Explore California Event Picks

Happy Holidays from Explore California!  As our first year as a business comes to a close, we are looking forward to what’s in store for 2011.   We had a great balance of wine country and coastal trips in 2010.  With a local’s insight and some fun connections in wine country we provide a fun, unique oenophile’s adventure for folks who want to experience the smaller, boutique wineries.  Our Coastal Trip remains very popular and we take people from all over the world on our 2 night, 3 day adventure down the Pacific Coast Highway.  From the Monterey Bay Aquarium to the Big Sur Coastal Redwoods to Hearst Castle, we give our guests a fun, interactive, informative trip down Highway 1.

Winter Wine Wonderland!  Come Explore Wine Country with us in one of our private tours.  We will take you to the heart of Alexander Valley to meet a wine maker, taste some Cabernet from vines that his father planted and experience the charm of a historic store/café.  In a different tasting room, we get to compare the old and new vine Zinfandels, then check out a winery that specializes in blending grape varietals.  For private groups, the options are endless; we can visit as many or as few wineries as the group would like.  For non-private trips, we have a set itinerary of 4 wineries, with 2 tasting fees included.  We take our guests to our favorite spots! 

Cruise down the Coast with us!  With over a decade of combined guiding background, we are experts at showing our guests a great time in a part of California we are passionate about.  From natural history, to literary history with fun-facts in between, Kelly and Bryan present the coast as an experience that you can’t achieve by renting a car.  Enjoy the views, relax and take it all in as we bring the coast to life with stories and stops.

• From San Francisco we head directly for the coast where our guests are immediately greeted with breath-taking views.  A quick stop in Santa Cruz gives everyone a taste of Nor Cal surfing culture and the opportunity for a snack before heading down to Monterey.
• We arrive in Monterey with plenty of time for an afternoon activity.  Whether it’s visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, kayaking on the bay, running or biking on the 18 miles of Coastal recreation trail, the afternoon is for you to enjoy.
• On the second day of the trip, we get an early start and head through Pebble Beach along the scenic 17-mile drive.  After passing through the famous golf Mecca and windblown Cypress trees, we get to the coastal views between Carmel and Big Sur that evoke the oohs and ahhs.  The dramatic highway rolls over the hills on the edge of the Pacific. 
• We stop in Big Sur at Nepenthe Café for a coffee, then in Julia Pfeiffer State Park for a stroll to the famous waterfall that plunges into the azure sea. 
• If the Elephant Seals are beached, we make sure to take a moment for pictures before heading into Cambria.  Should people choose, a tour of Hearst Castle is an option, or the charming town of Cambria offers many tasting rooms for the wine lover, artisan shops and seaside activities. 
• After a night in Cambria, we head south, then east.  A stop in Solvang always wows our guests… Nothing like a mid-morning Ǽbelskiver and window shopping for clogs in the Danish town! 
• As we wind our way past Lake Cachuma and through the Hills of Santa Barbara, we end at the Santa Barbara Train Station where our guests have the option of taking the Coastal Starlight train to Los Angeles or San Diego, staying in Santa Barbara or coming back with us to San Francisco!
  

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Big Sur California is one of the most magical coastal spots you can stumble upon.  Where the mountains meet the sea, the possibilities are endless...Camping, tubing, rock climbing, hiking - a true outdoor Mecca.  The imposing Redwood Trees line Historic Highway 1 as you zig zag your way through the unincorporated town.  With stops at The Big Sur River Inn, where you can dangle your feet in the water and Nepenthe, where the ocean views will take your breath away there is no shortage of magnificent scenery and fun places to grab a bite.  Attracting artists, authors, Zen Buddhists, hippies and outdoor enthusiasts, Big Sur is a special place for everyone.  My first experience in Big Sur was camping with my family amongst the massive Redwoods and catching crawdads for dinner from the Big Sur River.  Since then, I have explored the Ventana Wilderness with a backpack on my back, run the Big Sur Marathon annually and enjoyed days on the beaches below the jagged cliffs.  It is my pleasure to be able to share Big Sur with the guests of Explore California.  Whether it be a camping trip, backpacking trip, or part of our Coastal 3-day tour, we know the best places to bring our guests and the most beautiful stops along the way.  Let us know if we can help you plan a trip to Big Sur!  

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Check this out!  500 World Class wines and 30 Top-Rated Restaurants for 1 amazing night at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House!

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