Disclosure: This post was sponsored by J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines; all opinions are my own. A few weeks back I had the opportunity to meet Kristen Barnhisel, who is the white winemaker for J. Lohr Vineyards & Wine. She showed us around the impressive new J. Lohr winery and cellars in Greenfield. Kristen and […]
A Local’s Guide to Monterey with J. Lohr Winemaker Kristen Barnhisel
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Monterey Bay Aquarium: One of the Best Aquariums in the World
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The Monterey Bay Aquarium, located on California’s Central Coast, is widely regarded as one of the best aquariums in the entire world. I haven’t been to them all of course, but I can easily say that the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the best I have been to. While it can be pricey for a family, […]
Monterey State Historic Park
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Monterey State Historic Park is a collection of important buildings right near Fishermans Wharf in Monterey. It is a fun way to spend an hour by walking around and visiting the dozen or so spots scattered around downtown Monterey. The hours vary, and usually some are open, some aren’t, but even when they are not open it […]
Old Fishermen’s Grotto: Awesome Clam Chowder in Monterey
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While Cannery Row is the central area that people gravitate to in Monterey, the Old Fisherman’s Wharf is well worth the visit. It is mainly a collection of candy shops, restaurants, and bars, all with their own unique style and a few of which I often frequent. My favorite though has to be Fisherman’s Grotto. […]
Point Sur Lighthouse Tour in Big Sur
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Ever since the first time I drove Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast, I have been intrigued by the small lighthouse on the hill that you see as you head north. The lighthouse is only accessible via a guided tour on the weekends though so it wasn’t until recently when I was finally in […]
Garrapata State Park Rocky Ridge Trail in Big Sur
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Garrapata State Park is technically part of Big Sur, even though it is located more on the Monterey coastline than on the Big Sur coastline. This state park has some amazing trails to beautiful beaches and views, but it is not well marked so you have to know what you are looking for or you […]
Andrew Molera State Park Beach Trail in Big Sur
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Andrew Molera State Park is one of the first parks you will see when heading south into Big Sur from Monterey. While it does not have a lot of the stark coastline beauty that some of the other parks have, it is still a great place to get out and do a short hike to […]
Nepenthe Restaurant in Big Sur: Best Cafe View on the Central Coast
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Nepenthe is a fantastic restaurant located along the Big Sur coastline, and the staggering views and great food have been making it a staple of Highway 1 travel for decades. I finally got a chance to visit it a little while back, and I can say that it easily lives up to the hype with […]
The Monterey Hotel in Historic Downtown Monterey
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This room was provided free of charge; all opinions are my own. The Monterey Hotel is situated right in downtown Monterey, a stone’s throw from Fisherman’s Wharf. It is a beautiful old Victorian building that is actually part of the Monterey Historic Park, and it was a great home base for two days of exploring […]
Fort Ord National Monument: Hiking from the Creekside Terrace Trailhead
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When I went to explore Pinnacles National Park a few weeks ago, I wanted to spend a little time in Fort Ord National Monument as well. There was almost no information about it online when I was researching though so I just drove to the Creekside Terrace Trailhead, grabbed a map and set out to […]
