Monterey, CA 2013

Since I'd made a point of starting my weekend by driving past LA on Friday night, I was able to really take my time driving up the coast. Even though I spent over an hour watching the elephant seals, I still had plenty of time to stop in Andrew Molera State Park for a trail ride that went through coast redwoods and right down to the beach.

There's nothing quite like riding a horse through the woods, smelling the ocean getting closer until you can hear the waves over the sound of the wind in the trees. It's magical. Definitely something I recommend.

Once I finally cruised in to Monterey, I had plenty of time to enjoy dinner on the bay and explore a bit to get my bearings for Sunday.

Sunday morning was spent grabbing breakfast at a little cafe in Monterey. I wish I could remember the name of the place, because it was incredible. Then I wandered over to the Aquarium, taking time along the way to take pictures of everything that caught my eye. Wandering down Cannery Row was great fun. Between people watching and stopping to look for seals and dolphins in the bay, it was a very pleasant walk.

Monterey Bay

The Monterey Bay Aquarium didn't disappoint, either. In addition to the interior exhibits, they have an outdoor observation deck, where you can watch for wildlife in the bay, like dolphins and otters (both of which I saw while there).

 Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium