Remember when I took that impromptu yet incredible road trip last December? Well, we’re back on that again, as I still have two days of it left to share. If you want to catch up HERE is the Portland > Eureka leg and HERE is the Eureka > Santa Rosa leg. Our second to last day of our trip found us leaving our adorable bungalow on the Russian River and headed to Misty’s home in Santa Cruz.
Our first sleepy stop was as we hit the coast, and in front of us was this looming rock overlooking the ocean. There’s something about a big green hill that makes me immediately want to run up it. Too much Sound of Music as a child perhaps. Goat Rock, as we learned it was called offered some incredible views and was the perfect run around to wake up road-weary minds (and legs)
We continued a little ways down the California coast line to Bodega Bay, a charming seaside town, best know for it’s appearance in Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. We loaded up on saltwater taffy and and jumped back in the car.
Rolling into Point Reyes Station, where we planned to stop for lunch, we drove through Tomales Bay. This is an area I am dying to revisit and stop awhile. The serenity that echoed across the water as we rolled past was captivating. We passed an area simply known as “Nick’s Cove” – I would like to be friends with Nick and hang out in his cove. For days.
Point Reyes Station is essentially the kind of place I could live out the end of my days. A small and sustainable community, home to small boutiques and restaurants and it’s own currency (!). We ate at the Station House Café where I feasted on the chili photographed above with the yummiest cornbread I have ever tasted.
We sped through San Francisco as swiftly as possible so we could get to Santa Cruz before it got too late. We stopped at Sante Adairius Rustic Ales to grab a drink pre-dinner. Sante Adairius is very well known for it’s (award winning) small batch ale that isn’t available anywhere else (nor do they bottle any – so no take homes this time). It was really great, and if you’re a beer lover, worth stopping by.
We ended the evening at dinner with Misty and her husband at Cremer House – where I devoured the fried chicken and a fair bit more yummy local beer.
The trip was coming to an end. One day left.