California is fairly big; it is actually the third largest state in the U.S. Its size is equal to countries like Sweden, Morocco, or New Guinea. California is an ideal destination for travelers interested in cruising the Pacific coast highway commonly referred to as the State Route 1. Discover the top six coastal stopovers in the state.
La Jolla is located along the 11 km beautiful Pacific coast in the beachside suburbs of San Diego. It hosts educational institutions notably Salk Institute, University of California, San Diego and the Scripps institution of Oceanography. Notable celebrities like the author of children’s books Theodor Geisel commonly known as Dr. Seuss hails from this town. La Jolla is also home to Torrey Pines Golf Course that frequently hosts the US opens golf tournament. This renowned golf facility has expansive hotels that cater for golfers and the non-golfing visitors.
Oceanside Beach is an idyllic city in San Diego County; it is the third largest with around 185,000 residents. Oceanside pier is the mark of charm and comfort across California. True to its name, the city is all about Oceanside bliss. A visit here is complete after sampling the southern California Beach club resort.
Newport Beach – when in Orange County, this is the place to stay. The city is renowned for affluence with home prices ranging around $1 million. The residents of Newport Beach were the backdrop community in the famous fictional television show called ‘The O.C.’. The city is a posh beach holiday destination with various landmarks like the Shiny Newport center and the Fashion Island. The Pelican Hill resort is among the finest in the town.
Santa Monica is the vibrant gateway to the Pacific Ocean and Los Angeles. Santa Monica hosts approximately 90000 residents of this colorful city. The city marks the west coast end of Pacific way route 66. According to many this is the most famous beachfront town in California. Santa Monica stretches from Pacific Park across Dog Town to Z-boys where Tennessee Williams wrote his Glass Menagerie directed to sweet Rose Creamery.
Santa Cruz is a city within the appealing Mediterranean climate. It is an outstanding viewpoint of the magnificent Pacific coast along the Monterey Bay. The city has approximately 60,000 residents. Santa Cruz is only 120km from the bay area south of San Francisco. It hosts the California Organic Farmers’ Movement and is an ideal stopover for travelers along all Pacific routes.
Bodega Bay is a bay of tranquility suitable for weekend trippers within the bay area. The Bodega Bay City has a flat and rocky pacific coast which offers relaxed environment for those seeking peace. This setting is coupled with the hypnotic crash of the Pacific waves in the shore. The bay is only 120km north of San Francisco within the National Marine Sanctuary.