Westside Reader August 2015

30 • Westside Reader
August 2015
Gold Country Helwig Winery
is located in a part of Newport Beach called the Balboa
Peninsula. It is a popular fishing spot and a great place to
take in the view.
From the SCV Newport Beach is (my preferred route) about
two hours away via I-201 and I-605 S.
8. Morro Bay
The town's most striking feature is Morro Rock, a 576 foot
high volcanic plug which stands at the entrance to the harbor.
Originally it was surrounded by water, but the northern
channel was filled in to make the harbor. The Rock, as locals
call it, was quarried from 1889 to 1969. Public access is
Finding accommodations for the long holiday weekend
might be a challenge, but they can be found.
Once you get to Big Sur here’s a few ideas on what to do.
1. Want a short hike with a huge reward? The ½-mile/1-km
round-trip Waterfall Overlook Trail at Julia Pfeiffer Burns
State Park could be the biggest-bang-for-not-much-work.
McWay Falls is an 80-foot waterfall located in Julia Pfeiffer
Burns State Park that flows year-round.
Originally the waterfall cascaded directly into the ocean but
after a 1983 fire and 1985 landslides, the topography of
McWay Cove was altered, forming an inaccessible beach.
5. Just chill. Seriously. Turn off the Smartphone, iPad and
Kindle and just … “be.”
10. California Gold Country
A visit to Columbia State Historic Park (11255 Jackson St.,
Columbia, CA 95310) is like traveling back in time to the
1850s and the California Gold Rush.
This park presents the Gold Rush in living, breathing color.
Costumed docents lead tours of this carefully preserved
Mother Lode town, the state’s second largest city at the
peak of the Gold Rush. In addition, these folks live and work
here in a variety of period-appropriate shops and trades.
Big Sur McWay Falls
Big Bear Kayaking
Morro Rock
restricted, as the rock is peregrine falcon reserve. However,
the area around the base of Morro Rock can be visited.
The rock is also sometimes called “The Gibraltar of the Pacific.”
There’s lots of wildlife from otters to birds to be spotted
around Morro Bay.
In addition, Morro Bay offers miles of unspoiled beaches,
nature trails and Morro Bay National Estuary.
Plan to visit Morro Bay State Park (60 State Park Road,
Morro Bay, CA 93442) and The Museum of Natural History.
From the SCV Morro Bay is about three, to three and half
hours, away via US-101.
9. Big Sur
Getting to Big Sur takes a while, but it is worth the long
drive. From the SCV it should take you about five and
a half hours without fuel or rest stops if you go
straight up the I-5 then bounce over to the 101. (Follow I-5
N to Kern County. Take exit 278 from I-5 N, Get on
US-101 N in Paso Robles from CA-46 W, Follow US-101 N to
Abbott St in Monterey County. Take the Abbott St
exit from US-101 N, Take CA-68 W and CA-1 S to your destination.
The waterfall now meets the ocean when the tide is in. For
directions visit
www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_mcwayfalls.html.
2. Drive over the Bixby Creek Bridge, a bridge you’ve seen
in dozens of movies TV shows and commercials. The bridge,
opened in 1932, is located along State Route 1. It is one of
the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world and
one of the most photographed bridges along the Pacific
Coast.
3. Love lighthouses? Visit Point Sur State Historic Park and
Lighthouse. Pt. Sur Lighthouse and its supporting lightstation
buildings, stand atop a dramatic volcanic rock just offshore
in Big Sur. This historic aid-to-navigation has a
modern aero-beacon which still guides ships along the
treacherous Central California Coast. It is on the National
Register of Historic Places and a California landmark. Pt.
Sur can be visited by guided walking tours year round.
4. Drive down the Old Coast Road. However, make sure you
have the car for this adventure. This is mostly a dirt road
with ruts, high rocks and other obstacles. The views are
amazing, but it can be a white knuckle experience for the
timid. It is best to have AWD at least, if not a 4x4. The recommended
route is just near the Bixby Bridge toward Andrew
Molera State Park in Big Sur.
Catch a ride on an authentic stagecoach, order a cold, locally
made sarsaparilla soda in a Western-style saloon, or
feel the heat in a working blacksmith's forge. There’s also a
Wells Fargo express office and other relics of California's
early mining days. No cars are allowed inside the “town.”
Free historical tours of the park depart from the museum
weekends at 11 a.m. (weekdays too, mid-June until
Labor Day).
Other adventures in California Gold Country include wine
tasting along the way. Nestled in the Sierra Nevada
Foothills is the unique wine district of Gold Country. Wineries
litter historical Highway 49 and it is a great way to sample
the distinct flavors of the region. Gold Country is home
to more than 40 wineries, many of them family-owned and
producing celebrated vintages. Generally smaller than their
Napa-Sonoma counterparts, Gold Country wineries attract
fewer visitors and consequently provide more access to information
about the winemaking process, insights that are
sometimes shared by the vintners themselves. The atmosphere
is low-key and laid-back, and tasting fees are typically
non-existent. For a wine tasting map visit
www.californiatouristguide.com/gold-country-wineries/.
From the SCV Columbia is about five hours via CA-99 N.