Paicines, California
Explore the great outdoors in and near Paicines, California! With awe-inspiring views and picturesque landscapes, you’ll find something that will capture your heart. Take a hike, explore a mountain bike trail, or find your own tranquil spot for a picnic - the options are endless! Visit Pinnacles National Park for some of the best trails in the area, or take a drive to the San Benito Mountain Range for stunning views and a variety of outdoor adventures. Don’t miss the nearby San Lorenzo Park for a must-visit picnic spot. With so many possibilities, it’s sure to be a treasure trove of outdoor fun!
Top Spots in and near Paicines
-
Moss Landing, California
Kayak with Humpback Whales in Monterey Bay
5.0Disclaimer: Please keep a respectful distance from the whales and other sea wildlife for their protection and your own. Note, changing the animal's natural behavior is a violation of federal law.Every year, humpbacks whale migrate north from their winter and breeding grounds down in southern Mex...Read more -
Sand City, California
Bikepack Highway 1: Monterey to San Luis Obispo
130 mi / 9000 ft gainPlease be aware that this is NOT a route for beginning cyclist. It is a very hilly route and you will be sharing the road with cars for the entire route, the shoulder is sometimes very slim. This should not scare you from doing the trip, just be aware of the risks and dangers you might be facing....Read more -
Monterey, California
Sail on Monterey Bay
Few places along the California coast are perfectly suited for a day of sailing. While San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Long Beach, San Francisco, and Catalina Island offer sailing adventures, none of them offer wide open Pacific waters without dangerous commercial traffic to navigate. The...Read more -
Monterey, California
Scuba Dive Breakwater Cove
Located near Cannery Row, San Carlos Beach is home to Breakwater Cove. This is a great place for beginner scuba divers to practice their diving, get open water certified, and do their first ocean dives. San Carlos Beach is home to a large colony of sea lions, and also features a reef, anemones...Read more -
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Pat Springs via Skinners Ridge
3.513.18 mi / 3645 ft gainBackpacking to Pat Springs is a way to see Big Sur and the San Lucia mountains from a perspective that few get to experience. The Ventana Wilderness is rugged and remote, yet Pat Springs is one of the most beautiful campgrounds around that will allow you to take in this amazing terrain. To get ...Read more -
Merced, California
Photograph the Merced National Wildlife Refuge
5.0Merced National Wildlife Refuge is one of the best places to go and take photos of birds as the refuge plays host to the largest wintering populations of Lesser Sandhill Cranes and Snow/ Ross geese along the Pacific Flyway. Each autumn more than 20,000 cranes and 60,000 arctic-nesting geese termi...Read more -
Morgan Hill, California
Backpack to Coit Lake
5.026 miThis trail can be started from Coe Headquarters or Hunting Hollow Trailhead. The trail from Coe HQ is 2 miles longer, almost all elevation but provides beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. These directions will be starting from Coe HQ.Follow the loop around the parking area to the backpa...Read more -
Morgan Hill, California
Backpack to Mississippi Lake
5.026.4 mi / 3600 ft gainIf you're tired of trying and failing to get reservations for backcountry camping around the bay area, then Henry Coe State Park is the perfect place to visit. No reservations need to be made prior to the trip. All you need to do is get to the HQ on the morning of your trip, get your permits and ...Read more -
Pacific Grove, California
Relax at Lover's Point Beach
4.8Getting there: Drive to the bottom of Ocean View Boulevard in Pacific Grove, California. You will reach a small parking lot. Unfortunately, the parking here is limited. On the bright side, this means the crowds never get too big! The ocean has open swells for surfers, diverse marine-life for snor...Read more -
Pacific Grove, California
Explore Lovers Point
5.0LOVERS POINT PARK AND BEACH:According to local legend, this park was originally called "Lovers of Jesus Point," back in the era when Pacific Grove was a Methodist retreat camp. Since the late 1800s, the beach at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove has been a popular spot for boating and swimming, and o...Read more -
Pacific Grove, California
Paddle Lover's Point
Lover's Point is great place to SUP or kayak. There are tons of jellyfish in the water (so be careful). This beach is also popular for scuba diving and snorkeling. There are rocks surround a small sandy beach and a place to rent kayaks and sups on the beach. There is a small parking lot as well a...Read more -
Big Sur, California
Hike the Ewoldsen Trail
4.54.2 mi / 1500 ft gainThe Ewoldsen Trail is one of the more accessible yet challenging hikes in Big Sur. It is a beautiful ~4-mile loop through the redwood forest that starts in the Julia Pfeiffer state park parking lot, which is across the street from McCay falls. During the first part of the hike, you'll pass picnic...Read more -
Big Sur, California
Hike the Waters Ridge Trail
5.07 mi / 2100 ft gainAccess the Waters Ridge Trail from the Ewoldsen Trail, located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Although steep, this path is fairly short, and rewards you with spectacular views at the top. About halfway around the Ewoldsen Trail Loop, you'll come across a turnoff on the right, with a sign dem...Read more -
Big Sur, California
McWay Falls
4.6McWay Falls is one of the most iconic waterfalls in BIg Sur and can be seen from Highway 1. The trail to the falls is located in Julia Pfeiffer. For all of you history buffs, Mcway Falls is named after Christopher McWay, an early settler and farmer from New York who ventured west in the late 1800...Read more -
Big Sur, California
Hike to Big Sur's Tin House
4.0When it comes to the beauty of Big Sur, a half day on Tanbark Trail to the Tin House captures it all. From the redwood forest along Partinton Creek, to the abandoned Tin House, to Highway 1 and coastal views, you can't ask for much more.The hike starts on the east side of Highway 1 - the northern...Read more -
Big Sur, California
Partington Cove Trail
5.01.09 mi / 262 ft gainPartington Cove Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Big Sur, California.Read more
