Highway 1 in photos

by Elizabeth Seward on

My first drive down Highway 1, properly called State Route 1, was during the summer of 2007. My two best friends and I constructed a loft bed in our van and we took off driving down the coast… from the tip of Oregon and, eventually, down to San Diego. Images from the trip, in my mind and in my photo albums, have regularly sent me into a west coast reverie. Now that my most recent birthday is fresh under my belt, I think I spent the celebratory weekend well: driving up Highway 1 this time.

I didn’t get to go far, but the picturesque drive is one for the savoring, no matter how short. So I savored what I could get. My first attempt at driving up the Highway 1 was cut short because of flooding. When I approached the highway the second time, I nervously drove my uninsured rented car through a foot or two of moving water and I crossed my fingers, hoping that’d be the last of the flooding. And, for the most part, it was. And then I spent a day driving up the coast, trying to keep my eyes on the road.
For the sixth day in a row, incessant rain had been predicted. But the sun came instead of the rain that day and photographer Ben Britz and I drove. And we stopped to take photos. And we continued driving and stopping until the sun went down. Here are some of the photos from the trip.

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Photos by Ben Britz

Video: Albino Redwoods, a biological mystery

by Elizabeth Seward on

I recently spent 10 days exploring Northern California, magnetized by every patch of Redwood trees I saw. This wasn’t my first trip to the area and it won’t prove to be my last, either. There’s something especially magnificent about Redwood trees. The limits of their growth are widely still unknown, but at their recorded tallest height (379 feet), the Giant Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) family includes the tallest trees on Earth.

Although I’ve been home for a couple of days now from the trip, I’m still finding myself at the mercy of web searches related to these trees. An admittedly semi-mindless YouTube trolling session this evening brought me to this well-shot and knowledgeable video focusing on Albino Redwoods. These special trees baffle scientists. All I can think is… I wish I’d made a point to check out these ghost-like trees in person. If you’ll be in Redwood territory soon, take note.

5 great domestic adventure destinations

by Kraig Becker on

Back in early January we posted our suggestions for the best adventure travel destinations for 2011, with places like Ethiopia, Croatia, and Guyana all earning a nod. While we gave plenty of praise to those exotic locales, we also gave a big tip of the hat to the good ole’ U.S. of A. as well. We went on to espouse the virtues of adventure travel right here at home, which includes not only plenty of great destinations but also the ability to visit them without breaking the bank in the process.

So, whether you’re into climbing mountains, hiking trails, or paddling whitewater, here are five great domestic adventure destinations guaranteed to fill your need for an adrenaline rush and help you conquer that wanderlust in the process.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
It may be hard to believe, but the state of Michigan is actually home to a spectacular wilderness area that has a lot to offer the adventure traveler. The Upper Peninsula, or “U.P.” as it is known, is the perfect setting for outdoor enthusiasts year round. There are hundreds of miles of trails to be hiked or biked in the warmer months and during the winter they serve as excellent cross country skiing or dog sledding routes as well. Paddlers will enjoy the Lake Superior coastline, which offers an experience not unlike sea kayaking, while campers and backpackers will appreciate the dense, but beautiful, state and national forests that are found throughout the area. Wildlife is in abundance as well, with black bear, deer, wolves, coyotes, and many other creatures inhabiting the wilderness as well. Perhaps the best reason to visit the U.P. however is for the solitude. The peninsula makes up about 1/3 of the entire size of the state of Michigan, but only about 3% of the state’s total population actually lives there, which means there are plenty of wild spaces and few people to bump into on the trail.
Yosemite National Park, California
One of the most spectacular outdoor playgrounds in the entire world is located right in central California. Yosemite National Park is well known for its spectacular scenery that features towering granite cliffs, sparkling clear waterfalls and streams, and thick forests that include groves of Sequoia trees. The park has more than 750 miles of hiking trails alone and whitewater rafting along the Merced River is also a popular summer time activity. In the winter months skiing, both downhill and cross country, are permitted within the parks boundaries, and snowshoeing is a fantastic way to explore the wilderness as well. Yosemite also happens to be home to some of the best rock climbing in the world, with the legendary El Capitan drawing climbers from across the planet. That rock face isn’t for beginners however, and if you’d prefer an easier way to the top, you might want to consider hiking up Half Dome, another one of the parks major attractions, instead.

Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming
Often overshadowed by other national parks in the area, Wyoming’s Grand Tetons National Park is a spectacular destination in its own right. With more than 200 miles of hiking trails, it is an ideal destination for backpackers. But less experienced hikers beware, due to its combination of remote backcountry and altitude, it can be a challenging place to explore. The park also happens to be bisected by the Snake River, which provides world-class fly fishing opportunities and easy kayaking as well. Mountaineers love the remote nature of the Teton Mountains, which afford them real opportunities to test their alpine skills on any number of challenging peaks, including the 13,770-foot Grand Teton itself. The park has plenty to offer wildlife spotters too. While visiting, keep your eyes peeled for moose, grizzly bear, wolves, coyotes and much much more.

Maine’s North Woods
For considerably easier, but no less satisfying, mountains to climb, look no further than Maine’s North Woods. The region is a dramatic, and mostly untouched, wilderness that is a fantastic destination for hikers and backwoods campers, offering thick forests and plenty of low altitude (read 2000-3000 feet) peaks to bag. As you can imagine, wildlife is in abundance here as well, with moose and black bear making regular appearances, along with otter, deer, and even bobcats. Paddlers can choose to enjoy a serene day in a canoe on one of the many lakes that dot the area or elect to head over to Maine’s Atlantic Coast for a decidedly different, and more challenging, experience in a sea kayak. With over 3.5 million acres of forest spread out across northern Maine, there is plenty of backcountry to explore.

Taos, New Mexico
Located in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountain region, Taos is one of those towns that sits at the epicenter of an outdoor enthusiasts’ paradise. In the winter, it is one of the best ski and snowboard destinations in the entire country, and the miles of local trails are fantastic to explore while snowshoeing as well. During the summer, those same trails make Taos a world-class mountain biking destination and rock climbers will love the variety of challenges they find in the nearby mountains too. The warmer weather also brings excellent whitewater rafting, as well as fantastic opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, and trail running through a pristine wilderness that never fails to surprise visitors with its beauty and wonder. The village of Taos is a great destination in its own right, enchanting travelers with its down home charm, and it serves as a prefect base camp for those who come to play in the backcountry.

There you have it. Five great domestic destinations to that will give you plenty to see and do no matter what time of the year you visit. It’s still plenty early in 2011 to start planning your own escape to one of these outdoor paradises.

[Photo credit: Attila Nagy and chensiyuan via WikiMedia]



San Francisco’s Pelican Inn: A slice of rural England in California

by Grant Martin on

Nothing beats a crisp, cold beer after a long hike through the woods, and in northern San Francisco that can be found at a place called the Pelican Inn. Located at the edge of Muir Beach and adjacent to the Muir Woods National Monument, the Pelican Inn is well positioned among a variety of trail heads and nature preserves to make access easier for the wandering adventure traveler.

More unique than its location, however, is the style of the Pelican Inn. It’s as if someone — some great creature dug its hands deep into the soil of English countryside, pulled up a quaint little inn from a small, cozy town and dropped it back into the earth fifteen miles north of San Francisco. Positioned at the corner of the property and looking towards the sprawling lawn with scattered clumps of visitors, one could easily transport from the sleepy shores of Muir Beach across the Atlantic Ocean and into some distant borough of northern England.

Inside, the Pelican Inn offers a full range of English fare and character, from a wide range of beers and snacks for passers-by to a small dining room and several inn-style hotel rooms for those staying longer.

To get there, take the 101 north out of San Francisco and then the 1, or Shoreline Highway west to Muir Beach.

Rooms start at $190/night. Pelican Inn: 10 Pacific Way, Muir Beach, CA 94965

[image via Erin Drewitz]

JW Marriott Los Angeles celebrates first birthday with $1 room packages

by McLean Robbins on

Want to live like an A-lister for just a dollar? That’s just what will happen to ten lucky travelers who book the JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live’s special first birthday package.

The hotel, celebrating its first anniversary on February 15, is offering a “Happy Birthday” package to the first ten reservations. The package, valued at almost $4,000, includes:

· Overnight accommodations in the Chairman Suite, the hotel’s most luxurious 1,566 square-foot suite over looking the Los Angeles skyline
· Two glasses of Champagne at gLAnce Wine Bar
· Breakfast for two at LA Market restaurant
· Complimentary valet parking

The “Happy Birthday” package will go on sale at 8:00 a.m. PST on February 15 for $1.00. The package will be available for a Friday or Saturday night stay only between August 6, 2011 and September 10, 2011. The package will be available online only with code ES6.

In town on the 15th? Hotel guests will be treated to commemorative cupcakes throughout the day while hotel employees will give back to the local community through volunteering at Midnight Mission, a non-profit serving the homeless of the city located in downtown Los Angeles.