U.S. Pacific Coast
From historic Victoria, B.C. down to the rugged coastlines of the Monterey Peninsula.
Seattle, WA
rainy days & coffee culture
2 days were spent in downtown Seattle leisurely exploring the local shops and attractions.
Space Needle
An icon to Seattle and a symbol of American aspirations towards technological advancements. A nearly 30 second elevator ride with a guide on board pitching the history of the tower, leads to a 605 ft aerial view of the city.
Pike Place Market
Live music from street performers “buskers” fill the main floor rows of fish, produce and floral vendors. The traditional throwing of the “first catch of the day” continues (top right). The Lower floor and surrounding alleyways (not pictured) is an underrated part of the market which holds some eclectic shops (home to over 500 businesses), stops (famous gum wall) and museums (Seattle Museum).
Waterfront Park
A brief walk from the market leads you down by the river to the Waterfront Park. A few good eats and shops are located here, as well as the “Great Wheel” and the Seattle Aquarium.
Columbia Center
Located in the financial district of Seattle, this 76-story office space provided the most spectacular views of the region. One short elevator ride up to the sky view observatory, truly gave a larger perspective of the coffee capital of the world.
Seaside, OR
A sunny resort city filled with museums, dessert parlors, old fashion arcades, and a beautiful beach. A perfect city for a day trip with fun for the whole family.
Cannon Beach, OR
Known for Haystack rock famously made by the 1985 comedy “The Goonies.” Cannon Beach is a gem of Oregon with its delicious food, gorgeous long sanded beach and sea caves and of course it’s fun and inviting atmosphere.
Sausalito, CA
As we walked the palm-lined paths, brightly colored homes tucked in alongside the hilltops with fishing boats skimming the bay gave the impression we were in southern France. The temperature reaching just below 80°f felt just just as sweet as the Gelato ice cream everyone was craving. Walking towards a lookout point across the bay was Belvedere Island (pictured top right and bottom middle) and looking south gave a mysterious silhouette of San Fran (bottom right). Though the itinerary called for an hour here, it was a paradise anyone could live a lifetime in.
Muir Woods National Monument, CA
To reach Muir Woods Redwood Forest, its a 20 min drive along a zigzagged path up a mountain that has a 1000 ft drop-off. This protected forest was tucked away up in the mountains with trees hundreds of feet tall that stretched for miles. This is the place where one can reconnect and feel rejuvenated. Those who trekked through the paths were quiet. Only nature was talking.
San Francisco, CA
An iconic city known for it’s liberal lifestyles, golden gates, and memorable movie appearances. Our cruise itinerary began around 8 am with a tour first to Muir Woods National Monument and then the Golden Gate bridge (top right). After our excursions, we had about a day and a half to freely explore downtown. Steep roads with trolleys, tall multi-colored buildings covered in murals, eclectic shops and music pouring into the streets. 75°f and sunny in Fisherman’s Wharf, we found a bite to eat and discovered the old Musée Mécanique with it’s antique coin-operated arcade games. This spot was showcased by the movie series “Princess Diaries” with Ann Hathaway, Julie Andrews, and the arm wrestling machine (middle right). About a mile from the mechanical museum, the closer you walk towards Pier 39, you’ll soon find about 100 sea lions sunbathing on floating wooden pallets. Watching them bark and push each other off into the water, seeing who can find the prime real estate is pretty entertaining. San Fran has so much to offer and although we only took port here for a day, a week would do this city more justice in immersing the traveler in west coast culture.
California 17 Mile Drive
The 17 mile drive is a scenic route covering the Monterey Peninsula. The first official stop was in Monterey at Old Fisherman’s Wharf. A little downtown strip for shopping and a few fishing boats with their catch of the day.
Driving past the popular Pebble Beach golf course (top left), we made a stop at Bird Rock Vista Point (top middle and right, bottom left). The rugged coastline filled with wildlife from an array of birds to sea lions perched on top of the rocks. Not too far from Vista Point is the Lone Cyprus Tree (bottom middle) where a lookout point (bottom right) is found hovering over the crashing pacific waves below it.
The final stop on our 17 mile drive ended in a small beach city known as Carmel-by-the-Sea. With so many different attractions such as museums and reserves, we spent the evening in the shopping district enjoying the night out.
Victoria, B.C
As we traveled south from Oregon down to California, the itinerary ended in a larger Canadian capital rich in history and culture. Personally, I found the capital to be incredibly charming. Everything was well preserved from the castles and museums, to the little shops and statues. As you walk through the streets, and see the totem poles, the Queen Victoria statue, and the older hotels and parliament buildings, there is sense of respect for it’s history and the people that inhabited the land.
