Things to do / Travel Guide
“I wish they all could be Californian” sounds a little skewed when the topic is outdoors recreation, and the region is the central California coast. There's so much already, there's no need for more. Picturesque and grand are the watchwords for this region, as San Francisco is one of America's most picturesque cities, Big Sur is truly grand, you couldn't get more picturesque than Napa Valley if you were dreaming, grand doesn't begin to describe the Golden Great Bridge. All the usual suspects - hiking and biking, kayaking and canoeing, diving and snorkeling, fishing and golfing, and the others - are in top form in this coastal region.
Hiking around San Francisco
The hills of San Francisco are epic, and this feature makes the city particularly walkable and bikeable. The manifold switchbacks, such as those on the famous Lombard Street, will make you think you're climbing Yosemite's Half Dome, not walking a local city hill. Moreover, you can spend days exploring the city's parks, such as the Presidio and Golden Gate Park. Needless to say, these two are great for city biking, and pack views of the Pacific and of the grand downtown.
Biking around the San Francisco Bay Area and Napa Valley
A very popular bike route involving the parks is from Golden Gate Bridge to Lake Merced, covering Golden Gate Park and crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, and coming to end at Lake Merced.
Did you know you could bike Napa Valley? One of the best ways to get around the famed wine country of Napa Valley is to hop on a two-wheeler and peddle around the many miles of paved and rural bike trails, like the Silverado Trail, that abound through the area. Another favorite in Napa Valley is a balloon trip, where often the balloon operator will land you at the winery of your choice. Bounding or floating through the hilly countryside sipping wine sounds better than anything they might have done in the movie “Sideways.”
San Francisco is located at the head of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which extend down to Salinas. The whole way down, it's nothing but endless hiking and biking routes, such as the Skyline to the Sea trail. Great state parks to visit on or near the San Francisco Peninsula are Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Cascade Ranch State Park, and Castle Rock State Park. Oh, are there more!
Castle Rock, in addition to the hiking and biking, contains some challenging boulders - amongst the live oaks and madrone trees. Castle Rock itself is perfect for a good climb, and it offers panoramic views of all the other protruding rocks in the park.
Past Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea we reach a very special area, which in many hearts and minds is one of the last untouchable frontiers of the U.S. This is Big Sur, where the ecosystem changes as abruptly as the Santa Lucia Mountains rise from the Pacific shore, and where amidst the jagged ups and downs, in one eyeshot, you'll see both giant redwoods and stalwart cacti. There are numerous biking and hiking opportunities on this fantastic strip, and numerous creeks and coves to explore.
Kayaking around Big Sur
Speaking of coves, another great way to experience Big Sur is by kayak. Big Sur by kayak or canoe provides an epically exotic adventure, punctuated by steep, tree-topped peaks and breathtaking, panoramic views. The gentle and ever-rising fog, and the 10-15-knot winds, make Big Sur seem a little enchanted; and with 90 miles of coastline, you'll have your work cut out for you searching for your favorite haunt.
Fishing around Big Sur
Then finally there's fishing, another Big Sur attraction. You can fish for steelhead along the Big Sur River into the sea, and once there, fish for some tasty rainbow trout. You might also catch some errant salmon. Places to go fishing in Big Sur are the ever popular Pfeiffer Beach, as well as Jade Cove, Sand Dollar Beach, and Point Lobos. Just south of Big Sur, head to Morro Bay for pier fishing: You might reel in sole, albacore, halibut, and rockfish.
Kayaking and Fishing around the San Francisco Bay Area
Back north, San Francisco Bay is quite kayak-able, and fish-able. The whole of the bay is your playground, and don't think you'll just see tall buildings and posh residential areas. There are islands to explore, like the famed and feared Alcatraz, and Angel Island. And kayaking beneath the Golden Gate Bridge is worth the plane ticket alone.
Fishing in around San Francisco can be very rewarding as well. Fish that can be reeled in from the Pacific Ocean and the Bay Area include rock fish and ling cod, and many fishing boat operators offer salmon runs.
Diving in the Central California Coast
Let's not give short shrift to diving, which in fact is a region al favorite on the outdoors-enjoyment circuit. The big three places to dive and snorkel are Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Big Sur. In Monterey, the waters teem with sea kelp forests, and don't be surprised if from the boat you also run into sea mammals such as whales, sea otters, and sea lions. In Santa Cruz, go find Greyhound Rock, a huge beach cove that remains largely unvisited. Underwater, you might see crabs, sponges, large sea urchins, big green anemones, and iridescent abalone shells. One of Big Sur's big attractions is Jade Cove, where you can pick out little bits of jade from the sand.
Golfing in the Central California Coast
Up for golf in the beautiful weather of the central California coast? Can it get any better than golfing right on the Pacific coast, as in SanFran's Harding Park, where Tiger Woods won the 2005 American Express Championship; or Pebble Beach, where you must play once before you die? Didn't think so.
Surfing at Half Moon Bay
Surf's up, at the all-star Half Moon Bay, where you can catch waves up to 25 feet tall. The place to be is Mavericks, if you're idea of fun is to tempt fate as you surf through potentially hazardous conditions. Farther south in the central region of the Golden State, Morro Beach and Pismo Beach near the piers offer some fine, shapely waves.
So there you have it, folks, an all-American region where the vicinity is just about as pretty as the Beach Boy's famous “California girls”. It's the perfect region to get out of your car and just explore, or find an isolated beach and snorkel, or bike your heart out. And after a nice hard couple-days of vacation, what better than a cool and refreshing Napa Chardonnay? The central California coast won't let your down.
Outdoor Recreation in San Francisco Bay Area, Carmel, Napa Valley, Central California Coast
Outdoor-Sports-Recreation
Half Moon Bay Beach - California
Point Reyes National Seashore Beach - California
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