Where should I travel for January in CA? (For best biking, best beaches to walk on) (San Diego: live, storage)

[sunset500]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to spend a week in California this January. Ideally I'd like to find a place that's amenable to great (non-mountain) biking along the coast and also someplace that has good scenic beaches for walking/jogging.

I'd like to avoid LA, so are the Bay Area and San Diego my best options? Any smaller cities I should look into?

Thanks for any input!

John

[ferretkona]

Morro Bay, Mendocino both come to mind

[MattClyde]

I think Central coast would be nice so Morro Bay/SLO area I think would be best.
Wear warm clothing though it can get chilly.

[Snort]

Santa Barbara. Good biking trails, beaches, hiking, you name it.

[MtnSurfer]

Well, normally I would agree with everyone about the Central Coast which I am partial to and also live now. But for what you are looking for in mid January I think Southern Cal would be better IMO. Many of the beaches have nice bike paths which can go for miles and miles.

Huntington Beach has a nice bike path. San Diego depends on where you go. There are parts with no path and a lot of cars, tourists, etc... So you have to pick and choose. My favorite part is North County from Cardiff/Encinitas north. Though the paths are sometimes right along the roadside vs. on the beach.

Although you said you would like to avoid LA I wonder if you have ever visited the nicer parts including the South Bay - Torrance, Redondo, Hermosa, Manhattan beaches. This is one of the best places for biking along the coast especially in the Winter with less crouds. The bike paths are really kept up and go for a very long way. And the beaches are really beautiful there and well kept. There are sections where there is actually a part for walking and for biking. Here is a picture of it I found to demonstrate:
http://www.beach-broker.com/Images%5...5CMBStrand.jpg

And of here's a shot I took in Torrance Beach in early February:





I've been up and down the entire coast and have not found bike paths as nice as those around Manhattan Beach. So It's my personal favorite for biking along the ocean (wthout pedestrians). And Winter is my favorite season to visit there as well. They are great for walking on as well with a lot of nice sand and active beach cleanup.

Here's December last year:





Derek

[tstieber]

Don't overlook winter hiking in the deserts. With the occasional rains, they start greening up, and the weather is the warmest in the state (averaging 70 degrees in January!). Otherwise, I'd say all of these ideas are great, including Santa Barbara and the central coast. Check weather before leaving to pack the right clothing. It can be mild and sunny or cold and rainy.

[StandingLenticular]

Each new years, my wife and I go hiking/exploring somewhere new. From my travels, here are some recommendations:

Central Coast:

SLO and Morro Bay was very pleasant when we went for New Years (of course, we did come between storm systems). Bike rides included Morro Bay State Park, Montana de Oro State Park (gorgeous coastline, especially if there is some wave action). SLO is a very walkable town too.

The Big Sur drive was very nice too (Route 1 from Monterey to Morro Bay). If haven't does this yet...you kinda need to, especially if you're a Coast junkie. We hiked the cruikshanks (sp?) trail to some Redwoods. There are a few nice beach towns to stop at (Carmel, Cambria).

If you're into nice, historic buildings, there's the Hearst Castle in San Simeon.

Monterey Area:

The further North you go, the higher the risk for rainy weather in Jan. The Monterey area was nice the week we went (highs in 50s, 60s). Very bikeable, the coast of Pebble Beach is great. Of course, you can be super tourist in the Cannery Row area.

Santa Barbara Area:

Very nice in Jan if you come between storms. Lots of hikes in the Santa Ynez mountains. Even more in the backcountry of SB county and Ventura County. As far as beaches go, the Goleta Monarch Preserve is very nice. If you look at a map, you'll figure out that there's a California state beach every 10-20 miles or so all the way up and down the California Coast. Each has it's own uniqueness.

Southern California:

The Santa Monica Mountains area is nice, with good hikes and bikes. Several nice state beaches (point mugu) and the town of Malibu.

The beaches tend to get more crowded from here-on South.

[StandingLenticular]

Some pictures for my previous post. Both taken in Jan.

http://commondatastorage.googleapis....l/30852216.jpg
Montana De Oro

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/p...m/24650602.jpg
Big Sur Coast

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by StandingLenticular

Each new years, my wife and I go hiking/exploring somewhere new. From my travels, here are some recommendations:

Central Coast:

SLO and Morro Bay was very pleasant when we went for New Years (of course, we did come between storm systems). Bike rides included Morro Bay State Park, Montana de Oro State Park (gorgeous coastline, especially if there is some wave action). SLO is a very walkable town too.

The Big Sur drive was very nice too (Route 1 from Monterey to Morro Bay). If haven't does this yet...you kinda need to, especially if you're a Coast junkie. We hiked the cruikshanks (sp?) trail to some Redwoods. There are a few nice beach towns to stop at (Carmel, Cambria).

If you're into nice, historic buildings, there's the Hearst Castle in San Simeon.

Monterey Area:

The further North you go, the higher the risk for rainy weather in Jan. The Monterey area was nice the week we went (highs in 50s, 60s). Very bikeable, the coast of Pebble Beach is great. Of course, you can be super tourist in the Cannery Row area.

Santa Barbara Area:

Very nice in Jan if you come between storms. Lots of hikes in the Santa Ynez mountains. Even more in the backcountry of SB county and Ventura County. As far as beaches go, the Goleta Monarch Preserve is very nice. If you look at a map, you'll figure out that there's a California state beach every 10-20 miles or so all the way up and down the California Coast. Each has it's own uniqueness.

Southern California:

The Santa Monica Mountains area is nice, with good hikes and bikes. Several nice state beaches (point mugu) and the town of Malibu.

The beaches tend to get more crowded from here-on South.

Yes, I agree. For hiking, beach walking, exploring beautiful coastal scenery the Central Coast is hard to beat. It's more rugged and less crowded than SoCal. Yet it's warmer than NorCal. For biking SoCal is just more developed and has more well planned out biking paths right on the beach. I guess it really depends what the OP is looking for in terms of an overall experience. SoCal has more in the way of other things like nightlife, shopping, etc... when one is not at the beach. Santa Barbara north is more of a quiet getaway, more trees, less crowded, natural enviroment and experience. The Monterey Bay is a marine life sanctuary and great for site seeing, hiking, etc... IMO, if one can only see one part of the Cal coast this is it.











Derek

[allenk893]

Definitely Hermosa & Manhattan Beach.