Elena P

Hanalei Bay is one of the most scenic beaches on the north shore of Kauai.  It features mountain views and a pier.  In summer, the water gets calm and clear.  It's perfect for swimming, SUP, and diving.  During the winter, the it becomes a beautiful surf spot. There are small lots for parking scattered along the length of the beach, so refrain from parking in front of houses.  It stays relative...

Saunders beach is relatively uncrowded, and has more locals than tourists.  It's a stretch of white sandy beach with calm waters, perfect for swimming and families.  There are small fish and some coral.  This is a great place for young swimmers to practice snorkeling as most of the beach has a sandy bottom, but there are small areas with coral and fish too see.  The beach is lined with shady tr...

Old Town lies on the Adriatic Sea, with limestone mountains in the background.  It is one of the world's best preserved medieval towns, and even played host to HBO's Game of Thrones.  Scenes in King's Landing were filmed throughout Old Town in Dubrovnik, and walking through the town's streets will make you feel as though you are walking through Kings Landing itself. Locals still live and thrive...

The entrance to jade cove is off the side of the road on Hwy 1.  There is lots of side parking available.  You go down a short unmarked trail and keep left.  You'll find yourself at the top of a cliff/mountain side that uses 2 ropes to get down.  The first rope is short and not super difficult.  The 2nd rope is much longer.  The rocks get steeper and more crumbly closer to the bottom.  Watch ou...

This is a big beach park.  There are large grassy areas with trees that are perfect to hammock in.  There are also many picnic tables.  The are two sides to the beach, with one side being very kid-friendly.   The waves can crash very hard into the rocks and create a lot of spray.  There are little tide pools to explore, but always be careful of incoming waves.

Shoreline Lake features a big lake, many hiking and biking trails, and lot of picnic areas in Mountain View, CA. Kayaks, SUP, and various boats can be rented from the boat house. This is a great place to enjoy the water no matter what season it is. There are large grassy areas for kids to run and play in.   Shoreline is a great place for beginners to SUP because it offers calm waters. It's a gr...

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, and small fish.  Young halibut, sea pens, and sand dollar fields can also be seen. Divers enter th...

Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve has many beginner to intermediate hiking trails.  Deer Hollow Farm Trail Loop is a hiking trail for beginners, families, or anyone wanting to go on a short hike with nice views of the bay. The trail passes by a farm and deer can often be seen wandering around. Parking fills up early in the morning so its best to get there early, or later in the afternoon...

This lighthouse is located north of Grande Plage beach. It's a great place to explore because it provides scenic vistas of downtown Biarritz, as well as the northern town of Anglet. The lighthouse has a couple of grassy areas where people can picnic while watching the ocean. It's all and all a great place to check out while you are in Biarritz!

Cote des Basques is a popular longboarding surf spot in Biarritz, France.  It is also a great place to learn how to surf on the French coast.  Waves here are mellow and there are often very large crowds. It is a beach break, so waves break both left and right.  When the swell picks up the wave is predominantly a right. If you move further down the beach when there's more swell, the waves are a ...

Pleasure Point is located on the east side of Santa Cruz, California. It is a right hand point break that breaks year round. It is a popular surf spot for many people that live in the San Francisco Bay Area.  There are 3 different peaks that break at Pleasure Point. Sewers, which is the furthest breaking point and is for more experienced surfers. 2nd peak is located more on the inside where you...

It's a very uncrowded beach on the Southern Oregon Coast.  This is due to the fact that it is very far from a large population density area. This beautiful beach has miles of sand to explore. The further north you go on the beach, the less crowded it will beach. This is also an occasional surf spot when tide, swell, and wind all line up accordingly.

Zarautz is located in the basque country of Spain. It's roughly 30 minutes east of San Sebastian. Zarautz is a very popular summertime destination, but the waves really pick up in the fall and winter months.  This is a fun beach break with peaks all over the beach.  The wave is relatively soft and inconsequential.  It works best on North swells and South winds.

This is a great place for fishing or just taking a walk to watch the sunset.  It's a great place to walk or jog, or even bring a pup!  There are lot of people fishing throughout the pier.   A short walk away is Sharp Park Beach, where you can relax and bring a picnic to watch the sunset.

Otter rock is the most popular surf spot for beginners in the state of Oregon. Located by Devils Punch Bowl, Otter rock offers playful waves that are great for beginners to learn how to surf. It's often called the Waikiki of Oregon. Even though it is a predominately beginner surf spot, the waves can still get large during the winter months.

Bellows Field Beach Park is near the Bellows Air Force Base.  It has a campground, but remains relatively uncrowded when compared to other beaches on Oahu.  It has lush trees and beautiful mountain views.  There are small waves, good for boogie boarding. Note:  - Look for signs warning of Portuguese man of war - This beach is only open Fri-Sun

A medium size beach with darker sand with big rocks and a paved path for walkers and joggers.  The beach is a great place to bring a picnic and watch the sunset.  It is located next to Pacifica Pier, which is popular for fishing.

Bear Valley is nestled in the high Sierra between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe.  It is a popular destination for families and nature lovers.  It boasts 1,900 vertical feet over 1680 acres for skiing and snowboarding. Winter is a popular time at Bear Valley.  Most visitors come to ski or snowboard, but there is also snowshoeing, tubing, sledding, snowmobiling, and more to be found here. During the su...

Lake Helen is a glacial lake in Lassen Volcanic NP.  The park's winter season starts in October and runs through June.  Lake Helen can be found thawing mid-June.  The turquoise blue of the water comes from the minerals in it, and is mesmerizingly beautiful when thawing in pools over a snowy Lake Helen. Once fully thawed, Lake Helen is a great lake for reflection photos as there is no surface o...

Hike half a mile to this beautiful, secluded beach.  There are high cliffs with a steep staircase down to the beach.  The beach has wonderful rock formations on one side.  It is a great place to watch the sunset or bring a picnic.  A great place for a beach day if you are looking for something less crowded.

Malibu point is an iconic surf spot located in Malibu, California. It's a very popular summer time spot due to the exposure to south swells.  The majority of people longboard this surf spot.  It's a very iconic wave with lots of history!  The wave itself is a long right-hand point break that is relatively forgiving.

One of the more beautiful resorts in Lake Tahoe to go snowboarding and skiing.  Heavenly is situated in South Lake Tahoe on the border of California and Nevada.  This ski resort has an amazing view of the lake while going down, as well as one of the largest total areas to ski in Lake Tahoe. This is one of the most popular places to snowboard and ski in Lake Tahoe, and provides some of the best ...

Rockaway is a dark sandy beach located in the south of Pacifica, CA.  It has numerous hiking trails around it, most notably Mori Point.  The Mori Point trail will take you through the hills and overlooks Rockaway Beach. There are paths to come down to the beach.   There are biking paths and parking lots near Rockaway beach. This beach is also sometimes surfable. Rockaway beach is accessible t...

This is the main beach in Biarritz, France. It's a very popular summer time destination, but the waves are on the smaller side during this season. The waves begin to pick up during the fall and winter months. This is a beach break, providing rippable waves up and down the beach. There is a rip that takes you out to the lineup on the south end of the beach by the rocks. Use this on a bigger day....