& ki sk c
travelweekly.co.uk
alifornia – the name features in the titles of hundreds of songs, countless movies, endless pages of literature and on a VW Campervan, conjuring up images of golden-sand beaches and blonde, suntanned surfers. We’ve all been raised on a diet of sun-soaked images
from Baywatch to Beverly Hills to Big Sur – but the state is also home to some of the best skiing in North America. One day you might be paddleboarding in the Pacific Ocean and by the next morning you can be carving the powder slopes of its ski resorts. What’s not to like? Having tested my snowboarding skills on the slopes of Europe, I was itching to explore this new domain and see why California appeals to active travellers all year round.
THE SCENIC ROUTE Naturally, the best way to savour California is on a road trip, so we began our journey in San Francisco and
DESTINATIONS CALIFORNIA | THE US
headed a few hours south to Monterey, one of the most popular spots on the central coast. Visiting while ski season was still underway meant we
were blessed with mild sunny weather and the benefit of fewer tourists and queues. Monterey has a rich cultural history and is renowned as a creative hub, home to legendary music festivals and an array of visual and literary artists – though none is more strongly associated with the area than John Steinbeck. Commonly known as Steinbeck Country, Monterey’s famous Cannery Row owes its name and much of its preserved character to the author’s famous novel. The charming city is also famous for its plentiful marine life, which includes sea lions, sea otters, harbour seals, kelp forests, pelicans, dolphins and several species of whale. There are whale-watching excursions aplenty, although weather conditions meant we opted for the Monterey Bay Aquarium instead. ²
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PICTURE: Zach Doleac/
SeeMonterey.com
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