This final post focuses on beach basics – surf, sand and sky with a few coastal rock pictures. It generally runs from south to north.
We haven’t spent a great deal of time at Southern California beaches. But Emma Wood State Beach is a wonderful exception. It consists of a tiny, rocky beach with campsites right next to a decrepit road right next to the train tracks.
Dave photographing about ten feet from our RV campsite. Later on, a wave caught him while he was composing an image.
Pismo Beach, a quintissential beach town, has all the necessary amenities: seafood, saltwater taffy, surfboard rentals, etc. It also has a nice campground (though our solar panels were stolen the last time we stayed there.) The great thing about the campground is that only a few dunes separate it from the beach. Depending on the tides, a channel can open up, providing fun for those who are willing to wade.
Oceano Beach is a little south of Pismo. There are a lot of dunes in this area and Plovers make their nests on this beach.
A different visit with another ring around the sun.
Montana de Oro is a great place to spend a day along the coast. It has fascinating rock formations.
Heading further north along US-101, you eventually reach Morro Bay. As shown in a previous post, the town landmarks are 3 very high smokestacks. The other large landmark is Morro Rock (the large lump on the right). Surfers also hang out here.
Big Sur, California is justifiably famous. It’s worth visiting but it’s getting more difficult to reach. Winter storms and rain periodically take out parts of CA-1. When you can drive it, each turn of the road displays another small beach or dramatic falloff. It is spectacular.
Pt. Lobos State National Preserve, just south of Carmel, sticks out on a peninsula that has several beaches and overlooks. There are also sea caves.
Besides the crashing surf there are the strange rock formations. Ansel Adams and Edward Weston were among the many photographers who loved this area.
You probably can’t afford a house in this area, but the famous Pebble Beach 17-mile drive is worth the $12 it now costs to drive this road.
Point Reyes National Seashore is a huge area. It’s got a lighthouse. It has Tule elk. It has miles and miles of hiking trails and lots of beaches. It’s very remote and I’d advise spending a couple of days and maybe staying in the nearby town of Inverness.
Jumping to the northern edge of California, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park has a coastline similar to what is seen in Oregon. Dramatic!
The Oregon Coast is fascinating and in some cases, much more accessible than the Calfornia coast. This is Simpson Beach, Oregon, on a stormy day. It has wonderful rock erosion and patterns.
Cape Perpetua, Oregon, allows cars to drive to a very high lookout spot.
Cascade Head, Oregon, is a headland and part of it is a Nature Conservancy protected area.
Cape Meares juts northwest between the Pacific Ocean and Tillamook Bay. We took a leisurely drive around it in 2022. The mudflats and bay provide lots of entertainment.
Ruby Beach, Oregon, is rocky, perfect for stone stacking. (Check out warning signs – stone stacking is now forbidden in some locations.)
Driving across the Astoria Bridge from Oregon to Washington.
After driving a long way up the Washington Coast, we reach my favorite romantic beach. Kalaloch is a magical place with a nearby campground that encourages early morning and late night images.
As the sun sets, this is where my Pacific Coast posts end. I hope you get out there and enjoy it yourself.
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