Carmel coast. Photo by Virginia Miller. Despite its chichi, tony edge, the idyllic, walkable town of Carmel-By-The-Sea is a fairytale village set on the windswept sea. Stunning, moody California/Monterey cypress trees and vivid flowers line the rocky coast, while the Hobbit-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland architecture defines Carmel’s unique look. Like much of California, it’s gorgeous, but the coastline around Carmel is vastly enchanting,… Read more →
As COVID rages on, local trips and overnights beckon for easy, close-to-home getaways that don’t require flights. It was 2011 when I last wrote about Santa Cruz highlights, though I’ve stayed there and passed through numerous times in between, including visiting the chill town of Aptos, eight miles down the road. Here is my guide to a few highlights in the laid back, surfer city of Santa Cruz (SC), a brief 70 miles south of San Francisco.
Published by Where Traveler in March 2019, my article on 3 weekends (hotels, spa, food, drink, even motorcycles) from Marina to Carmel and the Carmel Valley. Article here: www.wheretraveler.com/san-francisco/eat/carmel-weekend-three-ways Read more →
I wrote this article for Zagat, originally published September 4, 2015. The article and all photos are by Virginia Miller. For many, Big Sur is a spiritual place: that sparsely populated coastline of Central California cradled by the Santa Lucia Mountains, with redwoods and dramatic cliffs lining the Pacific. Being as remote (and stunning) as it is, restaurants are few,… Read more →