet of this remarkable region.
I have had the privilege of living in the amazing Bay Area. I have been trying to explore the various diverse landscapes it has to offer. Here is part 1 of the curated list of some of the amazing hikes, beaches, mountains and restaurants that I have discovered in and around the Bay Area so far in my journey.
Starting with the beautiful Big Sur along the Pacific coast Highway 1! It is about a 3hr drive from San Jose.
I will start with the McWay Falls and then cover the drives and interesting points along the drive back. Depending on the time you have, you can cover the intermediate points first and then drive on to the McWay falls. Just try to be mindful of the time, the beauty of this drive generally makes us forget the time 🙂
Located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are the famous Mc Way Falls.
An easy hike inside the park will take you to the viewing area of the falls. The falls are also easily visible from the highway; you can park on the side of the road in the assigned area and there is a short walk from there to see the falls.
For more information on the park please visit:
There are many vista points along the road worth stopping by.
The next stop on our journey is The Henry Miller Memorial Library. It is a unique, quirky library nestled in the redwoods.
They have a beautiful collection of books covering varied topics.
After taking many pictures in and around the library, do take a short walk in the redwoods behind the library.
You can find some interesting facts about the library here:
https://henrymiller.org/the-library/
After the walk and hikes Nepenthe is the best place to enjoy a quick (or not so quick) bite.
The restaurant has some of the best views in the area.
Next stop on this drive for us is the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Good place for a quick hike to the quaint Pfeiffer Falls, a 1.5mile moderate out and back hike.
More information about camping and trails can be found at:
Let's continue driving to one of the most iconic stops on this drive, the Bixby Bridge vista point. Though I would recommend parking a bit further away to get a better view of this expansive bridge.
I recently discovered an enchanting place between the Bixby bridge and Carmel By the Sea, The Calla Lily Valley. Will have more info on that in another post.
In brief it's an amazing place with white calla lilies, the blooming season is typically from March to June, the valley comes alive with thousands of calla lilies in full bloom.
Here is a glimpse:
I know it's a lot to cover in 1 day, I have a list of some nice places to stay in the area if you have more time. Or if you happen to live in the area split the places over multiple weekends to actually savor the beauty.
On to the next state park (just can't get enough of those, can we?? ), which has been often called “The crown jewel of the California State Park System.”
The Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.
The park is famous for its breathtaking coastal scenery and is a treasure trove for marine wildlife. While there, keep an eye out for sea lions, harbor seals, and otters lounging on the rocks and various seabirds gracefully gliding through the air. It is also a paradise for divers and snorkelers (permit required), with its rich kelp forests which are home to many colorful fishes and kelp-loving sea otters.
More information about the parks trails and conservation efforts can be found here:
Will stop out journey for this post here, we shall continue up north to Monterey and Carmel-by-the-sea in the next post!
Till then have fun and keep dreaming!
Here are some beautiful places to stay on the way.
