Hwy 1
I love Highway 1. It's perfect in so many ways. One great drive we've done starts in Pacifica and heads down to Santa Cruz. Get to Pacifica about noon or 1 pm and then head on down the coast. There's a big surfing beach just south of Pacifica - don't know the name. Stop at Rockaway Bay and be mezmerized by the crashing waves. Stop at beaches that interest you (Pomponio is pretty, as well as Greyhound Rock) or just when you need some fresh air. :)
Head down to Half Moon Bay for some lunch and snacks. Trek over to the Ritz Carlton at HMB. You'll have to ask for a visitor pass at the gate (and the girl is pretty snotty - snooty?- about it), but it's worth it. Park in the garage, head into the hotel and dream about the day you can make enough money to stay here. Take the path heading south and dig your toes in the sandy beaches off the cliffs.
Continue driving south on 1. You'll pass a lot of farmland and depending on the time of year, signs proclaiming fresh strawberries/kiwis/tomatoes/pumpkins/etc. Imagine being a cow and having this as your view every day. Imagine being a migrant worker in the same situation. Try not to get caught in a rockslide.
Stop at the beach before Santa Cruz that looks like this:
I love Highway 1. It's perfect in so many ways. One great drive we've done starts in Pacifica and heads down to Santa Cruz. Get to Pacifica about noon or 1 pm and then head on down the coast. There's a big surfing beach just south of Pacifica - don't know the name. Stop at Rockaway Bay and be mezmerized by the crashing waves. Stop at beaches that interest you (Pomponio is pretty, as well as Greyhound Rock) or just when you need some fresh air. :)
Head down to Half Moon Bay for some lunch and snacks. Trek over to the Ritz Carlton at HMB. You'll have to ask for a visitor pass at the gate (and the girl is pretty snotty - snooty?- about it), but it's worth it. Park in the garage, head into the hotel and dream about the day you can make enough money to stay here. Take the path heading south and dig your toes in the sandy beaches off the cliffs.
Continue driving south on 1. You'll pass a lot of farmland and depending on the time of year, signs proclaiming fresh strawberries/kiwis/tomatoes/pumpkins/etc. Imagine being a cow and having this as your view every day. Imagine being a migrant worker in the same situation. Try not to get caught in a rockslide.
Stop at the beach before Santa Cruz that looks like this:
Wait for the sun to almost set, but make sure you aren't in the car when this is happening. You'll be about 15 minutes from Santa Cruz, but you'd better hurry! Park near the Surfing Museum and rush out to the fences to savor the last moments of sunlight with the assembled crowd. Be still. Head into town for a nice dinner with the locals. If a homeless person asks you for your leftovers, give it to them.
Drive back home through the Santa Cruz mountains. You won't get any scenery because it's dark, but that's ok. You don't want anything to take the place of that sunset.
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