Monterey County

The Bay Area has no shortage of beaches, but not all beaches are created equal. For that reason, we’ve scoped out six beaches that are cooler than everyone else’s beach. These are the sandy spots that will have your friends saying, “You went where?” while you grin mysteriously, knowing all the while you were within easy disctance of the city. For each sandy spot, we’ve sussed out the good (“The

Railroads abandoned and later rediscovered hold a certain mysterious and captivating quality. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of treks through the English countryside, following old tracks as they boorishly carved their way through rolling hills and deciduous woodlands. So when I heard of a passenger train service on a restored 19th-century railroad in the Santa Cruz mountains, I had to take a journey on the Roaring Camp Railroads for myself. Backtrack(s) This being

Big Sur is not something a lot of people do car-free. It takes an adventurer to respond to the challenge of taking a carless trip down the infamously winding two-lane road called the Pacific Coast Highway. But, if you do have that wild free spirit in you, it’s much more doable than you might ever expect. Our two favorite options are by bike or bus. Biking is a spectacular choice

Since 1905, La Playa Carmel has been standing watch over the rugged Pacific coast, both a “hidden gem” and a landmark mainstay of artsy Carmel-by-the-Sea. And in August of 2012, Carmel’s “Grand Dame” entered a whole new era when it re-opened after a multi-million dollar makeover, as notable for what it left the same as for what it changed. To be sure, La Playa Carmel received myriad lavish upgrades, from

Maximize your day in Monterey with these adventurous and educational activities, from kayaking with sea otters to biking 17 miles along the rugged coast to free jazz parties at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Here are a few of our favorite ways to spend a quick getaway in Monterey.   1. Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational trail is an easygoing path that extends from Castroville through Pacific Grove, allowing

San Francisco is surrounded (on three sides, anyway) by some of the country’s most fabulous farmland. And some of these lands of plenty even let you pick your own fruit. For a fun and fruitful day trip, here are the best farms for fruit-picking in the Bay Area. Webb Ranch  | 2720 Alpine Road | Portola Valley Situated just outside of Stanford University, this family farm has been dishing out berries and homegrown

The drive down US-1 from San Francisco to San Diego is widely celebrated as America’s most scenic drive. But what’s a car-free traveler to do? Many people don’t realize there is in fact an eco-friendly route down California’s coast, via Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train. While certainly not a choice for those who insist on traveling fast, the Coast Starlight’s path is just as picturesque as a coastal drive, and even

Rain or shine, Santa Cruz is a nature lover’s paradise. On a recent blustery, drizzly Saturday along West Cliff Drive, wetsuit-clad surfers navigated the steep roadside stairwells in droves, nimbly descending to the water below. In front of the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum at Lighthouse Point Park, a sizable crowd eagerly watched those hearty enough to take advantage of the late afternoon swell at Steamer Lane. Back toward the boardwalk