Exploring the California Coast

The longer that I live in Southern California, the more appreciation I have for the entire state, especially the coast. I’m pretty sure whatever type of nature you are looking to adventure in, California has it in abundance. When I wasn’t having the time of my life on board the Royal Princess, I was taking in the incredible scenery that the California Coast has to offer, and every stop left me feeling inspired and hungry for more (literally and figuratively, as you’ll soon come to find!).

The first stop on our voyage was to the San Francisco and after a short drive we found ourselves immersed in the beautiful and historic, Muir Woods. This place is covered in red wood trees and the trails seemed to go in all directions. I was amazed at how deep the woods went for being so close to such a major city and it totally reminded me of the trees that I grew up with in Washington.

Bennett and I walked the trails as far as we could and these pictures do not do justice to how tall these trees actually are. I was in a constant state of bliss, surrounded by towering skyscrapers that smelled like your favorite holiday candle (my dream).

Bennett and I left Muir Woods with our tour group and made our way out of the forest and into the small town of Sausalito for lunch. When the excursion was over we took our gear and headed to Baker Beach just west of the Golden Gate Bridge. I couldn’t think of a better place to watch the sun set after a day of exploring.

The second stop on our trip was to the town of Monterey, which is just south of San Francisco. The marine layer came in STRONG and I was there for it. We took the 17-Mile Drive and went by some of the most beautiful cypress trees I have ever seen. The picture above is known as the Lone Cypress Tree and they say that it is possibly 250 years old! As an added bonus to this day trip we were able to check out the world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Course. Our tour ended in the quaint and historical town of Carmel By The Sea and if you are looking to have some of the best enchiladas and margaritas of your life, head over to Pescadero!

On our third stop we got to have a little slice of home in San Diego. Bennett and I went on a culinary food tour with an emphasis on tacos (yes, please and thank you). The tour took us to historic areas and great food spots all around San Diego. Our favorites included Pour Vida for coffee and Salud for tacos, both are right by Chicano Park. Our last stop of the day took us to one of my all-time favorite parts of San Diego - Old Town. I can’t say enough amazing things about this area, except that you can’t go wrong with the margaritas from just about anywhere!

The fourth and final port that we went to on the California Coast Cruise was Ensenada, Mexico! I have only ever been to Wine Country in Ensenada in the past, so this was very exciting for me. Once again, Bennett and I opted for a culinary tour in hopes it was really going to be a taco tour - we were not disappointed. The first place we stopped at was called Tacos Marco Antonio, and had the most authentic shrimp tacos I have ever had.

Our next stop was La Guerrerense, a place that Anthony Bourdain would come to whenever he was in town, and the ceviche was pretty life changing. Not to mention the vibrant and colorful atmosphere, which gave me major home decor inspiration!

After some wine tasting with our tour group we found ourselves at Bullos Place which, as it turns out, have the best fish tacos on the planet. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day in Ensenada than to dive into the most authentic parts of the city with hilarious tour guides, and with as many tacos as possible, of course. The mango margarita was equally special, both sweet and a little spicy, and helped me say goodbye to such a perfect day.

The stops along the way on our cruise were not only gorgeous but we had the opportunity to experience each place to the fullest. The weather was in our favor the entire time and the food was INSANE. There were so many memories made and we already want to head back to Ensenada for fish tacos round two!

Be sure to check out my California Coast Cruise vlog below for a closer look at our trip!

This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises