California's Best Trips 2 - Full PDF eBook

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PillarPoint

Harbor

PACIFIC

OCEAN

GoldenGate

National

RecreationArea

Pedro

Point

Montara

San

Gregorio

Daly

City

San

Bruno

SouthSan

Francisco

SanFrancisco

Pigeon

Point

AñoNuevo

StatePark

Pacifica

Moss

Beach

HalfMoon

Bay

Pescadero

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4

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WXÕ^280

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FG 3

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1 Pacifica

In often fog-bound

Pacifica, the divided

four-lane highway from

San Francisco peters

out at an intersection

overlooking pounding

waves, a portent

of things to come.

Narrowing to two

lanes, Hwy 1 jogs inland

through thick eucalyptus

groves before turning

back to the coast.

Downhill at Pacifica

State Beach, stretch

your legs or surf, and

breath the sea-salted

air. Then swerve up to

Devil’s Slide. Highly

unstable, these rocky

hillsides are crumbling

in slow motion. Heavy

winter storms regularly

close Hwy 1 as parts

drop into the ocean

below.

The Drive » Hwy 1 stabilizes

heading south, which is good,

as you’d probably rather

be enjoying the views than

watching out for a yawning

chasm of doom. In the next 6

miles, you’ll pass Gray Whale

Cove and Montara State

Beaches. In Moss Beach, turn

right onto Vermont Ave, then

follow Lake St to its end.

2 Moss Beach

South of Point Montara

Lightstation, Fitzgerald

Marine Reserve (http://

fitzgeraldreserve.org;

admission free; hsunrise-

sunset; c) is a thriving

habitat for harbor seals

and natural tidepools.

Walk out among the

Along Highway 1

to Santa Cruz

A.lazily.flowing.river.of.tourism,.serpentine.Hwy.1.is.most.

celebrated.for.its.scenic.charms.along.the.Big.Sur.coast..

But.some.locals.says.that.the.most.enchanting.stretch.

of.this.iconic.road.starts.just.south.of.San.Francisco,.

winding.its.way.slowly.down.to.Santa.Cruz..Most.beaches.

are.buffeted.by.wild.and.unpredictable.surf,.making.them.

better.for.tidepooling.than.swimming.or.sunbathing..But.

oh,.the.views!

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