May 22, 2017

I’m so excited for today’s post. One because California is just all around dreamy and two I’m hoping it’s a side of Northern California you don’t get to see all the time in blog posts.  Don’t get me wrong – it’s still filled with wineries and beaches.  But maybe, just maybe, an uncommon travel guide for Northern California is something we need.

Things you will see on this guide:

Me freezing in my favorite Shopruche Dress

The cutest pink chair

W i n e

Things you will not see:

Sonoma or Napa

Sun

We were bummed we didn’t get much sun after a long Wyoming winter, but had so much fun without warm weather I think in the end we didn’t even notice.  So this uncommon travel guide for Northern California was exciting to pull together for you!

Garrapata Beach

Honestly you could pick any beach off Highway 1 and find stunning scenery.  But I personally think we found the best beach, full of coves and white sand beaches. Garrapata beach is a quick pull off Highway 1 on the way to Big Sur and offered a bit of seclusion that California sometimes lacks.

L and I kept wishing the weather was a bit warmer and more forgiving, because a day spent here in bathing suits would have been nothing short of heaven. Me reading, him surfing.  But whatever – everyone’s heaven on earth is different.

FolkTale Winery

A winery tucked in the middle of Carmel Valley that looks nothing less of a fairy tale.  I’m most likely going to be over sharing the corner with the pink chair tucked away next to the vines, as I could have sat here forever. (A well placed heater above me also made me a bit content to never leave.)  But putting this guide together made me realize that I may have taken a touch too many photos at Folktale and I could quite honestly have an entire post dedicated to just them.

PS Their Grenache wine is the  b e s t.

Water + Leaves

I have to say this is maybe one of my first trips that wasn’t just littered with different restaurants.  Buuuuutt that’s also because it’s California and everything is expensive.  So rather than running around and spending $$$$ at restaurants we did that at wineries. (Rough life I know.)

The cafe that we did just fall head over heels for was the cutest tea-honey-beer shop in The Wharf.  It’s a bit of an odd combo, but the delicious Poison Oak honey + White Peach Blossom tea was perfect.  It’s designed with these highly engineered french presses that they use to help brew the ‘perfect cup of tea.’

Point Pinos Lighthouse

There is something entirely magical to me about lighthouses.  I’m guessing it’s because I’ve always been extraordinarily land locked my whole life. (Moving from Colorado to Wyoming offered for no new beach opportunities.) And whenever I travel the first thing I google is lighthouses.

Point Pinos was just quick drive from Monterey and an even cuter drive through a little sea side village called Pacific Grove.  (Cue the cutest Victorian houses lined up on the coastline.)  It’s a comparatively small light house, I’m used to the much larger Pensacola one, but it was still magical with it’s historically restored rooms + compact staircase.

Point Sur was actually on my bucket list too, but the tour schedule didn’t line up quite right and I figure it will give me another excuse to visit once again!

^^ Instagram life

^^ Real life

Surfing in Monterrey bay

First off I have to say that I’m much more of the wine sipping, book reading, slow traveler than I am the adventurer traveler.  That being said… I  l o v e  surfing.

While I couldn’t help but think of this meme out in the ocean I absolutely loved it.  If you have never tried surfing D O  I T.  I promise for newbies takes much less athleticism and much more enthusiasm to get back on the board.  With a thick wet suit and a surfboard lovingly called ‘the boat,’ I think anyone should give surfing a try.

Cali is a dream.  Even if it’s gloomy.  And even if you don’t see the California staples.  The state is filled with dreamy corners like couches nesting in rose gardens at wineries.

What would you want to add to this uncommon travel guide for Northern California?