California Highway 1 through Big Sur

Coast road cruising in Northern California. Ideal from mid-October through March. Impressive waves and wild inhabitants are plentiful. Up close and personal with the otters and brown pelicans of Elkhorn Slough, California's second largest tract of salt water marsh, in the center of the Monterey Bay coast. Witness the annual monarch butterfly migration. Thousands of these delicate creatures take to the air, an overload of yellow, orange and black. From the Monterey Peninsula, the Big Sur coast stretches south for 90 miles to just north of San Simeon on Highway 1. At least two days is needed to explore it's natural splendor.


Bun Bo Hue An Nam, 2060 Tully Rd, San Jose

Day 1

Cheesy garlic fries, Gilroy




17-mile drive, Monterey




Monarch Habitat Sanctuary, Pacific Grove


Seafood pasta w/ artichokes and sundried tomatoes


Monterey's Fish House, 2114 Del Monte Ave, Monterey


King-size bed & fireplace, Blue Lagoon Inn

Day 2

Happy Birthday! Elkhorn Slough, Moss Landing








Photos taken by Duc Phan


Elkhorn Slough photography workshop




Kayak Connection, 2370 California 1, Moss Landing


Phil's Fish Market & Eatery, 7600 Sandholdt Rd, Moss Landing


Lobster roll


Salmon burger






Overlook trail from McWay Falls


McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park






Bixby Creek Bridge, Monterey






Boulder Granite Creek

Day 3



Turtle Rock, Ring Mountain, Tiburon, CA












California Academy of Science
55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

El Paso, TX

Hueco Tanks
6900 Hueco Tanks Road #1
El Paso, TX 79938

5-day trip in Big Bend country region. Known for big skies and abundant night time stars, Big Bend sports high desert mountains, rugged canyons, incredible sunsets and historic sites.

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Day 5