California Central Coast

There are many small towns that dot the coast of California as you drive along Highway 1. While we were in the central coast we stopped at a few of them during this trip. We based ourselves in Cambria at the Fogcatcher Inn, which is located just across the street from Moonstone Beach. There you can stroll along the 1.5 mile boardwalk that gives you great views of Moonstone Beach and the ocean, as well as some encounters with ground squirrels that may pop up along the boardwalk.

The coastal town of Cayucos is where my cousin had her wedding. Its downtown area is quite cute and you can get some fresh cookies from the Brown Butter Cookie Company. Their original brown butter sea salt cookie is one of the best I have ever tasted. You can hit the beach or walk out along the pier for a great view of the town and any surfers trying to catch a wave.

Further south along Highway 1 is Morro Bay, where you can get up close to Morro Rock via Coleman Park. The rock dominates the coast line so it was nice to be able to walk around part of its base for a different perspective.

Finally, if you head north to San Simeon you can visit not only Hearst Castle, but also the elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas. We were able to see hundreds of elephant seals lying on the beach as it is currently molting season. It was such an amazing sight and one of the highlights of the trip.