It’s a while’s drive to San José from LA. But when you love to explore, the journey can be really amazing. Especially if you’re driving up the beautiful coast of California! Here’s the log of our trip at each stop…
Before we truly hit the road, we had to nosy on up to The Cold Spring Tavern for some road trip grub. It’s located on the very windy Stagecoach Rd. situated off the beaten paths of Santa Barbara. It is the place to be if you are a biker, traveler (in every sense of the word) or just a true fan of a great piece of meat! (Of course they have vegetarian options, but their meat is especially exquisite if I say so myself.) It’s a truly rustic tavern with traditions and humorous decor – not an adjective one would normally use to describe interior design, but you’ll see what I mean in the pictures below! The most notable part of the visit was the food, of course, but most importantly – the onion rings. They were just to die for and so was their ranch. I haven’t stopped talking about them and it might be a while until I do! In the meantime, join me in drooling at the sight of these amazing beasts ~
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We took our time as we headed up towards Morro Bay. Just through the cute Danish town called Solvang, we visited a nice, humble mission in Saint Inez. I had not been to a mission since I was very young so it was nice to explore the history first hand as I had been told so much about. We didn’t stick around too long, but we loved exploring the well-kept gardens of roses and Californian poppies that graced the graveyards and added a modern touch to the landscape.
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Once we arrived, we upgraded our suite to a full ocean view at the Morro Bay Inn. It was ultimately stunning. There were eerie trees packed with a ton of black long-necked double crested cormorant birds that made the sight more interesting. It’s famous for their wildlife, especially Herons (pictured below). Morro Bay’s nightlife is a little lacking on Thursdays, but I had a great time exploring the beach – especially the next morning when we found time to walk to the giant famous rock of Morro Bay! It’s a bit like the Grand Canyon, much much much cooler in person, and bigger, too!
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Before we embarked on our journey the next morning, we nosied up to Hearst Castle and grabbed us a couple spots to tour the upstairs suites. Absolutely beautiful, it truly was. I think after all that, my favorite feature was the inside pool (picture below) with the stunning gold tiles scattered everywhere. That being said, the rooms were magnificent, elegant and just so timely. Is that a word I should use? I’m not sure. I was a bit sad when we got to the big library which was very stunning. I was sad because, since this is now an attraction, no one gets to use the room as it was once intended. Anyway, here are some photos I took in the dimly lit upstairs.
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After our exploration of a beautiful masterpiece, we were finally on the road again and were forced to ask ourselves, “Do we know the way to San José?” (Quote: Dionne Warwick) We didn’t, but thank goodness our GPS did! (I’m kidding, we actually used old maps and some help from Waze, naturally..) We went up highway 1, the long scenic route, just to enjoy the ride. It was, of course, super stunning. We briefly visited the elephant seals before rushing off again. For lunch, we had an amazing club sandwich in one of the small towns situated on the windy highway 1.
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With our tummies full and our excitment bubbling, we raced off to the bay and finally got to San José a couple hours later. I was very excited to see my future home for the first time! We went straight to the hotel to unload our baggage and clean up before hitting the town for a stiff drink! The next day, we attended Admitted Spartans Day where people like me who are accepted into SJSU got to explore the campus and learn about clubs, departments (in my case, English) and dorms. (I didn’t take many pictures because I was too excited!)
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When that was all over, we decided to go wine tasting and grab a bite to eat at a pizza place! The next day we explored the lay of the land and found ourselves relaxing in a beautiful rose garden, apparently the biggest one around! I wouldn’t refute that if I had to!
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All in all, it was a great trip and I want to thank my mom, Cassandra, for taking me and supporting me through the whole journey! We had a really great time and I can’t wait until June when I go back to visit for orientations and such. I also can’t wait to explore the bay area more because I know it’s not only groovy but it’s also really beautiful!