Weekend Getaway

When Aubrey said she wanted to go to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk & Monterrey for her 5th birthday this year, instead of having a birthday party, I was thrilled. The Beach Boardwalk is one of my favorite places from when I was young — I understand that some may call it dilapidated, overpriced or out of date — but I don’t care. I love the carnival atmosphere, the sun on my skin, and the ocean as a backdrop as you make your way up and down the boardwalk.  I love the happy faces, beach volleyball games, random roller skaters, and kids all around with their ice cream and goodies. Combine that with the natural beauty of the Monterrey area, and it’s a perfect weekend getaway.

We headed out Friday night after a rushed and hectic week, and found some quiet amidst our busy lives. We stayed in Monterrey, just a little south of Santa Cruz and a lot more peaceful.

Not having many plans for Saturday other than knowing we were not  going to the Aquarium (we did that two years ago and have seen plenty of aquariums since), we decided spur of the moment to visit TripAdvisor’s #1 rated attraction in Monterrey — Point Lobos State Reserve. For only a $10 entry fee, we certainly got our money’s worth!

Point Lobos State Reserve is uniquely positioned on the coast just south of Monterrey, and has more wildlife than I would’ve ever anticipated could be seen right off the beaten path.

Our first stop within the reserve, we found an ‘oasis’ of a beach, narrowly set between two large cliffs, with Caribbean-colored blue waters one would never expect to see right off the California coast. We took the long stairwell down, and with the beach all to ourselves, we saw not only seals right next to the beach, but also two seal pups tucked into a little cave right next to the water. Unbelievable!

We then headed over to “Bird Island,” which we quickly understood, from a distance, how it got it’s name. In mid-May, these large rocks jutted up from the water just off the coast and were dotted with birds in every space that could be seen. When we got closer, we saw the birds each had their own nests they hovered about, many of them wandering around finding more pieces to add to their nests. What  fun time to visit, we thought!

But the real exciting discovery was when Tim looked out into the ocean and spotted a whale, right off the coast! Then another! Turned out it was a mother and her calf, and they were not only extremely close to the coast, so we could see them really well, but they stuck around for quite some time. We all watched in awe, and explained to the kids how rare it is to see a whale like this… even the docents at the park were extremely excited.

One of the things I love about taking our kids out in nature, like this, is how they slowly, but surely, become so much more aware and exploratory. Often, when we first arrive at a new nature trail or similar, they start out just walking alongside us… but by the end, they are pointing out strange plants, lizards in the bushes, climbing up on every rock, and racing ahead to see what’s next. I love seeing the same excitement that I feel by being out in nature, in a new place to explore, reflect on how they act as well.

It always makes me glad we did it, and also reminds me how important it is to awaken this part of their spirit.

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The next day we made it out to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and enjoyed a perfect beach day with just enough sunshine so it felt like summer, without being too hot. Read on…