Our post Christmas and New Year trip this year took us with friends to Monterey (where we pretty much did the same itinerary as last time ) and as they headed to the airport we crossed California to Yosemite National Park. The plan was swim in the sea in the morning and play in the snow in the afternoon. But, alas, weather had other ideas. Monterey was too cold and rough seas for a dip, and the winter snow was yet to arrive in Yosemite. Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View We made a quick stop...

We returned to Monterey for a post Christmas visit, we pretty much did the same itinerary as last year: https://www.justadventure.uk/post/monterey-bay-in-winter  but with the addition of heading down the Big Sur road. This is a classic California road trip. The whole stretch has been closed since 2023 and was due to reopen in March/April 2026 and before I got a chance to write this blog the road reopened early! I would say hurry, get out there before the next landslide but in real life I am a...

Our final stretch took uu back into Californai and the mighty Redwoods — we kayaked the crystal-clear Smith River, hiked amongst giants, collected Junior Ranger badges. We ticked off 3 more movie locations As we wound south through Mendocino, Bodega Bay, and finally across the fogged out Golden Gate Bridge and the end of our trip. Two weeks, 2,300 miles - done! We woke at Kamp Klamath to the dawn chorus at 5am and snoozed until the sun came up. I’ve since learned that the Klamath River has...