We spent a lot of time walking on the bluffs (where we could see seals, dolphins and sea otters - LOVE them! - below us in the water). This was in the huge dog-friendly Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. I liked the bluffs path best because dogs have to be on leash there. If you go there, there are other trails where your pups can go off-leash.
Most of the rest of the time we spent combing the beaches.
Moonstone beach is really great for beach combing! Here are some of our finds:
We found these 3 heart-shaped rocks. (Which made me think of Mary over at Tales from the Backroads.)
One day we drove further north and just pulled over and climbed down the beach and we had it all to ourselves, so Rita could run free...
She enjoys a dunk in the water.
And then of course you have to shake!
Not everything was beach- or dog-related. Like... here I am enjoying the sunset. I'm enjoying it through the bottom of an empty frosty beer mug.
When we got home I put some of the stones and sea glass we collected in these little fish-shaped bowls that I already have. Now I can look at all our finds every night while we sit in our living room.
It was a fabulous trip and not too far of a drive (less than 6 hours) from San Diego so we'd definitely go again!
Happy Wordless Wednesday! Thanks to BlogPaws for hosting! You can check out all the blogs in the hop here.
It's been a while since I've been up to the Central Coast area. Thanks for the inspiration. (Susan from SoCal) :)
ReplyDeleteHi Susan! Yes, you should go again! Such a nice easy getaway. (Well, once you get past the LA traffic!)
DeleteSounds like a great place for some R&R with a dog. Love those stones too!
ReplyDeleteThere were so many pretty stones! There were all these green ones that looked like jade. I couldn't stop picking them up!
DeleteSounds like a great trip! Love those little bowls full of beach finds....Sort of reminds me of saving a little bit of sand from each beach you have visited that I read about somewhere ;-)
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. I wonder what you're thinking of?? :)
DeleteWe were not too far off from the beach that Alex and Barry went to on their honeymoon. Should have stopped there! Next time!
Looks like you had a fabulous time. Nothing like spending a few days withy our man, your dog, and the water! You go girl....
ReplyDeleteYes, that is a perfect vacation in my book!
DeleteThat sounds like a pawesome holiday :) Milo & Jet
ReplyDeleteIt was totally pawesome!
DeleteLooks like a wonderful trip and what a joy that you could share it with Rita! I also love those fish shaped bowls and stones.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI love it when we go somewhere that Rita can come along!
What a beautiful time you had with Rita and I love what you did with the rocks and sea glass!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteShe was a very good travel companion!
We've had difficulty with trying to comment on your blog lately. Not sure what is going on.
ReplyDeleteNice beach adventure! Do you collect much sea glass? That is a big thing here on PEI. There are shops that make it into jewelry and sell it.
Huh. I wonder what's up with that? I wonder if others are having problems too! I'll never know... since they can't comment!
DeleteI love to find sea glass, but it's SO rare to find it here in So Cal. It's more common though in Central CA. In fact, my sisters and I went to a "sea glass festival" in Central CA a few weeks ago. Lots of folks selling lots of pretty jewelry!
Most of our trips to the ocean eventually end with the dogs finding a rotting seal or fish to roll in. Needless to say the return trip is grim.
ReplyDeletehahaha. Luckily, the one time Rita tried to roll on some seaweed it was at a beach where she needed to be on leash, so I was able to get her away from it quickly!
DeleteLooks like it was a wonderful trip!
ReplyDeletehugs
Mr Bailey, Hazel &Mabel
It was! And it was so much cooler there than it's been here! We wanna go back!
DeleteWhat a nice trip, lucky Rita! We thought of Mary right away to when we saw the heart rocks, yours are so pretty they could be made into jewelry. Love Dolly
ReplyDeleteI'd never found a heart-shaped rock before and we found 3 on this trip! Going to start looking out for them more!
DeleteWhat a beautiful place to visit.
ReplyDeleteIt was really beautiful! And shocking how quiet some of the beaches were!
Deleterita you're as pretty as a model. I am envious of your trip, I just loved Cambria when we went there. I remember a fab little restaurant full of healthy food... I am also envious of the heart shaped stones and the black and white and seaglass. I love that kind of thing. LeeAnna
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that's the same restaurant we almost went to.... We were going to go to this place called Robin's, but unfortunately we were swayed by the better reviews on... I forget if it was Yelp or Trip Advisor for another place so we went there instead and it was really disappointing!
DeleteWow! It's so beautiful there! What a fun vaca! :D
ReplyDeleteIt was fun. I'm ready to go back!
DeleteI always collect rocks when we travel somewhere. I love those you found.
ReplyDeleteThe hubs will usually pick up a rock or two to bring home when we go places. I'm usually a shell girl. We also found some sand dollars there - I love those!
DeleteWhat a fun vacation!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun! Ready to go again!
DeleteCambria is the Latin name for Wales!!! It looks equally as beautiful, though probably a lot warmer!! Those pebbles and little rocks are the kind of thing The Staff collects. She's funny like that!! ;)
ReplyDeleteI did NOT know that about Cambria and Wales. Very interesting!
DeleteBeautiful pictures of Rita on the beach and you got some nice souvenirs!
ReplyDeleteRita had such a good time on the beach! Not like our beaches here - which are almost always full of folks!
DeleteI love those heart rocks!!! What a beautiful place too.
ReplyDeleteI knew you would like those!
DeleteThat's fun!! I love walking on the beach and scavenging for treasures, it's so relaxing. CT being such a small state we don't have a lot of beaches and the ones we do have get quite crowded, so no off-leash doggies there. Still it's my dream to live at the beach. Hey, a girl can dream, right? :-)
ReplyDeleteYeah, the beaches here in So Cal are like that too - crowded and so most are leash-only and most also restrict the hours you can bring your dog. Most beaches can only have leashed dogs on them before 9 am. Such a bummer since Rita and I are lazy and like to get up late!
DeleteCambria? you came to cambria, WI and I missed you. lol I wish our Cambria looked like that place. looks like a great trip.
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Didn't know there was a Cambria, WI. Cambria CA is tough to beat!
DeleteLooks like a lovely spot. And I love the bowls for your beach finds.
ReplyDeleteI like picking up broken shells on the beach. My sister (who's crafty like you and your sister) made it into a mosaic mirror for me. There's even a picture of Honey tucked inside one of the shells.
It's hanging on the boat right now.
If you ever run out of pretty dishes, maybe it's a craft project for you to start.
Hmmm. I do have some shells and little bits of pink coral that washed up on the beach from when we lived in Bermuda. I need something to do with all that!
DeleteThat looks like such a beautiful vacation spot, and what great finds you made on the beaches. So glad you were able to take Rita there and she got to enjoy the beaches so much too!
ReplyDeleteShe had such a good time!
DeleteI love vacations that include our dogs. Without them, the world seems off-kilter. It sure looks like Rita had a blast, especially at the empty beach!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful part of the central coast, and dog friendly!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great trip! I never heard of Cambria before but it looks lovely. We hope to do more traveling with Toby once my husband retires.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an awesome place to relax! I am such a fan of beachcombing. I simply can't resist a pretty shell here, some beach glass there. Love the way you displayed them. And I think it must have been simply fantastic to have that beach to yourselves!
ReplyDelete--Wags (and purrs) from Life with Dogs and Cats