While Hopland is small, it does feature a surprisingly number of good restaurants. Here are a few we have visited to date: Blubird Cafe has been located in downtown Hopland for years and is our go to restaurant when we find ourselves in town. The service is friendly, the food delicious. Recommended items include the elk burger and the Tuscan salad with the addition of ahi tuna on top. Many ingredients are sourced locally including local beef … [Read more...]
Manzanillo, Mexico – Cuyutlan & Paraiso
Cuyutlan & Paraiso are located 30 miles southeast of Manzanillo. Not built up, a number of smaller fishing villages are located in the region along with several fine seafood restaurants. I like this area compared to the city of Manzanillo because this is rural Mexico and is well-removed from the beaten path of many tourists. It is a popular spot for vacationing Mexican families, many of whom are from Guadalajara. Cuyutlan like several of the … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA – Nearby Towns
Note that despite a fairly small population in Monterey and surrounding communities - during rush hour traffic can be quite bad in and around Monterey - in the Cannery Row area and Highway 1 in and around Sand City. Allow extra time if traveling during these early morning and late afternoon weekday times. Castroville is a small town about 20 minutes north of Monterey - located just off of Highway 1. The self anointed artichoke center of the … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA – Carmel
Carmel is a picturesque small town with a variety of art galleries, boutique hotels and tucked away restaurants. To some people Carmel may be categorized by only two words: art galleries. This town was established in 1904 by a group of artists and writers as a retreat center. The original flavor of the town is still preserved today. It has a unique individuality and small village charm. There are many different architectural styles, many … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA – Monterey Hotels
The prices listed below range from the lowest (the off season rates/single person - 1 room) to the highest (holidays and weekends /double person - one room). 'Motel Row' is situated along part of Munras Ave where motels are stacked up like houses, one after the other. These tend to be smaller one or two story older but well maintained properties, (unlike for instance, "Motel Row" in Tahoe's South Shore). Most are not immediately within a short … [Read more...]
Monterey, CA – More Info
The Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is located at 380 Alvarado St in Monterey, CA 93940. They can also be reached at Phone Number (408) 649-1770. | www.mpcc.com The Carmel Business Association is located at San Carlos between 5th and 6th Streets. P.O. Box 4444, Carmel CA 93921. Their Phone Number is (408) 624-2522. | www.carmelcalifornia.org Pacific Grove is not written about in this article but we have included their Chamber of … [Read more...]
Gold Country, CA – Murphys
Murphys is a quaint tourist town that today is much loved all year round by locals and visitor's alike. There is a lot of gold mining history contained on these streets - young Irish immigrants (and brothers) John and Daniel Murphy were among the early California gold miners and struck it rich near here in 1848 taking out an estimated 2 million dollars in gold ore from the nearby diggings. This was one of California's richest most concentrated … [Read more...]
Spokane, WA – Coeur d’ Alene Attractions
Some of these attractions are within Coeur d' Alene while others are within a short drive. All are listed in alphabetical order. Cruises depart from the Coeur d' Alene city pier with varying departure times depending on the day and time of year. Allow at least 2 hours on the water. A Sunday brunch cruise and a Monday sunset cruise are also offered. Floating Wood Marina is the world's longest floating marina measuring 1.2 kilometers; it … [Read more...]
Lake Tahoe, CA – Parks
Burton Creek State Park is over 1,800 acres and is Tahoe's second largest state park. There are over 12 miles of fire roads for either hiking or biking. This park is open for day use only and is located on Highway 28 just three miles north of Tahoe City. For more information call Phone (916) 525-7982. D.L. Bliss State Park is located 8 miles south of Tahoma on Highway 89. This is a 1200 acre park with 5 miles of hiking trails and 168 … [Read more...]
Lake Tahoe, CA – Hiking, Biking
The following are hiking or biking trails we have explored in the Tahoe Area. As time permits, we will visit additional local trails and provide more information here. Angora Lakes These set of two lakes are located about 10 miles from Emerald Bay. You can either take a car or bike here. Take the Fallen Leaf Road off of Highway 89 on the south side of the road. This is a narrow paved road that skirts Fallen Leaf Lake (about 1/2 mile in … [Read more...]