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Salinas | Pinnacles National Park | San Juan Bautista | Moss Landing | Aptos | Capitola and Soquel
As Highway 1 follows the curve of the bay between Monterey and Santa Cruz, it passes through a rich agricultural zone. Opening right onto the bay, where the Salinas and Pajaro rivers drain into the Pacific, a broad valley brings together fertile soil, an ideal climate, and a good water supply to create optimum growing conditions for crops such as strawberries, artichokes, brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Several beautiful beaches line this part of the coast. Salinas and Moss Landing are in Monterey County; the other cities and towns covered here are in Santa Cruz County.
Getting Here and Around
All the towns in this area are on or just off Highway 1. MST buses serve Monterey County destinations, connecting in Watsonville with Santa Cruz METRO buses, which operate throughout Santa Cruz County.
Salinas
17 miles east of Monterey on Hwy. 68.
Salinas, a hard-working city surrounded by vineyards and fruit and vegetable fields, honors the memory and literary legacy of John Steinbeck, its most famous native, with the National Steinbeck Center. The facility is in Old Town Salinas, where renovated turn-of-the-20th-century stone buildings house shops and restaurants.
Essentials
Train Information
Salinas Amtrak Station. | 11 Station Pl., at W. Market St., | Salinas | 800/872–7245 | www.amtrak.com.
Visitor Information
California Welcome Center. | 1213 N. Davis Rd., west of U.S. 101, exit 330, | Salinas | 831/757–8687 | visitcalifornia.com/attraction/california-welcome-center-salinas | Open daily 9–5.
Exploring
FAMILY | Monterey Zoo.
Exotic animals, many of them retired from film, television, and live production work or rescued from less than ideal environments, find sanctuary here. For an in-depth experience, stay in a safari bungalow at Vision Quest Safari B&B, where breakfast is delivered in a basket by an elephant. | 400 River Rd., off Hwy. 68 | Salinas | 831/455–1901, 800/228–7382 | www.montereyzoo.com | Tours $10; optional post-tour elephant feeding $5 | Tours daily at 1, June–Aug. also at 3.
National Steinbeck Center.
The center’s exhibits document the life of Pulitzer- and Nobel-prize winner John Steinbeck and the history of the nearby communities that inspired novels such as East of Eden. Highlights include reproductions of the green pickup-camper from Travels with Charley and the bunkroom from Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck House, the author’s Victorian birthplace, at 132 Central Avenue, is two blocks from the center in a so-so neighborhood. Now a decent lunch spot, it displays memorabilia. | 1 Main St., at Central Ave. | Salinas | 831/775–4721 | steinbeck.org | $15 | Daily 10–5.
Pinnacles National Park
38 miles southeast of Salinas.
Pinnacles may be the nation’s newest national park, but Teddy Roosevelt recognized the uniqueness of this ancient volcano—its jagged spires and monoliths thrusting upward from chaparral-covered mountains—when he made it a national monument in 1908. Though only about two hours from the bustling Bay Area, the outside world seems to recede even before you reach the park’s gates.
Getting Here and Around
One of the first things you need to decide when visiting Pinnacles is which entrance—east or west—you’ll use, because there’s no road connecting the two rugged peaks separating them. Entering from Highway 25 on the east is straightforward. The gate is only a mile or so from the turnoff. From the west, once you head east out of Soledad on Highway 146, the road quickly becomes narrow and hilly, with many blind curves. Drive slowly and cautiously along the 10 miles or so before you reach the west entrance.
Essentials
Pinnacles Visitor Center.
At the park’s main visitor center, located at the eastern entrance, you can purchase admission passes, get maps, browse books, and buy gifts. The adjacent campground store sells snacks and drinks. | Hwy. 146, 2 miles west of Hwy. 25 | Paicines | 831/389–4485 | www.nps.gov/pinn.
West Pinnacles Visitor Center.
This station is just past the park’s western entrance, about 10 miles east of Soledad. Here you can get maps and information, watch a 13-minute film about Pinnacles, and view some displays. TIP Food and drink aren’t available here, so come prepared. | Hwy. 146, off U.S. 101 | Soledad | 831/389–4427 | www.nps.gov/pinn | Daily 9–4:30, call or check website to confirm hrs.
Exploring
FAMILY | Pinnacles National Park.
The many attractions at Pinnacles include talus caves, 30 miles of hiking trails, and hundreds of rock climbing routes. A mosaic of diverse habitats supports an amazing variety of wildlife species: 185 birds, 49 mammals, 70 butterflies, and nearly 400 bees. The park is also home to some of the world’s remaining few hundred condors in captivity and release areas. Fourteen of California’s 25 bat species live in caves and other habitats in the park. President Theodore Roosevelt declared this remarkable 26,000-acre geologic and wildlife preserve a national monument in 1908. President Barack Obama officially designated it a national park in 2013.
The pinnacles are believed to have been created when two major tectonic plates collided and pushed a smaller plate down beneath the earth’s crust, spawning volcanoes in what’s now called the Gabilan Mountains, southeast of Salinas and Monterey. After the eruptions ceased, the San Andreas Fault split the volcanic field in two, carrying part of it northward to what is now Pinnacles National Park. Millions of years of erosion left a rugged landscape of rocky spires and crags, or pinnacles. Boulders fell into canyons and valleys, creating talus caves and a paradise for modern-day rock climbers. Spring is the most popular time to visit, when colorful wildflowers blanket the meadows, and the light and scenery can be striking in fall and winter; the summer heat is often brutal. The park has two entrances—east and west—but they are not connected. The Pinnacles Visitor Center, Bear Gulch Nature Center, Park Headquarters, the Pinnacles Campground, and the Bear Gulch Cave and Reservoir are on the east side. The Chaparral Parking Area is on the west side, where you can feast on fantastic views of the Pinnacles High Peaks from the parking area. Dogs are not allowed on hiking trails. TIP The east entrance is 32 miles southeast of Hollister via Highway 25. The west entrance is about 12 miles east of Soledad via Highway 146. | 5000 Hwy. 146 | Paicines | 831/389–4486, 831/389–4427 Westside | www.nps.gov/pinn | $10 per vehicle, $5 per visitor if biking or walking | West entrance, daily 7:30 am–8 pm; West Pinnacles Visitor Center, daily 9–4:30 depending on season (check website or Facebook page to confirm hrs). East entrance, daily 24 hrs; Pinnacles Visitor Center, daily 9:30–5.
Sports and the Outdoors
Hiking
Hiking is the most popular activity at Pinnacles, with more than 30 miles of trails for every interest and level of fitness. Because there isn’t a road through the park, hiking is also the only way to experience its interior, including the High Peaks, the talus caves, and the reservoir.
Balconies Cliffs-Cave Loop.
Grab your flashlight before heading out from the Chaparral Trailhead parking lot for this 2.4-mile loop that takes you through the Balconies Caves. This trail is especially beautiful in spring, when an abundance of wildflowers carpets the canyon floor. About 0.6 mile from the start of the trail, turn left to begin ascending the Balconies Cliffs Trail, where you’ll be rewarded with close-up views of Machete Ridge and other steep, vertical formations; you’ll probably run across a few rock climbers testing their skills. Easy. | Pinnacles National Park | From West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station, drive about 2 miles to Chaparral Trailhead parking lot. Trail picks up on west side of lot.
FAMILY | Moses Spring-Rim Trail Loop.
This is perhaps the most popular hike at Pinnacles, as it’s relatively short (2.2 miles) and fun for kids and adults. It takes you to the Bear Gulch cave system, and if your timing is right, you’ll pass by several seasonal waterfalls inside the caves (if it’s been raining, check with a ranger, as the caves could be flooded). WARNING: The upper side of the cave is usually closed in spring and early summer to protect the Townsend’s big-ear bats and their pups. Easy. | Trail begins just past Bear Gulch Nature Center, on the south side of overflow parking lot.
San Juan Bautista
20 miles northeast of Salinas.
Much of the small town that grew up around Mission San Juan Bautista, still a working church, has been protected from development since 1933, when a state park was established here. Small antiques shops and restaurants occupy the Old West and art deco buildings that line 3rd Street.
Getting Here and Around
From Highway 1 north or south, exit east onto Highway 156. MST buses do not serve San Juan Bautista.
Exploring
San Juan Bautista State Historic Park.
With the low-slung, colonnaded Mission San Juan Bautista as its drawing card, this park 20 miles northeast of Salinas is about as close to early-19th-century California as you can get. Historic buildings ring the wide green plaza, among them an adobe home furnished with Spanish-colonial antiques, a hotel frozen in the 1860s, a blacksmith shop, a pioneer cabin, and a jailhouse. The mission’s cemetery contains the unmarked graves of more than 4,300 Native American converts. TIP On the first Saturday of the month, costumed volunteers engage in quilting bees, tortilla making, and other frontier activities, and sarsaparilla and other nonalcoholic drinks are served in the saloon. | 19 Franklin St., off Hwy. 156, east of U.S. 101 | 831/623–4881 | www.parks.ca.gov | $3 park, $4 mission | Daily 10–4:30.
Moss Landing
17 miles north of Monterey; 12 miles north of Salinas.
Moss Landing is not much more than a couple of blocks of cafés and restaurants, art galleries, and studios, plus a busy fishing port, but therein lies its charm. It’s a fine place to overnight or stop for a meal and get a dose of nature.
Getting Here and Around
From Highway 1 north or south, exit at Moss Landing Road on the ocean side. MST buses serve Moss Landing.
Tours
Elkhorn Slough Safari Nature Boat Tours.
This outfit’s naturalists lead two-hour tours of Elkhorn Sough aboard a 27-foot pontoon boat. Reservations are required. | Moss Landing Harbor | 831/633–5555 | elkhornslough.com | $38.
Essentials
Visitor Information
Moss Landing Chamber of Commerce. | 831/633–4501 | mosslandingchamber.com.
Exploring
Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve.
The reserve’s 1,400 acres of tidal flats and salt marshes form a complex environment that supports some 300 species of birds. A walk along the meandering waterways and wetlands can reveal hawks, white-tailed kites, owls, herons, and egrets. Also living or visiting here are sea otters, sharks, rays, and many other animals. TIP On weekends, guided walks from the visitor center begin at 10 and 1. On the first Saturday of the month, an early-bird tour departs at 8:30. | 1700 Elkhorn Rd. | Watsonville | 831/728–2822 | elkhornslough.org | $4 day use fee (credit card only) | Wed.–Sun. 9–5.
Where to Eat and Stay
Haute Enchilada.
$$ | SOUTH AMERICAN | Part of a complex that includes art galleries and an events venue, the Haute (pronounced “hot”) adds bohemian character to the seafaring village of Moss Landing. The inventive Latin American–inspired dishes include crab and black corn enchiladas topped with a citrus cilantro cream sauce, and roasted pasilla chilies stuffed with mashed plantains and caramelized onions. Gluten-free and vegan options are also on the menu. | Average main: $22 | 7902 Moss Landing Rd. | 831/633–5843 | hauteenchilada.com.
Phil’s Fish Market & Eatery.
$$ | SEAFOOD | Exquisitely fresh, simply prepared seafood (try the cioppino) is on the menu at this warehouselike restaurant on the harbor; all kinds of glistening fish are for sale at the market in the front. TIP Phil’s Snack Shack, a tiny sandwich-and-smoothie joint, serves quicker meals at the north end of town. | Average main: $19 | 7600 Sandholdt Rd. | 831/633–2152 | philsfishmarket.com.
Captain’s Inn.
$$ | B&B/INN | Commune with nature and pamper yourself with upscale creature comforts at this green-certified complex in the heart of town. The historic, authentically restored Pacific Coast Steamship building has a parlor and four traditional B&B-style rooms with private baths. The Boathouse, built from scratch in 2003, overlooks a tidal channel filled with birds, seals, otters, and other wildlife. The building’s six rooms have fireplaces, and the bed sets are crafted from retired boats. For the best views (binoculars are provided), ask to stay on the second floor. A nearby structure houses the Admiral’s Suite, a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment on the second floor. Pros: walk to restaurants and shops; tranquil natural setting; free Wi-Fi and parking. Cons: rooms in historic building don’t have water views; far from urban amenities; not appropriate for young children. | Rooms from: $155 | 8122 Moss Landing Rd. | 831/633–5550 | www.captainsinn.com | 10 rooms, 1 apartment | Breakfast.
Sports and the Outdoors
Kayaking
Monterey Bay Kayaks.
Rent a kayak to paddle out into Elkhorn Slough for up-close wildlife encounters. | 2390 Hwy. 1, at North Harbor | 831/373–5357, 800/649–5357 toll free | montereybaykayaks.com.
Aptos
17 miles north of Moss Landing.
Backed by a redwood forest and facing the sea, downtown Aptos—known as Aptos Village—is a place of wooden walkways and false-fronted shops. Antiques dealers cluster along Trout Gulch Road, off Soquel Drive east of Highway 1.
Getting Here and Around
Use Highway 1 to reach Aptos from Santa Cruz or Monterey. Exit at State Park Drive to reach the main shopping hub and Aptos Village. You can also exit at Freedom Boulevard or Rio del Mar. Soquel Drive is the main artery through town.
Essentials
Visitor Information
Aptos Chamber of Commerce. | 7605-A Old Dominion Ct. | 831/688–1467 | aptoschamber.com.
Beaches
FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | Seacliff State Beach.
Sandstone bluffs tower above popular Seacliff State Beach. You can fish off the pier, which leads out to a sunken World War I tanker ship built of concrete. Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best For: sunset; swimming; walking. | 201 State Park Dr., off Hwy. 1 | 831/685–6442 | www.parks.ca.gov | $10 per vehicle | Daily 8 am–sunset.
Where to Eat and Stay
Bittersweet Bistro.
$$$ | MEDITERRANEAN | A large old tavern with cathedral ceilings houses this popular bistro, where chef-owner Thomas Vinolus draws culinary inspiration from the Mediterranean. The menu changes seasonally, but regular highlights include paella, seafood puttanesca, and pepper-crusted rib-eye steak with Cabernet demi-glace. The chocolate desserts are not to be missed. Breakfast and lunch are available in the casual Bittersweet Café. Leashed dogs are welcome on the outdoor patio, where you can order meaty meals for them. | Average main: $27 | 787 Rio Del Mar Blvd., off Hwy. 1 | 831/662–9799 | www.bittersweetbistro.com.
FAMILY | Best Western Seacliff Inn.
$$$ | HOTEL | Families and business travelers like this 6-acre property near Seacliff State Beach that’s more resort than hotel. Six two-story lodge buildings encircle a large pool and lush gardens with a koi pond and waterfall—ask for a room in a building away from the busy restaurant and bar, which can get noisy at night. The decent-size rooms have a fresh—if generic—contemporary look. Pros: walking distance to the beach; family-friendly; hot breakfast buffet. Cons: close to freeway; occasional nighttime bar noise. | Rooms from: $180 | 7500 Old Dominion Ct. | 831/688–7300, 800/367–2003 | seacliffinn.com | 139 rooms, 10 suites | Breakfast.
Flora Vista.
$$$ | B&B/INN | Multicolor fields of flowers, strawberries, and veggies unfold in every direction at this luxury neo-Georgian inn on 2 acres south of Aptos. Innkeepers Deanna and Ed Boos have transformed an 1867 home, a replica of Abe Lincoln’s Springfield farmhouse, adding modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi and spa tubs while retaining the house’s original redwood floors and country charm. Guests wake to a full breakfast—which might include the neighbor’s strawberries—and enjoy a wine, tea, and appetizer spread in the late afternoon. Gracing the grounds are eclectic gardens good for a stroll (something’s always in bloom) and two tennis courts. The inn, on the Pacific Coast Bike Route, welcomes cyclists. Pros: private; near Sand Dollar Beach; flowers everywhere. Cons: no restaurants or nightlife within walking distance; not a good place for kids. | Rooms from: $195 | 1258 San Andreas Rd. | La Selva Beach | 831/724–8663, 877/753–5672 | floravistainn.com | 5 rooms | Breakfast.
Rio Sands Hotel.
$$$ | HOTEL | A property-wide makeover completed in 2015 has made this casual two-building complex near the beach an even more exceptional value. Room options range from standard kings and double queens to suites with sofa sleepers and kitchens. All rooms have microwaves, refrigerators, and free Wi-Fi access. Other bonuses include the spa and heated pool and the barbecue and picnic area. An expanded continental breakfast is served the spacious banquet room. Pros: two-minute walk to Rio Del Mar Beach (Seacliff State Beach is also nearby); free parking and Wi-Fi; close to a deli and restaurants. Cons: some rooms and suites are small; neighborhood becomes congested in summer. | Rooms from: $179 | 116 Aptos Beach Dr. | 831/688–3207, 800/826–2077 | riosands.com | 25 rooms, 25 suites | Breakfast.
FAMILY | Seascape Beach Resort.
$$$$ | RESORT | It’s easy to unwind at this full-fledged resort on a bluff overlooking Monterey Bay. The spacious suites sleep from two to eight people. Each has a kitchenette and a fireplace, and many have ocean-view patios with barbecue grills. Treat yourself to an in-room manicure, facial, or massage, or a bonfire with s’mores on the beach. Pros: time share–style apartments; access to miles of beachfront; superb views. Cons: far from city life; most bathrooms are small. | Rooms from: $300 | 1 Seascape Resort Dr. | 831/688–6800, 800/929–7727 | seascaperesort.com | 285 suites | No meals.
Capitola and Soquel
4 miles northwest of Aptos.
On the National Register of Historic places as California’s first seaside resort town, the village of Capitola has been in a holiday mood since the late 1800s. Casual eateries, surf shops, and ice cream parlors pack its walkable downtown. Inland, across Highway 1, antiques shops line Soquel Drive in the town of Soquel. Wineries dot the Santa Cruz Mountains beyond.
Getting Here and Around
From Santa Cruz or Monterey, follow Highway 1 to the Capitola/Soquel (Bay Avenue) exit about 7 miles south of Santa Cruz and head west to reach Capitola and east to access Soquel Village. On summer weekends, park for free in the lot behind the Crossroads Center, a block west of the freeway, and hop aboard the free Capitola Shuttle to the village.
Essentials
Visitor Information
Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce. | 716-G Capitola Ave., | Capitola | 831/475–6522 | capitolachamber.com.
Beaches
FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | New Brighton State Beach.
Once the site of a Chinese fishing village, New Brighton is now a popular surfing and camping spot. Its Pacific Migrations Visitor Center traces the history of the Chinese and other peoples who settled around Monterey Bay and documents the migratory patterns of the area’s wildlife, such as monarch butterflies and gray whales. Leashed dogs are allowed in the park. New Brighton connects with Seacliff Beach, and at low tide you can walk or run along this scenic stretch of sand for nearly 16 miles south (though you might have to wade through a few creeks). TIP The 1½-mile stroll from New Brighton to Seacliff’s concrete ship is a local favorite. Amenities: parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking. | 1500 State Park Dr., off Hwy. 1 | Capitola | 831/464–6330 | www.parks.ca.gov | $10 per vehicle | Day use daily 8 am–sunset.
Where to Eat
FAMILY | Carpo’s.
$ | SEAFOOD | Locals love this casual counter where seafood predominates, but you can also order burgers, salads, and steaks. Baskets of battered snapper are among the favorites, along with calamari, prawns, seafood kebabs, fish-and-chips, and homemade olallieberry pie. Many items cost less than $10. TIP Come early for lunch or dinner to beat the crowds. | Average main: $11 | 2400 Porter St., at Hwy. 1 | Soquel | 831/476–6260 | carposrestaurant.com.
FAMILY | Gayle’s Bakery & Rosticceria.
$ | CAFÉ | Whether you’re in the mood for an orange-olallieberry muffin, a wild rice and chicken salad, or tri-tip on garlic toast, this bakery-deli’s varied menu is likely to satisfy. Munch on your lemon meringue tartlet or chocolate brownie on the shady patio, or dig into the daily blue-plate dinner—Southwestern skirt steak with corn pudding, perhaps, or roast turkey breast with Chardonnay gravy—amid the whirl of activity inside. | Average main: $14 | 504 Bay Ave., at Capitola Ave. | Capitola | 831/462–1200 | gaylesbakery.com.
Michael’s on Main.
$$$ | AMERICAN | Creative variations on classic comfort food draw lively crowds to this upscale but casual creekside eatery. Chef Michael Clark’s menu changes seasonally, but might include pork osso buco in red-wine tomato-citrus sauce or pistachio-crusted salmon with mint vinaigrette. For a quiet conversation spot, ask for a table on the romantic patio overlooking the creek. The busy bar area hosts live music from Tuesday through Saturday. | Average main: $24 | 2591 Main St., at Porter St. | Soquel | 831/479–9777 | michaelsonmain.net | Closed Mon.
Shadowbrook.
$$$$ | EUROPEAN | To get to this romantic spot overlooking Soquel Creek, you can take a cable car or walk the stairs down a steep, fern-lined bank beside a running waterfall. Dining room options include the rooftop Redwood Room, the wood-paneled Wine Cellar, the creekside, glass-enclosed Greenhouse, the Fireplace Room, and the airy Garden Room. Prime rib and grilled seafood are the simple menu’s stars. Lighter, less expensive entrées are served in the lounge. | Average main: $32 | 1750 Wharf Rd., at Lincoln Ave. | Capitola | 831/475–1511 | www.shadowbrook-capitola.com | No lunch.
Where to Stay
Inn at Depot Hill.
$$$$ | B&B/INN | This inventively designed bed-and-breakfast in a former rail depot views itself as a link to the era of luxury train travel. Each double room or suite, complete with fireplace and featherbeds, is inspired by a different destination—Italy’s Portofino, France’s Côte d’Azur, Japan’s Kyoto. One suite is decorated like a railroad baron’s Pullman car. Some accommodations have private patios with hot tubs. This is a great place for an adults-only weekend. Pros: short walk to beach and village; historic charm; excellent service. Cons: fills quickly; hot-tub conversation audible in some rooms. | Rooms from: $299 | 250 Monterey Ave. | Capitola | 831/462–3376, 800/572–2632 | www.innatdepothill.com | 12 rooms | Breakfast.