Activities in Big Sur + Monterey Bay

Tour the 17-Mile Drive—preferably in a convertible—around the legendary Pebble Beach Golf Links, ogling fantasy mansions with ocean views.

Take a kayak tour ($50) of the bay from Cannery Row.

The University of California at Santa Cruz mascot, the banan slug, adorns hats, mugs, t-shirts, and other goodies at the campus store.

Although the 12-mile trail takes about six hours, moderate hikers can easily handle it (pick up a map at the ranger station before starting out).

The hike through Big Sur is challenging with lots of switchbacks.

The old canneries made famous by John Steinbeck are now filled with shops, restaurants, and galleries.

Don’t miss this out-of-the-way (and out-of-the-ordinary) vineyard, which specializes in Rhône Valley varietals (think Grenache and Mourvèdre) and stoc

The old-time candy shop is a sweet-lover's inspiration.

That they serve garlic ice cream is no surprise in the garlic capital of the world, where the annual Garlic Festival dazzles garlic lovers with food,

Along with a sparkling strand and a gently honky-tonk wharf, Santa Cruz has a boardwalk graced with the Giant Dipper—one of the oldest wooden roller c

Tour Hearst Castle, perched high on La Cuestra Encantada (“the enchanted hill”) nine miles north of Cambria. The closest thing California has to a gra

Poke into this charming shop for exquisite French antiques and linens.

Deep within Los Padres National Forest, Pfeiffer Beach is a surreal mix of purple sand, giant redwoods, sycamores, and oaks. Offshore, a smattering of

This winery is a best bet for educational tastings and tours. Travelers can visit the wine caves and a ISOSCELES Library 120 feet underground. Tasting

Stop here for the best carne asada around.

Splurge on a romantic balloon ride over the vineyards.

Start, of course, with the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Its Splash Zone, an interactive exhibit for kids, recently doubled in size—now you can walk “through

Stock up on house-made sausages and organic greens to bring with you on the hike.

Everyone will love Piedras Blancas, one of only three traditional tower-style lighthouses in California.