Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach, and Big Sur Road Trip
Holman Ranch in Carmel Valley, California
Hiking: Toro County Park
Lovers Point Beach Day
Thursday was a beautiful day. A perfect day to head to the beach with good friends.
Lovers Point is one of our favorite beach spots in Monterey. There are two little coves. We prefer the one further west, toward the rocks. The one closest to the road has more sand and calmer water. The one we go to has great tidepools at low tide. There are more waves and you need to keep a closer eye on the kids, but there's a perfect vantage point to watch the surfers and kayakers and for spotting sea lions out in the water. The kids love exploring between the rocks for hermit crabs and starfish. Above the cove is a fantastic park for having picnics, there is a beach volleyball court, bathrooms, and you can take a walk along the coastal recreation trail back toward the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row; which is exactly what we did on our last day trip to Lovers Point.
Point Lobos State Reserve
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
North of Santa Cruz is the Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the oldest State Park in California and home to the magnificent redwoods.
It couldn't have been more perfect weather for hiking, although we only did a short 3.83 mile one along the Sequoia and Shadowbrook Trails. The park is beautiful and the twins absolutely loved all of the bridges, the waterfall and the massive trees, especially the ones that they could walk through.
