Pack: a beach picnic bag + blanket, jacket, comfy shoes to climb down rocks in, and water.

• Davenport Beach (aka San Vicente Beach): Located on Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) directly across the street from Roadhouse Inn Restaurant and Bar. Visitors swear it's one of the best local beaches for finding sea glass.
  Cabrillo Hwy and Ocean St Davenport, CA 95017   Free Parking
• Abandoned Pier: Built by the Santa Cruz Portland Cement Company, this abandoned pier looks like the skeleton of beach days gone by. You can swing from the first pillar arch during low tide. Spoiler Alert: It's a dangerous doozy to climb down too though. You can only access it by climbing down a steep cliff with a rope. If you don't want to risk your life (like me) you can enjoy the view of the pier from the bluff on the left of the beach. It has beautiful views of the pier, ocean, and surrounding bluffs and a great place to catch a sunset (like these photos).
  9812 Cabrillo Hwy, Davenport, CA 95017  Only Accessible During Low Tide 
• Whale City Bakery: This in-house boutique bakery and full espresso bar comes with patio seating with ocean views and live music several nights a week. They also serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.
  490 Highway One, Davenport, CA 95017  Open Everyday 6:30am-8:00pm 
• Swanton Berry Farm:
  Stop by for some fresh berry pies, strawberry shortcakes, delicious hot soup, strawberry lemonade, strawberry apple cider & more! Enjoy these treats in their sheltered stand over a boardgame or a good read. If you feel like picking your own, it's $4.50/lb for 0-10 lbs and $3.50/lb for 10+ lbs. The weather is quite variable on the coast so they recommend bringing farm appropriate layers and footwear (warm grubbies and closed toed shoes - there may be mud). Organic U-Pick Strawberries ~ May- September.
  25 Swanton Rd. Davenport, CA 95017   Open Everyday 8am - 7pm
• Slow Coast Davenport Airstream Store: Formerly a vintage 1954 Airstream, this tiny shop is now full of local artists’ and farmers' wares and goods for you to peruse (my personal favorite is the local goat cheese). You can spot the Airstream between The Davenport Roadhouse restaurant and the Bonny Doon Winery tasting room.
  450 HWY 1, Davenport, CA 95017   Open: 7 days a week weather permitting 11 to 5pm
• Pescadero: Be sure to stop through the sleepy little beach town. It really shows off the charm of a small Northern California coastal village. I've already done a "Where to Go This Weekend: Pescadero, California" series on The Abstract Life, but it should still be considered for a Slow Coast stop. 
• Pigeon Point Light Station / Hostel:
  My Aunt used to work here and it has fond memories for me as I stayed here as a child when I visited her. It's a beautiful location with views that can't be described. Lots of whale watching and wild flowers scattered everywhere. There is a museum, vista point, hostel travel lodge, and picnic area. 
  210 Pigeon Point Rd, Hwy 1, Pescadero, CA 94060  (P) (650) 879-2120  Hours: 8am-Sunset

• Pigeon Point Light Station / Hostel:
  My Aunt used to work here and it has fond memories for me as I stayed here as a child when I visited her. It's a beautiful location with views that can't be described. Lots of whale watching and wild flowers scattered everywhere. There is a museum, vista point, hostel travel lodge, and picnic area.
  210 Pigeon Point Rd, Hwy 1, Pescadero, CA 94060  (P) (650) 879-2120  Hours: 8am-Sunset
• Downtown Local:
  ADORABLE coffee shop / unique general store boutique that is decorated and curated so distinctively I keep coming back to it as my first stop in town always. Bonus: This is where I first discovered Etta + Billie-my favorite local "Farm to Bottle Skincare."
  213 Stage Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060    (P) (650) 879-9155     Hours: 8AM–5PM
• The Pescadero Flowery: I only just discovered this place on my last visit and it charmed my socks off! I adored the set up, merchandise, business ethics, and flowers themselves. What a little local gem! HIGHLY recommend!
  251 Stage Rd, Rear Field, Pescadero CA 94060     (P) 650-206-0808
• Downtown Farmers' Market:
  Pescadero grown hyper-local farmers’ market. All the fruits, veggies, and grass-fed beef are grown or raised within a few miles of the market and support the local agricultural community.
  350 Stage Road, Pescadero, CA 94060 (P:) (650) 879-1691 Thursdays 3-7pm, June-October
• Arcangeli Grocery / Norm's Market:Great Italian style deli / grocery. Perfect place to pick up picnic supplies for the beach. Best breads / baked goods (not GF) and deli style meats and cheese. My friend Nancy got two scones from them and was woebegone she didn't get more (and she doesn't even LIKE scones!!!)
  287 Stage Road, Pescadero, CA 94060   (P) 650.879.0147 
• Duarte’s Tavern:
  This my boyfriend's favorite. He grew up coming here during the summer; getting their crap melt sandwich (he highly recommends it!). Duarte's has been a staple of Pescadero since 1894. The vibes are casual with wood-paneled walls and an adjoining dive bar.
  202 Stage Road Pescadero California     (P): 650.879.0464    Hours: 7am – 8pm Daily
• Bean Hollow State Beach:
  Otherworldly rock formations and tide pools. My favorite beach for wildlife viewing! My boyfriend and I once sat in our car in a thunderstorm and watched two otters play in the waves and kelp for a couple hours.
  11000 Cabrillo Hwy, Pescadero, CA 94060-9763   (P) (650) 726-8819   Hours: 8am-Sunset
• Swanton Berry Farm:
  Stop by for some fresh berry pies, strawberry shortcakes, delicious hot soup, strawberry lemonade, strawberry apple cider & more! Enjoy these treats in their sheltered stand over a boardgame or a good read. If you feel like picking your own, it's $4.50/lb for 0-10 lbs and $3.50/lb for 10+ lbs. The weather is quite variable on the coast so they recommend bringing farm appropriate layers and footwear (warm grubbies and closed toed shoes - there may be mud). Organic U-Pick Strawberries ~ May- September.
  25 Swanton Rd. Davenport, CA 95017   Open Everyday 8am - 7pm
  *NOTE: Coastways Ranch (their Pescadero location) is now closed for the 2017 season but this Davenport stand and picking area is still open (not far from Pescadero). 
• Costanoa Lodge: A large, eco-conscious resort in the middle of Pescadero. The lodge offers everything from a spa, a charming general store, cool cabins and tents to stay overnight, and on site activities.
  2001 Rossi Road at Hwy 1 Pescadero, CA 94060

Carmel River State Beach
Carmelo St, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923
Directions: From Highway 1, head west on Rio Road (one mile south of Ocean Avenue). Turn left on Carmelo Street to access the parking lot.
Mile-long beach perfect for birding, picnicking, and watching the sunset.

Carmel Valley Coffee Roasting Co
316 Mid Valley Center, #157
Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923
Typically open 6am-6pm
Great coffee, French-rustic atmosphere, fresh baked pastries, and small indoor seating area. 

Da Giovanni
5th & 6th Lincoln Street
Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921
Typically open 5pm-9:30pm
Gourmet Italian menu (with allergy friendly accommodations), romantic ambiance, extensive wine, and a dog-friendly patio.

Where do you like to take day trips? 
Do you have any Carmel local gems you can share for our next trip? 

I recently visited Santa Cruz with my boyfriend and it was a wonderful day trip. We started the day early and drove down from downtown San Jose over the Santa Cruz mountains. It took about an hour and was pleasant drive. I suggest you leave early or will be sitting in beach traffic and it can be very tedious. If you get there early you can also find street parking and use the parking app, Parkmobile. It's cheaper than parking lots and better than the other option of parking in a neighborhood and walking for miles to get to the beach.

Once we arrived we had breakfast at a quaint little breakfast spot, Beach Street Cafe. It is located directly across from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Cocoanut Grove. We didn't realize it at the time but it's a very popular local breakfast and lunch spot and is a landmark of Santa Cruz. It was one of the original buildings in the town at the turn of the century and has a lot of character and signs of its history. There is a tiny sliver of ocean view, depending where you sit. The food was fine, nothing especially exciting. However, their wonderful orange juice and mimosas are something to indulge in! I mostly enjoyed the cafe because most of the Santa Cruz spots seemed very commercial and "beach town" themed and, to be frank, a little kitschy. It is a small oasis in the madness of beach and boardwalk hustle and bustle.

Tip: Make sure you write your name and party size on the clipboard at the front of the building where the doorway is outside. They will call your name twice and if you aren't there they will cross you off and let the next people on the list in, so make sure you are within hearing distance of the doorway.

The cafe features one of the largest Maxfield Parrish print collections in the United States. I loved the antique, simple touches and art. Maxfield Parrish, born in Philadelphia in 1870, was one of the most well known artists at the end of the 1800's/early 1900s. His illustrations were featured in numerous magazines at the time. Parrish's successful career continued until his retirement at ninety one. He died only four years later, at ninety five in 1966.

Fun story: Half way through breakfast we ran into one of our really good friends from the Bay Area that I was going to hang out with that evening. She was there for a day trip as well with her infant son to meet friends for brunch at the cafe. They ended up joining our table because the wait was so long and we got to have an impromptu friends brunch. It was such a pleasant, serendipitous surprise.