Starting location: Morro Strand State Beach, Morro, CA – 52 degrees
Ending location: Hearst San Simeon State Park, Cambria, CA – 58 degrees; 1 nights
Miles: 22 miles
Major Stops: Board Walk walk along way and Elephant Seal Beach
Weather: Partly Sunny early with marine layer coming in during day
If you are wondering about only driving 22 miles today, we had hoped to see Hearst Castle, but unfortunately it is still not open after their road washed out two years ago. It is slated to open in May, but alas it is only April. So, we took our time leaving Morro Strand to allow the mist to lift.
Elephant Seals
Just north of San Simeon Hearst campground is a rookery of Elephant Seals. Unfortunately, the marine layer had returned, so it’s not so colorful, but these are very interesting creatures! So here are some facts and pictures of them.
Driving the Coast to Big Sur
The campground at San Simeon was nothing to write home about, so neither Sally nor I took a single picture. We did take advantage of the dump station, however before leaving the next morning.
Starting location: Hearst San Simeon State Park, Cambria, CA – 52 degrees
Ending location: Riverside Campground, Big Sur, CA – 58 degrees; 1 night
Miles: 70 miles
Major Stops: About a hundred pull offs…..at least it felt that way.
Hikes: Around campground
Weather: Marine layer in morning, turning partly sunny in afternoon
I’m not going to say much and let the pictures talk for themselves unless a clarification is helpful. The one thing I will add here, is that in my opinion the pictures do not adequately capture the stunning beauty of this place. It is spectacular!
Riverside Campground
This campground was a major surprise to me. It is an RV park, which I usually shun trying to find state or national campgrounds. From my experience, most RV parks are too densely structured with the campers on cement slabs looking into each other’s windows with all their hookups and TV’s going. They are generally not very pretty but offer the amenities of pools, etc. So, when we had to drive down this very large hill into a redwood forest after collapsing my mirrors to fit between two large trees coming to this bridge, I was amazed at the beauty! You can see Clarice in the picture, so you know we made it across the bridge! It was a bit hair raising!
Fred and I had a private tour of Hurst Castle and even ate lunch on one of the varandas a few years ago. Our friend John worked with the sister of the executive secretary to one of the big wigs and got us the tour. What a place! Sorry you missed it. We encountered the mud slides near there too.
Wow, what a great opportunity, Joyce! I’m so glad you got to do that. Looks very interesting.
All I can say is WOW! And the seals are so fun to watch. I am so glad you are having such a great time!
🙂 Thanks, Tammy!