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It's been a hot minute since our family took a true road trip. Quick trips to Palm Springs and Laguna Beach don't really count. I'm talking about packing up the pets, stocking up on road snacks and mapping out destinations. That's what we decided to do to get our safe, social distance road trip in for the summer. We decided not to go with an RV like a lot of families are doing for a few reasons. One, both times we tried to rent an RV it fell through. And also, we were planning to travel some narrow and winding highways and didn't feel comfortable doing that in our first RV driving experience.
Sunny Cove Beach in Santa Cruz.I have always wanted to visit central California. I sounds so dreamy and I imagine the photo opportunities would be off the charts (always thinking about my Instagram). So we started in Santa Cruz which was about a 5 hour drive from LA. We drove through a ton of farmland and had lunch in Gilroy, the garlic capitol of the world. Then headed north to Santa Cruz. I have to say, we weren't super impressed with Santa Cruz. I thought it would be more of a beach community but it was really run down in the areas we visited. Maybe there was a more picturesque part but we didn't see that.
The Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz.Our first stop was The Mystery Spot! This kitschy destination has been on our radar for a while and we finally made it. Here's how the website describes it:
"The Mystery Spot is a gravitational anomaly located in the redwood forests just outside of Santa Cruz, California. It is a circular area of effect around 150 feet or 46 meters in diameter. Within the Mystery Spot you will be stunned as your perceptions of the laws of physics and gravity are questioned. But don't take our word for it, come and decide for yourself!"


Wear a mask if you go The Mystery Spot while coronavirus is on the loose!We had no idea what was happening inside but I took a fun video and got great pictures while we were there. Channing was fascinated and thought the whole thing was really cool. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area especially because it's only $8!
Santa Cruz Boardwalk, July 2020.We went to the Boardwalk but almost everything was closed because of the coronavirus. We stayed at a cute hotel near the beach called Ocean Echo Inn and Beach Cottages. We got the "suite" because it was the biggest space but it definitely wasn't roomy. It was quaint and had a great front porch area with faux grass.
Sunny Cove Beach in Santa CruzIt was also a short walk to Sunny Cove Beach which we thought was lovely. But at night a lot of sketchy characters were starting to fill up the cove so we left as the sun was setting. Overall not a bad place to stay and pretty far removed from the more public beaches.
Lover's Park in Monterey Bay.We headed out the next morning and drove through Monterey Bay, Carmel-by-the-Sea and headed south on highway 1 towards Big Sur. We were in the clouds or a thick fog bank for most of the drive but it was still very pretty. And cool! I couldn't believe how cold the weather was for early July. But I think that's because we are used to sweating our pants off in SoCal from about May to October.
Ribs platter at Big Sur Smokehouse.We had an excellent lunch at Big Sur Smokehouse right off the highway. It was pricey but some of the best barbecue we've had in a long time. So, worth it.
Pfeiffer beach in Big Sur.After lunch we went looking for Pfeiffer Beach, a hidden beach off the highway that's only accessible via a one lane road. You have to veer to the side as much as possible in order to let other drivers pass. And if the small parking lot at the end of the road fills up, you're out of luck. You can go down the road if there is nowhere to park. We got lucky because 2 cars were pulling out as we were going in.
Purple sand on Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur.If you don't know about Pfeiffer Beach,