Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1 A Two-Day Tour to Carmel
Skirting cliffs and coves, pocket beaches, lighthouses,
parks, and old historic towns, coastal Hwy 1 is a highly
scenic route from San Francisco to Carmel. The region has
a colorful history, particularly in old Monterey, the original
capital of Spanish California. Carmel itself, a pretty seaside
town, has been a haven for artists and writers since the
early 20th century. Here you can visit the Carmel Mission,
burial place of Father Junipero Serra (see p139) .
1
101
580
SAN FRANCISCO
580
80
1
San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Leaving the city at Pacifica, Hwy
1 narrows to a two-lane road.
At Sharp Park, you can hike to
Sweeny Ridge 1 , a distance of
1.5 miles (2 km). From here, in
1769, Gaspar de Portolá's party of
Spanish explorers became the
first Europeans to see the Bay of
San Francisco (see pp26-7) .
The strong currents and cold
waters of the Pacific discourage
most swimmers at the state-
owned beaches at Gray Whale
Cove 2 and Montara. At low
tide, the exposed rock pools
reach from Fitzgerald Marine
Preserve south to Pillar Point,
the most extensive along the
San Mateo County coast.
The fishing fleet still docks at
nearby Princeton 3 , while the
big event of the year at Half
Moon Bay 4 is the Pumpkin
Festival in October. Princeton's
main street retains the flavor of
an old coastal town, and many
Portuguese and Italian
immigrants have settled here.
To the south, the countryside
quickly becomes much less
populated. At Pigeon Point 5 ,
just south of Pescadero
(see p171) , is a lighthouse built
in 1872, which is closed for
renovation, though the grounds
remain open. From here, side
roads climb into the Santa Cruz
Mountains. The spectacular Ano
Nuevo State Park 6 lies 20 miles
(32 km) north of Santa Cruz,
San
Francisco
Bay
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101
84
280
84
Pescadero
Child at the Pumpkin Festival in Half
Moon Bay 4
along Hwy 1. You can make a
reservation with a ranger to hike
a 3-mile (5-km) round-trip to the
beach to see the colony of
elephant seals.
0 kilometers
0 miles
20
Santa Cruz to Monterey
At Monterey Bay's northern end,
Santa Cruz offers some excellent
swimming beaches. Though the
sandstone bridge of the Natural
Bridges State Beach 7
disappeared long ago into the
waves, the beach here is
protected and provides a safe
harbor for swimmers.
10
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is famous for the
Boardwalk 8 , an amusement
park that stretches for 0.5 mile
(1 km) along the beach. The
Big Dipper roller coaster has
thrilled riders since 1923.
From Santa Cruz the highway
curves around the bay to
Monterey, 28 miles (45 km)
away. Midway between them
is the University of California's
marine science station at Moss
Landing 9 , where visitors can
watch birds and learn about
the area's flora and fauna.
Monterey to Pacific Grove
The first capital of California,
Monterey 0 was established
by the Spanish in 1770. Many
Spanish, Mexican, and early
American buildings still stand
in the central part of the city.
View of Pigeon Point lighthouse 5
For keys to map symbols see back flap
 
 
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