• about
  • City Guides
    • Europe
      • Czechia
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Scotland
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
    • Canada
    • Caribbean
    • Middle East
    • New Zealand
    • USA
      • Atlanta
      • Chicago
      • COMO
      • Dallas
      • Destin
      • Kansas City
      • Los Angeles
      • NYC
      • Orlando
      • San Francisco
      • Seattle
      • St. Louis
      • Waco
      • South America
  • Tips + Tricks
  • Lifestyle
    • Blogging
  • shop

round trip travel and lifestyle blog

California Road Trip: San Francisco, Big Sur, Monterey & Stanford

April 18, 2018
Pin
Share
Share
Tweet
0 Shares

West Coast, Best Coast, am I right? In some ways (weather), yes, in other ways (housing economics), probably not. But the beautiful thing about vacationing on the West Coast is that you almost exclusively enjoy the positives and need not even worry about the negatives. Such was the case with my recent adventures on the West Coast, where I left the perpetual rain and gray that has plagued the Midwest and escaped to the sun and blue of Central California.

This was my first trip to the Bay Area, and my only past experience with California was with the beaches and concrete jungle called Los Angeles last July. I had a blast in L.A., though my impression of Cali was limited to the hyper-urban culture of L.A. — perfect weather, minimal nature.

Pacific Highway

With my most recent visit, though, I was able to see some of the natural beauty that does exist in California, and they call it Big Sur. To get there, you take Pacific Highway 1. Pacific Highway 1 is unlike many other highways in that you don’t dread the driving portion of the start-to-finish journey. Unlike massive interstates filled with frustrated daily commuters, Pacific Highway 1 is a two-lane, curvy road matching every contour of the Pacific Ocean, with the vast expanse of water on the West and steep hills and cliffs on the East. It is a drive to enjoy; the drive becomes part of the vacation and not simply a connection from point A to point B.

The Pacific West of Highway 1 California

Big Sur

Highway 1 enters Big Sur, which is more or less an undeveloped coastline a couple hours south of San Francisco, possessive of large ocean boulders and beautiful hillsides and trees. My first day in California, three friends from Stanford and I ventured south on 1 towards a trail and campsite. Along the way is the picturesque 86-year-old Bixby Bridge. We admired for a few minutes and captured a moment in time with a picture before carrying on to the trail.

Bixby Bridge West Coast California

After ascending 2,500 feet, we set up our tents and cooked up a stew for dinner and watched the sun fall behind the edge of the Pacific before retiring for the evening as the only ones on top of the mountain.

Big Sur California TravelBig Sur California Camping Travel

Those precious moments engrossed in serenity are not forgotten easily; it must be because of their rarity. Part of them stays on that mountain and the other fragments float around the seascape of the mind and pop up into sight every now and again for years and years.

The next morning, we hiked down the mountain (basically slid down for a few stretches) but made it back to the vehicle with a sense of pride and accomplishment. We were conquistadores, but it was time to move on to the next adventure. Our car frolicked along Highway 1 again, and we had to stop at Bixby Bridge just one more time to soak in the view. It was another perfect California day, and a small crowd of people was hanging out at the bridge taking pictures, painting pictures, and engraving mental pictures of the towering bridge and mammoth ocean at its feet.

Big Sur San Francisco California Travel

Carmel by the Sea

We came to a touristy area called Carmel by the Sea. Carmel brands itself with a sort of boujee tourism that replaces cheap t-shirt booths and drink stalls with hip art galleries and gourmet fooderies. It has a relaxed vibe, reminiscent of Sedona, Arizona, if you’ve been there, but with a few more nice watches and a cooler temperature. I stopped in a coffee shop and immediately loved it because “Mr. Brightside” was playing over the speakers. And the coffee was good, too, which helps.

Monterey

Onward to Monterey. We spent the afternoon kayaking in a slough filled with seals and sea otters. These are truly intriguing mammals. I could (and did) sit and observe them dip, duck and dive into the slough waters for hours, having the time of their lives.

It was meal time, and when on the sacred water, I suppose it is sacrilegious to not eat seafood. A guy at the kayak place recommended going up the road to Phil’s Fish Market, and his recommendation was validated. I went with the swordfish and was well-satisfied.

Phil's Fish Market Monterrey California TravelPhil's Fish Market Swordfish Monterrey California

We hopped north to Monterey Beach and stood at the edge of eternity, tossing a frisbee around as the sun started fading into its evening amber. Waves are poetry.

Santa Cruz

The next morning, Wednesday, we continued back to Stanford. On our way, we stopped into Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria in Santa Cruz County. Even for a Wednesday, Gayle’s was hopping. I passed up on my typical order of black coffee and opted for a latte with the sole purpose of taking a basic latte art picture for Round Trip. It had to be done. Stop by Gayle’s if you are in the area—good coffee and great-looking pastries.

Gayle's Bakery and Rosticceria Santa Cruz Stanford

Stanford

Back at Stanford, I walked around the campus, and it is beautiful as advertised. The most striking feature on the campus is an old, beautiful church. Built in 1903, Stanford Memorial Church stands in the heart of campus and has beautiful stained glass and carved quotations on the walls. The lawns are immaculate, and palm trees line most of the walkways.

San Francisco

That night, the gang went to San Francisco (or as the locals call it “S-F”). We took the classic pictures at the Golden Gate Bridge (which is a worthwhile national icon to visit). Downtown SF is a little too fast-paced for my liking, but Pier 39 is a good area to walk around to confirm your Instagram caption of “I went to San Francisco.” The baseball nerd in me was satisfied to drive past AT&T Park, and I am intent on catching a game there at some point down the road.

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco CaliforniaPier 39 San Francisco California Travel

The next day, it was off from sunny SFO and back to rainy STL. A great week in the books. More great weeks to come in this wild, wild world. I’m stoked to be a part of it.

This is a guest post from fellow writer Ryan Blake. All photos courtesy of Ryan Blake.

Author Signature

Share with a friend & save for a future adventure!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Pin
Share
Share
Tweet
0 Shares
0
3 Comments

My Fave Finds

Previous Photo Diary: Girls’ Weekend in STL
Next 7 Road Trip Essentials For Your Next Adventure

Related Posts

Our Day Trip to Long Row Lavender Farm

10 Best Restaurants at Disney World

How to Plan a Road Trip in Iceland

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jane Lurie says

    July 31, 2018 at 12:23 am

    Excellent road trip! Big Sur is amazing.

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      July 31, 2018 at 4:46 am

      Glad you enjoyed it. Happy traveling, Jane!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 7 Road Trip Essentials – round trip says:
    April 25, 2018 at 10:04 am

    […] refreshing, productive time.  Whether you’re road tripping through the south of France or along the West Coast, here are 7 road trip […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Bonjour

Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
learn more about my story

Ad

Top Posts & Pages

  • 50 Most Used French Verbs to Know + Free Flashcards
  • My Weekend Trip to Bordeaux, France
  • bonjour
  • 40 Things to Do in St. Louis
  • The Beginner’s Guide to Universal Studios

About

Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
learn more about my story

Want free access to my 30-minute travel budgeting course?

A staycation truly isn’t the worst thing when yo A staycation truly isn’t the worst thing when you live in southern France🙈😂

☀️This weekend I had a college friend come visit me in Marseille. I showed her some of my favorite spots for walking, biking and obviously ice cream-eating🍦 We hiked to one of my favorite spots, la calanque de Sugiton. Can’t recommend it enough!

⛴And together we explored some spots I’d never been to either. We took a boat to a nearby island, it’s casual💁🏼‍♀️ And we tried an Asian food spot I’d passed countless times but hadn’t gotten around to trying. It was life-changing tbh😋

I’ve had lots of people ask me, what are you doing with your 2-week vacation in February? And I said, hanging near home. And that ain’t a bad thing! The past week of nearby exploring, sleeping in, submitting my taxes (super sexy right?), taking walks along the beach and living life *even* more slowly — this is exactly what I needed🥰
Let's talk crushes😍Ever been somewhere that giv Let's talk crushes😍Ever been somewhere that gives you butterflies in your tummy and a warm sensation in your heart? Truly all the signs of a crush, but it's a place, not a person.

🛤️This weekend I visited Bordeaux for the first time, and let me tell you, I am ~CrUsHiNg~ This charming city sported a vibrant attitude, and its cobblestone streets leaked hints of modernity and irreverence. @ToriHantak and I strolled the streets, and we just looked at each other and said, "I am in love with this place."

💗From the kindest wine shop owner who was eager to chat about our move to France to the cute, old man at the boucherie who jokingly invited himself to our charcuterie night, Tor and I were smitten.

🍷We drank wine in our jammies, ate ice cream in a bubbly square and sauntered along La Garonne. For a few moments, life felt normal. Two young twenty-something gal pals running around southern France, giggling endlessly and getting impromptu piercings.

💟Ever have those moments in crush-worthy places that send you into an enchanting trance? I will cherish this dreamy Bordeaux weekend with a sweet college friend.
__
#bordeaux #bordeauxcity #bordeauxfr #bordeauxfrance #bordeauxwine #citycrush #countrycrush #francophile #francophone #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #tapif #tapifusa #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #teflteacher #chaseyourpassion #doyourthing #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k #vivelafrance #franceprofonde #lafrance #crushing #crushinghard #loveisintheair
Do we have any adrenaline junkies here?🙋The one Do we have any adrenaline junkies here?🙋The one who loved the thrill of the high diving board growing up? The human who loves being thrown every which way on a rollercoaster? The person who wants to skydiving for their birthday?

💥Sometimes I like that adrenaline rush, but when it really comes down to it, I like being comfortable. It's so much easier to stay in the familiar: the same routine, town, friends, furniture arrangement.

😐It's really hard to step outside your comfort zone and do something hard, even if you know it's good for you. But that's where growth and discovery happen!

Last year, I moved to France to teach English. Yes, during a global pandemic🙈 

😶The months of waiting and preparing were tough. Would I still get to go? Would my dream of living in France come true? Would I be able to make friends in a pandemic? Was I crazy to move 4,000 miles from home during a pandemic?

And when I finally boarded my flight, I still wasn't sure how it would turn out. It could've been une catastrophe, truly. But even with the bumps and bruises, I have reaped a much bigger reward than if I'd stayed in the comfortable + familiar.

⭐It ain't perfect, but I'm living my dream. And that is worth the leap of faith!

 #blogginglife #dametravel #dametraveler #blogger #girlswhotravel #travelquotes #quotes #inspirational #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #quotable #antibes #antibesfr #francetravel #france #tapif #assistantdelangue #tapifusa
One year ago, @torihantak and I were in a freezing One year ago, @torihantak and I were in a freezing cold queue line to get into crowded, sweaty bar👀 Just a few weeks before the world turned upside down.

We’d taken several French classes together and recently submitted our TAPIF applications to teach English in France.

We dreamed that night with our fun French exchange pal @manon_salgues about all the amazing adventures we’d have in Europe together over our hard apple ciders and vodka Sprites.

Wow, a lot can change in a year🙈 A year later, Tori and I find ourselves in Bordeaux eating ice cream, eating charcuterie + cheese, and soaking up the southern French sun. 

Sure, this year hasn’t looked the way we expected, but what a sweet privilege it is to look back and see how our leap of faith has allowed us to follow our dreams.

Je suis trop reconnaissante pour les amis comme Tori avec qui je peux rêver et vivre la vie française✨
Say YES more💯A few weeks ago, I was bopping aro Say YES more💯A few weeks ago, I was bopping around LinkedIn, which isn't too typical these days. I happened to notice that there was a connection recommendation for a girl I went to high school with. I didn't know her too well in high school — I can't recall any specific conversation or even a certain class we had together — but her title was English Teaching Assistant.

🤔Intrigued, I popped onto her profile and saw she too was doing the #TAPIF program. I slid into the LinkedIn DMs and said, hey it's been a minute, but I think we're doing the same thing!

💬We quickly connected on WhatsApp and decided to meet up in Lyon this past weekend. We drank good wine, ate amazing Thai food, saw the sights and froze our lil booties off in the snow.

🌎Quel petit monde ! The world is a lot smaller than we give it credit for. Don't be afraid to say yes and to slide into someone's LinkedIn DMs because you might just make a new friend, or rather reconnect with an old acquaintance.

#lyon #lyonfrance #lyonfr #slakecoffee #slake #france #quelpetitmonde #smallworld #itsasmallworld #blogeuse #dametraveler #snow #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #tapifusa #highschool #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #sayyes #americansabroad #americanabroad #americansinfrance #americaninfrance #ouioui
How has travel grown you as a human?🌏 Travel h How has travel grown you as a human?🌏

Travel has introduced me to people from literally all over the world. I think about the summer I spent in Toulouse, France, where I lived in a « foyer » , which is basically a long-term hostel.

🇺🇸I was the only American. It was hard at times when it came to feeling at home, language and culture wise. But it was unbelievably cool to have neighbors from all👏over👏the👏world👏

I lived, dined and block partied with people from Poland, Syria, Uzbekistan, China, Spain, Germany, Comoros, Guinea — the list goes on and ON!

It helped me understand that my way of life was not everybody's way of life. And that's not a bad thing! It was so special to make friends from all over the world, and that experience gave me perspective. Stepping out of your comfort zones through travel + cultural immersion is truly one of the best ways to grow💯

 #blogginglife #dametravel #dametraveler #blogger #girlswhotravel #travelquotes #quotes #inspirational #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #quotable #nice #nicefr #francetravel #tapif #assistantdelangue #tapifusa
Home decor pro tip: Repurpose what you already hav Home decor pro tip: Repurpose what you already have💯

🌴When I traveled to Nice, I picked up a map of my French department, and it just sat in my armoire for months. I just didn’t know what to do with it, until I got my shelf. 

🗺️I had this inkling of an idea to put the map behind the open shelf. And I immediately fell in love with its muted yet classy touch to my shelf. I simply taped my map to the back of the shelf; consider layering another if it’s not long enough. Subtle yet chic (*queue the track of the Grinch saying "ooh, ahh, mmm" iykyk)

✅Styling tip: Pick a road map, any road map. And simply use clear tape to create a backdrop for your open bookshelf.

Link in bio has other ways to decorate your home with maps + where you can find similar shelves to create this look✨

#homedesign #homedecor #wanderlustinspo #interiordesign #shelfdesign #shelfideas #maps #map #roadmap #roadmaps #designidea #designideas #bedroom #bedroominspo #livingroom #livingroominspo #globe #traveladdict #travelhome #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder10k
Copyright © 2021 round trip
Theme by SheShoppes
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.