After checking out the views from the top of the mountain, we drove over Tioga Pass thru Yosemite NP, stopping to take in the beauty of Touloumne Meadows. Exhausted but thankful, we welcomed our dinner and comfortable beds for the next 3 nights at Rush Creek Lodge. Consequently, this family-friendly hotel was one of the highlights of our entire vacation, complete with zip lines, slides and outdoor games, complimentary nightly s'mores, and multiple dining options. Our very comfortable 2-bedroom villa was not at all cheap, but oh so nice!!
As comfortable as this place was, I was not going to stay and play there all day when Yosemite was calling! Only 2 miles from the west entrance, it still took an hour to get down into the valley each day, but we were awarded with amazing views in every direction! The first day, we took the John Muir trail to Vernal and Nevada falls; 2,000 feet of upwards climb, but Rachel trekked it like a pro! On the second day, I had booked a tour bus to take us up to the famous Glacier Point (a good thing because there was zero parking there!), and we hiked down the Four Mile Trail back to the valley. It was lucky we were able to visit before the fires came. I hope these amazing places will be protected; Yosemite is such a treasure!
Getting a late start the next day, we drove south, stopping to enjoy fresh fruit near Fresno in the Central Valley. It was amazing to see mile after mile of produce being grown to feed America! We finally made it to Kings Canyon NP and stopped to pay tribute to General Grant, the second largest tree by volume in the world. Continuing on to our hotel in Three Rivers, alas, the windy roads were too much for poor Rachel, and her stomach.
We spent the next full day in Sequoia NP, starting at General Sherman, the largest tree by volume in the world. From here, we followed portions of the Congress and Crescent Meadows trails on a peaceful and secluded 3-mile walk through the most massive sequoias in the world. Leisurely enjoying the solitude, walking along with my favorite people, reflecting on how small I am, and stopping to enjoy a picnic lunch, this was one of my most favorite hikes ever!
We also climbed the steep staircase to Moro Rock for amazing mountain views and brushed up on our tree knowledge at the Giant Forest Museum.
Back in the car the next morning, we passed hundreds of miles of produce farms, finally enjoying a late lunch at Folktail Winery and Vineyards in Carmel Valley. Post refreshment and a very nice tasting menu, we drove a bit further to Portola Hotel and Spa in Monterey, where we enjoyed some downtime and an easy stroll along the shore to see the pelicans and elephant seals. My kids were thankful for a day without hiking!
Wanting a day with less driving, we chose to explore the city of Monterey and surrounding areas. Driving the famous 17-mile Drive, we stopped to take in the beautiful coastal views and sealife and to oogle the numerous mega-mansions along the way. Stretching our legs with a short hike afterwards, we explored trails at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. I spent the afternoon doing much-needed laundry, then walked around Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinbeck's novel. To end our day, we enjoyed a fabulous seafood dinner at Passionfish.
The next day, we drove south along the coastal road, soaking up the sun and sights along Big Sur. We made stops at the famous Bixby Bridge, then traveled to Andrew Molera State Park to walk the beach trail, where we discovered some driftwood shelters, beautiful ocean views, and even a starfish! We enjoyed late lunch at Nepenthe, which combined great food with amazing coastal views.
The following day, we drove to Santa Cruz, dropping Mark and Adam off at the Santa Cruz factory for a demo mountain bike ride. Meanwhile, the girls and I had fun exploring the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Here we got to touch various sea creatures, view the full-size skeleton of a blue whale, and even see some rescued bottle-nosed dolphins! Before picking up the boys, we headed to the boardwalk and rode the historic Giant Dipper, opened in 1924.
Driving to our final stop, Hotel Bijou in downtown San Francisco, we only barely returned our rental car before closing time! The next day, we rode the streetcars and explored the sourdough bread factory and touristy Pier 39 before catching our cruise to Alcatraz. All of us really enjoyed the informative audio tour through the cell block, as well as walking around this historical landmark. (It was especially fun to visit since we all just watched Escape from Alcatraz, starring Clint Eastwood!)
On our last full day, we took a guided bike tour across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, returning by ferry. We enjoyed the journey (mostly), despite the fog, low-quality bikes, and the very crowded bridge. Back on the city side, we had a few hours to get our science fix at the fabulous, hands-on Exploratorium, though we could have easily spent all day there! One final meal to cap our adventure (Brandy Ho's) before flying back home in the morning. We're sure to be "goin' back to Cali" again!
