We left Oakland on Thursday morning right after I picked Justin up from the airport. He took a few days off of work so we could spend a few days on the coast before my reunion that weekend. You see--we love the central California coast. We spent our honeymon, almost 7 years ago, driving down Highway One. This is the highway that runs right along the coastline, sometimes along high cliffs where the ocean is WAY below (a little bit scary when that is on the passenger side!), and sometimes right next to the ocean. For those of you not familiar with the California coastline, what you see on TV about the southern California beach is definitely NOT what every beach in CA looks like. The farther north you get, the rockier and more rugged it gets. There are flat, sandy beaches also, but there are also a lot of cliffs and vistas where you are up high, overlooking the gorgeous ocean. I grew up just a few hours from this coast, and really took it for granted being able to go and "get my fill" of the ocean anytime I wanted. Now that I live pretty much in the middle of the country, I take every opportunity I can to sneak to the coast when we are in California!
Here we are--in the car on the way to the coast. Can you tell I'm a bit excited? I felt like a two-year old, bouncing up and down on my seat as we got closer!
We did have to stop for our traditional In-N-Out Burger on the way. Even though this chain is in more places now, in my mind, In-N-Out is what you stop and eat at the halfway point to the coast! Yum!!
Here is our car--just had to throw in a picture of it! I was nervous when I rented it, because I wasn't sure if my husband, all 6'7" of him, would fit, but he did and it was a great car for our trip! They did offer me a mustang convertible when I rented it, and oh how I wanted it for our time at the coast. But, I just couldn't justify spending an extra $20 a day when I was renting the car for almost a whole week. I just told myself I would have gotten a sunburn anyway if I'd rented the convertible...
We soon arrived...Cayucos--my absolute favorite funky little beach town on the central California coast.(I've seen this on some other blogs--writing in the sand, and I had to do it!)
We stayed at this little hotel--I found it online, and it was a GREAT deal! Only $87 a night--in the summertime--and each room had a cute little theme. There were seriously some expensive places we could have stayed, but this one was so much fun and so quaint!
The view of our room from where we parked the car...
Our room...the Garden room...
The hotel was right on main street, so once we dragged our bags in, we walked down just a few blocks to the beach. It was kind of foggy the afternoon we got there, so you could only see a little ways out, but oh I loved seeing and smelling the ocean!!!
This is the Cayucos pier--it is so fun to walk all the way out on. It was still pretty foggy--you could barely see the end of it from the beach!
But soon the fog began rolling back, and we could start seeing more of the coastline.
While out on the end of the pier, we saw lots of wildlife. Usually I see tons of birds and every once and awhile a seal, but for the days we were there, we saw birds, lots of seals, dolphins, and even a whale!!! I have never seen this much! There must have been huge schools of fish they were all feeding on, because it was crazy! There were huge pelicans absolutely dive-bombing into the water, and then seals and dolphins swimming through it as well! Here is a shot of one of the seals...
And the dolphins--can you see their fins? There were at least 3 or 4, but they were hard to catch on film.
Here is a view of Cayucos from the end of the pier...
And a few pictures of us with the ocean behind us!
Then we were off to Morro Bay for dinner...
My family has always had a tradition of eating at the Hofbrau...they make the best French Dip-like sandwiches, and they also have great fish and chips. So every time Justin and I are at the coast, we eat there too! Morro Bay is on a bay, not the ocean itself like Cayucos, so it is fun to eat there because you usually see seals swimming along right by the restaurant!
Morro Bay is known for Morro Rock, a huge rock formation that they say was actually a plug to a volcano that used to be here years ago. It is part of a chain called the 7 Sisters--these kinds of formations that go all the way up the coast. It is huge and beautiful!!
And it is a great for a photo op--I think we have about 20 pictures like this of us in front of the rock from all of the different times we have been there!
We drove out to the rock this time, and explored around it. There are a TON of birds that live on it, but it is a beautiful place.
Two things I love...my hubby and the ocean!!! Love this picture!
Just to prove we were there--dipping our toes in the cold Pacific ocean!!
Ahh--I could have stayed here forever! I love the ocean!!!
Sunset, back in Cayucos...
We stayed at this little hotel--I found it online, and it was a GREAT deal! Only $87 a night--in the summertime--and each room had a cute little theme. There were seriously some expensive places we could have stayed, but this one was so much fun and so quaint!
The view of our room from where we parked the car...
Our room...the Garden room...
The hotel was right on main street, so once we dragged our bags in, we walked down just a few blocks to the beach. It was kind of foggy the afternoon we got there, so you could only see a little ways out, but oh I loved seeing and smelling the ocean!!!
This is the Cayucos pier--it is so fun to walk all the way out on. It was still pretty foggy--you could barely see the end of it from the beach!
But soon the fog began rolling back, and we could start seeing more of the coastline.
While out on the end of the pier, we saw lots of wildlife. Usually I see tons of birds and every once and awhile a seal, but for the days we were there, we saw birds, lots of seals, dolphins, and even a whale!!! I have never seen this much! There must have been huge schools of fish they were all feeding on, because it was crazy! There were huge pelicans absolutely dive-bombing into the water, and then seals and dolphins swimming through it as well! Here is a shot of one of the seals...
And the dolphins--can you see their fins? There were at least 3 or 4, but they were hard to catch on film.Here is a view of Cayucos from the end of the pier...
And a few pictures of us with the ocean behind us!
Then we were off to Morro Bay for dinner...
My family has always had a tradition of eating at the Hofbrau...they make the best French Dip-like sandwiches, and they also have great fish and chips. So every time Justin and I are at the coast, we eat there too! Morro Bay is on a bay, not the ocean itself like Cayucos, so it is fun to eat there because you usually see seals swimming along right by the restaurant!
Morro Bay is known for Morro Rock, a huge rock formation that they say was actually a plug to a volcano that used to be here years ago. It is part of a chain called the 7 Sisters--these kinds of formations that go all the way up the coast. It is huge and beautiful!!
And it is a great for a photo op--I think we have about 20 pictures like this of us in front of the rock from all of the different times we have been there!
We drove out to the rock this time, and explored around it. There are a TON of birds that live on it, but it is a beautiful place.
Two things I love...my hubby and the ocean!!! Love this picture!
Just to prove we were there--dipping our toes in the cold Pacific ocean!!
Ahh--I could have stayed here forever! I love the ocean!!!
Sunset, back in Cayucos...
The next day, we drove up to Cambria, another little town about 15 minutes north of Cayucos. This is a fun little town with all sorts of shops to poke around in, but it is over the hill from the ocean, so I tend to not spend as much time there. I have to see the ocean when I'm at the coast!
And our last stop, before we left to drive inland...we went to an adorable place in Morro Bay called The Hut. It had amazing clam chowder and fish and chips, plus another ocean view to watch the seals swimming by! 
I just love going to the coast, and I can't imagine anyone I'd rather be there with than my Justin! I'm so glad we got to spend just a couple days there--we can last another few years, or so, until the ocean calls us back again!!
(This picture is a little bit crooked, but that's what you get when you set it on automatic and rest it inside your husband's shoe!! =)Coming up next--pics from my 10 year high school reunion!
4 comments:
I really like the new format!
Wow, I'm loving all the pictures...especially the ones of the sunset at the beach! Wow!
Loved the pictures.. and your blog makeover is too cute!!
Can't wait to see Reunion pics....
Hugs,
Stephanie
Love it!! It makes me think of the time you, Jenny and I went there! Is that the motel we stayed at?? Love you!!
Dara
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