Four years ago around this time Marc and I visited our youngest daughter and son-in-law in Monterey and Carmel, CA. Since the hit series “Little Big Lies” showcases that town and area, I thought it’d be a fun diversion to post a few of my sunny photos once more. (Daughter A. had a great job at Sunset Center in Carmel-by-the-Sea– a performing arts venue.) Carmel is fancier, Monterey more artsy and homey to me.
It truly is as beautiful as it is purported to be. The light is extraordinary; artists flock there as well as other creatives. The weather is about perfect, the landscapes scroll before one’s gaze, ever changing visual gifts. The area is inhabited by the more moneyed, generally, but even we middle class folks enjoyed happy roaming about at our leisure.
Some of these shots are taken as we traveled to Santa Cruz, Big Sur and the Pinnacles National Park, around the Salinas Valley (the valley is John Steinbeck country). Included also are picturesque sights from Carmel-by-the Sea. It all delighted with attractive architecture, streets, seaside and valley views.
I hope it gives you restful pleasure to view some of the places we visited. We start in Monterey and Carmel.
A slide show is below.
Heading into Big Sur country…
Back to lovely Monterey and next-door Pacific Grove.
Tales for Life 
Thanks for this dreamy visit to coastal northern Calif., Cynthia. As a resident of northern Calif., I have the opportunity to visit here often, and have spent many, many days and nights here. You did an excellent job of finding and capturing the most gorgeous spots. Fantastic photos. I think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. Pinnacles, more inland, is absolutely delightful, with great, challenging, hiking. Lovely visit, thank you.
How fortunate you are to live in the area. I appreciate that you found the pictures worth a look! I sure agree that Pinnacles was challenging. I have heart disease and it was a great work out–if a bit breathless, at times. But so worth it! Sort of wish my daughter still worked there but they got homesick for Oregon 🙂 (and we are glad to have them back, too).
Your usual excellent photographs. The buff, green, blue hues of the Pinnacle rocks are fascinating
Glad you liked these–such good memories and we hope to travel there once more when things are back to more normalcy…someday… Those rock formations were fabulous and though it was hard to climb the steep paths, worth the effort!