Vacation Destination - Monterey Bay, California

Jun 17th Vacation Destination – Monterey Bay, California

Point Pinos Light House

The first RV trip of the season took us to Northern California, wine country for a family reunion. I was shocked to see how brown California is from the several year drought they’ve suffered. What struggle that state is facing. Then it was out to the coast of Monterey Bay and the aquarium. The ocean breeze and moderate temperatures were refreshing. To finish the trip, it was north to Wyoming visiting friends and their parrots. After two weeks we were homeward bound, exhausted but content. When did vacations become so much work?

Monterey Bay, just typing the name makes me feel all relaxed, cool and misty. Surprisingly, this year I saw more sun and 70’s than mist and 60’s. Even sat outside around the campfire a few times enjoying s’mors, good friends and hot chocolate. The Marina Dunes RV Park in Marina was a great place with wonderful people and only a 10 minute walk to the beach.

The weather was a welcome change from the so wet, I can’t get my garden planted, to the cold so forget the garden altogether of Colorado. But I have to admit on our road trip to California through Wyoming, Utah and Colorado were the greenest I have ever seen. The down side was a foot tall lawn, but it was green and three foot high weeds upon our return to Colorado.

Octopus Click out the Octopus clip to the left.

But I digress; the Monterey Bay Aquarium was fantastic as always. I could spend weeks there, rather than a day. Guess it’s a good thing I don’t live in Monterey, I’d get nothing done but visit the aquarium and walk the beaches with the family Chow Chow on lead and parrot in her back pack pet carrier. And maybe, just maybe, if I lived there, I would finally get to tour the Point Pinos Light House. Over the years we have been too late, too early, wrong day, wrong season…well you get the picture and this year was no different. One of these days, I’m going to get it right. LOL

Next time, kayaking the bay behind the aquarium will be on the agenda. It looks like so much fun and lets you get up close to the inhabitants of the area. No, not to close as in to disturb them, just a good look with great photo opportunities.

A few blocks from the aquarium, an ocean front Mexican Restaurant was our food stop more than once. In a window seat, I watched the seals and otters frolic in the waves then crawl up on a rock to sun themselves. Sitting on the rocks, gulls protected their nest from interlopers and took turns soaring over the ocean to grab a bite to eat.

Ocean View Blvd from Cannery Row around the point to Sunset Drive are where my husband and I found the greatest tide pools, teaming with sea creatures. Okay, I admit it had to check an app on my phone for high and low tide times to avoid being drenched by those sneaky waves rolling in. Or worse yet, have my feet swept out from underneath me and landing in a tide pool; you can bet, there would be a lot of disgruntled sea creatures. When I was a kid, I knew that stuff by heart and didn’t need it in land locked Colorado.

The next adventure closer to home will find us in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, another longtime favorite. Ever been to Twin Lakes in Colorado? We are headed there also, check back for pictures. Until then happy camping!